September 22, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/22/2011
Fascinating period artifact, an 1868 photocopy of a Robert E. Lee letter measuring 5" x 10,"that was made by using the earliest known example of photo copying invented Captain Margedant of the Engineer Corps. Lee, as President of Washington College, writes to student Frank A. Waddill advising the student that, "The Trustees of Washington College at their meeting June 16, 1868, established five 'Honorary Scholarships' to be given to Students of Washington College as rewards of high attainments and good conduct. Under this authority you have been selected by the Faculty as the recipient of an 'Honorary Scholarship' for the coming session, in the hope that as you have thus far proved worthy of this mark of confidence, you will heretofore adorn the College by your character and attainments." Unique. (The original Lee letter was recently sold and a digital copy is included). According to "Catalogue of Officers and Alumni of Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, 1749-1888" (Baltimore: John Murphy & Co. 1888) lists "Frank Alexander Waddill, M.A., C.E., Cheraw, S.C.: Honorary Scholarship, 1867: Instructor in Mathematics Washington and Lee University, 1870: Physician: Railroad Officer: Cheraw, S.C." Listed elsewhere in the book are the years he taught at Washington and Lee University, 1870-1872. The May 23, 1905 edition of "The Atlanta Constitution" reports the death in Charleston, S.C., on May 22nd of "Dr. Frank A. Waddill, a prominent business man of Cheraw...after a short illness. He graduated from Washington and Lee university shortly after the war and for some time was private secretary to General R.E. Lee. This artifact was accomplished with a photo-printing device invented by Captain Margedant, chief assistant which consisted of a light box, photo sensitive paper and the proper chemicals. Copy printing was done by creating the original on thin paper and laying it over a copy sheet coated with nitrate of silver. The sun's rays passing through the copy paper blackened the prepared paper except under the ink lines, thus making a white copy on black ground.
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