How to Sell Your Thomas Paine Autograph
To auction, sell or consign your Thomas Paine autograph, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (NateDSanders.com).
A Thomas Paine autograph is considered one of the rarest among the Founding Fathers. Although his book, “Common Sense”, was an important piece that advocated for the American Revolution, Paine was an activist and not a politician. Because he never signed documents as an elected official, Thomas Paine signed items are very scarce.
Here’s a Thomas Paine Autograph We Sold:
Autograph Letter Signed From the 1790s — Sold for $10,400
Thomas Paine autograph letter signed, from sometime in the 1790s, when Paine was exiled in France for writing subversive text such as “Rights of Man”. Paine writes to fellow Revolutionary Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen, who was also in Paris periodically throughout the 1790s as a result of his prosecution by the English government. Paine writes in full, “Dear Citizen – I called at the Caffe Boston today, where I dined, but you were not at home, – will you call on me tomorrow morning, at 12 OClock. / Thomas Paine”. Dated “4 Vendemiaire” or 26 September at top, and with verso bearing the name of “Le General Allen / Americain”. Interestingly, during this time Cafe Boston was a known haunt of Americans critical of the French government – controlled by Robespierre and the Montagnards, the faction responsible for the Reign of Terror. As Paine spoke out against the execution of Louis XVI, he was subsequently imprisoned by the French government, as was Allen during the 1790s. A 30 December 1802 police report comments about the Cafe, “Some middle class English people often meet at the cafe Boston on Vivienne Street. They speak only in their own language; our government is always the subject of their conversions, and they say nothing but bad things about it. They take great care not to be overheard”. Single page letter measures 7″ x 4.75″. Remnants of prior mounting to verso, small hole at bottom and some showthrough from writing on verso. Overall in very good condition, with a bold signature by Paine. Accompanied by a 4.25″ x 6″ engraving of Paine. Sold for $10,400.
We also sold this copy of “The Writings of Thomas Paine”:
“The Writings of Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to the Congress of the United States of America, in the Late War”
“The Writings of Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to the Congress of the United States of America, in the Late War.” Albany: Charles R. & George Webster: 1791-92. Octavo. First edition of the collected Writings of Thomas Paine, printed in Albany in 1792. An important early collection containing nine of Paine’s most significant writings, each separately printed with its own title page. Includes the scarce first collected American edition of “The Crisis;” consisting of 13 numbered articles, only five of which were issued in pamphlet form, the others appearing only in newspapers. Other writings include: the 1791 first Albany printing of “Common Sense”; the 1792 second American edition of “Public Good”; Paine’s 1792 letters to Abbe Raynal, the Earl of Shelburne, Sir Guy Carlton, the authors of The Republican, and Abbe Syeyes; and the 1792 fourth American edition of “Rights of Man” [Part I]. Volume lacks general title page and list of Subscriber’s Names. Completely disbound from brown leather boards which show extensive wear and are sans backstrip. Housed in handsome quarter leather clamshell case with gilt titling. Some overall toning and foxing to interior pages. A rare and important collection of Paine’s writings.
To auction, sell or consign your Thomas Paine autograph, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (NateDSanders.com).
FAQs
How do I consign or sell my Thomas Paine autograph?
It’s never been easier to sell your Thomas Paine autograph at Nate D. Sanders Auctions. Email a description and photos of your item to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can with a free estimate.
This sounds great and I’d like to move forward. What’s the consignment process like at Nate D. Sanders Auctions?
We’ll send you more information about our auction house along with an agreement to review. Your item will appear in our next auction. Unlike many auction houses, we hold monthly auctions and pay you within an industry-leading 45 days following the auction.
What factors determine the value of my Thomas Paine autograph?
The value of your autograph can vary based on condition, subject matter and provenance.