The New York-based auctioneer Gotta Have Rock & Roll is, as their name implies, mainly associated with music memorabilia. Their 22 September auction does, however, offer rare historical manuscripts and artifacts, headlined by George Washington memorabilia.
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The first lot in the auction is a 1789 letter written by President-elect George Washington. The letter is addressed to a physician, Dr. Frederick Phile, in which Washington expresses his determination to enter the presidency, the election having taken place just a few weeks before the letter was written.
Washington clarifies that he will make "justice and the public good, my sole objects" in judging the "merits and justice of every" request submitted to him, a sentiment he would extend to every aspect of his presidency.
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Any handwritten letter by George Washington is rare to obtain. The fact that this letter was written after he won the election, yet before he entered the presidency, makes it extraordinarily rare, and possibly one of the most important Washington letters in private hands. The letter is estimated to sell between $500,000 to $1,000,000 (£400,000 - £800,000).
Along with the 1789 letter, Gotta Have Rock & Roll is also selling a Presidential Appointment, in which Washington appoints William Ellery as Collector of New Port (Newport). Notably, William Ellery was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, as he was one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The Presidential Appointment is solely signed by George Washington and is expected to sell in the $50,000 range (around £40,000).
