A historic hand-drawn map that played a significant role in defining the boundary between free and slave states in the United States sold for $950,000 at auction on Thursday.
The map, based on the survey conducted by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, was finished in 1768 and was the subject of a brief but intense bidding war among 45 participants. The auction took place both online and in person at Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina.
While the final price did not reach the auction house's high estimate of $1.2 million, Vice President Lauren Brunk expressed satisfaction, noting that it represented a substantial sum for a map. The buyer has chosen to remain anonymous for the time being.
The original purpose of the survey was to resolve a border dispute between the colonies of Maryland and Pennsylvania. However, the map's significance grew over time. In 1820, it was utilized during the Missouri Compromise to establish the boundaries for human bondage in the United States. Ultimately, the line depicted on the map became synonymous with the deep divisions that would later erupt into the Civil War.
This particular document was previously acquired by publisher Malcolm Forbes in 1982 for $360,000, outbidding the Library of Congress at the time. It was later resold in 2002 for $556,000. The Library of Congress was not among the bidders for this latest sale.
Brunk stated that the auction house was pleased with the outcome, emphasizing that the map is going to a "good home." A section of the map illustrating the Delaware-Maryland border is currently held by Princeton University.