In any event this copy is not going to be resold. Generous citizens have raised the money for its purchase and it will be on display at the Ulster County Courthouse, the well intentioned gift of local citizens motivated to preserve and honor Kingston’s and the State of New York’s history. For this they are to be commended.
That newspaper writers and civic-minded donors can be tripped up by the complexity of old material is not surprising and not their fault. The field is too complex, the opportunities for error frequent. Dealers in the field that lament the dearth of new collectors may see in this experience why new collectors shy away, the operative phrase – all good deeds will be punished. The acquisition of important material should be exciting, not risky.
The seller, when given this article for review was strong in his denial and quick to offer the buyers the opportunity to void the deal. That is the gentlemanly thing to do. His email response is posted at the bottom of this article.
Subsequently the Ulster Counties decided to keep the book.
Links to Freeman article on March 24th
Link to the eBay listing
Link to Freeman article on March 25th
Source of the lead for the Freeman article:
http://ozzyalbra.blogspot.com/2011/03/rare-1777-print-of-ny-constitution.html
A very good copy offered on Abebooks by William Reese
