Proceedings of the General Society of the Cincinnati [with] Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati, Formed by the Officers of the American Army of the Revolution, 1783.

[SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI],.

$6,000.00

Item Number: 142373

New York: Printed for the Society by Douglas Taylor, 1886/ Philadelphia: Review Printing House, 1887.

First editions of two official publications of the Society of the Cincinnati, a valuable resource on the Revolutionary institution. Quarto, two volumes uniformly bound in three quarter contemporary morocco over marbled boards with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, top edges gilt, marbled endpapers. The two-volume collection includes a first edition of Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati, Formed by the Officers of the American Army of the Revolution, 1783 [New York: Printed for the Society by Douglas Taylor, 1886], illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait of Washington by P. Hull after the painting by Mrs. E. Sharpless, and 47 engraved and reproduced portraits of members, original wrappers bound in, this is a rare official account of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati, compiled by the New York Society’s Secretary, John Schuyler, and containing a trove of information on the institution’s early years, with short biographical accounts of every founding member of the New York chapter. This is the first copy of this title we can find in the auction record since 1908. Together with a first edition of Proceedings of The General Society of the Cincinnati 1784-1884 [Philadelphia: Review Printing House, 1887], one of likely only 250 copies printed, illustrated with an engraved portrait of George Washington by J.C. Buttre after the painting by Edward Savage, this is the official account of the proceedings of the Society of the Cincinnati‘s annual meeting’s from 1784-1884, published following a resolution passed during the 100th annual meeting on May 14, 1884. The idea to publish this account was first suggested during the April 1881 annual meeting by General W.G. DeSaussure of South Carolina, in an edition of 250 copies for official use by its members. We have not been able to locate another copy in the auction records. OCLC 57270107. Bound with a contemporary photographic facsimile of The Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati–the New York chapter’s manuscript document of the Society’s principles and tenets signed in facsimile by dozens of New York members up until 1850. From the library of Josiah Piece with his ownership inscriptions. Josiah Pierce (1827-1913) was born in Gorham, Maine, graduated from Bowdoin College in 1848 and practiced law in Portland. In 1855 he became the U.S. Secretary of the legation in St. Petersburg. Following the end of his diplomatic service he continued to live in St. Petersburg as a businessman for Winans, Harrison & Winans, railroad contractors. In 1865 he received from the Emperor of Russia the Knighthood of the 3rd Class of the Order of St. Anne. Following the termination of his employment with Winans, in 1870, he moved to London, where he became a member of the Royal Geographical Society, the Zoological Society, and the Royal Institution. He was a member of the Society of Cincinnati of Massachusetts, representing his grandfather Archelaus Lewis (1753-1834), an officer in the Revolutionary War, whose uncle, Francis Lewis (1713-1802) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, from New York. In near fine condition. Rare.

The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal and hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolution. Its membership is restricted to descendants of military officers who served in the Continental Army. Largely the concept of Brigadier General Henry Knox, the Society held its first meeting in May 1783 at the Verplanck House in Fishkill, New York, presided over by General von Steuben and Alexander Hamilton. George Washington was elected its first President.