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How you doing?
I'm pretty good. What can I help you with?
Well, I've got something pretty interesting for you
to take a look at today.
This is a unique piece of American history right there.
That is an 1863 book about the Battle of Gettysburg,
and there's a map inside.
OK.
It's a really cool map, and it's not ruined.
I'm here today to sell an 1863 Civil War
book that contains the first ever map
of the Battle of Gettysburg.
I go to auctions frequently, and I bought a box lot,
and inside of that box lot was this Gettysburg map.
Pretty interesting.
It looks like it's in great shape.
That's one thing that-- that stands
out about it is the condition.
This literally looks like it rolled
off the presses yesterday.
RICK: You know much about it?
Yeah.
So there's a lot of detail in this map.
It was actually put together by a gentleman
named Theodore Ditterline.
His name is right there.
And he created the map based on firsthand accounts
of people who were eyewitnesses to the three-day battle.
You can see the topography of the battlefield.
It shows troop positions, troop movements, railroads.
It's also considered to be the very first map
of the Battle of Gettysburg.
It's really, really interesting.
Have you read the whole book?
Yeah, and it goes into a lot of detail.
For example, it mentions in the beginning
about a General Reynolds, who had a bullet through the neck.
How much you want for it?
Well, I was looking to get $10,500 for it.
Through my research, I found that they've
sold a similar copy in lesser condition for $13,750.
OK.
So it's that caliber of a book.
Do you know if this is the first edition, second edition?
That's a great question. I don't know.
I've tried to figure that out.
I'm not sure.
OK.
I know someone who will be sure.
I'll have her come down here.
She'll know everything about this.
She'll know if it's a first edition, second edition,
whatever printing.
Yep.
Sounds great.
She'll know way more than you want to know about it, OK?
Let's do it.
I think it's great that an expert is coming
in today to look at my map.
It's scarce and it's in fantastic condition,
and I think an expert will really
be able to validate that.
[cash register dings]
- Rebecca, how's it going? - Hey, Rick.
How are you?
- I'm doing great. - Hi.
Hi there.
Nice to meet you.
What do we got?
"The Battle of Gettysburg" with a map.
Right.
Well, the impressive thing about it
is this map here is actually kind of a big deal.
OK.
This map is the first contemporaneous account
of the Battle of Gettysburg.
So you have individual accounts that
are done by war correspondents and magazines and things,
and this is the first sort of separate publication
that describes exactly what happened during the turning
point of the Civil War.
What's great about it is that the description
comes with this chromolithographed map.
So you can see you've got all of the setup of the--
of the battle over three days.
And of course, you have the really
famous fish hook line here of General
Meade and the Union forces.
This is a really famous sort of line here.
This is what they were holding, and holding
this was essentially what was going
to win or lose the battle.
You see here, this is within months of this battle
happening, right?
There's a real sort of electricity about this map.
When you can see this invasion, this
is the beginning of the mythologizing of this battle.
This whole 24-page pamphlet, this is all
meant just to describe this.
This publication, make no mistake, it's about the map,
and they're just adding this essentially as a-- a way
to bolster what they're showing on the map.
Was this the first edition?
Yes, this is the first edition.
This is a document from the time when it was happening.
I mean, this came out before the whole war had been concluded
and before we really knew how everything ended, right?
So this is a really special moment.
But the pamphlet itself has a number of condition problems.
We've got a little bit of a tear here,
which is really common with folding plates like this.
But this map is often taken out and framed
or something like that, so having
it intact is a real, like, win.
Well, you know why you're here.
What's it worth?
Cut to the chase.
Yes.
I mean, I've seen this particular map
go for as much as 15,000.
Given the particular condition issues we've discussed,
I'd put somewhere closer to 12,500.
All right, thanks.
I'll call you if I get it.
What will you realistically take for it?
10,500.
I'll give you 6,500 bucks for it.
I think that this is an item that's
not going to sit on a shelf.
I think that it's highly desirable.
It's--
It's desirable to a degree, OK?
And there's tons of Civil War collectors,
not a lot with 12 grand in their pocket just
to spend on something.
OK.
I'd be willing to come down to 9.
I'll give you 7 grand.
I won't go a penny higher.
I think I'm ready to part with it, and 7 grand works for me.
All right, 7 grand.
I will meet you right over there,
and we'll do some paperwork.
Sounds good.
CRAIG: So I'm walking out of here today with $7,000.
I came in here with zero, walking out with 7,
and that's fantastic.
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