Colonial America
Benjamin Franklin Printed French and Indian War Period Pennsylvania General Assembly ACT on Printing Currency
1760-Dated French and Indian War Period, Benjamin Franklin Printed Pennsylvania General Assembly ACTS from 1760, 45 pages, including "An ACT for granting to His Majesty the Sum of One Hundred Thousand Pounds, and for Striking the Same in Bills of Credit, in the Manner herein directed, and providing a Fund for Sinking the Said Bills of Credit, by a Tax on all Estates real and personal, and Taxables, within this Province.", and more, during George II's Last Full Year of Reign, Fine.
Original Print Document of Pennsylvania General Assembly ACTS from 1760 which has pages measuring about 13.25" tall x l8" wide, Includes 45 pages, which were printed on the famous Philadelphia printing presses of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). These Acts include those passed in 1760, during the 33rd and Last Year of the Reign of King George II. The top half of the front title page and the last page (page 45) of this 45-page Imprint are lacking, the final page heavily foxed with wear. However, the most historically important portion of the existing title page, including, "PHILADELPHIA: Printed and Sold by B. FRANKLIN, at the New Printing-Office, near the Market. MDCCLX" (1760), his name and printing-office address are boldly printed and intact on the lower half. This Imprint shows expected wear from use and age, including scattered foxing, and chipped edges. The pages are loosely bound sewn together with period twine along the left edge. The official title page, the top half of which is missing, would read; "Anno Regni Georgii II. Regis, Magnae Britanniae, Franciae & Hiberniae, Tricesimo Tertio. At a General Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania, begun and holden at Philadelphia, the Fifteenth Day of October, Anno Domini 1759, in the Thirty-third Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George II, by the Grace of God, of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. And from thence continued by Adjournments to the Eleventh Day of February, 1760." As noted, the key printing shop information is intact, found at the bottom of the cover page: "Philadelphia: - Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, at the New-Printing-Office, near the Market. MDCCLX." King George II (1683-1760) died just eight months after these Acts were published, in October 1760. Some other Acts found within address a variety of issues, such as; Extending Credit to the Monarch; Land Distribution; Penalties for Counterfeiting; Outfitting of Armies; and Raising Funds through Taxation.
Benjamin Franklin joined the competitive Philadelphia printing cottage industry in the 1720s, establishing his own firm with partner Hugh Meredith in 1728.
Because he couldn't break the monopoly of larger concerns in the city, Franklin first provided humble job printing services, producing vital but ephemeral documents such as bonds, certificates, blank administrative forms, lottery tickets, currency, and advertisements.
From 1730, Ben Franklin became the official printer of the Pennsylvania Assembly, and it was in this capacity that he printed the Acts issued in King George II's last full year of his reign. Franklin quickly became one of the most well-known and influential printers in Philadelphia.
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Colonial America: (Lots 236 - 261)
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