Valuable New Jersey Pre-Revolutionary Portraits of British Crown Tax Collectors Auction at Christies

LOS ANGELES, CA, September 22, 2012 (Press-News.org) Life with its never ending stresses and unexpected burdens has forced a decision of a descendant of Abraham Staats of South Bound Brook, New Jersey to auction at Christie's in Rockefeller Center, NYC, the portraits of Abraham Staats and his wife Margaret DuBois. The portraits are painted by the self taught New Jersey artist Micah Williams. The Auction shall begin on Monday, September 24, 2012.

Abraham Staats was employed as a mathematician, tax collector and surveyor under the British Crown. However he became an active patriot and was very involved in the revolutionary efforts when the British occupied New Brunswick. In 1779, the Inspector General of the Revolutionary Army, Baron Frederick William von Steuben, was quartered in Staats home to train approximately 10,000 men that made up the bulk of the Continental Army. Abraham and Margaret Staats remained in the Staats House during the Middlebrook encampment. George and Martha Washington were frequent occupants along with the French minister, M. Girard.

Included in the sale are the scales and weights that were used to weigh gold and silver for tax payments. Abraham Staats had remained as tax collector after the revolution for Somerset County, NJ a position he held until 1820.

" Our relatives were tax collectors for the British Crown. Therefore the scales and weights no doubt used to collect taxes from the citizens of New Jersey for Britain. The Revolution changed many citizens burdened by the obsessive and draining taxes of King George. Staats survived the war and remained a tax collector for almost 25 years", said Joan Birdsal of Los Angeles, who has had the portraits and weights in the family for many generations.

For information on the auction including photos and bidding information see http://www.christies.com/lotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5598264
(See Attachment: for Christies Auction Catalog Page)

For interview: Contact: Edward Lozzi & Associates Media Services Beverly Hills 310-922-1200 epl@lozzipr.com