3.75" x 7", Headquarters, New-Windsor (N.Y.), Jan. 11, 1781, on laid paper. To Jabez Huntington, Esqr., Sheriff of the County of Windham, Connt. Sir, Peter Hobson now in custody in the Gaol of said County you will hereby deliver in charge to the Corporal's guard. Signed Go. Washington. Apparently a "specialty" of Spring's - notes to Jabez Huntington. This one for a Peter Hobson, who does not seem to have existed. Robert Spring (1813-1876) was English-born, immigrating to the States in 1858. He became an antiquarian and bookseller, but out of "necessity" (and his entreprenurial nature), he soon began forging documents with signatures such as Washington, Franklin and other important early Americans. The book business was useful, since he often removed endpapers from old books to forge these notes on period paper, as this one is. He often wrote to collectors posing as a widow needing to sell the family papers, which, of course, always contained a few of these "gems." Spring died during the centennial year, 1876, so folks today who claim to have had these documents in the family "for generations" are correct - they probably have been in the family for generations. Many were produced almost a century and a half ago. Condition: Toning, archival repair on verso.
3.75" x 7", Headquarters, New-Windsor (N.Y.), Jan. 11, 1781, on laid paper. To Jabez Huntington, Esqr., Sheriff of the County of Windham, Connt. Sir, Peter Hobson now in custody in the Gaol of said County you will hereby deliver in charge to the Corporal's guard. Signed Go. Washington. Apparently a "specialty" of Spring's - notes to Jabez Huntington. This one for a Peter Hobson, who does not seem to have existed. Robert Spring (1813-1876) was English-born, immigrating to the States in 1858. He became an antiquarian and bookseller, but out of "necessity" (and his entreprenurial nature), he soon began forging documents with signatures such as Washington, Franklin and other important early Americans. The book business was useful, since he often removed endpapers from old books to forge these notes on period paper, as this one is. He often wrote to collectors posing as a widow needing to sell the family papers, which, of course, always contained a few of these "gems." Spring died during the centennial year, 1876, so folks today who claim to have had these documents in the family "for generations" are correct - they probably have been in the family for generations. Many were produced almost a century and a half ago. Condition: Toning, archival repair on verso.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
