Harding, Chester Autograph Manuscript fragment from the first chapter of his autobiographyMY EPISTIGRAPHY, beginning "At the age of 12, I was hired out at 6$ permonth for six months to a Mr. Graves in Hatfiled..."; [with:] Archive of 5Autograph Letters Signed from Harding to family members; [with:] 3Autograph Letters Signed from his daughters, Ophie (2) and Maggie (1) [MS. published in Cambridge, Mass.: John Wilson, 1866]; place and dates of letters delineated belowChester Harding's (1792-1866) autobiography is one of the few by a 19th- century American painter, and his story is well worth the telling -- particularly in the early years (recounted in this manuscript) when Harding struggled at a variety of trades before finding his skill as a sign-painter; a trade, which, in turn, led to his career as a portrait painter. Entirely self-taught, Harding's skill at portraiture eventually made him one of the most renowned painters artists in pre-war America, the rival of Gilbert Stuart, and he received commissions to paint Daniel Boone, James Madison, John Marshall, and many other eminent Americans. An examination of the manuscript here shows some interesting departures from the printed text as edited by his daughter and family. The whereabouts of the rest of the manuscript are unknown to us. Harding died in 1866, and his edited manuscript was privately printed in the same year. Interesting too, are letters from Harding included here, especially the one written to his daughter-in-law on the very day after the Lincoln assassination (see number 4): 1). ALS from Harding to his young son, Frank. 2-1/2 pp.,12mo, Glasgow, Scotland, Dec. 21, 1846. "I would give up my best dozen cigars to see you for an hour..."; 2). ALS from Harding to Miss Delano, his son Frank's fiancée, welcoming her into the family.One page, 12mo, Springfield, Sept 8, [1863]; 3) ALS from Harding to his daughter-in-law , regarding his wedding present to her and his son Frank. 2pp. 12mo, Springfield, Dec. 22, [1864]; 4) ALS to his daughter-in-law, wife of his son Frank ("Dear Daughter") regarding Frank's troubles, and discussing the assassination of Lincoln, which occurred the day before this letter was written. 1H pp, 8vo, Springfield, April 15, [1865]. "The horrible tragedy at Washington has thrown a gloom over the whole community, such as i never saw before. The death of Mr. Lincoln is to the nation what the death of a Father is to his young family. I fear we shall have cause to mourn his loss for a long time ..."; 5) ALS to his daughter-in-law, regarding his and Frank's sojourn in St. Louis, family matters, etc. 3 pp. 12mo, St. Louis, October 11, [1865?] 4to (ms.); letters are various sizes. Manuscript is 8-1/2 pp. written in ink on rectos and versos of two bifolia and on a smaller, half-page fragment; each unit numbered on first page "No. 2", "No. 3", "No. 4"; with a few deletions and corrections, and one ms. query in the margin in another hand, probably that of his daughter, Margaret White, who edited the manuscript for publication. A few ink smudges and stains on the, but quite clear and legible as are the letters Price: USD 2,500.00 other currencies   order no. 43750    inquire

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