LOT #47043 |
Sold on Jun 25, 2026 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
Nathaniel Gorham Endorsement Signed...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Description
Nathaniel Gorham Endorses Appointment of Future Federal Judge John Lowell
Nathaniel Gorham Endorsement Signed ('Nath Gorham").
One partially printed page, 11 1/2 x 17 3/8 inches. Boston; April
26, 1787. Nathaniel Gorham adds his endorsement to the verso of a
document to appoint the Honorable John Lowell as Justice of the
Peace to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Embossed white paper
seal at top left. Docketed on the verso.On the verso appears the recording of the administration of oath, in the hand of a clerk, in full: "Nov. 25. 1789 Then John Lowell Esq. took the Oath, & subscribed the Declaration required by the Constitution to qualify him to execute the Office agreeably to the within Commission & before."
Signed, "Nath Gorham."
The document brings together two figures closely associated with the founding era. Gorham, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and a signer of the Constitution, here acts in his role within Massachusetts governance. The endorsement, dated just months before the Convention convened in Philadelphia, places the document at a pivotal moment in his public career.
John Lowell would go on to serve as a judge of the United States District Court for Massachusetts, appointed by George Washington in 1789. The later notation recording his oath reflects the transition from state to federal authority in the early republic, linking this commission to the broader reorganization of government under the new Constitution.
Condition: Overall, in good condition with flattened folds, minor toning, and minor scattered staining. Areas of separation along folds, with center horizontal fold fully reinforced with Japanese tissue on the verso, as well as tissue reinforcement along remaining horizontal folds at left margins. Center vertical fold reinforced with tissue at upper margin, with small separation at bottom margin. Minor edgewear with chipping and a few small tears. Minor loss to bottom left corner. Minor creasing and staining to seal. Ink stain at upper margin of verso affecting "1789", and pencil notations at top and bottom margins.
Auction Info
2026 June 25 Liberty & Legacy: 250 Years of the American Spirit Americana & Political Signature® Auction #6332 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2026
25th
Thursday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 9
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 175
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% of the successful bid per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms