Home Page
Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com
Phone: 858-759-3290
Bookmark
Early American
Type in Your EMAIL Address
to Receive Notices
of Important Events
Auctions
• SATURDAY - Dec. 14th
• Middendorf Article
• Print Out a Bid Form
• Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com
• Register to Bid
• Sign-in / Sign-out
• Helpful Hints
• Reference Books
Links to Other Sites:
• Tortuga Trading

We ship what we sell, no expensive 3rd party shipping.
Autographed lots have EAHA, Inc. Certificates of Authenticity (COA)
and all other items sold by request, per specified terms of sale.
By Bidding in this sale you are agreeing to the Terms of Sale. Click Here to read the Terms of Sale.
A 25% Buyer's Premium Will Be Added To The Price of Each Lot in Your Invoice
Browse the Auction in Groups of 25 Lots:
<< PREVIOUS LOT • NEXT LOT >>
Click for a Printable Page
Estimate Range: $800 - $1,200
Current Bidding Status
This Lot is CLOSED for Absentee Bidding.
John Ericsson Builder of the U.S.S. Monitor Autograph Letter Signed to the Smithsonian Secretary Joseph Henry

Click an Image to Enlarge It
JOHN ERICSSON (1803-1889). Swedish-American Inventor, chiefly remembered for designing and building the U.S.S. Monitor, during the Civil War, the first armored Ironclad Warship equipped with a revolving turret, which battled the CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads in 1862.

April 14, 1870-Dated, Autograph Letter Signed, "J. Ericsson", at New York City, 1 page, measuring 7-7/8" x 9-7/8", with transmittal folds, Very Fine. Written to Prof. Joseph Henry (1797-1878) at Washington, the noted Scientist and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1846-1878), also the President of the National Academy of Sciences (1868-1878). This Letter with the receiving Blue Oval Hand-stamp of the Smithsonian Institution at top left. This is an excellent content Letter in which John Ericsson arranges for Prof. Joseph Henry's upcoming critical visit with him in New York. Ericsson’s intention being: "to have the most important instruments mounted on the revolving table when you call". This Letter, fully written by Ericsson’s hand reads, in full:

"New York, April 14, 1870. --- My Dear Sir,

I most reluctantly trouble you, yet I am compelled to beg that you will drop a line stating what time, about, you propose to visit New York. The fact is that my revolving table in order to accommodate certain experiments, is sometimes stripped of instruments, and at other times entirely removed to give room for the engines. --- Please pardon my giving you this trouble, my excuse being an anxiety to have the most important instruments mounted on the revolving table when you call. -- Yours truly, -- (Signed) J. Ericsson".

Nicely signed in fine handwritten clear brown ink “J. Ericsson” with a flourish below measuring about a large 3 inches long. Also with Smithsonian Docket on the blank reverse reading: “J. Ericsson Eqr / Apr. 14. “70”.

Provenance: Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II
Keywords:
Click for a Printable Page
Estimate Range: $800 - $1,200
Early American History Auctions, Inc.
1520 Commerce St., # 312 • Winchester, VA 22601
Phone: 858 • 759 • 3290
Email: Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com