Signed by Holmes at the Beginning of His Legal Career Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. [Warranty Deed Signed by Holmes]. Boston: March 9, 1869. 10-1/2" x 8-1/4" part-printed bifolium completed in manuscript, small seals next to signatures of parties in document, revenue stamps (for $3.50 and $5.00) below. Light toning..... More

A Warm Letter from Kent [Manuscript]. Kent, James [1763-1847]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, From James Kent to Thomas Isaac Wharton, New York, May 3, 1828 (?)]. 2 pp. 10" x 8" bifolium, addressed and docketed (Ch. Kent Nov: 3d. 38) on verso with postmark and wax seal. Light toning, fold lines..... More

Justice Powell Declines an Invitation [Manuscript]. Powell, Lewis F. [1907-1998]. [Typed Letter, Signed, To Conrad Valanos, On U.S. Supreme Court Letterhead]. Washington, DC, May 14, 1980. Single-sided letter on 9-3/4" x 8" sheet, signed "Lewis Powell." Moderate toning, two faint horizontal fold lines. $100. * In this warm letter, Powell..... More

Leading Citizens of a Midland Town Establish a Fund to Fight Crime [Manuscript]. [Criminals]. [Great Britain]. List Of Subscribers To The Association Established in the Town And Neighbourhood Of Stourbridge For The Prosecution Of Felons. [Stourbridge, Warwickshire, England, c.1811]. 15-3/4" x 12-1/2" sheet, written on both sides, with a watermark..... More

Pearshall, Derek. Manuscripts and Readers in Fifteenth-Century England. [New York]: D.S Brewer, [1983]. 145 pp. Hardcover in lightly soiled dust jacket. $30. More

Handsome German Manuscript on the Sources of Civil Law [Manuscript]. [Germany]. [Einleitung ins Rechtsstudium]. [Germany, c.1790]. [194] pp. Quarto (7-1/2" x 5-3/4"). Contemporary quarter cloth over marbled boards with cloth-reinforced corners, blind, apparently once gilded, fillets, volume number (2) and illegible title to spine, speckled edges. Light rubbing to boards..... More

A Lethal Barroom Brawl in Pennsylvania [Manuscript]. [Pennsylvania]. [Witness Testimony in Commonwealth v. Hartman et al.]. Berks County, Pennsylvania, August 20, 1874. [30] ff. 12-1/2" x 7-3/4" ruled sheets held together with brass tabs at top-edge, text in single neat hand to rectos. Light toning, slight creasing near top-edge, occasional..... More

Manuscript Relating to a Sensational Murder Case in Ballston Spa, NY [Manuscript]. [Billings, Jesse, Jr.] [Beach, William A.]. Billings Trial, Beach's Argument [Spine Title]. [Ballston Spa, NY, 1880]. [v], 252 ff. Octavo (8-1/4" x 5-1/4"). Contemporary three-quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands and gilt title and fillets to spine..... More

A Carefully Organized Scottish Manuscript Precedent Book [Manuscript]. [Scotland]. [Precedent (Style) Book]. Edinburgh?, 1763-1764. 171 pp. Quarto (8" x 6-1/2"). Contemporary wallet binding, quarter sheep over marbled paper-covered stiff wrappers, fastener lacking, silk ribbon bookmarks. Rubbing and light wear, marble detaching from wrappers in places, fore-edge of wrappers torn and..... More

Nineteenth-Century Ledger from Rural New Hampshire [Manuscript]. [New Hampshire]. [Docket Book]. Grafton County, New Hampshire, 1839-1877. [360] pp. Folio (13-1/2" x 8"). Contemporary three-quarter sheep over marbled boards, gilt fillets and title to spine. Moderate rubbing, a few scuffs and stains and faint dampstaining to boards, which are slightly bowed..... More

An Eighteenth-Century English Manuscript Compilation of Forms and Cases [Manuscript]. [Great Britain]. [Collection of Forms and Cases]. [Great Britain, 1777]. [iv], 177 pp. Folio (12-1/4" x 8"). Disbound, light soiling to exterior, light rubbing to corners of text block, first signature partially detached but secure, leaf containing pp. 21-22 detached..... More

The Brandeis Firm Seeks Information from a Judge [Manuscript]. [Brandeis, Louis D. (1856-1941)]. [Typed Letter on Brandeis, Dunbar & Nutter Letterhead, Boston, December 24, 1909]. Single-sided letter on 10-1/4" x 8" sheet. Moderate toning, fold lines, some with browning. Letter signed, most likely by a secretary or clerk, "Brandeis, Dunbar..... More

The Perils of the Highway in Hanoverian England [Manuscript]. [Highway Robbery]. [Document Recording a Reward Granted for the Conviction of Highway Robber Benjamin Branch]. [London, February 28, April 6, 1728]. 10-1/2" x 7-1/2" vellum leaf, text in neat hands to recto and verso. Light soiling, a few smudges and minor..... More

Grand Jury Documents from Nineteenth-Century Pennsylvania [Manuscript Archive]. [Pennsylvania]. [Six Manuscript Grand Jury Indictments]. [Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1832-1839]. Six documents, ranging in size from 5-1/4" x 3-1/4" to 6-1/2" x 3-1/4" (folded, averaging 12" x 7-3/4" unfolded), each with text to recto and docket to verso. Moderate toning, light soiling..... More

An Antitrust AG for Roosevelt Helps Secure a Federal Appointment [Manuscript]. Arnold, Thurman [1891-1969]. [Rogan, Richard R. (1914-1996)]. [Typed Letter, Signed, On Department of Justice Letterhead, Washington, DC, July 14, 1938]. 10-1/2" x 8" sheet of Arnold's personalized Department of Justice letterhead, text to recto. Moderate toning, two horizontal fold..... More

A Yorkshire Sheriff's Record of Expenses [Manuscript]. Boynton, Sir Griffith, 6th Baronet [1745-1778]. [Sheriff's Accounting for Sir Griffith Boynton]. [Yorkshire, 1772?]. [2 blank], [5], [1 blank] pp. Text in one (possibly two?) neat hands to unsewn 12-1/2" x 8" bifolia. Light toning, horizontal fold lines, light soiling in places, a...... More

Twentieth-Century Docket Book from Hardeman County, Texas [Manuscript]. [Texas]. [Justice's Civil Docket (spine title)]. Hardeman County, Texas, 1905-1910. [xxviii], 290 pp. Final leaf possibly removed. Folio (15-3/4" x 10-1/2"). Three-quarter dark red cloth over light red pebbled cloth, gilt fillets and title to spine, marbled edges, hinges and endleaves reinforced..... More

Phillimore Discusses an "Extraordinary Trial" [Manuscript]. Phillimore, Sir Walter [1845-1929]. [Brainerd, Cephas (1831-1910)]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, To Cephas Brainerd, London, December 28, 1905]. 4 pp. letter on 7" x 4-1/2" bifolium stationery ("The Coppice, Henley on Thames"). Light toning, single horizontal fold line. $250. * Phillimore was an eminent British..... More

Early Manuscript Notes on Elizabethan Poor Laws [Manuscript]. [Poor Laws]. Expositions upon the Statute of 43 Eliz. for the Poare. N.p., c.1633. [13] pp. manuscript text on 8" x 6" sheets interleaved and bound into [27] ff. 11" x 7-1/2" blank book. Later three-quarter vellum over marbled boards, gilt title..... More

Account Book of a Nineteenth-Century JP and Selectman from A Small Town in Maine [Manuscript]. [Hopkins, Robert]. [Account Book]. Surry, ME, 1837-1865. [160] pp. Quarto (7-1/2" x 6-1/4"). Quarter sheep over marbled boards, blind fillets to spine. Light rubbing to boards, moderate rubbing to extremities, hinges cracked, free endpapers lacking..... More

A Compilation of Scottish Justiciary Records with an Interesting Letter about an Estate Case Alison, Sir Archibald [1792-1867]. List of Cases for Trial at the Glasgow Autumn Circuit, September 1829. The Right Hon. Lord Justice-Clerk and Lord Moncreiff. Archibald Alison, Esq. Advocate Depute. [Glasgow: S.n., 1829]. [xvi], 9-307, [1] pp..... More

"Of Course it is Pleasant to Have Folks Gather and Tell You That You are a Hot Potato..." [Manuscript]. Hand, Learned [1872-1961]. [Ely, Gertrude Sumner (1876-1970)]. [Autograph Letter, Signed "L.H.", On Hand's U.S. Court House Letterhead, New York, NY, April 16, 1959]. 6-3/4" x 5-3/4" bifolium, text to recto of..... More

"You Are the Most Faithful of Friends" [Manuscript]. Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. [Benjamin, Robert M. (1896-1966)]. [Autograph Note, Signed, Washington, DC, December 8, 1929]. 7-3/4" x 5-1/2" Supreme Court bifolium letterhead, content to recto of first leaf. Light toning, horizontal fold line. $850. * This note was probably addressed..... More

Peace Cannot be Secured by Force [Manuscript Archive]. Bower, Sir Graham John [1848-1933]. [Two Pre-Publication Manuscript Copies of "Treaties of Peace," Read Before the Grotius Society]. [London, c.1917]. 31, 10 ff. on 10" x 8" loose-leaf ruled sheets; 29 ff. in 10" x 8" ruled "Empire" notebook. Text to rectos..... More

Pre-Publication Manuscript of a Treatise on Marriage [Manuscript]. [Dens, Peter (1690-1775)]. [Tractatus de Sponsalibus et Matrimonio and Tractatus de Quatuor Novissimis]. [Louvain?]: 15 July 1767-14 October 1768. 381, [1]; 59, [1] pp. Text in Latin in single neat hand with chapter headings, side notes and indices. Octavo (7-1/2" x 4-1/2")..... More

Unpublished History of Litchfield County [Manuscript]. [Litchfield County]. [Unpublished History of Litchfield County, Connecticut and the Litchfield Law School]. [Litchfield, CT?: c.1929]. [43] ff. With a partial table of contents. Text in ink and pencil in a single hand to rectos of 8" x 5" sheets of ruled notepaper with..... More

From the Library of the Earls of Macclesfield [Manuscript]. [House of Lords]. [Standing Orders for the House of Lords, 1660-1726]. [London]: c.1726. [91] pp., [20] blank, [7] pp. index, [3] blank pp. Octavo (7" x 4-1/2"). Contemporary gilt-paneled morocco, gilt royal arms to boards, raised bands and gilt decoration to..... More

Du Ponceau Advises a Fellow Philadelphia Attorney [Manuscript]. Du Ponceau, Peter S. [1760-1844]. [Copy of Letter to Robert E. Griffith, Philadelphia, December 10, 1822]. Single leaf folded to form 10" x 8" bifolium, "Copy" to head of recto of first leaf, franked and docketed (and marked "Copy") on verso of..... More

Legal Advice from a Prominent Jurist [Manuscript]. Thurlow, Edward, First Baron [1731-1806]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, Discussing Land Law. London, Inner Temple, January 2, 1770]. 9" x 7-1/4" bifolium. Light toning, some light foxing around edges, creasing and some tearing at folds, franked on verso of second leaf: "Edward Thurlow, Esq..... More

Manuscript Catalogue of Books Belonging to a Nineteenth-Century Edinburgh Lawyer [Manuscript]. Cathcart, Robert Alfred [1825-1855]. Catalogue of Books Belonging to R.A. Cathcart Esq., WS. Edinburgh, c.1852. [31] pp. Text mostly to rectos, followed by 25 blank leaves. Quarto (9" x 7-1/2"). Contemporary three-quarter sheep over cloth boards, blind rules to..... More

Manuscript Precedent Book, Edinburgh, 1776 [Manuscript]. [Scotland]. A Collection of the Stiles of Personal Rights and Diligence. Personal and Real. Volume I. Edinburgh, 1776. 355, [4] pp. With an index. Quarto (8" x 6-1/4"). Contemporary quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt fillets, lettering piece reading "Stiles" and contemporary..... More

Manuscript Epitome of Sir Thomas Craig's Jus Feudale [Manuscript]. [Craig, Sir Thomas (c.1548-1608)]. Ane Epitome or Abridgement off the Most Substantiall Thinges Conteined in the Books off that Famous and Learned Jurisconsult Mr. Thomas Craiges off Riccartown, Advocat before the Lords of Counsell and Session, Treating upon the Feudal Law..... More

"Never Printed But Lent Me to Copy" [Manuscript]. Lowndes, William [1652-1724]. A Treatise of Estates & Conveyances by Wm. Lowndes Esqr. Late Secretary of the Treasury. Never Printed but Lent Me to Copy. AD 1712.....Ends pag[e] 49.' Cornwall?, 1699-1718. [4], 49, [1], 50-62, [5] pp. 11 blank leaves. Quarto (7-3/4"..... More

Annotated Manuscript Copy of the Institutes of Justinian [Manuscript]. [Justinian I (483-565 CE), Emperor of the East]. Justinian Institutiones. [France, c.1700]. 144, [142], 63, [322] ff. Folio (11-1/2" x 8"). Contemporary reversed calf, blind rules to boards, raised bands and blind fillets to spine, fragments of thong ties. A few..... More

Pre-Publication Manuscript Copy of a Classic Manual on Parliamentary Procedure [Manuscript]. Elsynge, Henry (The Elder). Modus Tenendi Parliamentu[m]. In Two Bookes. Composed by Henry Elsing. Esquire, Clerke of the Parliament. The Catalogue of the First Booke-Modus Tenendi Parliamentum Apud Anglos in Two Bookes-The First of the Forme, & All Things..... More

"Public Whore?" [Manuscript]. [Wisconsin]. [Acker, James, Defendant]. [Accusation of Adultery]. Walworth County, Wisconsin Territory, 1845. 12-1/2" x 7-3/4" sheet. Moderate toning, two horizontal fold lines, light edgewear. Content in neat hand, docketed on verso. $450. * The document pertains to suit filed against James Acker by Dyes Read for William..... More

An Eighteenth-Century Manuscript on Prejudicium [Manuscript]. [Praejudicia Tabularia]. Probably Hungary, c.1760. [284] pp. Octavo (6-1/2" x 4-1/2"). Contemporary mottled calf, gilt spine with raised bands, edges rouged. Light rubbing and a few minor nicks to boards, which are slightly bowed, moderate rubbing to extremities, corners bumped, pastedown excised from verso..... More

1810 Student Notes on Lectures on the Code de Procedure Civile and Code d'Instruction Criminelle [Manuscript]. Jouvent, Barthelemy [d.1821]. Cours de Procedure Civile. Dicte par Monsieur Jouvent, Professeur & Doyen a la Faculte de Droit a Toulouse. Toulouse, 1810. [364] pp. Quarto (8-1/2" x 6-1/2"). Contemporary vellum, gilt fillets and..... More

"Don't you Feel a Sort of Settled Intimacy as the Result of Time and our Writing and Every Thing?" [Manuscript]. Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Jr. [1841-1935]. [Castletown, Lady Clare (1853-1927)]. [Autograph Letter Signed "OWH" to Lady Clare Castletown, Boston (?), April 10, 1897]. 10" x 8" bifolium, content filling rectos and..... More

An Invitation to Spend an Afternoon with Dr. Holmes Holmes, Oliver Wendell, Sr. [1809-1894]. [Autograph Letter, Signed, Boston, February 7, 1883]. Single-page letter on Holmes's 6-1/4" x 4-1/2" 296 Beacon Street stationary in attractive glazed wood 10" x 9" frame. Light toning to letter, faint fold line through center, a...... More

Antebellum Virginia Docket Book [Manuscript]. [Virginia]. [Justice's Docket Book, Amherst County, Virginia, 1850-1859]. 2 books. [200]; [212] pp. Folio (13-1/2" x 8-1/4" and 12-3/4" x 8"). Quarter and three-quarter sheep over marbled boards, one book has lettering piece reading "Justice's Docket." Bindings lightly cocked, moderate rubbing to boards and board..... More

Early Nineteenth-Century Diaries of an English Solicitor [Manuscript]. Chapman, Thomas. Memorandum Book for 1804, No. 1. [Richmond, Surrey, England]. [80] pp. [And] No.1-Memorandum Book for 1806. [Richmond, Surrey, England]. [64] pp. Three printed leaves (of interest tables and 1797 holidays) laid in. Octavo (7" x 4"). Plain wrappers with manuscript..... More

Document Appointing a Notary Public in Oklahoma Indian Territory [Manuscript]. [Oklahoma]. [Indian Territory]. [Document Appointing A Notary Public for the Central District of the Indian Territory]. Atoka, Oklahoma, October 13, 1899. Single 12-1/2" x 8" leaf, embossed seal of the United States District Court in the Central District, Indian Territory..... More

Manuscript Commentary on the Customary Law of Artois [Manuscript]. [Artois]. Hebert, Guillaume-Francois. Remarques Faites par Guillaume Francois Hebert Ecuier Conseiller du Roy au Conseil Provincial d'Artois sur Plusieurs Articles de la Coustume d'Artois et sur Quelques Questions de Droit et de Pratique. Commence en 1695. Artois?, c.1700s. 447 pp. Folio..... More

Handsome Manuscript Copy of the Coutume de Paris [Manuscript]. [Paris]. Coutume de la Prevoste et Vicomte de Paris. [Paris?, c.1700-1750]. [ii], 389, [1] pp. Quarto (8" x 6-1/2"). Contemporary tree sheep, gilt spine with raised bands and lettering piece, edges rouged, ribbon marker. Light rubbing and shallow scuffing to boards..... More

Determining Compensation for Madame de Corbin's Property [Manuscript]. [Women]. [Case Concerning the Seizure of Property from Madame de Corbin, A Widow]. Saint-Aignon, France, 1679-1680. 160 ff. Quarto (9-3/4" x 7"). Contemporary limp vellum, ties lacking, faint hand-lettered annotation to front cover. Moderate soiling and a few stains, worming in a...... More

1799 Document Appointed a Judge to the Kennebeck County, Maine, Court of Common Pleas [Judges]. [Maine]. [Dummer, Nathaniel (1755-1815)]. To All Unto Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting... Boston, February 28, 1799. 17" x 11" part-printed document, inscribed in neat hand, docketed on verso, large embossed Massachusetts seal to upper-left..... More

Inventory of the Estate of a Prominent Frederick County, Maryland, Landowner and Judge [Manuscript]. [Beall, William Murdock (1742-1823)]. [Inventory and Appraisal of the Estate of Judge William Beall]. Frederick County, MD, 1823-1825. 66 pp. Main text preceded by 2 pp. index. Folio (13-1/2" x 8-1/4"). Thick pressed-paper side-sewn ledger, untrimmed..... More

Archive Relating to an 1883-1884 Railway Case in Argentina [Manuscript Archive]. [Argentina]. [Trial]. [Legal Documents Relating to a Railway Right-of-Way Case]. Buenos Aires, 1883-1884. 6 items: 4 notebooks in stiff wrappers, 13" x 9," app. 100 pp. in all, 2 folding maps bound into a folder, 15-3/4" x 28," 12-1/2"..... More

A Group of Galveston Lawyers Attempt to Put One of their Colleagues on the Federal Bench [Manuscript]. [Galveston, Texas]. [Goddard, William H.]. [Manuscript Letters from Members of the Galveston Bar Recommending William H. Goddard for a Judgeship]. Galveston, TX, June 25 [and] June 29, 1870. 4 pp. 13-1/2" x 8-1/4."..... More