Books and Manuscripts

A rare printing from Benjamin Franklin's Passy, France printing press

(Passy, France: Benjamin Franklin, 1781). Single sheet; 12 1/4 x 7 7/8 in. (311 x 200 mm). Unsigned printed bond for "Twenty Thousand Spanish Milled Dollars", to be executed by commanders of privateers. Livingston 30. Lot includes an engraved print.

A rare and important printing from Benjamin Franklin's official printing press in Passy, printed while he was serving as Minister Plenipotentiary to France during the American Revolution.

While Minister to France, Franklin set up a small printing press at his residence, printing a variety of different works, pamphlets, and printed matter. He had the authority to issue passports, as well as to commission French and Irish privateers to "attack, subdue, seize, and take all ships and other vessels, goods, wares, and merchandises, belonging to the crown of Great Britian, or any of the subjects thereof..." This bond ensured that commissioned vessels acted in a civil manner while on the high seas while in the service of the United Stares, and did not "violate the law of nations, or the rights of neutral powers, or of any of their subjects..." Failure to comply with these strictures would mean forfeiture of the bond. A fine example.