United States. A Commission Document Signed John Hancock & Samuel Adams

A two-sided document contained in a modern gold-tone wooden frame with faux cracking of the paint, with a pane of glass covering the obverse, but uniquly, also with a pane of glass on the reverse to show the back of the document. The obverse contains the endorsement of acknowledgement that Thomas Cowden appeared and took office on September 30th, 1789, as witnessed by signature of Lieutenant Governor Samuel Adams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The reverse commissions Thomas Cowden as Justice of the Peace, issued under the authority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, executed on September 10th, 1780, bearing the seal and signature of Governor John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. It can be wall-mounted via a horizontally mounted twisted wire that is secured to the frame via a D-ring and dual flat-head screws. It measures 435 mm (w) x 588 mm (l). The document depicts wear that is usual given its age, with slightly faded ink to the handwritten portions from exposure to sun, but the rest clearly legible. It also depicts horizontal and vertical tears on the page that have been repaired using small strips of see-through sticky tape, in overall very fine condition.