25200

George Washington Autograph Letter Signed as Pres

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:1.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
George Washington Autograph Letter Signed as Pres
<B>George Washington Autograph Letter Signed as President</B></I> Autograph letter signed, "Go:Washington", three pages, 7.5" x 9", Philadelphia, March 21, 1796, to Tobias Lear instructing him on how to dispose of a building lot he owns in Alexanderia. He writes in part: "...A Mr. Summers of Alexandria is very desirous of purchasing my vacant lot in that town, - and having been told that nothing short of a high price would induce me to sell it, makes the offer contained in the enclosed letter -- Whether this offer is high, or otherwise, depends upon comparison, the means of doing which is not within my reach, but through the medium of another; & therefore I give you the trouble of making one inquiry into the matter at any time when you are in Alexandria. - I have no wish to part with the lot unless I can do it upon advantageous terms; and can dispose of the money in a more productive manner. - I had thought of building on it, but this would be attended with trouble, and perhaps a good deal of imposition... And besides, workmens' wages, and materials are very high at this time. A thought has run through my mind (since I began this letter) whether, as I have a prospect, from the high price of four, of raising five or six thousand dollars from the sales of it; it might not be eligible with that sum, and the sale of the vacant lot (to Summers) to make the purchase suggested in one of your former letters to me? -- if that property is in an eligible place (and I wish to know where it lies) or whether or not, if it would bring ten prCent on the purchase money it would certainly be more immediately advantageous to me that to let a part of the sum, necessary to command it, lay dead in a vacant lot; which, when built on, would only be to let... As the Post hour is at hand, & I have many letters to close, and prepare for the mail that I hardly know what I have written, or whether you will be able, fully, to comprehend my meaning..." We are not quite certain either. Washington, like many of his contemporaries, owned a great deal of real estate, including building lots like the one described above, as well as enormous tracts of land in the trans-Appalachian West. Light horizontal folds, a few very minor faults at extreme margins, otherwise extremely bright, clean, and boldly penned by Washington. A great example for those wanting a specimen with some financial content! <I>Accompanied by COA from PSA/DNA.</B></I>