JOHN JACOB ASTOR Group of 3 partly-printed Documents Signed, relating to the purchase of land on the Lower East Side: the land deed and two invoices. New York, 1827-32. One signed in full, the others "rec'd pay J. J. A." Countersigned by others,

JOHN JACOB ASTOR Group of 3 partly-printed Documents Signed, relating to the purchase of land on the Lower East Side: the land deed and two invoices. New York, 1827-32. One signed in full, the others "rec'd pay J. J. A." Countersigned by others, including StephenWhitney. Folio or 4to, usual folds. E2,000/3,000 WITH-Another documentrelating to the same plot, Signed by Whitney, but not Astor. Astor ( 1763-1848) became one of America's first millionaires, beginning as a fur trader in the North West, and eventually settling in New York and investing heavily in city real estate. He tended to purchase land at low prices in areas that were ripe for urban growth, reaping enormous income from rental properties. By 1840, Astor was the country's wealthiest man with an estate valued at over $20 million. Alledgedly, shortly before his death, he said, "Could I begin life again, knowing what I now know, and had money to invest, I would buy every foot of land on the island of Manhattan." Wouldn't we all.