It's the Night Before Christmas at Heritage!

Handwritten Manuscript of Classic Poem to be Offered at Auction

DALLAS, TEXAS: It's one of the most beloved poems ever written, and reading it has become a revered tradition for countless families the world over.

Written in 1822 in the back of a carriage while on a Christmas Eve errand, Clement Clarke Moore intended the poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," (better known today by its immortal first line, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas..."), to serve as an evening's entertainment for his family, nothing more. Before the next holiday season, the delightful verse was discovered by Miss Harriet Butler, a guest in the Moore's home, who sent it to the editor of the Troy Sentinel, where it was initially published. The response to the piece was overwhelming, and it was reprinted annually for many years. In 1837, Moore finally allowed his name to be attached to the piece, and a legend was born.

Since its initial publication, Moore's poem has become far more than just a series of rhyming couplets about Christmas; in many ways, the poem itself has become Christmas. From its classic portrayal of Santa Claus as a "jolly old elf," to the stockings "hung by the chimney with care," to the names of Santa's reindeer... all owe a debt to Moore's unforgettable poem.

"This is, without a doubt, one of the most significant English-language poems ever written," said Tom Slater, Director of Americana auctions for Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries, "one which has had an indelible effect on holiday traditions worldwide. There are only four manuscript copies of this masterwork written in Moore's own hand - unfortunately, the original, penned that fateful night in the back of a carriage, has been lost to history - and all but one are part of museum collections. I'm very proud to announce that the one privately-held copy will be offered in our upcoming Signature Auction."

"The manuscript we're offering is known as a 'fair copy,'" Slater said, "a complete copy of the 56-line verse inscribed and signed by Moore at the request of a friend or acquaintance. Dated 1860, the original, unnamed recipient has written on the last page, "I passed the month of August 1860 at Newport, where I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Moore, then in [his] 83[rd] year, who very kindly took the trouble to transcribe his verses for me and to subscribe to them his name. Dr. Moore has been for some years Emeritus Professor Oriental and Greek Literature to the Genl. Theol[ogical] Sem[inary] in N.Y. and was the son of the late Bishop Benjamin Moore of N.Y."

"Making this rare artifact even more desirable," Slater said, "is its impeccable, unbroken chain of ownership. The original family sold it to Goodspeed's Bookshop in Boston who, in 1932, sold it to J. Clarence McCarthy. His heirs sold it to collector Calvin Bullock whose son sold it in 1944 to a private collector. Fifty years later, this collector auctioned it at Christies and then, in 1997, the present consignor acquired it."

"This will be the centerpiece of any advanced collection of manuscripts," Slater said, "or, perhaps, it will be an incredible Christmas present for some lucky individual. Whatever its ultimate destination, the eventual owner of this incredible piece can take pride in the knowledge that they own a unique and important piece of American cultural history."

The Handwritten and Signed Fair Copy of Clement Clarke Moore's "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" bears a pre-auction estimate of $250,000 & up.

Handwritten and Signed Fair Copy of Clement Clarke Moore's "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Heritage Auction Galleries will offer the Handwritten and Signed Fair Copy of Clement Clarke Moore's "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" in their upcoming Grand Format Autograph Auction, to be held October 12, 2006 at their headquarters in Dallas, TX, with a simulcast in New York City.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HA.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of political memorabilia, Americana, and related collectibles are invited to visit historical.HA.com and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Tom Slater at TomS@HA.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit www.HA.com to order by email.