Samuel Finley Breese Morse Paintings & Artwork for Sale | Samuel Finley Breese Morse Art Value Price Guide

Jun. 18, 2026
Samuel Morse, oil on canvas, ex museum
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
Samuel F.B. Morse (American, 1791-1872), "Portrait of Miss Emma Shields", c. 1840-1843, unsigned, attribution label to frame, 29.5"h x 24.25"w (sight), 37"h x 32"w (frame)
Millea Bros Ltd
Jan. 29, 2026
Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872): Portrait of Mrs. Helen Linklaen
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
Oil on panel, 1827, signed 'F.B. Morse', titled and dated on the reverse, with label from Widing & Peck Fine Art, NY. 16 1/2 x 13 in., 22 1/4 x 18 1/2 in. (frame). Note: This portrait depicts the wife of Colonel John Lincklaen, who served as agent for the Holland Land Co., and in 1807 built the now historic site, Lorenzo, in Cazenovia, NY. The Lincklaen family were a founding family of Cazenovia and of New-York Dutch descent.
STAIR
Jan. 29, 2026
Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872): Portrait of Mrs. Thomas H. Hubbard
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Oil on canvas, 1830, titled, dated and inscribed 'Painted by Prof. Samuel F.B. Morse' in another hand on the reverse, with label from Widing & Peck, NY, lined. 27 x 22 in., 36 x 30 3/4 in. (frame). Note: Mrs. Thomas H. Hubbard, née Miss Phebe [sic] Hubbard, married lawyer, Monroe County congressman, New York State Supreme Court Judge, and cousin, Mr. Thomas Hill Hubbard of Utica, NY.
STAIR
Jan. 29, 2026
Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872): A View of Cazenovia Lake; and a View of Parapet Fall At Trenton
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Two oil on board, 1827-28, both signed 'S F B Morse' and titled on the reverse. Both 8 1/2 x 11 in., 17 x 20 in. (frame). Literature: Wehle, Harry B., Samuel F.B. Morse American Painter, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1932, illust. figs. 46/47, illus. (exhibition catalogue, titled as a View of Cazenovia Lake and Parapet Falls); National Academy of Design Exhibition Record (1826-1860), Vol. II, The New York Historical Society, 1943, p. 32. Exhibited: The National Academy of Design, New York, Annual Exhibition, 1828, nos. 160 and 169; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Samuel F. B. Morse, American Painter, 1932, illus. p. 47, figs. 46 & 47.
STAIR
Sep. 12, 2025
Samuel Morse CDV Photo
Est: $100 - $150
2 3/8" by 3 3/4". Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791 April 2, 1872) was an American inventor and painter. After establishing his reputation as a portrait painter, Morse, in his middle age, contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs. He was a co-developer of Morse code in 1837 and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy.
Davis Brothers Auction
Jun. 26, 2025
SAMUEL F.B. MORSE (1791-1872). Portrait of a Young Man, 1839. embossed phot
Est: $40,000 - $60,000
SAMUEL F.B. MORSE (1791-1872). Portrait of a Young Man, 1839. embossed photographer’s credit (lower left recto).
Christie's
Dec. 12, 2024
SAMUEL F. B. MORSE 1791-1872 Ritratto del Presidente James Monroe 1818-1819 - SAMUEL F. B. MORSE 1791-1872 Portrait of President James Monroe 1818-1819
Est: -
Olio su tela. 80,00 x 70,00 cm - Oil on canvas. 31.50 x 27.56 in.
Aste Bolaffi
Nov. 19, 2024
SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE, 1791-1872, MORSE TELEGRAPH
Est: €100 - €200
Morse telegraph, Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872. School model of how a Morse telegraph works with a key, 25 cm wide
Derksen Veilingbedrijf
Apr. 21, 2024
Samuel Morse Carte-de-Visite, Signed.
Est: $800 - $1,200
MORSE, SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE. 1791-1872. An original carte-de-visite photograph, showing a bearded Morse seated with his head resting on his hand, a watch fob chain on his lapel; by Bogardus, New York. Autographed verso in black fountain pen, "Saml. F.B. Morse." The card 4 1/8" x 2 7/16". Condition very good. Provenance: Private Collection; understood to have been acquired from Stanley Gibbons, UK/Guernsey.
Turner Auctions + Appraisals
Dec. 20, 2023
MORSE (Samuel Finley Breese).
Est: €200 - €300
MORSE (Samuel Finley Breese). Lettre autographe signée en qualité de « superintendant of Electro Magnetic Telegraphs », en anglais, adressée au secrétaire d’État du Trésor des États-Unis par intérim, McClintock Young. Washington, 1er juin 1844. Une p. 1/2 in-4, fentes aux pliures. Concernant le salaire de ses assistants dans la construction du télégraphe : « ... Mr [Alfred] Vail has been one of my most efficient assistants from the beginning, and I may say that his services are now essential to THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TELEGRAPHIC INTERCOURSE : he alone with myself being at present able to back the modus operandi, his salary, considering he has a family to support, is small, and considering duties, and responsibilities of his present situation, I would recommend for your approval that his salary be increased... »
Osenat
Dec. 06, 2023
SAMUEL F. B. MORSE (American, 1791-1872)
Est: $300 - $500
SAMUEL F. B. MORSE (American, 1791-1872), allegorical study, pencil on paper, signed ''Morse'' lower right. Glue-mounted to board, matted and framed under glass. Matstain, toning, small spot of foxing, minor creasing. Sheet 5-3/4''h, 8-3/8''w. Provenance: The family of William Cullen Bryant; by descent to present owner.
South Bay Auctions Inc
May. 23, 2023
Attr. S.B. Morse, Portrait of Gentleman, 19th C.
Est: $400 - $500
American school portrait, attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (Am. 1791-1872), oil on tulip poplar or basswood, circa 1830. Frame size: 37 1/4" high, 31 3/8" wide; sight size: 29 1/4" high, 23 7/8" wide. Crazing, frame wear. Label verso reads: "Thomas Bumstead, Father of Mary Pierce Fessandum and father of Frances Gore Gordon, Great Grandfather of Regina Gordon Tileston, Great, Great, Great Grandfather of Regina Gordon Boyd and John Boles Tileston." Provenance: Jerome Blum Antiques, Lisbon CT 1971.
Schwenke Auctioneers
Jan. 25, 2023
Morse (Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872). Autograph Letter Signed, 'Saml. F.B. Morse', November 1856
Est: £300 - £500
Morse (Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872). Autograph Letter Signed, 'Saml. F.B. Morse', November 1856 * Morse (Samuel Finley Breese, 1791-1872). American inventor, painter and co-developer of Morse code. Autograph Letter Signed, 'Saml. F.B. Morse', Pokupsie [Poughkeepsie, New York], 20 November 1856, to Charles Wheaton, general secretary of the Lyceum, regretting that he cannot find the time to give a lecture, 'whether I shall ever be able to find the time for preparing a course of Lectures, (which I much desire,) is becoming more and more doubtful, yet should such an opportunity ever be afforded me, I know of no Institution before whom I should delight to lecture more than before the Poughkeepsie Lyceum, minor light soiling and light toning, 2 pages with blank integral leaf, small 8vo QTY: (1)
Dominic Winter Auctions
Nov. 03, 2022
Samuel F. B. Morse American, 1791-1872 The Holy Family at Night
Est: $600 - $900
Samuel F. B. Morse American, 1791-1872 The Holy Family at Night Oil on canvas 7 1/4 x 9 5/8 inches Provenance: Lida Fleitman Bloodgood, Rome, until 1960 Exhibited: Stony Brook, New York, The Long Island Museum, More Than Mount, Sept. 14, 1996 - Mar. 30, 1997 Stony Brook, New York, The Long Island Museum, Artists Abroad, Mar. 19 - Aug. 2, 2021 This work is a near copy, in a reverse sense, of a painting in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, long thought to be by Rembrandt, but now generally agreed to be by an artist from Rembrandt's circle. Morse's direct inspiration was most likely an etching after that composition (also in a reverse sense) by the French artist Baron Dominque Vivant Denon (1747-1825). C Property from a Prominent New York Museum
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Apr. 06, 2022
Samuel Finlay Breese Morse (1791-1872 American)
Est: $2,500 - $3,500
Samuel Finlay Breese Morse (1791-1872 American) Italian Landscape Oil on Canvas measuring 25 x 30 inches image size. An important work by this artist and inventor who was well known for his creation of Morse code. A colorful depiction of a far reaching Italian landscape with a pair of goatherders in foreground. Housed in carved ornate frame with name plaque. Total framed size 32.25 x 37 inches overall. Light overall craquelure with some scattered paint flaking. Weighs approximately 30 lbs. Outside shipper required for this item. If lot is absent of a condition report one may be requested via email. Condition report is provided as an opinion only and is no guarantee as grading can be subjective. Buyer must view photographs or scans to assist in determining condition and ask further questions if so desired. This item requires the use of an outside shipper. Buyer to select shipper and make all arrangements. Here are 2 options: The UPS Store 12402 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99218 509-467-4451 store0957@theupsstore.com. Or, Action Shipping 11807 E Trent Ave, Spokane, WA 99206 509-926-2445 contacts@actionshipping.comcastbiz.net.
Grant Zahajko Auctions, LLC
Jan. 12, 2022
Samuel Finlay Breese Morse (1791-1872 American)
Est: $5,000 - $8,000
Samuel Finlay Breese Morse (1791-1872 American) Italian Landscape Oil on Canvas measuring 25 x 30 inches image size. An important work by this artist and inventor who was well known for his creation of Morse code. A colorful depiction of a far reaching Italian landscape with a pair of goatherders in foreground. Housed in carved ornate frame with name plaque. Total framed size 32.25 x 37 inches overall. Light overall craquelure with some scattered paint flaking. Weighs approximately 30 lbs. Outside shipper required for this item. If lot is absent of a condition report one may be requested via email. Condition report is provided as an opinion only and is no guarantee as grading can be subjective. Buyer must view photographs or scans to assist in determining condition and ask further questions if so desired. This item requires the use of an outside shipper. Buyer to select shipper and make all arrangements. Here are 2 options: The UPS Store 12402 N Division St, Spokane, WA 99218 509-467-4451 store0957@theupsstore.com. Or, Action Shipping 11807 E Trent Ave, Spokane, WA 99206 509-926-2445 contacts@actionshipping.comcastbiz.net.
Grant Zahajko Auctions, LLC
Sep. 25, 2021
attributed to SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE MORSE (American 1791-1872) A PAINTING, "Lady with Black Mobcap," 1820,
Est: $800 - $1,200
attributed to SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE MORSE (American 1791-1872) A PAINTING, "Lady with Black Mobcap," 1820, oil on canvas, signed in monogram and dated L/L, "R.Q.M. 1820." 28" x 22 1/2"
Simpson Galleries, LLC
Jun. 12, 2021
Attributed Samuel F. B. Morse (American, 1791-1872), Portrait of Reverend Edward Thomas
Est: $1,000 - $3,000
Attributed Samuel F. B. Morse (American, 1791-1872), Portrait of Reverend Edward Thomas oil on millboard, unsigned, circa 1830, presented in a later gilt frame, retaining several labels to the verso. Board 9 5/8 x 5 1/4 in.; Frame dimensions 14 3/4 x 12 1/2 in. Edward Thomas (1800-1840) was born in St. Stephen's Parish, South Carolina. He was a direct descendent of the Reverend Samuel Thomas, first Missionary sent to South Carolina by the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts. In 1817, he entered the South Carolina College in Columbia and graduated in 1819. He continued studies at Harvard and Yale, finally entering the Theological Seminary in New York in 1822. By the end of 1824, he was returned to South Carolina and admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons in St. Philip's Church, Charleston. His first missionary was in the Fairfield District, then Greenville where he was instrumental in establishing the first Episcopal Church. Thomas married Jane M. Gaillard in February 1826. The young couple moved to Edisto Island in 1827 where he served as Rector of Trinity Church until becoming ill in 1834. He relocated to St. Augustine, Florida for several years in order to recuperate in a milder climate. In 1836 he returned again to South Carolina, serving the Parish of St. John's in Berkeley County. Unfortunately, his illness returned, worsened and he died in 1840. Published: "South Carolina Portraits: A Collection of Portraits of South Carolinians and Portraits in South Carolina," Columbia, SC: National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of South Carolina, 1996, p. 382. From a Charleston, SC Estate Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.lelandlittle.com
Leland Little Auctions
Jan. 30, 2021
Signed Samuel Morse Photograph of Locust Grove
Est: $600 - $800
Albumen print signed by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), American artist and inventor of the telegraph. The photograph depicts Locust Grove Estate, Morse's Poughkeepsie, New York Italianate style mansion, located on the Hudson River, from the side, and several people (presumably Morse and his family). Handwritten ink inscription by Morse to Joseph Burbeen Walker (1822-1913), Morse's cousin by marriage to his first wife Lucretia Pickering Walker Morse (1799-1825): "View of Locust-Grove, Po'keepsie, Hudson river, N.Y./presented to J. B. Walker, Esq. of Concord, N.H./by his cousin Sam. F.B. Morse./Sept. 1864". Housed under glass in a wooden frame with giltwood fillet. Image - 12 1/2" H x 15 3/8" W. Sight - 17 3/4" H x 20 5/8" W. Framed - 23 1/4" H x 26 1/8" W. Note: Locust Grove was designed by architect Alexander Jackson Davis for Morse and was completed in 1851. The house and grounds were designated a National Historic Landmark January 29, 1964 and includes a museum, nature preserve, and art and antique galleries.
Case Antiques, Inc. Auctions & Appraisals
Jan. 03, 2021
Samuel F. B. Morse - Portrait Of Mary Griffith
Est: $12,000 - $18,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 x 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 x 31 5/8 inches.
Westchester Fine Art
Jul. 26, 2020
Samuel F. B. Morse - Portrait Of Mary Griffith
Est: $14,000 - $18,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 x 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 x 31 5/8 inches.
Westchester Fine Art
Jul. 14, 2020
SAMUEL F B MORSE (USA 1791-1872) "GOLDFISH BOWL"
Est: $50,000 - $1,000,000
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (AMERICAN,1791-1872) oil painting on canvas titled “The Goldfish Bowl” depicting Mrs. Richard Carey Morse and her two children; Elizabeth and Charlotte. Absolutely a rare piece of American history with museum grade provenance. This is the original painting with amazing provenance was gifted by Samuel F.B. Morse himself to his niece. Samuel F.B. Morse is the inventor of the single wire telegraph and creator of the “ Morse code” which would become the primary language of telegraphy in the world. This painting was on exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum, Spain recently till now. This Painting is also accompanied by handwritten documents by the artist as well. Our Colleagues at Sotheby’s relayed to Elite Auctioneers regarding this painting stating that this painting appears to be slightly more developed than the other version at the Smithsonian. This piece comes with a full detailed condition report by Munson-Williams – Proctor Arts Institute (see photos). Mounted in wooden frame. Canvas on stretcher measure approx. Canvas on stretcher measures approx. Measures approx. es 29 3/4 x 27 7/8 in. (75.5 x 63 cm.). Measures approx. 39 1/2" height x 34 3/4" width (75.6cm x 9.5cm) overall including frame. PROVENANCE: Mrs. Richard Carey Morse, New York Mrs. Lottie Morse Hodge, Hartford Mr. Robert C. Hodge Mr. Robert C. Hodge, Jr. Gilbert Colgate Mrs. J. Wright Rumbough LITERATURE H. B. Wehle, Samuel F. B. Morse, American Painter, Occasioned By An Exhibition Of His Paintings, February 16 through March 27, 1932, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1932, no. 58, illus. RELATED LITERATURE P. J. Staiti and G. A. Reynolds, Samuel F. B. Morse, New York, 1982, pp. 78-80, fig. 84, illus. In 1832, Richard and Sidney Morse, brothers of the artist, founded the New York Observer, a religious newspaper. During S. F. B. Morse's career, Richard gave him moral and financial support. H. B. Wehle, in his Study of Morse, says that in 1832 when Morse returned from Europe with the principles of the telegraph completed, "His brothers Sidney and Richard met him at the foot of Rector Street... and, finding his pockets empty of funds and his head full of invention, they supplied him with a place to sleep. During these years after his return, he lived from hand to mouth, fiddling with his invention, with the Academy, and with finishing his European paintings. He took a few pupils and probably painted a few portraits." It was during this time that the portrait of Richard's wife and daughters was probably painted, possibly out of gratitude for his brother's assistance. Two versions of the portrait are known, as the artist is believed to have made one for each of his two nieces. Lottie Morse, who was five years old when the painting was executed, was later given this version of it by her mother. The other version went to Lottie's sister. The second version of this painting entitled The Goldfish Bowl, is in the collection of the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C.
Elite Auctioneers, LLC
Apr. 05, 2020
Samuel F. B. Morse - Portrait of Mary Griffith
Est: $14,000 - $18,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 X 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 X 31 5/8 inches.
Westchester Fine Art
Nov. 23, 2019
Jonathan Bradley Morse (American, 1834–1898) Autumn Lake Scene
Est: $800 - $1,200
Oil on canvas.
Cottone Auctions
Nov. 12, 2019
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1828), Portrait of Major General Thomas Pinckney (1750-1828) of Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1820
Est: $60,000 - $100,000
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1828) Portrait of Major General Thomas Pinckney (1750-1828) of Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1820 Oil on canvas, verso retains two printed exhibition labels from the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., framed. 43 in. x 38 in. (sight) PROVENANCE: By descent in the Pinckney family to the present owners.
Freeman's | Hindman
Oct. 26, 2019
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), portrait of Thomas Addis Emmet (1764-1827), oil on canvas, unsigned, 30" x 25" ,The Sitter,...
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), portrait of Thomas Addis Emmet (1764-1827), oil on canvas, unsigned, 30" x 25" ,The Sitter, Emmett was Attorney General for the State of New York and a good friend of Hugh Maxwell left this portrait to New York Law Institute, present owner acquired at Sotheby's Auction in 2010. Label on verso: exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, Provenance: Estate from Park Avenue, Manhattan New York
Nadeau's Auction Gallery
Aug. 18, 2019
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel F. B. Morse
Est: $16,000 - $18,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 X 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 X 31 5/8 inches. Ex-collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: published in the checklist prepared by Paul J. Staiti in his book, Samuel F. B. Morse, 1989. Mary Griffith (1772–1846) was an American writer, horticulturist and scientist. She performed experiments in horticulture, natural history, economic entomology, the earth sciences, epidemiology, optics and vision, publishing her results in scientific and literary journals and newspapers.She also published several novels and stories including Camperdown, or News from Our Neighborhood (1836) which included Three Hundred Years Hence, the first known utopian novel by an American woman.
Westchester Fine Art
Jun. 08, 2019
Samuel Morse, Attrib, Junius Brutus Booth, 19th c.
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Attributed to Morse, Samuel F. B. (American, 1791-1872). Portrait of Junius Brutus Booth (1796-1852) as Brutus. Junius Booth was John Wilkes Booth's father. 19th century. Oil on canvas. Provenance: Purchased from Weschler's Auction House, Washington D.C.,1993.
Quinn's Auction Galleries
Apr. 27, 2019
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), Portrait of Thomas Addis Emmet (1764-1827), oil on canvas, unsigned, 30" x 25" ...
Est: $8,000 - $15,000
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), Portrait of Thomas Addis Emmet (1764-1827), oil on canvas, unsigned, 30" x 25" The Sitter, Emmett was Attorney General for the State of New York and a good friend of Hugh Maxwell left this portrait to New York Law Institute, Present owner acquired at Sotheby's Auction in 2010. Label on verso: exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, Provenance: Estate from Park Avenue, Manhattan New York
Nadeau's Auction Gallery
Apr. 07, 2019
American School , (19th century), Homeward Bound, oil on card, 9 x 12 1/2in (23 x 32cm)
Est: $250 - $350
American School (19th century) Homeward Bound oil on card Applied brass plaque to frame inscribed "HOMEWARD BOUND" SAMUEL F.B. MORSE 1791-1872. 9 x 12 1/2in (23 x 32cm) Provenance: Property From a Private Collection, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Andrew Jones Auctions
Feb. 21, 2019
MORSE SAMUEL F. B.: (1791-1872) American Inventor associated with the single-wire telegraph system and the development of the Morse Code. A good A.L.S., Saml. F. B. Morse, three pages, 8vo, New York, 30th April 1862, to Rev. J. Treadwell Walden. Morse acknowledges receipt of his correspondent's courteous letter and a copy of the Atlantic Monthly, remarking 'I have read with deep interest your admirably written article to which you refer, and were I to designate its character, and the impressions it has made upon me, of its high intellectual power, in fitting terms, I might perhaps, be accused of being unduly influenced by its panegyric and the flattering terms in which you are pleased to speak of my humble instrumentality in introducing to the world the invention which has modified so greatly, and is still further to modify the intercourse of the nations' and further adding 'While conscious of the position which humanly speaking has justly been assigned to me by the almost unanimous voice of the civilized world (Great Britain as a Government is an exception) I can say to you that I yet am fully sensible that I am a wea[k] if an honored instrument in the ha[nd] of the giver of every good and perfec[t] gift, by whom it has pleased Him to grant this boon to his children, and to Him be all the glory'. In concluding Morse invites his correspondent to call upon him either at his residence in New York during the winter or in Po'keepsie during the summer and in a postscript adds 'I send you a copy of a pamphlet (no longer present) which embodies my views on the troubles that distract our country'. A letter of interesting content relating to Morse's contribution to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system. Some light overall age wear and light staining and a few small areas of paper loss, neatly and professionally repaired, only very slightly affecting a few words of text and not the signature, G Jacob Treadwell Walden (1830-1918) American Episcopal Clergyman and Author who was appointed on two special commissions by the United States Sanitary Commission in 1864 to investigate the treatment of prisoners of war. He later lived in England from 1886-89 during which time he preached in Westminster Abbey and wrote The Story of England in Westminster Hall. Father of Arthur Treadwell Walden (1871-1947) American Klondike Gold Rush Adventurer and a member of Byrd's first Antarctic Expedition. Morse's declaration that the Government of Great Britain were an exception to the 'unanimous voice of the civilized world' was made as a result of the English scientist and inventors Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) and William Cooke (1806-1879) launching a commercial telegraph prior to the American inventor. Wheatstone and Cooke patented the electrical telegraph in 1837 however, within a few years their multiple wired signalling method was overtaken by Morse's cheaper method and the American fought vigorously to be called the sole inventor of the electromagnetic telegraph despite the previous inventions. The Morse telegraphic apparatus was officially adopted as the standard for European telegraphy in 1851 and only the United Kingdom (with its extensive overseas empire) kept the needle telegraph of Wheatstone and Cooke.
Est: £1,000 - £1,500
MORSE SAMUEL F. B.: (1791-1872) American Inventor associated with the single-wire telegraph system and the development of the Morse Code. A good A.L.S., Saml. F. B. Morse, three pages, 8vo, New York, 30th April 1862, to Rev. J. Treadwell Walden. Morse acknowledges receipt of his correspondent's courteous letter and a copy of the Atlantic Monthly, remarking 'I have read with deep interest your admirably written article to which you refer, and were I to designate its character, and the impressions it has made upon me, of its high intellectual power, in fitting terms, I might perhaps, be accused of being unduly influenced by its panegyric and the flattering terms in which you are pleased to speak of my humble instrumentality in introducing to the world the invention which has modified so greatly, and is still further to modify the intercourse of the nations' and further adding 'While conscious of the position which humanly speaking has justly been assigned to me by the almost unanimous voice of the civilized world (Great Britain as a Government is an exception) I can say to you that I yet am fully sensible that I am a wea[k] if an honored instrument in the ha[nd] of the giver of every good and perfec[t] gift, by whom it has pleased Him to grant this boon to his children, and to Him be all the glory'. In concluding Morse invites his correspondent to call upon him either at his residence in New York during the winter or in Po'keepsie during the summer and in a postscript adds 'I send you a copy of a pamphlet (no longer present) which embodies my views on the troubles that distract our country'. A letter of interesting content relating to Morse's contribution to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system. Some light overall age wear and light staining and a few small areas of paper loss, neatly and professionally repaired, only very slightly affecting a few words of text and not the signature, G Jacob Treadwell Walden (1830-1918) American Episcopal Clergyman and Author who was appointed on two special commissions by the United States Sanitary Commission in 1864 to investigate the treatment of prisoners of war. He later lived in England from 1886-89 during which time he preached in Westminster Abbey and wrote The Story of England in Westminster Hall. Father of Arthur Treadwell Walden (1871-1947) American Klondike Gold Rush Adventurer and a member of Byrd's first Antarctic Expedition. Morse's declaration that the Government of Great Britain were an exception to the 'unanimous voice of the civilized world' was made as a result of the English scientist and inventors Charles Wheatstone (1802-1875) and William Cooke (1806-1879) launching a commercial telegraph prior to the American inventor. Wheatstone and Cooke patented the electrical telegraph in 1837 however, within a few years their multiple wired signalling method was overtaken by Morse's cheaper method and the American fought vigorously to be called the sole inventor of the electromagnetic telegraph despite the previous inventions. The Morse telegraphic apparatus was officially adopted as the standard for European telegraphy in 1851 and only the United Kingdom (with its extensive overseas empire) kept the needle telegraph of Wheatstone and Cooke.
International Autograph Auctions
Dec. 30, 2018
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Morse
Est: $18,000 - $24,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 X 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 X 31 5/8 inches. Ex-collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: published in the checklist prepared by Paul J. Staiti in his book, Samuel F. B. Morse, 1989. Mary Griffith (1772–1846) was an American writer, horticulturist and scientist. She performed experiments in horticulture, natural history, economic entomology, the earth sciences, epidemiology, optics and vision, publishing her results in scientific and literary journals and newspapers.She also published several novels and stories including Camperdown, or News from Our Neighborhood (1836) which included Three Hundred Years Hence, the first known utopian novel by an American woman.
Westchester Fine Art
Dec. 04, 2018
MORSE, Samuel F. B. (1791 - 1872) Autograph letter signed (“Saml: F: B: Mor
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
MORSE, Samuel F. B. (1791 - 1872) Autograph letter signed (“Saml: F: B: Morse”) to Joseph Tracy, Washington, 24 March 1846. One page, 250 x 202mm, bifolium with integral transmittal leaf addressed in his hand (partial separations at fold intersections). Samuel Morse ofers sage advice to a Boston inventor of an alternative method of telegraphy: “None as yet can compete with the lightening.” A frank and blunt letter from Morse, writing less than two years after he had established the frst long-distance telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore. Morse tersely acknowledges receipt of Tracy’s letter, “in which you say you have also invented a Telegraph, and that you intend doing nothing in relating to it ‘until I have had time to speak.’ You do not give me any clue to your plan, so that I am unable to speak. But as I am a Yankee I have the privilege of guessing, and also of guessing twice, if I guess wrong the frst time. I guess then your plan is a tube flled with water, which has often been the subject of our thoughts and plannings, and which has long been discarded no because it not feasible for a certain distance but from its expense...” Assuring his correspondent that he has received many “communications on various plans from all parts of the country,” but “None as yet can compete with the lightening.” The recipient was likely the Reverend Joseph Tracy (1793-1874) who had claimed to have had developed method of using short and long pulses as a code for telegraphy, independently of Morse – and several years after the formulation of Morse’s own code (See Edward L. Morse, “The Dot and Dash Alphabet”, The Century Magazine, vol. 83, March 1912, pp. 700-701).
Christie's
Oct. 03, 2018
Attributed to Samuel Finley Breese Morse American, 1791-1872 Portrait of Dr. Stanford
Est: $4,000 - $6,000
Attributed to Samuel Finley Breese Morse American, 1791-1872 Portrait of Dr. Stanford Oil on canvas 30 x 24 3/4 inches C Estate of Swanhild N. Castle
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Feb. 23, 2018
Attrib. Samuel F. B. Morse Oil on Canvas, Portrait
Est: $400 - $600
Samuel Finley Breese Morse (American, 1791-1872). An attributed oil on canvas portrait of a dark-haired woman. Unsigned. Marked on back of stretcher "Weller. S.F.B. Morse, Mohawk N.Y." 27 in x 22 in.
Briggs Auction, Inc.
Oct. 08, 2017
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Morse
Est: $18,000 - $24,000
Portrait of Mary Griffith by Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1882), oil on canvas, 30 X 25 inches, original restored frame measures 36 3/4 X 31 5/8 inches. Ex-collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: published in the checklist prepared by Paul J. Staiti in his book, Samuel F. B. Morse, 1989.
Westchester Fine Art
Jun. 17, 2017
Watercolor, Manner of Samuel Finley Breese Morse
Est: $100 - $200
Manner of Samuel Finley Breese Morse (American, 1791-1872), California House on the Corner, watercolor, bears initials and dated lower right, overall (with frame): 24.25"h x 27.75"w
Clars Auctions
Apr. 07, 2017
ATTRIBUTED TO SAMUEL F. B. MORSE | Girl in Red Gown
Est: $7,000 - $10,000
oil on canvas
Sotheby's
Jul. 23, 2016
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese
Est: $2,500 - $4,000
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese (1791-1872). It was the passing of his wife that first motivated Morse to explore a means of rapid long distance communication, as he was unaware of her failing health and death while away on a commission. Morse subsequently contributed to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, co-developed Morse code, and helped to develop the commercial use of telegraphy, forever changing the world. Autograph letter signed ("Sam F. B. Morse"), 2 pages, 8 x 10 1/2", Pokeepsie, New York, August 4, 1860. To Moses S. Beach Esq. of Brooklyn Heights (Moses Sperry Beach, the former editor and proprietor of the New York Sun) on his voluntary retirement from his "editorial labors" and his admiration for "manfully and victoriously facing the enjoyment and well earned ease of his later years" continuing "free from the varied annoyances with which you have so long professionally contended." In excellent condition, finely penned, and archivally sealed in polypropelene. Estimated Value $2,500 - 4,000
Goldberg Coins & Collectibles
Oct. 07, 2015
Samuel Finley Breese Morse American, 1791-1872 Portrait of Anne Vernon Olyphant
Est: $1,500 - $2,500
Samuel Finley Breese Morse American, 1791-1872 Portrait of Anne Vernon Olyphant Inscribed is forwarded... Centennial/ Exhibition, ... /Fairmount Park, Philadelphia / by the New York State Centennial... Office/ 625 Broadway, New York City on a fragmentary label affixed to the stretcher Oil on canvas 30 1/8 x 25 1/4 inches Provenance: Descended in the family of the sitter to Robert M. Olyphant (by 1915) Talbot Olyphant Murray Olyphant, Englewood, NJ (nephew of the above, died July 1966) Mrs. Murray Olyphant (Mary Bartow Polhemus), New York Murray Olyphant, Jr., Minneapolis, Minnesota (son of the above) [With] Elizabeth Ives Bartholet, New York Ms. Carole Soling, Naples, FL Exhibited: Philadelphia, PA, Fairmount Park, Centennial Exhibition, 1876 Literature: Century Magazine, Sept., 1915, p. 775 (identified as Mrs. David Olyphant, and owned by R. M. Olyphant) Harry B. Wehle, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Samuel F. B. Morse, American painter; a study occasioned by an exhibition of his paintings, February 16-March 27, 1932, New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, p. 41 (citing Century Magazine) Paul Staiti, Samuel F.B. Morse, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989, p.254 (162) lists a portrait of a Mrs. David Oliphant [sic] (Ann Vernon), c.1820, as given to Morse by attribution, in a private collection. According to family records David Washington Cincinnatus Olyphant commissioned Samuel F. B. Morse to paint portraits of his parents, David and Ann Vernon Olyphant between 1823 and 1825, when he was living in New York City. Emily Schulz Parsons, Deputy Director and Curator at The Society of the Cincinnati, Washington, DC, writes "Morse reportedly painted the portrait of Ann from life, while he painted the portrait of David (who had died in 1805) from a portrait miniature done in either the 1780s or 1790s and attributed to Edward Greene Malbone.... The pair of portraits descended in the family together to [Murray Olyphant, Jr.], who owned them both in 1983 when he began discussions with the Society..." The posthumous portrait of David Olyphant is less incisive than that of his wife, his face more amorphous and clearly derived from a likeness by another artist. By comparison, the portrait of Ann Vernon Olyphant (1754-1826) is a brilliant characterization of an older lady, her face subtly modeled. The crisp white edges of her lace bonnet and collar are beautifully delineated. Illuminated by a source of light, they cast subtle shadows on Mrs. Olyphant's brow and cheeks. We are most grateful to Dr. Paul Staiti for confirming the authenticity of the present work. We extend sincere thanks to Emily Schulz Parsons, Deputy Director and Curator at The Society of the Cincinnati, Anderson House, for her very kind assistance in documenting the history of Morse's portraits of David and Ann Vernon Olyphant. C
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Oct. 26, 2014
Attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (New York/Massachusetts/England, 1791-1872) Portrait of a Minister. c. 1817. Unsigned. Oil on board, th
Est: $2,000 - $4,000
Attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (New York/Massachusetts/England, 1791-1872) Portrait of a Minister. c. 1817. Unsigned. Oil on board, the subject with brown hair and blue eyes, shown waist length seated next to a table with his right hand on the binding of the Holy Bible next to letters and an inkwell with quill, 10 x 8 in., in a period mahogany veneer frame with gilt liner. Note: This portrait is stylistically similar to a pair of portraits of Joseph and Sally Orne Ropes at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. Morse is known to have painted other members of the clergy in New Hampshire and Massachusetts in this period of 1816-17.
Skinner
Oct. 01, 2014
Attributed to Samuel Finley Breese Morse Portrait of Thomas Winter, circa 1815
Est: $3,000 - $5,000
Attributed to Samuel Finley Breese Morse Portrait of Thomas Winter, circa 1815 Oil on canvas 30 x 25 inches Provenance: From the sitter to his son, William By descent to Kate d'Bonner Robert H. Thomas Miss Eunice Chambers, Hartsville, SC The High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA (purchased with funds from the Friends of Art) Exhibited: Atlanta, GA, Georgia State Governor's mansion, Inaugural Exhibition, Jan.19-Jul. 1, 1968 Madison, GA, Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Morgan County Foundation, Inaugural Exhibition, Jul. 9-Oct. 31, 1976 C Property from the High Museum of Art, Sold to Benefit Future Acquisitions
DOYLE Auctioneers & Appraisers
Oct. 16, 2013
[MORSE, SAMUEL F.B. 1791-1872.] Hide-covered and wrought iron-mounted wooden barrel-form stagecoach trunk,
Est: $8,000 - $12,000
[MORSE, SAMUEL F.B. 1791-1872.] Hide-covered and wrought iron-mounted wooden barrel-form stagecoach trunk,
Bonhams
Feb. 17, 2013
[MORSE, SAMUEL F.B. 1791-1872.]
Est: $15,000 - $20,000
Hide-covered and wrought iron-mounted wooden barrel-form stagecoach trunk, 660 x 330 x 330 mm, hinged top opening to reveal newspaper lined interior; top with close-nailed initials "S M" (for Samuel Morse). Covering with loss and wear, leather strap perished, hinge weak, waterstains to interior; in need of some restoration. Provenance: Samuel F.B. Morse; by descent to the present owner. MORSE'S STAGECOACH TRUNK, USED BY HIM TO HOLD IMPORTANT PAPERS DURING HIS TRAVELS TO PROMOTE TRANSCONTINENTAL TELEGRAPHY. Samuel F.B. Morse [1791-1872] trained as an artist with an interest in the subject of electricity. He became interested in telegraphy in 1832 after overhearing a conversation about electromagnetism while traveling between Europe and America. The technology for the telegraph already existed at that time, but it was a cumbersome model requiring a different wire for each letter. Morse set about developing a system that would use only one wire for transmitting information. Next, he realized that the most effective way to transmit would be via a simple code of dots and dashes. His telegraph device was first exhibited in New York in 1838; by 1842 he convinced Congress to grant him $30,000 for further development. By 1844 he sent the first inter-city message ("What hath God wrought?") between Washington and Baltimore, and soon after the telegraph spread quickly across the continental United States, often following the paths established by the railways. Family lore holds that this was Morse's personal stagecoach trunk, used to hold important papers during his travels. The trunk likely dates from the first quarter of the 19th century: the newsprint used to line the interior dates from approximately 1805 (with extensive coverage of Jefferson's treaty with the Choctaws).
Bonhams
Nov. 05, 2012
Ink Portrait Sketch of Edgar Allen Poe & 7 Others
Est: $1,500 - $2,000
SAMUEL F.B. MORSE ( ATTRIB.) 1791-1872- INK PORTRAIT SKETCH OF EDGAR ALLEN POE AND SEVEN OTHERS.-pen and brown ink and wash. According to a label on the verso, said to be by the same hand as a similar drawing by Morse in the Frick Collection. Rag matted, SS: H, 6 1/4" x W. 9 3/4" OS: H 14" x W. 17". From the Marvin Sadik Collection.
Thomaston Place Auction Galleries
Sep. 15, 2012
Attr. to Samuel F.B. Morse (AM, 1791-1872)
Est: $500 - $700
Attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (American, 1791-1872), "Cottage, Meyringen, Switzerland", pencil on paper, unsigned, artist and title label en verso, sight 5 1/2 in. x 4 1/2 in., period gilt frame Please Note: Starting Bid USD $300
Neal Auction Company
Apr. 30, 2012
Attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (American, 1791-1872), portrait of dolley madison (1768-1849), Oil on canvas, framed.
Est: $10,000 - $15,000
Attributed to Samuel F.B. Morse (American, 1791-1872) portrait of dolley madison (1768-1849) Oil on canvas, framed. 28 3/4 in. x 23 in. (sight) PROVENANCE: Estate of Virginia H. Knauer, Washington, D.C. Exhibited "A Man Full of Trouble" Tavern and the Paschall House, 125-127 Spruce Street, Society Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Samuel T Freeman & Co, Public Auction, February 2, 1950, lot 338. Lot is accompanied by bill of sale.
Freeman's | Hindman
Apr. 20, 2011
MORSE, SAMUEL F.B. 1791-1872.
Est: $800 - $1,200
Autograph Letter Signed ("Saml. F.B. Morse"), 1 p (with integral blank), 8vo, Poughkeepsie, September 12, 1862, to Chas H. Morse, light toning and spotting. Together with printed broadside from Morse's memorial services held at the Capitol. Morse responds to a query about a man who may or may not have been a former employee: "I have been endeavoring to recall to my mind if any person of the name you mention has ever been in my employment, and I do not remember any one of that name ... It may be he can state in what capacity he worked for me, in what year; and in what place; and who were fellow laborers with him. By having answers to these question, I might be able to find his friends...." See illustration.
Bonhams