(LITERATURE AND POETRY) WHEATLEY PHILLIS Poems on Various Su

Sale 2271 - Lot 366

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Estimate: $ 15,000 - $ 25,000

FINE COLONIAL AMERICAN PROVENANCE (LITERATURE AND POETRY.) WHEATLEY, PHILLIS. Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. Portrait by Scipio Morehead in 2nd state, tastefully hand-colored at an early date. 8vo, original full calf, re-backed and re-cased in period style: [viii], [9]-124, [3] pages, table of contents and advertisements, followed by five inserted leaves bearing several works by Wheatley not included in the book, written in a clear cursive script; the first page stating "Rebound and the following poems added in 1917." The title-page bears considerable archival paper repair, the text with occasional foxing throughout. Additionally, this book bears the ownership signature of "Abigail S. Safford, Salem, 1777," and another notation on the front free end-paper: "I bought this book at Colesworthy's Book Store at 66 Cornhill, Boston Mass., on February 5, 1910. Marvin M. Taylor." Colesworthy's tiny stamp appears at the bottom of the front paste-down. London: A. Bell, 1773

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first edition of the first book written by an african-american woman and the first book of poetry written by an african-american, with an excellent provenance. Abigail S. Safford's copy, dated "Salem, 1777." The Saffords were one of the earliest families to come to Massachusetts from England in the 17th century. A name well-represented in both the Revolutionary War and the Salem Witch Trials. John Safford's 2nd wife, Abigail, was a supposed victim of witchcraft. A page cut from a newspaper appears on the rear paste-down. It refers to MacDonald Clarke (1798-1842), an old New York character known as the so-called "Mad Poet of Broadway." There does not seem to be any association with the present volume.