United States Constitution | The first New Jersey printing of the Constitution

United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America. Agreed to in Convention, at Philadelphia, September 17, 1787. Trenton: Printed and Sold by Isaac Collins, 1787

8vo (207 x 123 mm). Browning and staining, lower fore-edge corner chewed, very short linear puncture or cut running through the inner edges of all leaves occasionally touching, but not obscuring, a letter. Disbound. Half red morocco slipcase, chemise. 

The first New Jersey printing of the Constitution, issued by Isaac Collins, the state's public printer. This pamphlet was likely issued shortly after the Constitution was adopted by the Philadelphia Convention, and it includes a roster of the signers of the Constitution, the Convention's resolution adopting the Constitution, and George Washington's letter submitting the Constitution to the Continental Congress. 

New Jersey convened its ratification convention on 11 December 1787 and unanimously approved the Constitution six days later, becoming the third state to ratify.

Scarce: Copies are located in just seven institutions (Rutgers, Princeton, New Jersey Historical Society, Morristown National Historic Park, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Library of Congress, University of California, Berkeley) and this is the only copy to appear at auction since the Streeter sale in 1967.

REFERENCE

ESTC W30528; Evans 20798; Streeter 2:1046

PROVENANCE

The Peddie School (Christie's New York, 15 December 2005, lot 143)