Description:

‘ROBERTSON'S HISTORY OF AMERICA' CAPTURED BY A PATRIOT AT YORKTOWN
A fabulous piece of Revolutionary War 'booty', a British volume on the history of America, captured by an American veteran of Bunker Hill at the British surrender at Yorktown. The rare volume: 'The History opf America', Vol. I, by William Robertson (London: 'Printed for W. Strahan, T. Cadell...and J. Balfour'), 1777. 488pp. 4to. in original leather but with spine restored. On the title page, of which only the upper half remains, appears the period inscription: ‘Yorktown, Virginia Oct. 26th 1781 Taken at the surrender of the British Army, Commanded by Lord Cornwallis'. The page also bears two signatures (one crossed out) of EBENEZER DAVIS (1754-1799), originally a lieutenant of the 3rd Massachusetts Militia who also served at the battle of Bunker Hill and a member of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati. He signs a third time in full within the work. Dated a week after Cornwallis' surrender, we presume Davis found this among the discards of the defeated, once-proud British officers. An exceptional piece of American history.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, COD (cash on delivery), Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

*SEE ADITTIONAL SHIPPING ABOVE* -Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

April 2, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000