Lot 1001: Proctor-Sang-Newell Collection of Signers

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Description: A complete set of all 56 men who signed this historic document, this collection represents the ultimate accomplishment in American autograph collecting. Of the precious few complete collections of Signers known to exist, this set is one of the finest quality sets ever offered. Most of the examples are substantial-length letters, many of which feature significant historical content by some of the nation's most important Founding Fathers.The centerpiece of any complete set of Signers is the rarest of them all, the autograph of Button Gwinnett. According to the most recent published census, only 51 examples of his hand are known to exist-and only eleven remain in private hands. The Proctor-Sang-Newell Collection features a superb example: a historic 1773 document signed by the Georgia Signer at an important moment in his life. The Gwinnett is complemented by other rare and uncommon Signers including Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Thomas Nelson, Jr., George Taylor, and Lyman Hall. It is the enormous scarcity of these signatures that make collecting all 56 Signers a near impossible feat. The collection was first assembled by the noted collector Thomas R. Proctor (1884-1920) of Utica, New York. Proctor, as evidenced by the contents of this incredible holding, was an extremely sophisticated collector who not only venerated the Founding Fathers and their sacrifices for American independence, but had a deep and nuanced understanding of the history of the American Revolution. To enhance presentation, Proctor laid each piece into a larger sheet and had the set bound by Bradstreets in elaborately gilt scarlet morocco, with gilt-tooled morocco doublures with the names of the thirteen colonies housed within laurel wreathes. Sometime after Proctor completed his collection in 1905, it was acquired by another great American collector, Philip D. Sang (1902-1975)-one of three complete sets he owned over his lifetime. In 2002, Richard Newell purchased the collection in a private sale. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and Vietnam veteran, Newell is an avid student of military history. His acquisitions of significant books, manuscripts, and philately over the past several decades have focused on key moments in America's military conflicts, with an astute appreciation for the underlying social and economic issues behind those struggles. At the time of his purchase of the present set, Newell had already acquired two partial collections of Signers. The first was purchased in the mid 1990s from the estate of Kenneth Laurence, which included 55 of the original 56 (excluding Gwinnett). He bought a second partial set of 42 at a New York auction in 2000.Unlike many extant collections of Signers, which consist of clipped signatures and signed documents, this assemblage features 48 handwritten letters, 22 of which were accomplished during the Revolutionary War with an additional five that date between The Boston Tea Party and the outbreak of hostilities in April 1775. Indeed, the last collection of Signers that contained as many letters signed as the present group was offered in 1967.The quality of this collection simply can't be overstated. Overall condition would be considered fine, with a range of expected occasional light flaws (for example, scattered soiling, light staining or foxing, unobtrusive intersecting folds, isolated small old repairs or reinforcements, etc), however this set, as a whole, displays condition far surpassing similarly available material and in essence any flaws could be dismissed as trivial. Each piece has been professionally and tastefully inlaid into a larger sheet so that reverse sides or adjoining address panels (some of which also bear franking signatures or original wax seals) are readily viewed. Piecemeal, this is a remarkable assemblage of items; as a single offering it reaches a rarified new level-a superior once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the most discriminating of collectors.

Terms and Conditions

By submitting your bid, you agree that:

• You have read and agree with the Auctioneer Terms and Conditions below and the Artfact Terms of Use Agreement
• You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 23% and any applicable taxes and shipping.‡

‡ includes 3% online transaction fee

Terms and Conditions

General Statements
All bidders who attend the sale must register and obtain a bidder card/number in order to participate in the auction. Absentee/telephone bidders must register by filling out and signing an absentee bid sheet and/or pre-registration form. Both forms are located online and in this catalog. The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer shall be the purchaser and shall be considered to be the owner of record at the fall of the hammer. RR Auction charges a 20% premium to the buyer on the final bid price of each lot sold. Please note that a 2.5% convenience fee will be added to purchases processed by credit card or PayPal. For more detailed information refer to the Payment section below. Bidding on any lot indicates your acceptance of these terms, and all terms listed below.

Bidder Registration at Live Auction
Prospective buyers who have not previously bid or consigned with RR Auction should bring government-issued photo identification (such as a driver's license, national identity card, or passport).
Buyers should register for a numbered bidding paddle at least
30 minutes before the start of the sale.


New Bidder Registration
Bidders without a bidder number must apply for one before they can participate in this auction. Fill out a New Bidder Application at www.rrauction.com, or request an application by mail or fax. Your bidder/paddle number can only be issued after all information has been verified.


Bidding
The auctioneer accepts bids from those present in the salesroom, from telephone bidders, live internet bidders, or by absentee written bids left with RR Auction in advance of the auction. The auctioneer may also execute bids on behalf of the the seller up to the amount of the reserve. RR Auction reserves the right to reject any bid in order to protect a consignor's interest. An opening bid can be no less than half of the lot's low estimate.


Bidding Increments (for all forms of bidding)

Current Bidding Price Correct Increment

$100-500 $20
$500-1000 $50
$1,000-2,000 $100
$2,000-5,000 $250
$5,000-10,000 $500
$10,000+ $1,000
(or at auctioneer's discretion)


RR Auction will attempt to execute an absentee bid at the lowest possible increment while taking into account a lot's reserve. Absentee bids submitted on "no reserve" lots will, in the absence of a higher bid, be executed at approximately 50% of the low estimate. The auctioneer may execute absentee bids from the rostrum, clearly identifying these as absentee bids. Absentee bid forms are available in the catalog, at RR Auction, or online at www.rrauction.com. RR Auction offers absentee bidding as a convenience to our clients, but will not be responsible for errors or failures to execute bids.

Telephone Bids
Telephone bids will be accepted for lots no later than 24 hours prior to the live sale. RR Auction will only allow scheduled telephone calls during the live sale on lots with a low estimate of $5,000 and above and must be arranged in advance. RR Auction offers telephone bidding as a convenience to our clients, but will not be responsible for errors or failures to execute bids.

Pre-auction viewing
Pre-auction viewing is available by appointment at our offices,
and at The Crowne Plaza in Nashua, NH, on December 16, 8:00am-10:00am est RR Auction experts are available to give advice and condition statements at viewings.

Estimates
Estimates are based upon recent auction results for comparable property, condition, rarity, quality, and provenance. The buyer should not rely upon estimates as representation or prediction of actual selling prices. Estimates do not include the Buyer's Premium. All estimates are subject to change.

Reserves
Certain lots are subject to a confidential reserve. The reserve is the minimum price the consignor will accept, and will not exceed the lot's low estimate. The auctioneer may also execute bids on behalf of the seller up to the amount of the reserve. The auctioneer will not specifically identify bids placed on behalf of the seller. Under no circumstances will the auctioneer place bids on behalf of the seller at or above the reserve.

Condition Statements
Each item in the catalog is described with a statement indicating its overall condition. The condition of the items we offer generally fall into the following range: good, very good, fine, very fine, and excellent. Treated as a scale of 1 to 5, good describes an item that has as many as several flaws, which are described in detail; excellent describes an item whose condition and appearance may be regarded as flawless and superior in every respect. Most of the items we offer are in fine condition, meaning that there are no serious flaws. While we make every effort to describe flaws that materially affect appearance and value, we generally do not specify minor or routine flaws, such as (but not limited to) pencil or secretarial notations, mailing folds to letters, normal aging to paper, or the effects of normal handling. We encourage prospective bidders to study each item closely and to contact us with specific inquiries regarding condition.

Group Lots
In descriptions of group lots of two or more items, every effort is made to mention any obvious flaws. Bidders should note that group lot condition is given as a general statement or as a range, and that specific flaws to single items within the group may be omitted in the interest of catalog space. Questions about group lots, as well as about specific items within the group, should be addressed before the close of the auction to Stacey Jordan
(stacey.jordan@rrauction.com).

Successful Bids
The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer shall be the purchaser and shall be considered to be the owner of record at the fall of the hammer. In the event of a dispute between bidders, the auctioneer will have absolute discretion in settling such disputes. Successful bidders agree to abide by payment terms described in the Buyer's Premium and Payment sections.

Buyer's Premium
RR Auction charges a 20% premium to the buyer on the final bid price of each lot sold. Please note that a 2.5% convenience fee will be added to purchases processed by credit card or PayPal. For more detailed information refer to the Payment section below.
Note: If you are bidding through Artfact or any other 3rd party auction site, you will be subject to an additional 3% fee.

Winners Notification
All winners will be notified by phone, fax, or email by 5:00 pm on the day after the auction closes.

Payment
Credit cards and PayPal are only accepted up to $5,000 for non-live participants. Make checks or money orders payable to R&R Auction Company, LLC. Payment for non-credit card orders must be sent upon winning notification. Personal and business checks are also accepted and orders paid via this method on winnings over $500 will ship 7 business days after receipt. Returned checks will be subject to a $25 fee. Orders paid by cash, bank check, or money order are shipped upon receipt of payment.

PayPal payments can be sent to:
FinanceDepartment@RRAuction.com

Wire transfers should use the following:
Account number: 003880291609
Company name: R & R Auction Company, LLC
Routing/Transit (ABA) Number: 0260-0959-3
SWIFT Address: BOFAUS3N

Note: If you are bidding through Artfact or any other 3rd party
auction site, you will be subject to an additional 3% fee.

Shipping Charges and Oversized Items
Orders are shipped Federal Express.

We do not send orders to PO Boxes; a street address is required.
Insurance is added to each invoice at the rate of 55 cents per $100 value (in the US).
Postage & handling are added to each invoice; within the United States, rates are:

Order Total Shipping Cost
Up to $100 $10.00
$101-$500 $15.00
$501-$1,000 $20.00
$1,001-$3,000 $35.00
$3,000-$10,000 $45.00
Over $10,000 $100.00

Please note that additional shipping charges apply to items designated as OVERSIZED. Actual cost will depend upon the size, weight, and shipping destination. We will advise on foreign postage charges. If you would like to know your approximate shipping costs, please contact shipping@rrauction.com before you bid.

Guarantees
Each signed item is unconditionally guaranteed genuine without time limit. If a lot is declared to be not authentic, we may ask the purchaser to supply the written opinion of one competent authority acceptable to us. We will refund the original purchase price after documentation has been submitted. The buyer's only remedy under this guarantee is the cancellation of the sale and the refund of the purchase price.




Returns
Every item is cataloged with the intent of accuracy. Improperly described items must be returned within three days of receipt. Please call us before returning any items. A merchandise credit will be issued in the case of a subjective, unresolvable dispute over condition. All autographed material is guaranteed without time limit. Returns of non-autographed items must be made within thirty days of the closing date of this auction; returns after that date will not be accepted for any reason.

Postponement
RR Auction reserves the right to postpone this auction for a reasonable period of time as the result of any significant event (i.e. an Act of God, etc). In this unlikely event, bidders and consignors will be notified of the new closing date.

Matted and Framed Items
We do not remove items from mats or frames. The given dimensions of items housed in a frame and/or mat indicate the sight-size only. Photographs used with matted and framed items are not subject to description or condition statements, nor are they considered a reason for return. Condition references only the item and not its mat or frame, and our terms of return apply only to the primary item and not the matting and framing. Any item that is removed from the frame cannot be returned. Returns are only accepted only in the unlikely event of an authenticity problem, or if the description of the item is incorrect.

Agreement to Terms
By placing a bid or otherwise participating in the auction, you are accepting all terms and conditions described above. You are agreeing to the alternative dispute of arbitration. Arbitration replaces the right to go to court, including the right to a jury trial. If any dispute arises regarding payment, authenticity, grading, description, provenance, or any other matter pertaining to the Auction, the Bidder or a participant in the Auction and/or R&R agree that the dispute shall go to binding arbitration in accordance with the commercial rules of the American Arbitration Association. A.A.A. Arbitration shall be conducted under the provisions of the Federal Arbitration Act with locale in New Hampshire. Any claim made by a bidder has to presented within one (1) year or it is barred. The prevailing party may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs. An award granted in arbitration is enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction.

General RR Auction Info
R&R Auction Company, LLC, d/b/a RRAuction
Licensed auctioneer: Carla Eaton, NH license #3029

Contact Information
5 Rt 101A, Suite 5?•?Amherst, NH 03031
Local/International: 1-603-732-4280
Local/Int'l fax: 1-603-732-4288
Website: www.RRAuction.com
Email bidding: Stacey.Jordan@RRAuction.com

Hours
Office hours are Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. -5 p.m. eastern standard time.
Any item in the auction can be viewed in our offices during normal business hours. Please call to set up an appointment.

5 Route 101A, Suite 5

Amherst, NH, 03031 USA

Phone: +1 (603) 732-4280

Fax: +1 (603) 732-4288

Email: stacey@rrauction.com