ALLEN ETHAN Reason the Only Oracle of Man or a Compenduous S

Sale 2163 - Lot 2

Price Realized: $ 3,600

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 3,000 - $ 4,000

ALLEN, ETHAN. Reason the Only Oracle of Man, or a Compenduous System of Natural Religion. 8vo, contemporary calf, worn, original spine label reading "Allen's Theology"; edges tinted green, lacks half-title and free endpapers, "1784" inked twice on title page, first pages browned, chipped and soiled, unevenly trimmed, other minor faults; signatures of A.C. Allen and Saidee Allen on various pages, calling card of Mrs. Heman G. Allen glued to front pastedown. Bennington, VT, [1784]

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first edition of the personal philosophy of Ethan Allen, famous leader of Vermont's Green Mountain Boys. "The rarest of Allen's publications, and . . . the first work published in America in direct opposition to the Christian religion"--Sabin 802. "The entire edition, except about thirty copies, was destroyed by fire, said to have been caused by lightning, which was superstitiously deemed a judgement from Heaven at the time"--Evans 18322.
The provenance of this volume apparently traces from Vermont native Almon C. Allen (1812-1891) to his son Heman G. Allen (b. 1840) of Michigan, and then to Heman's daughter Sarah "Sadie" (Allen) Lipe of (b. 1871) of Toledo, OH (see Gardner's 1913 History of Calhoun County, Michigan). Church 1201; McCorison 69; Streeter sale II:716. Only one other copy found at auction since 1985.