Just found this: American Attendees of the 1840 London Anti-Slavery Convention

I discovered this in an autograph album I recently bought. It's a roster of the American attendees to the 1840 London Antislavery Convention. It includes Lucretia Mott, and Charles Lenox Remond, an important Black antislavery activist, among other notables. What's incredible to me is the historic nature of this particular roster. According to Wikipedia, the hosts of the convention refused to seat the women, and this was one of the events that sparked the women's suffrage movement. I have a collector of Abolitionist autographs who's interested in buying it, but I'm struggling to decide what a fair price would be, given the historic nature of the piece. If anyone has thoughts, I'd appreciate the input.

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Permalink Reply by michelle on January 4, 2026 at 8:15pm

that is a interestimg item.  Where did you find it? Def over $1,200  imo.  Have a look at past rr auction results.  Its also a unique piece, so I think it could go for more,  seems a shame to sell it

Permalink Reply by a pug called eva on January 4, 2026 at 10:49pm

If you feel you must sell it then I would suggest the auction route (RR Auction, Heritage or somewhere similar with a solid track record for selling abolitionist items). Something as unique and important as this is very difficult to value and needs to find its own price. 

Permalink Reply by Will McIntosh on January 6, 2026 at 11:10am

Thanks, I see your point. If I didn't have a serious collector interested in a private purchase, I'd definitely go the auction route. My thinking is, an auction house gets around 40% of the sale price. If I can arrive at even a decent idea of the item's value, both the buyer and I will likely walk away with more in our pockets. 

Permalink Reply by a pug called eva on January 7, 2026 at 1:24am

I agree completely about the 40%. The problem is just getting to an approximate value. Maybe there have been sales of similar items to use as a basis or you can add up the values of the individual autographs and either discount the total or add a premium to it for having all on a single document.  As the document doesn't appear to be more than a plain piece of paper (rather than some kind of printed document relating to the Convention) my guess is that having all the autographs together wouldn't really increase the value of the individual autographs much and may even make them less desirable than if they were on separate documents. Tricky!

Permalink Reply by Will McIntosh on January 7, 2026 at 9:20am

Thanks! I've spent quite a while seeking anything comparable that sold at auction, and so far, nothing. The document Steve identified that's in the Boston Public Library's collection seems to be the only thing that's comparable.

Permalink Reply by JK on January 7, 2026 at 2:11am

Lots of variables.  Have the signatures been authenticated (at least informally)?  Have all the signers been identified?  Are any of them especially uncommon?   Is the list on two sheets, or two sides of the same sheet?

It is a great item.  As for value?  The good news is that it is very unique.  The bad news is that it is very unique.  

An auction might be the only way to set a value.  Short of that, the value is whatever the seller and buyer agree on.  

I do accept that it is likely from the 1840 convention, but apart from the pencil notation there seems to be no actual proof of that.  

There are many variables, and the buyer and seller both have some risk in trying to set a value, as the value could be over- or under-estimated.  The two of you will need to discuss the variables and settle on a number you are both comfortable with.  (There will always be the chance that this shows up in an auction some day and gets bid way up, so make sure you are prepared for that scenario).

Permalink Reply by Will McIntosh on January 7, 2026 at 9:16am

Thanks, JK. I haven't had it authenticated, but I've looked at other examples of the key signatures, and all of them look right. I've identified most of the signers, and all check out as US delegates to the convention:

Lucretia Mott, Charles Lenox Remond, William Lloyd Garrison (publisher of an anti-slavery newspaper), Charles Edward Lester, Abigail Kimber, Jonathan Backhouse, Sarah Pugh (signed twice), Joseph Sturge (founded British Anti-Slavery Society), Anne Knight (Quaker, early feminist), Robert Russell, Isaac Winslow, James G. Birney (presidential candidate, ex-enslaver), Emily Winslow. 

Permalink Reply by Will McIntosh on January 7, 2026 at 9:56pm

I was thinking about the issue of linking this to the 1840 Convention, and I think it's there: one of the signatures on the roster is Joseph Sturge, who was one of the British organizers of the convention. This would indicate the list must have been signed in England, and the convention was the only time these individuals were in England together.

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on January 7, 2026 at 2:46am

Will, these were signed on the pages of the autograph album you have, or is it placed in the album?

This is an important piece, no matter what the market value is. 

The Boston Public Library has a notebook with the names and signatures of delegates to the convention, not online. What do you think of going over yours with them and seeing if they have these names, and getting copies of their notebook if it's available? If they don't have some or all of them, that may be where these best go.

From Google:

A handwritten notebook containing the signatures and names of delegates to the 1840 World's Anti-Slavery Convention exists and is held by the Boston Public Library. The original document is not immediately available online, but there are other extensive resources that list the attendees. 
Accessing the Roster
  • Original Document: The physical "Ms. Notebook" with the signatures of the delegates is part of the Anti-Slavery collection at the Boston Public Library Archives & Special Collections. You would need to contact the library for information on viewing the document or obtaining a potential digitized copy.
  • Published Proceedings: A comprehensive, digitized version of the convention's Proceedings was published in 1841 and includes an index and list of delegates. This text is available for free download or streaming on the Internet Archive.
  • National Portrait Gallery: The famous painting of the convention by Benjamin Robert Haydon features over 130 identifiable participants. The National Portrait Gallery website provides an extensive list and interactive guide to the individuals depicted, which serves as a de facto roster. 
Permalink Reply by Will McIntosh on January 7, 2026 at 9:07am

Thanks, Steve. I'll reach out to them. The signatures are on the first and third pages of a four-page folio that was mounted into the album with a few drops of glue. 

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