Extremely Rare 1795 Robert Treat Paine Signed Printed Official "FIRE CLUB" Meeting Invitation Notice in Boston
February 2, 1795-Dated Federal Period, Partially-Printed Document Signed, "Rob treat Paine" as clerk of the Boston Fire Club (while an acting Supreme Court Justice), with mention of "S. Adams", 1 page, measuring 7.25" x 4", Boston, Extremely Fine. Some ink ghosting occurring in a few areas of the engrossment while the signature is bold and sharp. Being a notice from "the Fire Club" informing Mr. Joshua Green of a meeting on "Wednesday next, at 7 o'Clock P.M." A contemporary handwritten ink notation, apparently by Paine, is made in the upper right margin that "S Adams" (Samuel Adams) and "T Crafts" were absent. Huge original margins, well centered with highly decorative outer border designs. Accompanied by a period engraving of Paine measuring 3" x 3.75" mounted on a larger heavy sheet. We have located a reference to "Rules and Orders to be observed by a Fire-Club instituted at Boston, the Fourth Day of March, Anno Domini, 1762 (Boston, 1762), which at the time listed the names of 15 Members, with their residences and places of business. Likely a voluntary association started after the devastating 1760 Great Fire that ravaged Boston burning down over 300 structures. Likely a mutual aid and protection group of wealthy persons. Extremely Rare, Evans had not seen any example. From the Autograph Collection of Dr. Max Thorek.
Robert Treat Paine (March 11, 1731 – May 11, 1814) was a lawyer, politician and Founding Father of the United States who signed the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence as a representative of the colonial era Province of Massachusetts Bay, one of the original Thirteen Colonies. He served as the state's first attorney general and as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the state's highest court.
With One of a Kind Collectibes LOA