Significant Milestone at Sotheby’s
Today marks a significant milestone as Sotheby’s puts up for auction an extraordinary broadside edition of the Declaration of Independence, valued between $2 and $4 million.
This remarkable piece hails from July 1776 and was created to disseminate the principles of American independence to a broader audience.
Notably, it is one of only ten remaining copies of this particular printing.
Most of the others are now part of prestigious institutional collections, according to the Observer.
An Essential Artifact
Kalika Sands, Sotheby’s head of books and manuscripts for the Americas, highlighted the importance of this unique broadside, referring to it as an essential artifact of American heritage.
She noted that this document encapsulates a transformative period in history, exemplifying the bold spirit of a new nation asserting its independence.
After the Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, the original document was entrusted to John Dunlap, the official printer.
He worked tirelessly, setting the type for the Declaration in just one evening.
The initial batch of copies was distributed throughout the colonies, encouraging local printers to replicate the work.
Historical Sales and Significance
Experts believe that the broadside up for auction was printed by Robert Luist Fowle, a printer based in Exeter, New Hampshire.
If this exceptional item meets its projected sale price, it will join the ranks of the highest-valued copies of the Declaration ever sold.
In 2000, a different version set a record by fetching $8.1 million at Sotheby’s, while another notable sale took place last year, where a copy went for $3.4 million.
These transactions highlight the lasting significance of this transformative document in shaping American history.
Source: Onlygoodnewsdaily