Special "1776 : The Illustrated Edition" with reproduction documents — Used

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$ 125.00
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$ 125.00
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Updated at midnight on November 1, 2026: All of these have been sold.

. . .

Note: All of the copies are used. This was published this in 2007 and it's not been reprinted—nor will it, I believe.

Hardcover (256 pages), with over 140 images and

thirty-seven removable replicas of source documents in sealed envelopes, in a slipcase. The ten full-page (imitation) parchment envelopes contain removable facsimiles of key historical documents featured in the book, including letters from George Washington, a July 8, 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence on the front page of Dunlap’s Pennsylvania Packet, and more.

I found out about this special edition this Spring. It was published in 2007, and given the title and contents, I assumed that the publisher was going to reissue it for the 250th.
When I learned that that wasn't likely to happen—as you will see in the photos, this a large, complex printing project—I asked if there were any unsold copies I could buy. There weren't, so I went hunting for copies.

I kissed a lot of frogs to find the ones we're offering tonight, and of the ones that were salable, I've put them in three subjective categories reflecting my assessment of the condition.

The only difference is the exterior, the slipcases and book covers. It appears that the envelopes with the documents haven't been opened in any of the ones we're offering, and the rest of the interior pages are in excellent condition. In fact all of photos here of interior photos are from volumes that I labeled "Good." I wanted you to see that even those are essentially like new once you get past the slipcase and cover.

Offering something like this is very unusual for us. Nearly everything we offer, other than Rare Finds, are things we design and make, and all of those things are new. However, every history person I showed this to thought it was really cool and wanted one.
Because these are used, there are no returns unless you discover something in the interior pages marked up or missing.
— Lee Wright | Founder
How I graded these
The interior pages are in excellent condition in all of them, and it doesn't appear that the envelopes with the documents have been opened. (Can you imagine getting something this neat and not opening those?)
The only difference is the condition of the slipcases and the front and back covers.
  • Excellent—Very close to new. Would be very comfortable giving it as a gift
  • Very good—Minor wear
  • Good—Wear that is more apparent, such as the remains of a price sticker on the cover or the slip case is torn slightly at the edge

To put this in perspective, I bought more than two dozen in order to find two that were in excellent condition.

From the publisher

With a new introduction by David McCullough, 1776: The Illustrated Edition brings 140 powerful images and thirty-seven removable replicas of source documents to this remarkable drama.

In 1776, David McCullough’s bestselling account of a pivotal year in our nation’s struggle, readers learned of the greatest defeats, providential fortune, and courageous triumphs of George Washington and his bedraggled army. Now, in 1776: The Illustrated Edition, the efforts of the Continental Army are made even more personal, as an excerpted version of the original book is paired with letters, maps, and seminal artwork. More than three dozen source documents, including a personal letter George Washington penned to Martha about his commission, a note informing the mother of a Continental soldier that her son has been taken prisoner, and a petition signed by Loyalists pledging their allegiance to the King, are re-created in uniquely designed envelopes throughout the book and secured with the congressional seal.

. . . 1776: The Illustrated Edition combines a treasury of eighteenth-century paintings, sketches, documents, and maps with storytelling by our nation’s preeminent historian to tell the story of 1776 as never before.

About the author

David McCullough has twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, and The Wright Brothers. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.

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