Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)
Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)
Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)
Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)
Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)

Dreer. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set)

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Dreer, Ferdinand Julius. A Catalogue of the Collection of Autographs formed by Ferdinand Julius Dreer (2 volume set). Philadelphia: Printed for Private Distribution, 1890. First Edition.  [7423]

No. 63 of 200 copies printed, with "Compliments of Ferdinand J. Dreer" slip tipped in.

Two volumes in green cloth, 9 x 11 1/2 inches, top edges gilt, rest deckled. portrait of Dreer as frontis (vol. i.), ix., 485; facsimile of George Washington's last letter as frontis (vol. ii.), 576 pp., corrigenda slip. Former historical society copies with bookplates, pencil markings, and white spine labels. Volume One defective at tp: title page is cracked at the hinge and nearly detached. Rest clean, tight. Good. Hardcover.

This unique resource is arranged alphabetically, and includes brief descriptions of both the author and content of each letter or document. Some pieces of extraordinary historical significance are transcribed in total.

Ferdinand Julius Dreer (1812-1902), b. & d. at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dreer made his fortune as a jewelry manufacturer, and was a noted philanthropist and autograph collector. He donated his entire collection to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, with which he was for many years associated, and served as the institution's vice-president.

"Ferdinand Julius Dreer's collection of manuscripts, which eventually totaled fifteen thousand items, began when he received the gift of two letters: one written by Old Bull, the famous Norwegian violinist, and the other by Lydia Maria Child, American author and abolitionist...He managed to obtain documents written by emperors, kings, religious leaders, philosophers, politicians, economists, lawyers, scientists, military leaders, explorers, architects, sculptors, authors, musicians, and painters. He obtained eighty-four letters of the famous George Washington, fifty-one written by Thomas Jefferson, and at least one each signed by all twenty-three Presidents before McKinley. He was especially proud of his set of documents carrying the signatures of each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence." - Joseph George, Jr., Lincoln Family Documents in the F. J. Dreer Collection, Illinois Historical Journal, Summer, 1986