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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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The Life & Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection - By Michael Stillman The Life and Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection. In a Gallup poll conducted this past President's Day, Americans selected the "greatest" President of the United States. Reagan, Clinton and Kennedy all beat out George Washington. How soon we forget. The Raab Collection has not forgotten, and this month they have issued one of their "Great Collections," The Life & Times of George Washington. This catalogue is not just about Washington, but he dominated his times, and many of these items come from his hand. Washington is almost something of a forgotten figure. Everyone knows his name, but it seems that few understand the magnitude of his contributions, or the mettle of the man. As a general, he won the Revolution for independence against the heaviest of odds. As the nation's first President, he took it through the treacherous waters of international intrigue while it forged its identity. These may be secondary to the legacy of freedom and democracy he gave to his country. He could have been King, ruler for life. Instead, he reluctantly served two terms as elected President, set the highest of moral standards, and willingly retired to his home when his years were finished. He wasn't perfect. He had slaves, though he was the only slaveholding president who freed them (after he died). Still, it was his values, and his true belief in serving his country, not just advancing his own interests, that set the standard for his nation. We may stray, but at least we have a solid foundation. George Washington. Here are a few items from this collection. The Revolution effectively ended after Yorktown in 1781 when the British pulled out. However, it was not until 1783 that a treaty was finally signed. Then, Washington had lots of soldiers and no war. Today, we would maintain a large peacetime army, but early Americans were wary of a standing army, fearing it would take over the government. So Washington was eager to send the soldiers on their way. On November 4, 1783, he was able to whip this letter off to Dr. John Cochrane, Director General (chief surgeon) of the Continental Army. With so many soldiers now discharged, "it appears to me no longer necessary to keep in service so many Officers of the Hospital Departmt…" The letter is signed by Washington. Item 34. Priced at $35,000. Washington had many admirers, one of whom was a young Frenchman who came to America to join the American cause, later to return to France and serve the cause of freedom in his homeland for many years. That would, of course, be the Marquis de Lafayette. He would serve under Washington during the Revolution, as well as under another American general, Nathaniel Greene. After the war, Lafayette returned to France, and did not visit the States again until a quarter of a century after Washington died. In 1829, Lafayette was called on to write a letter of recommendation to a Belgian educator on behalf of General Greene's grandson, George Washington Greene. Lafayette is profuse in his compliments of young Greene, but in speaking of his namesake says, "General Washington was like a father to me." Item 20. $15,000.
The Life & Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection - By Michael Stillman The sole surviving House credential from the First Congress. Another Washington namesake and admirer was the first great American writer, Washington Irving. Irving had already written several biographies, along with the novels and short stories for which he is best known, when he got around to preparing his final masterpiece, the five-volume The Life of George Washington. He wrote it in his 70s, the volumes being published from 1855-1859, the last shortly before he died at age 76. Item 2 is Irving's autograph manuscript of the final part of volume 4, wherein he evaluates Washington and his role in the Revolution. Describing Washington's motivations, Irving writes, "Glory, that blatant word, which haunts some military minds like the bray of the trumpet, formed no part of his aspirations. To act justly was his instinct, to promote the public weal his constant effort, to deserve the 'affections of good men' his ambition." $24,000. Item 17 is a letter from Esek Hopkins, Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy, the naval counterpart to the army's commander George Washington. However, when appointed in December of 1775, Hopkins did not exactly have a large navy at his command. The navy had but seven ships, the flagship named Alfred! Nevertheless, Hopkins would lead his navy on a successful amphibious attack in the Bahamas in March of 1776. The Continental Navy attacked the defenses of New Providence, capturing weapons and supplies they brought back to America. One of the places that needed weapons was Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on Narragansett Bay. It was exposed to British attack. On March 18, Hopkins wrote to the Dartmouth Committee of Safety, offering "two 9 lb. guns and some shott," and further requesting that any shot too big for their guns be forwarded on to Providence or Howland's Ferry. $13,500. Item 39 is the sole known surviving credential from the House of Representatives for the First Congress in 1789. Each of the new congressmen received such credentials from their states, which they turned in to Clerk John Beckley. The credentials the new senators turned in were saved in the senate's archives where they survive today. Beckley, however, threw out the ones he received in the House, seeing no further need for them. One, however, survived, and it is the only known survivor. Congressman George Thacher of Massachusetts evidently asked for his back as a keepsake. $75,000. The Raab Collection has also obtained a collection of engravings pertaining to Washington that belonged to George Palmer Putnam, publisher of Irving's The Life of Washington. Many were gathered for use in that book, although not all were used, and some may have been collected simply for pleasure. At least one of these engravings is included with every manuscript in this catalogue, while some are offered separately. The Raab Collection may be reached at 800-977-8333. Their website is www.raabcollection.com.

The Life & Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection

- By Michael Stillman

The Life and Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection.

In a Gallup poll conducted this past President's Day, Americans selected the "greatest" President of the United States. Reagan, Clinton and Kennedy all beat out George Washington. How soon we forget. The Raab Collection has not forgotten, and this month they have issued one of their "Great Collections," The Life & Times of George Washington. This catalogue is not just about Washington, but he dominated his times, and many of these items come from his hand.

Washington is almost something of a forgotten figure. Everyone knows his name, but it seems that few understand the magnitude of his contributions, or the mettle of the man. As a general, he won the Revolution for independence against the heaviest of odds. As the nation's first President, he took it through the treacherous waters of international intrigue while it forged its identity. These may be secondary to the legacy of freedom and democracy he gave to his country. He could have been King, ruler for life. Instead, he reluctantly served two terms as elected President, set the highest of moral standards, and willingly retired to his home when his years were finished. He wasn't perfect. He had slaves, though he was the only slaveholding president who freed them (after he died). Still, it was his values, and his true belief in serving his country, not just advancing his own interests, that set the standard for his nation. We may stray, but at least we have a solid foundation. George Washington. Here are a few items from this collection.

The Revolution effectively ended after Yorktown in 1781 when the British pulled out. However, it was not until 1783 that a treaty was finally signed. Then, Washington had lots of soldiers and no war. Today, we would maintain a large peacetime army, but early Americans were wary of a standing army, fearing it would take over the government. So Washington was eager to send the soldiers on their way. On November 4, 1783, he was able to whip this letter off to Dr. John Cochrane, Director General (chief surgeon) of the Continental Army. With so many soldiers now discharged, "it appears to me no longer necessary to keep in service so many Officers of the Hospital Departmt…" The letter is signed by Washington. Item 34. Priced at $35,000.

Washington had many admirers, one of whom was a young Frenchman who came to America to join the American cause, later to return to France and serve the cause of freedom in his homeland for many years. That would, of course, be the Marquis de Lafayette. He would serve under Washington during the Revolution, as well as under another American general, Nathaniel Greene. After the war, Lafayette returned to France, and did not visit the States again until a quarter of a century after Washington died. In 1829, Lafayette was called on to write a letter of recommendation to a Belgian educator on behalf of General Greene's grandson, George Washington Greene. Lafayette is profuse in his compliments of young Greene, but in speaking of his namesake says, "General Washington was like a father to me." Item 20. $15,000.

The Life & Times of George Washington from The Raab Collection

- By Michael Stillman

The sole surviving House credential from the First Congress.

Another Washington namesake and admirer was the first great American writer, Washington Irving. Irving had already written several biographies, along with the novels and short stories for which he is best known, when he got around to preparing his final masterpiece, the five-volume The Life of George Washington. He wrote it in his 70s, the volumes being published from 1855-1859, the last shortly before he died at age 76. Item 2 is Irving's autograph manuscript of the final part of volume 4, wherein he evaluates Washington and his role in the Revolution. Describing Washington's motivations, Irving writes, "Glory, that blatant word, which haunts some military minds like the bray of the trumpet, formed no part of his aspirations. To act justly was his instinct, to promote the public weal his constant effort, to deserve the 'affections of good men' his ambition." $24,000.

Item 17 is a letter from Esek Hopkins, Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy, the naval counterpart to the army's commander George Washington. However, when appointed in December of 1775, Hopkins did not exactly have a large navy at his command. The navy had but seven ships, the flagship named Alfred! Nevertheless, Hopkins would lead his navy on a successful amphibious attack in the Bahamas in March of 1776. The Continental Navy attacked the defenses of New Providence, capturing weapons and supplies they brought back to America. One of the places that needed weapons was Dartmouth, Massachusetts, on Narragansett Bay. It was exposed to British attack. On March 18, Hopkins wrote to the Dartmouth Committee of Safety, offering "two 9 lb. guns and some shott," and further requesting that any shot too big for their guns be forwarded on to Providence or Howland's Ferry. $13,500.

Item 39 is the sole known surviving credential from the House of Representatives for the First Congress in 1789. Each of the new congressmen received such credentials from their states, which they turned in to Clerk John Beckley. The credentials the new senators turned in were saved in the senate's archives where they survive today. Beckley, however, threw out the ones he received in the House, seeing no further need for them. One, however, survived, and it is the only known survivor. Congressman George Thacher of Massachusetts evidently asked for his back as a keepsake. $75,000.

The Raab Collection has also obtained a collection of engravings pertaining to Washington that belonged to George Palmer Putnam, publisher of Irving's The Life of Washington. Many were gathered for use in that book, although not all were used, and some may have been collected simply for pleasure. At least one of these engravings is included with every manuscript in this catalogue, while some are offered separately.

The Raab Collection may be reached at 800-977-8333. Their website is www.raabcollection.com.