George Washington letter, $362,500, Doyle New York

George Washington letter, $362,500, Doyle New York

Gavels ‘n’ Paddles
Recent Auction Results From Near & Far
By Ken Hall

A letter written by George Washington to his wartime aide James McHenry on Dec. 10, 1783, in which he writes of his intention to resign his commission as Continental Commander and become “translated into a private citizen,” sold for $362,500 at a sale of Rare Books and Autographs held Nov. 5 by Doyle New York in New York City. In 1859, the letter was sold along with McHenry’s archives at auction, where it was purchased by Baltimore collector William T. Walters, in whose family it has since remained. The price includes a 25 percent buyer’s premium.