The United States Bill of Rights (Official State Copy)
Historical Document / Legal Manuscript on Vellum • William Lambert (Scribe); signed by Frederick Augustus Muhlenberg and John Adams.
Style & Movement
Federalist era legal manuscript; Neoclassical calligraphy.
Medium & Technique
Iron gall ink on animal parchment (vellum), featuring copperplate calligraphic script and hand-signed signatures.
Creation Period
1789
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 30 x 25 inches; vertical portrait orientation.
Subject Description
The twelve proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution (ten of which were ratified as the Bill of Rights). It includes the header 'Congress of the United States', the preamble, and the articles protecting fundamental liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and right to trial by jury.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good. Significant fading of the iron gall ink (common for the period) and evidence of vellum shrinkage and discoloration.
Estimated Market Value
Highly variable; original state copies have sold or been valued in the $5,000,000 to $25,000,000 range depending on the specific copy.
Auction Estimate
$10,000,000 - $30,000,000 (if ever legally deaccessioned for public sale).
Provenance History
Commissioned by the First Federal Congress; one of 14 original copies (one for the federal government and one for each of the 13 states). The federal copy is held by the National Archives; state copies reside in various state archives.
Art Historical Significance
One of the foundational documents of Western democratic governance and human rights. It represents the crucial compromise required to ratify the U.S. Constitution and ensure individual protections against government overreach.
Notable Features
Distinctive large calligraphic 'Congress of the United States' at the top; original signatures of the Speaker of the House and Vice President; includes twelve articles rather than ten (the first two were not ratified in 1791).
Condition Issues
Fading of ink due to light exposure; yellowing and brittleness of vellum; potential foxing (molding spots); previous fold marks from 18th-century storage.
Conservation Recommendations
Storage in an oxygen-free (anoxic) case with strictly controlled humidity and temperature; UV-filtered glass; low-level LED lighting only during exhibition.