[Americana] [Declaration of Independence] Morris, Robert. Autograph Letter, signed

"Ship" (Washington), February, 27, 1787. One sheet folded to make four pages, 8 3/4 x 7 1/4 in. (222 x 184 mm) Autograph letter, signed by financier Robert Morris to Messrs. Ruellan & Co, pertaining to a shipment of tobacco, as well as warning them of a Mr. Quesnel of Virginia, who had been falsely identifying himself as a partner in their firm. Paper loss from wax seal almost affecting signature; scattered ink soiling. In mat with an engraved portrait of Morris, and in double-pane glass frame, 25 x 21 in. (635 x533 mm).

"The present letter goes by the ship Washington belonging to Messrs. Wallace & Muir my Friends at Annapolis in Maryld loaded with about 330 bushels Toba. on my acct. They beg of me to use my interest with you to get her a good Birth in your Harbour and the quickest dispatch possible and I earnestly request your attention thereunto. If your ship the Jugars intended by the Ship Le Couteulx & they arrive soon they will come to a fine market...You will receive Many Cargoes of Tobacco on my account this Winter & I pray the Continuance of your zeal & attention to my Interest in the deliveries etc..."

An interesting autograph letter by Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Continental Congressman, and Superintendent of Finance during the American Revolution, Robert Morris (1734-1806), addressed to the French merchant company Ruellan & Co.

Ruellan & Co. were affiliates of Le Couteulx and Co., Morris's personal European banking house. They were often contracted by him in foreign deals while he acted as Superintendent of Finance, from 1781-84. In 1784, Morris brokered a deal with the French government, with the help of Le Couteulx and Co, to sell Virginia tobacco in France in order to begin paying off the growing American national debt.

To request further details about this lot, please email [email protected]

Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Books and Manuscripts

[Americana] [Declaration of Independence] Morris, Robert. Autograph Letter, signed

Books and Manuscripts

[Americana] [Declaration of Independence] Morris, Robert. Autograph Letter, signed

Lot Description

Condition Report

Preview

Auction Contact

Shipping | Pickup