ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Nearly 300 rare items from a vast private collection of historical papers are being put up for auction in New York City. They include a document celebrating Sir Francis Drake's circumnavigation of the globe in the 16th century and a book considered one of the earliest printed in America.

The artifacts are from the collection known as the Caren (KEHR'-ihn) Archive, owned by Eric Caren of suburban Westchester County. The items being auctioned April 7 at Bonham's in Manhattan include rare Revolutionary War newspapers and a Butch Cassidy mug shot.

The 54-year-old Caren began collecting old newspapers as a boy growing up in New York's suburbs. He has amassed what's believed to be one of the largest private collections of historical documents in the U.S., with more than 1 million items.


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