[Fine Binding | Extra Illustrated by Frank C. Deering] Treaties of 1778

Scott, James Brown (edited by G. Chinard). The Treaties of 1778 and Allied Documents. Historical Documents Institut Francais de Washington, Cahier 1. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1928. Extra illustrated by, and bound for, Frank C. Deering and the noteworthy 'Frank C. Deering Collection of Americana'. With the addition of approx. 50 illustrations added by the noted Americana collector, from numerous sources including engravings, hand-colored engravings, plates, color plates, and portraits, most being professionally tipped onto plates of fine quality paper and expertly bound in, and with an added leaf of text in red crediting Frank C. Deering for the extra-illustrations.

Bound in full brown crushed morocco in the style of Sangorski & Sutcliffe (though unsigned), the boards with a geometric framework on nouveau design featuring both gilt and black ruled lines, gilt stippling and gilt circular tools, the spine designed in like style with tall gilt and black stippled raised bands, gilt and black framed compartments, gilt circular tooling and gilt lettering, the turn-ins gilt ruled and stippled, finely marbled endpapers. A beautiful example. 

Printed on the 150th anniversary of M. Gerard (on behalf of Louis XVI, the young and inexperienced King of France) and Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee, (on behalf of the thirteen English-speaking colonies in North America) put their seals and signatures to an epoch-making document. In fact, two treaties were signed on the same day: one of alliance, and one of amity and commerce, the negotiation of which, upon terms of equality with France, recognized, because of the negotiation, the independence of the colonies, called for the first time in the Declaration of Independence, "the United States of America."