Autographs
"The President" (James Madison) Sent Dinner Invitation
(PRESIDENT JAMES MADISON) (1751-1836), Founding Father who served as the 4th President of the United States (1809 to 1817); hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
December 1st (c. 1819 or earlier) Federal Period, President James Madison Dinner Invitation, original, Partly-Printed, not signed, no date, measuring about 4.5" x 3", Very Fine or better. Formally printed with its design in script, from a Hand-Engraved Copper Plate on a tan Cardstock, fully completed with manuscript text in bold dark ink. This Invitation reads, in full:
"The President requests the favor of Baron Stackelberg's Company at dinner, on Friday next, 1 of Decembr at 5 O'Clock. / The favor of an answer is requested".
Baron Stackelberg was the Swedish Charge d'Affaires at Washington in 1819, it is possible they met earlier, here Madison refers to himself as "President". Provenance: From the James Madison papers, offered for sale in 1894 by E. B. Sterling (Edward Boker Sterling), 1851-1925, a stamp, coin and autograph dealer of Trenton, NJ.
A far more simple typeset printed dinner invitation sold at auction for $717 in a 2022 Americana auction. This current example was printed from a Hand-Engraved Copper Plate, not typeset, and is far more ornate in its presentation. Includes the original paper folder for this item indicating an asking price of $1.00, with Sterling's hand-stamp remains barely visible at bottom. Rare. (2 Items)
Berndt Robert Gustaf Stackelberg, born January 12, 1784, in Turku County, Finland, died November 10, 1845, in Stockholm, Sweden, was a Swedish military officer and diplomat. Stackelberg was Governor of the Swedish colony of St. Barthlemy in the West Indies 1812-1816, and was Charg D'affaires of Sweden's diplomatic mission to the United States, 1819"1831.
Having returned to Sweden, Stackelberg resigned his commission in the Scanian Carabineers. Brevetted colonel in 1818 and commissioned colonel of the General Staff in 1819. The following year he was appointed Swedish charg d'affaires in Washington.
Promoted to Adjutant-general 1828 while in diplomatic service. He presented his credentials in Washington, November 14, 1819, and took leave June 6, 1832