Kolbe & Fanning
Auction 166 25 Feb 2023
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Thomas Jefferson's 1790 Report on Weights, Measures and Coins
Jefferson, Thomas. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ON THE SUBJECT OF ESTABLISHING A UNIFORMITY IN THE WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND COINS OF THE UNITED STATES. Published by Order of the House of Representatives. New-York: Printed by F. Childs and J. Swaine, M DCC,XC [1790]. 8vo, later brown quarter calf well-executed in period style with marbled sides; spine ruled in gilt; red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. 49, (1) pages. Inscribed on the title to James Tilghman from George Gale, and signed by the latter. Very slightly trimmed, but with ample margins. Punctures from original sewn binding visible in gutter. Some slight foxing, most evident on the title. A near fine copy in an attractive, fine binding. Of extraordinary importance and very rare. Considered to be the most important document written by Jefferson while Secretary of State under Washington, the Report on Weights, Measures and Coins is a breathtaking achievement. It is the culmination of many years' thought for Jefferson, who had long pondered the best ways for a new government to address the chaos resulting from the alphabet soup of competing currencies and moneys of account in the colonial and confederation periods. Recognizing that even the familiar British system left much to be desired, Jefferson felt strongly that the adoption of a uniform decimal system would not only be more convenient for daily transactions, but would ease the development of a national economic system in ways that would promote trade and encourage investment. The ramifications of this 1790 report are continually felt today. This is the preferred printing of the Report, being the first edition, fourth printing. It was preceded by three folio editions, which varied only in the corrections Jefferson made to the text while it was being printed. The fourth printing, accomplished in a more convenient octavo form, was the final version, was supervised by Jefferson, and was the edition he kept in his own library. Very rare, with Rink listing only six copies, including Jefferson's own, in institutional libraries. Rarely available in the private marketplace, this is the only copy we have ever offered, having last sold it in 2012. This copy bears a contemporary inscription from George Gale to James Tilghman. George Gale (1756–1815) was a Revolutionary War veteran, a member of Maryland's Constitutional Convention and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Maryland. Philadelphia lawyer James Tilghman (1716–1793), originally from Maryland, held a number of public positions and served as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (then the College of Philadelphia). Evans 22997. Jefferson Papers XVI, 602–675. Rink 877. Sowerby 3760. Ex Kolbe & Fanning's 2012 New York Book Sale, lot 303 (at $14,000 hammer); ex Cardinal Collection Library.
Estimate: 10000 USD
Jefferson, Thomas. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, ON THE SUBJECT OF ESTABLISHING A UNIFORMITY IN THE WEIGHTS, MEASURES AND COINS OF THE UNITED STATES. Published by Order of the House of Representatives. New-York: Printed by F. Childs and J. Swaine, M DCC,XC [1790]. 8vo, later brown quarter calf well-executed in period style with marbled sides; spine ruled in gilt; red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. 49, (1) pages. Inscribed on the title to James Tilghman from George Gale, and signed by the latter. Very slightly trimmed, but with ample margins. Punctures from original sewn binding visible in gutter. Some slight foxing, most evident on the title. A near fine copy in an attractive, fine binding. Of extraordinary importance and very rare. Considered to be the most important document written by Jefferson while Secretary of State under Washington, the Report on Weights, Measures and Coins is a breathtaking achievement. It is the culmination of many years' thought for Jefferson, who had long pondered the best ways for a new government to address the chaos resulting from the alphabet soup of competing currencies and moneys of account in the colonial and confederation periods. Recognizing that even the familiar British system left much to be desired, Jefferson felt strongly that the adoption of a uniform decimal system would not only be more convenient for daily transactions, but would ease the development of a national economic system in ways that would promote trade and encourage investment. The ramifications of this 1790 report are continually felt today. This is the preferred printing of the Report, being the first edition, fourth printing. It was preceded by three folio editions, which varied only in the corrections Jefferson made to the text while it was being printed. The fourth printing, accomplished in a more convenient octavo form, was the final version, was supervised by Jefferson, and was the edition he kept in his own library. Very rare, with Rink listing only six copies, including Jefferson's own, in institutional libraries. Rarely available in the private marketplace, this is the only copy we have ever offered, having last sold it in 2012. This copy bears a contemporary inscription from George Gale to James Tilghman. George Gale (1756–1815) was a Revolutionary War veteran, a member of Maryland's Constitutional Convention and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Maryland. Philadelphia lawyer James Tilghman (1716–1793), originally from Maryland, held a number of public positions and served as a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania (then the College of Philadelphia). Evans 22997. Jefferson Papers XVI, 602–675. Rink 877. Sowerby 3760. Ex Kolbe & Fanning's 2012 New York Book Sale, lot 303 (at $14,000 hammer); ex Cardinal Collection Library.
Estimate: 10000 USD