RARE LETTER REGARDING AMERICAN REVOLUTION FROM WILLIAM HOOPER OF NORTH CAROLINA, A SCARCE SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, AT AUCTION ON APRIL 3

An important Autograph Letter Signed from North Carolina Signer of the Declaration of Independence William Hooper to his friend Robert Smith, discussing the impending conflict between Washington and Howe and predicting Britains ruin, written 6 August 1776, just four days after Hooper signed the Declaration, is featured at Swann Galleries' April 3 Autographs auction. The letter has remained in the Smith-Hooper family for over 225 years and has never before been offered for sale. It is one of few letters handled in the American-run North Carolina mail system prior to 1777.

RARE LETTER REGARDING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION FROM A SCARCE SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FEATURED AT SWANN GALLERIES AUTOGRAPHS AUCTION ON APRIL 3

Other Highlights Include Important Frederic Remington Letters and an Autograph Book Signed by mid-19th Century Congressmen, Including Abraham Lincoln

New York-Collectors of American Revolutionary War period autographs are in for a treat. Swann Galleries Thursday, April 3 Autographs auction features an Autograph Letter Signed from North Carolina signer of the Declaration of Independence William Hooper to his friend Robert Smith, dated 6 August 1776, discussing the impending conflict between Washington and Howe and predicting Britains ruin. It has remained in the Smith-Hooper family for over 225 years and has never before been offered for sale (estimate $25,000 to $35,000). As a result of marriage between Hoopers and Smiths descendants, the letter passed down to William Hoopers 6-great grandchild, A.E. Ewell, II of East Sussex, England, the last of my line," who said he believes it is historically important to the people of the United States. If something should have happened to me, this no doubt would have been lost forever."

Autograph material by Hooper is scarce. What makes this letter extraordinary is the content and the close proximity to his actually signing the Declaration-both factors of paramount importance to collectors," said Swann specialist Jeremy Markowitz. The letter, which was sent to North Carolina from Philadelphia just four days after Hooper signed the Declaration, is also of interest because it is one of the few that were handled in the American-run North Carolina mail system prior to 1777.

The auction is also rich in 19th and 20th century Americana. Presidential material includes several autograph books, one containing over 600 signatures of Congressmen from the 29th to 31st Congresses, including Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, Washington, circa 1845-50 ($7,000 to $10,000); one with the signatures of Zachary Taylor and his administration, Washington, 1849-50 ($5,000 to $7,500); and an album with the signatures of Charles Guiteau, and the 12 members of the jury that convicted him of assassinating President Garfield, Washington, 1882 ($3,000 to $4,000).

The auction offers an excellent selection of autograph material by artists, writers and musicians. The earliest is an Autograph Note Signed from John Singleton Copley, Boston, 1767, a receipt for portraits of Reverend Jonathan Mayhew that were subsequently destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872 ($3,000 to $4,000).

Among many illustrated artists letters is a major archive of Frederic Remington correspondence with his close friend Joel Burdick, who met at Yale in the 1870s. One letter discusses an upcoming camping trip, with five related illustrations, New Rochelle, 1895 ($6,000 to $8,000); another concerns the hospital stretcher the two were designing and speaks of Remingtons desire to leave for Cuba, illustrated with a self-portrait in military uniform, Tampa Bay, 1898 ($4,000 to $6,000); and the final letter, written a week before Remingtons unexpected death, thanks Burdick for his friendship, refers to Remingtons paintings as his babies," and expresses hopes they will increase in value after he is gone, Ridgefield, 1909 ($5,000 to $7,500).

Literary autographs include a two stanza Autograph Poem Signed, The Eagle," by Alfred Tennyson, Raithby Hall, 1849 ($3,000 to $4,000); an ALS by Henry David Thoreau, accepting an invitation to lecture about Cape Cod, Concord, 1850 ($6,000 to $9,000); and an ALS by Mark Twain to his lawyer, concerning the sale of the failed Paige Manufacturing Company, Vancouver, 1895 ($3,000 to $4,000).

A large section of musical autographs contains letters, signed photographs, musical manuscripts and quotations, including an Autograph Musical Quotation Signed by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Leipzig, 1843 ($5,000 to $7,500); a lovely inscribed and signed Cabinet Card portrait of Giacomo Puccini, Vienna, October 1897 ($2,000 to $3,000); and an Autograph Musical Manuscript of the song Die Stille Stadt (The Silent City), Signed by Jean Sibelius, circa 1906 ($7,000 to $9,000).

Finally, other highlights include an ALS by Sigmund Freud to Dr. and Mrs. Nunberg, in German, written soon after he left Vienna for London to escape Nazi aggressions, London, 1938 ($3,500 to $5,000).

The autographs will be on public exhibition on Saturday, March 29, from 10 am to 4 pm; and Monday, March 31 through Wednesday, April 2, from 10 am to 6 pm. An illustrated catalogue, with information on bidding by mail or fax., is available for $25 from Swann Galleries, Inc., 104 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, or online at www.swanngalleries.com.

For further information, and to make advance arrangements to bid during the auction, please contact Jeremy Markowitz at (212) 254-4710, extension 27, or via e-mail at jmarkowitz@swanngalleries.com.

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