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Lot #501
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Autograph Quotation Signed from 'The Chambered Nautilus'

"Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!”

Estimate: $200+

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Server Time: 4/10/2026 07:09:01 PM EDT
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Description

"Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!”

AQS on an off-white 8.5 x 5 sheet, signed at the conclusion in ink, "Oliver Wendell Holmes, Boston, Dec. 8th 1870." Holmes pens a stanza from 'The Chambered Nautilus.' In full: "Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, / As the swift seasons roll! / Leave thy low-vaulted past! / Let each new temple, nobler than the last, / Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, / Till thou at length art free, / Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea!" Attractively cloth-matted and framed with a print of Andrew Wyeth's 'Chambered Nautilus' to an overall size of 21.75 x 22. In fine condition. A superb example from arguably his best known work.

From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.

Auction Info






This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
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