Americana. Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori (1762-1829), a prince ...

Hammer

£7,000

Americana. Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori (1762-1829), a prince of Timbuktu, sold into slavery in Federal America, and Henry Inman (1801-1846), the artist who captured his likeness before he returned to Africa. 1pp of ink manuscript, 9 lines of calligraphic script by the amir 'Abd al-Rahman', under which is inscribed and autographed: 'This was written in my presence, and at my request by "Abduhl Rahhaman" with a reed pen. The history of this man's recovery of freedom was the subject of much interest at the time. An engraving was made of his head from a painting in Water Colours by me./H. Inman/N. York. Oct:r 15th 1828', to verso: 'Arabic Writing by them Moorish Prince. N. York. 1828. Presented to R. Gilmor Esq:r by his obliged friend and servant H. Inman, Baltimore July 9th 1833', corner-mounted, among other related papers, the MS. is accompanied by a typed and signed letter from Professor Nabia Abbott (1897-1981), of The Oriental Institute, The University of Chicago, thanking Dr Pleadwell for the enclosed photostat, one of several included within the lot, and commenting that the author (i.e. Abdul Rahman) 'is barely literate. His phraseology is odd, his spelling and grammar atrocious, and his writing unformed and inferior./ [Abbott then supplies a transcript, where possible:] The phrases, so far as I can make them out read: His name is Abd al-Rahman (ibn) Ibrahim. Allah bless Mohammed, his family, and his companions. The learned sheikh said:- "To Mecca and Medina O Allah and by Allah." Adam (?) went to Mecca...He said...Saturday...In the name of Allah the merciful the compassionate. Praise be to Allah. His name is Abd al-Rahman and...and the man...', the whole within an archive folder, (collection). 

The fate of Ingram's portrait of the enslaved amir is currently unknown, and it formed the subject of most of Pleadwell's correspondence in this lot, including with Dixton Wecter (1906-1950), "the first professor of American history", while was a research fellow at the Huntington Library; the subject of the amir-slave and his portrait captivated Mark Twain (1835-1910) and his imagination, whose correspondence Wecter edited. The Reverend Henry Clay Trumbull (1830-1903) had told Twain all about it and showed him the portrait, presumably then in his possession, and Pleadwell corresponded with acquaintances of Trumbull's daughters in the dashed hope of locating the original painting. 

Provenance: Captain Dr Frank Lester Pleadwell (1872-1957), physician, author and editor of medical texts, bibliophile and collector; the mounted life with his collection label, the Pleadwell Collection, Honolulu.