Thomas Jefferson & James Madison Signed 1804 Framed Ships Passport

Lot description

Framed United States scallop-top ships passport on vellum, issued to the Ship Pamelia of Baltimore, James Taylor, Master, dated April 24, 1804, signed by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826, Third U.S. President), and James Madison (1751-1836, Secretary of State, later Fourth U.S. President), allowing the ship "To Pass with her Company, Passengers, Goods and Merchandise without any hindrance, seizure or molestation," professionally conserved, small holes near central quadrant, sheet: approx 18"h, 11 5/8"w, sight: approx 22.25"h, 14.5"w, overall: approx 27.25"h, 19.5"w, 9lbs Note: United States ships passports originated in 1795 as a result of a treaty with the "Dey of Algiers," the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, particularly those countries boarding the southern Mediterranean known as the Barbary Coast. The treaty allowed the U.S. to pay tribute in exchange for safe passage of the ships from pirates. The top of the passports were cut in random patterns and pre-sent to Barbary agents who determined the authenticity of the passport by matching their part with the particular ships passport. NOTE: originally sold by Austin Auction Gallery in 2016, the original consignor provided an image of an original letter dated 1957 from Robert H. Land, Acting Chief of the Reference Department Manuscripts Division of the Library of Congress; I have added a digital copy only of that letter (the original letter does not accompany the lot)