Földvári Books

1778 Treaty of Amity and Commerce — The First U.S. International Agreement

[Louis XVI, King of France]; [Franklin, Benjamin]; [Deane, Silas]; [Lee, Arthur]

[Caption title:] Traité d'amitié et de commerce, conclu entre le roi et les États-Unis de l'Amérique septentrionale, le 6 février 1778.

A Lyon: De l’Imprimerie du Roi, 1778. Scarce Lyon edition. With a woodcut vignette of the royal French arms on the title-page, set against an allegorical background. Sewn. 12 p. Contemporary inked numbers on the title-page. Trace of folding. Light creasing and tanning throughout; closed tears along the spine. Occasional spotting, with light brown stains on the final leaf. Overall in very good condition.

The first treaty ever signed by the United States — France’s formal recognition of American independence.

Rare Lyon edition of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce, concluded on 6 February 1778 between the Kingdom of France and the United States of America — the first official treaty entered into by the U.S. as a sovereign nation. Signed by American commissioners Benjamin Franklin, Arthur Lee, and Silas Deane, the treaty recognized the United States as an independent entity in the eyes of a major European power, a pivotal development in securing legitimacy abroad during the Revolutionary War.

The treaty established mutual most-favored-nation trade relations, protection for commercial shipping, and reciprocal restrictions on fishing — notably the United States’ agreement not to fish on the Newfoundland banks. It was signed concurrently with a secret treaty of military alliance, though only the commercial treaty was published immediately in France. This Lyon imprint, issued by the royal press and featuring the French arms on the title-page, reflects the official dissemination of the agreement beyond Paris.

The treaty was ratified by the Continental Congress in May 1778. France’s entry into the war shortly thereafter shifted the balance of power and marked a turning point in the revolution. This was the first formal diplomatic agreement signed by the United States, laying the groundwork for future international recognition and foreign policy.

While Howes notes two Paris editions of 1778 — one of 23 and another of 8 pages, both listed in the NUC — regional printings are known from Aix and possibly Grenoble, recorded in only three copies. This Lyon printing is listed by Echeverria & Wilkie (778/35A), who located only a single example, in a private collection at the time of their bibliography. Rare in institutional holdings and seldom seen on the market.

A very rare edition of a foundational treaty that marked the beginning of U.S. international diplomacy and a relationship vital to the success of the American Revolution.

References:

Sabin 96565; Howes T328; Echeverria & Wilkie 778/36; Malloy 468; Revolutionary Hundred 51; Streeter Sale 2:791.

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Price: €5,500.00