RR Auction: Fine Autographs and Artifacts Featuring World War II
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Presidents and First Ladies
President George Washington sends a schooner to St. Sebastian, laden with “Fish, Flour, Soap, Provisions, Indigo, Coffee, Cocoa, Leather & Shoes”
1. George Washington Document Signed as President - Three-Language Ship’s Papers for a Trade Voyage. Partly-printed DS as president, signed “Go: Washington,” one page, 12.75 x 15.75, September 1, 1794. Three-language ship’s papers issued to “George Smith, master or commander of the Schooner called the Hector…lying at present in the port of Salem, bound for St. Sebastian, and laden with Fish, Flour, Soap, Provisions, Indigo, Coffee, Cocoa, Leather & Shoes.” Neatly signed in the center by President George Washington and countersigned by Secretary of State Edmund Randolph. Handsomely mounted, matted, and framed with an engraved portrait to an overall size of 29 x 23. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing, Washington’s
signature light but fully legible, and possible complete backing on the reverse (not examined out of the frame).
When France declared war on England in February of 1793, the US was put in a precarious position, proclaiming neutrality but still formally allied with France under the treaty of 1778. Both sides harassed and seized American ships. Used to establish proof of nationality and guarantee protection for ships, these documents were signed in bulk by Washington and Randolph, then forwarded to the collectors of customs at different ports for distribution. There, local officials would confirm the legitimacy of the vessels, their cargo, and their personnel. Starting Bid $1000
President John Adams approves passage for the Brig Thomas for a voyage from Saybrook to St. Thomas
2. John Adams Document Signed as PresidentShip’s Pass for the Brig Thomas. Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 18.75 x 15.5, November 24, 1798. Four-language ship’s papers issued to “Isaiah Pratt…master or commander of the Brig called the Thomas…lying at present in the port of Saybrook bound for St. Thomas and laden with Provision, Lumber & Small Stock.” Prominently signed in the center by President John Adams and countersigned by Secretary of State Timothy Pickering. The left side retains the original embossed paper seal. An uncommon example given how only the English column of the document is filled out. Mounted and framed to an overall size of 23.5 x 20. In fine condition, with repairs to small areas of paper loss, and small tape stains to the perimeter. Starting Bid $500
American Philosophical Society membership certificate, boldly signed by Thomas Jefferson and fellow patriot-intellectuals in 1792
3. Thomas Jefferson Signed American Philosophical Society Certificate. Beautiful partly-printed DS, signed “Th: Jefferson,” one page, 19 x 11.75, February 4, 1792. American Philosophical Society membership certificate issued to “Charles Mathurin de la Forest, Vice Consul General of France to the United States,” boldly signed at the conclusion by Thomas Jefferson, David Rittenhouse, John Ewing, William Smith, James Hutchinson, Robert Patterson, Samuel Magaw, Jonathan Williams. The certificate retains its pink ribbon with affixed white embossed seal of the society. Beautifully mounted, matted, and framed to an overall size of 29.5 x 25.5.
On the frame’s reverse is a window containing an ALS by Jonathan Williams, countersigned by James Hutchinson, one page both sides, 8.5 x 7.25, January 25, 1792, notifying de la Forest of his election as a member. In full: “We have the pleasure to inform you that on the 20th Inst. the American Philosophical Society added your name to their list of Members.—The principles of this Institution embrace all nations, and while the Society endeavors to add their mite to the common cause of humanity, they fondly hope to experience from distinguished Characters of other places, Such communications as may tend to diffuse that philosophical Light, which so eminently shines in the Country you represent. Your certificate of membership will be made out as soon as possible, in the meantime we could not delay the pleasure we feel in making this communication.” In fine to very fine condition, with intersecting folds and exceptionally bold, ideal signatures.
The oldest extant learned society of its kind in the United States, the American Philosophical Society was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin, for ‘prompting useful knowledge among British plantations in America.’ The Society’s first three presidents were Benjamin Franklin, David Rittenhouse, and Thomas Jefferson. Among its notable early members were Thomas Paine, George Washington, John Adams, John Marshall, James Madison, and others. Starting Bid $1000
“The president is awaiting the result”—
President
Jackson presses for the nomination of a diplomat to Mexico tasked with negotiating a purchase of Texas
4. Andrew Jackson Third-Person Autograph Letter Signed as President, Urging the Nomination of a Diplomat to Mexico. Third-person ALS as president, signed twice within the text as “The President,” one page, 4.75 x 7.5, March 11, 1830. Boldly penned handwritten letter to Virginia Senator Littleton Tazewell, in full: “The president with his respects to the Hon’ble Mr. Tazewell would thank him to have the nomination of Col. A. Butler acted upon at as early a period as possible. The president is awaiting the result to send out some necessary instructions to him.” The reverse of the second integral page is addressed in the president’s hand. In fine condition.
Included is a three-page letter from Anthony Butler to President Jackson, dated from Mexico on December 26, 1831, which begins: “You will perceive along with the Treaty of Commerce & Navigation an additional article to the Treaty of limits and boundary, by which it is provided that the Ratification of both treaties may be exchanged at the same time. This affair…was so strongly urged on me in 1830 when the Other Treaty was on hand, and the jealousy against us and the suspicions that we had designs against Texas were so strong, that I deemed it best to gratify them with the additional article.”
A friend of Jackson’s friend for 20 years, Anthony Butler (1787-1849) was a former Kentucky congressman who was appointed Chargé d’Affaires in Mexico on October 12, 1829; the reason Jackson’s letter is dated later is that Butler was commissioned during a recess of the Senate; he was recommissioned on March 12, 1830, after confirmation. Butler proved an over-eager diplomat, even by Jackson’s definition. He had authorized Butler to attempt to purchase Texas for the U.S., but, when this failed, Butler attempted bribery, and the Mexican government promptly demanded his recall.
Jackson’s attempts to secure Senate approval of Butler’s appointment as a diplomat to Mexico was a move that roused considerable controversy among Whigs. On learning of Butler’s nomination in December, Henry Clay, for instance, remarked: ‘He is wholly incompetent, of desperate fortune and bad character, and was a fugitive from civil justice both in this State and Mississippi. He actually fled or retired to Texas, from whence he did not emerge until lately, since the elevation of Gen’l Jackson’(December 25, 1829). Starting Bid $500
A year after his decisive victory at New Orleans, Jackson looks into reimbursement for a Ranger’s “improperly” sold horse
5. Andrew Jackson Autograph Letter Signed: “Your horse has improperly got into the possession of the quartermaster & has been sold by him for the benefit of the states”. ALS, one page, 7.75 x 7, August 12, 1816. Handwritten letter from Nashville to William May. In full: “The application for an order for the payment of a horse, mentioned in the certificate of Capt. John Donelson [brother of Jackson’s wife, Rachel] of the Rangers of Doctor Francis May, of Ellis Maddox & Mr. Duncan Robertson, cannot be given off, must be laid before the commissioner at the city of Washington for his decision. Did it properly come within the power of my order, I would not hesitate to give it on the certificate before me, there is no doubt but your horse has improperly got into the possession of the quartermaster & has been sold by him for the benefit of the states—but I have not the power to relieve.” Archivally double-suede-matted and framed with a color portrait of Jackson to an overall size of 23.5 x 17.5. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
“If Pennsylvania and Ohio go for Taylor he is elected beyond a doubt, but notwithstanding your confident prediction of the vote of Pennsylvania, you may be disappointed if the barnburners adhere to Van Buren”—Tyler writes to his son days before the 1848 United States presidential election
6. John Tyler Autograph Letter Signed Twice on the 1848 Presidential Election“You may be disappointed if the barnburners adhere to Van Buren”. ALS signed twice as “J. Tyler,” one page, both sides, 8 x 10, October 27, 1848. Addressed from his home in Sherwood Forest, a handwritten letter to his son, Robert Tyler of Philadelphia. Three years after leaving office, Tyler writes about the upcoming presidential election, an apologetic letter from James Buchanan, and the Free Soil Party. In full: “Your last letter is received. If Pennsylvania and Ohio go for Taylor he is elected beyond a doubt, but notwithstanding your confident prediction of the vote of Pennsylvania, you may be disappointed if the barnburners adhere to Van Buren, and if they voted for Johnson in the late election I feel confident that all depends on that. But I have taken my pen principally to say that the last mail brought me a letter from Buchanan expressive of great regret that any indignity should have been offer’d me from his office – threatening a reproof of his clerk and declaring the highest respect. His letter has my proper address – so much for that – I have received an earnest request from the Democracy of Norfolk asking me to address a mass meeting today. I have declined in a written response, giving a shot at Van Buren and defined my position on the Free Soil question. I hope that my letter may be published. I am still seeding wheat. Miss Philips and Alice are as happy as the day is long. O’Harra is here and Edmonia, Martha and Molly Christian are here on a visit, so that you see we have a house full. Julia is still in New York, her return depending on Mrs. Beekman. I hope to see yourself and Dr. Philips at some time during the winter. Yesterday I had a fine haunch of venison which a neighbor sent me and wish’d for you. With love to Pris and children.” On the adjacent integral page, Tyler has hand-addressed the mailing panel and signed with his franking signature in the upper right. In fine condition. Tyler had purchased a plantation in Virginia in 1842, naming it Sherwood Forest to signify his status as an ‘outlaw’ from the Whig Party. He retired to the estate after leaving the White House in March 1845, remaining there for the rest of his life.
In the 1848 presidential election, the Whig Party nominated Mexican-American war veteran General Zachary Taylor, passing over party stalwarts Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. Taylor’s running mate was Millard Fillmore, who was from Buffalo and was known for his moderate views on slavery. Martin Van Buren had expected to be nominated by the Democratic Party, but when he was passed over for Lewis Clay, he broke from the party and led the ticket of the Free Soil Party, which opposed the extension of slavery into the territories. Barnburners and Hunkers (the former mentioned by Tyler) were two opposing factions of the New York State Democratic Party. Barnburners were a radical anti-slavery and anti-banks and corporations faction, while Hunkers were relatively pro-government. Although this specific division was contained to the borders of New York, it reflected the national divide in the U.S. in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Starting Bid $300
President Fillmore sends condolences upon the death of an infant prince
7. Millard Fillmore Letter Signed as President to Ferdinand II, Sending Condolences on the Death of an Infant Prince. LS as president, one page, 10.5 x 16.5, May 28, 1851. Official letter of state to Ferdinand II, King of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. In part: “I have received the letter…announcing that Her Royal Highness, the spouse of your beloved brother, the Count of Aquila had prematurely given birth…to a Royal Prince, who in holy baptism received the names of Maria, Emanuel, Sebastian, Gabriel, but that it had pleased God, to call the infant Prince to himself…. Feeling a deep interest in the happiness of Your Royal House, I offer to Your Majesty my sincere condolence upon this mournful event.” Corner-mounted and framed to an overall size of 14.5 x 20.75. In fine condition. Accompanied by the seldom-seen envelope of transmittal with affixed embossed presidential seal. Starting Bid $200
“I have great confidence in the prudence & wisdom of James K. Polk”—Buchnan lauds his soon-to-be boss amidst the 1844 election
8. James Buchanan Autograph Letter Signed: “I have great confidence in the prudence & wisdom of James K. Polk”. Superlative ALS, one page, 7.75 x 9.75, November 4, 1844. Handwritten letter from Lancaster to Albert H. Tracy. In part: “I did not receive yours until a few days ago upon my return to this place; and then the election was so near at hand that I thought it best not to indulge in speculations. I have always believed that we should carry this State [Pennsylvania] by a fair majority; but I was so much deceived in 1840, & in consequence so much deceived my friends, that I have been very cautious in expressing an opinion throughout the Present contest. We had obstacles to surmount greater than has ever existed before in this State: and to greatest of all was the question of the Tariff. This question is destined to agitate the Country during the next four years as much as it did in ‘32 and ‘33. I have great confidence in the prudence & wisdom of James K. Polk: and if this difficult question should be fairly compromised during his term, in such a manner as to be permanent, he will deserve the lasting gratitude of the country.” Expertly inlaid to a 12.75 x 15.75 sheet and in fine condition, with light toning along the folds. James K. Polk ultimately prevailed in the 1844 election, carrying Pennsylvania by a slim 2% margin. Following his victory, President Polk named Buchanan as his secretary of state. Superior political content from the hand of Buchanan. Starting Bid $200
President Buchanan and his cabinet sign for “an ardent supporter of Democratic principles” —an unprecedented example
9. James Buchanan and Cabinet Signatures - Never Before Seen on a Single Page. Fantastic complete set of ink signatures of President Buchanan and his cabinet— ”James Buchanan,” “Lew Cass,” “Aaron V. Brown,” “Isaac Toucey,” “John B. Floyd,” “Howell Cobb,” “J. S. Black,” and “J. Thompson”—penned at the foot of a letter sent to them by William Blain on a light blue 7.75 x 9.75 sheet, April 15, 5858, in part: “At the earnest desire of Eliza Champlin, of the city of New York, widow of the late John Champlin, who was an ardent supporter of Democratic principles, I have to request in her behalf that you will pleased to sign your names hereunto, she being particularly anxious to obtain your several autographs.”
The president and his cabinet happily complied, signing below the letter’s text. In fine condition.
We know of no other example of Buchanan and his cabinet signing together on a single sheet, making this an extremely rare and historic example. Especially notable are several of the signers’ Southern ties, as many would soon become secessionists: Secretary of War John Floyd used his high office to secretly transfer arms and funds to the South in preparation for conflict; Secretary of the Treasury Howell Cobb, following Lincoln’s election, led Georgia toward secession, served as president of the convention establishing a provisional Confederate government, and later administered the oath of office to Jefferson Davis; and Secretary of the Interior Jacob Thompson, who resigned when President Buchanan attempted to fortify Fort Sumter and later became an aide to Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard. Starting Bid $300
President Lincoln appoints a “Commissary of Subsistence of Volunteers” in 1865
11. Abraham Lincoln Document Signed as President, Appointing a “Commissary of Subsistence of Volunteers”. Civil War-dated partly-printed vellum DS as president, one page, 14.75 x 18.25, February 22, 1865. President Lincoln appoints William H. Kellogg as “Commissary of Subsistence of Volunteers with the rank of Captain in the service of the United States.” Signed at the conclusion in ink by President Abraham Lincoln and countersigned by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The blue seal affixed at the upper left is worn but remains present. Corner-mounted, matted, and framed to an overall size of 21.5 x 25. In good to very good condition, with moderate to heavy scattered staining, dampstaining affecting both signatures (Stanton is virtually obliterated; Lincoln’s remains fully legible), and professional repairs to damage in the upper left corner area. Starting Bid $500
Bold ink signature of America’s 16th president
10. Abraham Lincoln Signature. Exceptionally bold ink signature, “A. Lincoln,” on an off-white 2.25 x 1 clipped slip, which has been mounted in a presentation display prepared by Super Products as a 1/1 ‘The Bar’ cut signature. In very fine condition. Starting Bid $1000
12. Abraham Lincoln: Maine State Electors (8) MultiSigned Envelope for the 1860 Presidential Election. Envelope signed by all eight members of Maine’s Electoral College, who submitted their official votes for the 1860 presidential election, 9.75 x 4.25, signed in the lower right in ink by William Willis, Abner Coburn, Louis O. Cowan, Daniel Hoews, William McGilvery, and three others. A handwritten statement along the top reads: “To all to whom these presents shall come, Know ye, that we the undersigned Electors of President and Vice President of the United States for the State of Maine, having assembled at the time and place appointed by law, do hereby certify that the enclosed certificates by us sealed, contain the votes by us this day given, for one person to be President and one other person to be Vice President of the United States, for four years from the fourth day of March A.D. 1861. In testimony whereof, witness our hands this fifth day of December A.D. 1860.” The reverse bears the original red wax seal. The submitted votes are no longer present. In fine condition, with light soiling. The 1860 United States presidential election in Maine took place on November 2, 1860, with voters choosing eight electors of the Electoral College to vote for president and vice president. The vote was unanimous, and Maine was won by Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln. With 62.24% of the popular vote, Maine would prove to be Lincoln’s fourth strongest state in terms of popular vote percentage after Vermont, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. Starting Bid $200
President Johnson pardons a Confederate rebel and ‘Bleeding Kansas’ veteran in 1865, to be voided if he should acquire “slaves, or make use of slave labor”
13. Andrew Johnson Document Signed as President, Pardoning Confederate Rebel John W. Reid, a Former ‘Border Ruffian’ Commander - to be voided if he should acquire “slaves, or make use of slave labor”. Significant partly-printed DS as president, two pages on two adjoining sheets, 10.75 x 16.5, June 21, 1865. President Johnson grants a pardon to a former Confederate soldier, in part: “Whereas, John W. Reid, of Clay County, Missouri, by taking part in the late rebellion against the Government of the United States, has made himself liable to heavy pains and penalties; And whereas, the circumstances of his case render him a proper object of Executive clemency; Now, therefore, be it known, that I, Andrew Johnson…in consideration of these premises, divers other good and sufficient reasons me thereunto moving, do hereby grant to the said John W. Reid, a full pardon and amnesty for all offences by him committed, arising from participation, direct or implied, in the said rebellion…this pardon to begin and take effect from the day on which the said John W. Reid shall take the oath prescribed in the Proclamation of the President, dated May 29th, 1865, and to be void and of no effect if the said John W. Reid shall hereafter, at any time, acquire any property whatever in slaves, or make use of slave labor.” Neatly signed
at the conclusion in ink by President Andrew Johnson and countersigned by Acting Secretary of State William Hunter. The embossed white paper seal affixed at the conclusion remains fully intact. In very good to fine condition, with light toning and creasing, and archival reinforcement to the back of the horizontal fold. This significant document dates to just two months after Andrew Johnson took office upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln; Secretary of State William H. Seward, who had been attacked as part of the assassination conspiracy, was still recuperating, with William Hunter acting in his stead. The recipient of the pardon, John William Reid (1821–1881), was a politician, lawyer, and staunch pro-slavery advocate active during the ‘Bleeding Kansas’ conflict and the Civil War. In 1856, as a ‘Border Ruffian,’ he took part in the violent sacking of Lawrence and later led a force that overran John Brown’s men in Osawatomie, burning much of the town. Elected to Congress in 1861, Reid resigned within a year to support the Confederacy. During the Civil War, he volunteered in the Confederate States Army as an aide to former Missouri Governor and Confederate General Sterling Price, and also served as a commissioner adjusting claims against the Confederate Government. Starting Bid $300
In
1865,
President
Johnson proclaims a “Treaty with the Ponca Indians,” one of the most tragic episodes in Native American-U.S. relations
14. President Andrew Johnson Proclaims the Tragic Ponca Treaty of 1865. Partlyprinted DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, March 28, 1867. President Johnson authorizes and directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “the Proclamation of a Treaty with the Ponca Indians, concluded March 10, 1865.” Signed at the conclusion by Andrew Johnson. The document is affixed inside a presentation folder, which contains a printed copy of the “Treaty with the Ponca, 1865.” In fine condition, with light toning to the edges and folds.
The 1865 Treaty with the Ponca, which was intended to secure peace and land rights for the Ponca people, exists as one of the more tragic episodes in Native AmericanU.S. relations. The Ponca Tribe, who originally resided along the Niobrara River in Nebraska and South Dakota, became entangled in territorial disputes, particularly with the Sioux, whose claims overlapped due to earlier U.S. treaties. By 1865, the U.S. sought to resolve these conflicts by defining land boundaries in an effort to support westward expansion and railroad development. The resulting treaty reaffirmed Ponca land rights in a defined area along the Niobrara River, and the U.S. recognized the Ponca’s right to occupy this land permanently and peacefully.
Despite its promises, the U.S. government violated its terms within a few years. In total, 30,000 acres were given to the government, for which the Ponca received 96,000 acres of their ancestral land. As a result of their federal cooperation, the Ponca suffered increased aggression from the Sioux, whose 1868 treaty with the United States granted them half of what is today the state of South Dakota. All of the land belonging to the Ponca reservation was included in this treaty without the knowledge or consent of the Ponca. In 1877, the Ponca were forcibly removed from their homeland to Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma)—a disastrous relocation event known as the Ponca Trail of Tears. Starting Bid $200
President U. S. Grant reinforces America’s commitment to stay neutral toward the Franco-Prussian War, forbades the use of American waters for hostile preparations
15. President U. S. Grant Reinforces American Neutrality Toward the Franco-Prussian War. Significant DS as president, one page, 8.5 x 11, October 8, 1870. President Grant directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “a Proclamation.” Signed crisply at the conclusion by U. S. Grant. In fine condition, with some minor creasing and foxing. Accompanied by a printed copy of Grant’s proclamation, which relates to “neutrality in the present war between France and the North German Confederation and its allies.”
On August 22, 1870, President Grant proclaimed America’s position of neutrality toward the ongoing Franco-Prussian War between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia, which lasted from July 19, 1870, to January 28, 1871. This related proclamation from October 8, 1870, forbade certain actions, which included the equipping or arming of ships intended for war within the territory of the United States. The proclamation aimed to ensure the United States remained neutral in the conflict between France and Prussia.
In the document, Grant proclaimed ‘that any frequenting and use of the waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States by the armed vessels of either belligerent, whether public ships or privateers, for the purpose of preparing for hostile operations, or as posts of observation upon the ships of war or privateers or merchant vessels of the other belligerent lying within or being about to enter the jurisdiction of the United States, must be regarded as unfriendly and offensive, and in violation of that neutrality which it is the determination of this government to observe.’
America’s decision to stay neutral was an obvious choice. The U.S. held historical ties with France, dating back to the American Revolution, and the country sought good relations with Prussia, which was emerging as a powerful German state. Moreover, the U.S. Civil War had ended just a few years earlier, and the country was still undergoing Reconstruction. The government prioritized rebuilding the South, dealing with economic recovery, and continued westward expansion, not the loss of more American lives and resources. Starting Bid $200
President Garfield sends his reply to Romania’s first king, Charles I of Romania
17. James A. Garfield Document Signed as President. Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, May 5, 1881. President Garfield authorizes and directs the secretary of state to affix the Seal of the United States “to an envelope containing my reply to the letter of King Charles of Romania, announcing the erection of Romania into a kingdom.” Signed prominently at the conclusion by James Garfield. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Several years after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire, Romania officially became a kingdom in 1881 with Prince Charles I becoming the first king. The United States officially recognized Romania as a kingdom on April 7, 1881. Garfield documents signed as president are rare in this desirable size and format. Starting Bid $1000
Handwritten letter as president: three days after his inauguration, Garfield graciously accepts the resignation of the last administration’s Attorney General
16. James A. Garfield Autograph Letter Signed as President. ALS as president, one page, 5.25 x 8.5, Executive Mansion letterhead, March 7, 1881. Handwritten letter to Attorney General Charles Devens, written three days after Garfield’s inauguration as president. In full: “Permit me, in accepting your resignation as Attorney General, to express my sincere personal respect and my appreciation of the fidelity and ability with which you have served the government during the past four years.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Devens, who had distinguished himself as a Union general during the Civil War, served out a full four-year term as attorney general under President Rutherford B. Hayes. In keeping with tradition, Devens tendered his resignation effective on the day of President Garfield’s inauguration. Garfield appointed Wayne MacVeagh to fill the role, whose time in it was brief; MacVeagh would resign shortly after Garfield’s death, so that President Arthur could choose his own Attorney General. Because of his assassination, Garfield’s autograph as president is extremely rare, handwritten letters especially so. Between its great rarity and exquisite association as a letter to a former cabinet member and fellow Civil War veteran, this is a superlative Garfield letter. Starting Bid $1000
“Your
uncle, Theodore Roosevelt”— Teddy
writes to FDR, recommending a naval propaganda artist during World War I
18. Theodore Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Signed “Your Uncle,” Recommending a US Navy Propaganda Artist. TLS signed “Your uncle, Theodore Roosevelt,” one page, 8.5 x 11, Metropolitan letterhead, May 15, 1917. Letter to the Hon. Franklin D. Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the United States Navy, making a recommendation. In full: “The bearer, Mr. Henry Reuterdahl, has been doing everything for the United States Navy that is in his power. He is now arriving to do all he can to help in the recruiting. He has been working under Commander K. M. Bennett as a volunteer without pay. He is glad to sacrifice his income and work entirely for the Navy, but he must live and so he cannot do the admirable work he is doing unless he is given a commission, as requested by the officer in charge of the Naval Publicity Bureau in a letter, copy of which I enclose. Reuterdahl’s only desire is to serve the Navy.” In fine condition, with rusty paperclip impressions to the top edge, and slight fading to the signature. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
A most interesting letter, recommending Swedish-American nautical painter Henry Reuterdahl for a commission in the United States Navy during World War I. Reuterdahl had previously been selected by President Theodore Roosevelt to accompany the Great White Fleet voyage in 1907 in order to document the journey. During World War I, he aided the Naval Publicity Bureau, commanded by K. M. Bennett, in the creation of propaganda posters to encourage enlistment.
Moreover, this is a remarkable association piece: we find no other auction records of letters from Theodore Roosevelt to Franklin D. Roosevelt, though some belong to museums and institutions. Theodore Roosevelt was actually a fifth cousin of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the uncle of his wife, Eleanor. At their 1905 wedding, President Theodore Roosevelt attended and ‘gave the bride away,’ as her parents were long deceased. As a letter from a past president to a future one—from one Roosevelt to another—this is an exceptional, museum-quality piece. Starting Bid $500
“I confidently expect the people of the country to return to the duties of international cooperation and resume the leadership in the affairs of the world which was lost by our fatuous refusal to enter the League of Nations”
19. Woodrow Wilson Typed Letter
Signed on the United States’ “fatuous refusal to enter the League of Nations”. TLS, one page, 7 x 8.75, personal letterhead, January 1, 1922. Letter to Jason Rogers, in part: “I need hardly say that the support of men like yourself has kept me in heart. With cooperation I confidently expect the people of the country to return to the duties of international cooperation and resume the leadership in the affairs of the world which was lost by our fatuous refusal to enter the League of Nations.” In fine condition.
The Covenant of the League of Nations was drafted by a special commission, and the League was established by Part I of the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on June 28, 1919. Initially, the Charter was signed by forty-four countries, including thirty-one which had taken part in the war on the side of the Triple Entente or joined it during the conflict. Despite Wilson’s efforts to establish and promote the League, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919, the United States neither ratified the Charter nor joined the League due to opposition in the U.S. Senate, especially influential Republicans Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts and William E. Borah of Idaho, together with Wilson’s refusal to compromise. Starting Bid $200
23. John F. Kennedy 1961 White House Christmas Gift Print. Gorgeous color glossy 14.75 x 12.75 mounted photo by famed White House photographer Cecil Stoughton, showing Caroline’s ducks in the fountain on the South Lawn, with “With our appreciation and best wishes for a happy Christmas, John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1961” printed in facsimile below. Attractively suede-matted and ornately framed to an overall size of 24.75 x 22.5. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
25. Lyndon B. Johnson Collection of (9) Presidential Bill Signer Pens (1964-1968). Impressive collection of eight official ‘bill signer’ pens used by President Lyndon B. Johnson in signing ceremonies dated between 1964 and 1968, which includes five Eversharp felt tip pens, each 5.25˝ long with a navy-blue plastic barrel bearing a gold facsimile signature with the presidential seal and a silver-tone cap section, and three Esterbrook dipping pens, 6.25˝ long with features a black plastic grip and a Lucite handle imprinted with “The President—The White House.” Each pen comes with its original typed caption and box, with replacement ink cartridges included with the felt tip pens. Read more about the pens at www.RRAuction.com.
Accompanied by two glass “Connecticut Citizen for Kennedy” ashtrays, bot facsimile signatures of John F. Kennedy, and a commemorative President John F. Kennedy Zippo lighter with engraved presidential seal on one side and the other bearing Kennedy’s famous quote from his 1961 inaugural address: “Ask not what this country can do for you, Ask what you can do for your country.” Starting Bid $200
24. Lyndon B. Johnson Signed White House Card. Official White House card, 3.75 x 2.5, signed in bold fountain pen, “With best wishes, Lyndon B. Johnson.” In very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
White House cards signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson are rather uncommon, with RR Auction having offered only six others in its history—the first of which was, at the time, the only known authentic example and described in Charles Hamilton’s 1983 authoritative publication, American Autographs, and in Larry F. Vrazlik and Michael Minor’s 1991 book From the President’s Pen. Starting Bid $200
Reagan writes his first boss’s widow: “I’m saying some prayers for you and will continue until you are healed”
26. Ronald Reagan Autograph Letter Signed: “I’m saying some prayers for you”. ALS signed “Love, Dutch,” one page on a 6.5 x 4.25 personal stationery card, July 11, 1991. Handwritten letter to Lydia Hupfer MacArthur, in full: “I have your letter and assure you I’m saying some prayers for you and will continue until you are healed. You don’t deserve such ill health. Things are about the same here—speeches to make—one last night to the Jr. Chamber of Commerce and my allergys are kicking up. So my ailment is a lot of sneezing and use of Kleenex. Well enough about me. You get well and you’ll be in our prayers.” In very fine condition.
Lydia Hupfer ‘Hup’ MacArthur was the widow of Pete MacArthur, program director of WOC in Davenport, Iowa. In 1932, MacArthur had given a then 21-year-old Reagan his first job as a sports announcer. They would remain friends until her passing at the age of 102 in 1995. Starting Bid $200
Notables
Declaration of Independence
Prior to the Revolutionary War, Boston merchant John Hancock supplies rations “to the troops in Nova Scotia”
158. John Hancock Autograph Document Signed, Supplying Rations to Troops in Nova Scotia. ADS signed “John Hancock,” one page trimmed to 7.25 x 4.5, June 22, 1767. Hancock writes from Boston to Matthew Woodford at Southampton. In part: “At Thirty Days sight of this my Third Bill…please to pay to Messrs. Harrison Barnard & Spragg Merchts. in London or their order Three hundred & Twenty four pounds fourteen shillings & three pence sterling, being for Seventeen Thousand three hundred & Eighteen Rations…to the troops in Nova Scotia for the contract I hold under you.” Corner-mounted and framed to an overall size of 20 x 17.5. In very good to fine condition, with uniform toning, and tears and small chips stabilized by archival restoration to the reverse (tiny separations and subtle touch-ups to a few letters of signature); Hancock’s writing is dark throughout. Starting Bid $500
American Politicians and Leaders
164. Patrick Henry Document Signed. American patriot (1736–1799) best remembered for his stirring, historic declaration, ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ Partly-printed vellum DS, signed “P. Henry,” one page, 17 x 13.5, June 26, 1786. As governor of Virginia, Patrick Henry grants to Leavin Barnes, assignee of Richard Owings, a parcel of land containing “Five hundred acres by survey.” The paper seal affixed at the lower left remains intact. Archivally triple-suede-matted and framed with a seated portrait of Henry to an overall size of 36 x 24. In very good condition, with intersecting folds, a few tiny holes, and light soiling. Starting Bid $200
“My attendance upon publique affaires will not give mee leave to come downe unto you myself; I have sent unto you this Gentleman with my mind”— a rare 1648 handwritten letter from Oliver Cromwell on marriage business, communicating with the future father-in-law of his son, Richard, Cromwell’s eventual successor as Lord Protector
172. Oliver Cromwell Rare Autograph Letter Signed on the Forthcoming Marriage of His Son Richard, the Future Lord Protector (1648). Important ALS signed “O. Cromwell,” one page, 7.25 x 11.5, March 8, 1648. Handwritten letter from Cromwell to Richard Maijor [or Major], concerning the negotiation of the marriage between Richard, his third son and successor as Lord Protector, and that of Maijor’s daughter, Dorothy Maijor of Hursley, Hampshire. In full: “Yours I have received; and have given further instructions to this bearer Mr. Stapylton to treat with you about the business in agitation between your daughter, and my sonne. I am engaged to you for all your civilitys, and respects already manifested. I trust there will bee a right understanding between us, and a good conclusion: And though I cannot particularly remember the things spoken off at Farneham, to which your letter seemes to referee mee; yet I doubt not but I have sent the offer of such things now, which will give mutual satisfaction to us both. My attendance upon publique affaires will not give mee leave to come downe unto you myself; I have sent unto you this Gentleman with my mind. I salute Mrs. Maijor, though unknown, with the rest of your family. I commit you, with the progresse of the business, to the Lord.; And rest, Sr., your assured friend to serve you.” The front bears red wax remnants to the left head
and foot, and the reverse bears annotations by the recipient, “L. G[eneral] Cromwell’s l[ett]re to me 8 Mar. 1648.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing. Full autograph letters by Cromwell remain exceedingly rare.
1648 was the crucial year when Cromwell became convinced of his own ‘Providentialism,’ which he began to heavily interpret through biblical imagery. He now believed that God was directing world events, that his Army was God´s instrument, and that he was the ‘chosen’ one to lead it. Cromwell´s faith, rather than a commitment to radical politics, determined his actions.
It is scarcely surprising that Cromwell could not tear himself away from the “publique affaires” mentioned in the letter. A few months later, he was going to spearhead and secure the execution of Charles I, on January 30, 1649—the ‘cruel necessity.’ The formal abolition of the Monarchy was declared, and the House of Lords was abolished. Cromwell became the first President of the Council of State, and Charles II was proclaimed King, as the Royalist backlash began preparing itself. The marriage between Richard and Dorothy took place on May 1, 1649. Starting Bid $1000
Weizmann promotes the Zionist cause in wartime Great Britain: “Every Jew in this country can greatly contribute, at this critical moment, to safeguarding the future of our people and our homeland”
174. Chaim Weizmann World War II-Dated Typed Letter Signed: “Every Jew in this country can greatly contribute, at this critical moment, to safeguarding the future of our people and our homeland”. Word War II–dated TLS signed “Ch. Weizmann” and “S. Brodetsky,” one page both sides, 8 x 10, The Jewish Agency for Palestine letterhead, October 23, 1941. Letter to Walter Ettinghausen, stamped “Confidential,” detailing the Jewish Agency for Palestine’s efforts to mobilize Zionist and Jewish support in Britain during World War II. The letter discusses the establishment of a special department to advocate for Jewish immigration and colonization in Palestine, as well as plans for a crucial conference in London featuring Dr. Weizmann and David Ben-Gurion.
In part: “The Executive have been discussing with leading members of the different Zionist bodies in London, as well as with the British Section of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, the present political situation and the steps which ought to be taken to mobilise all Zionist and Jewish forces in this country, under the direction of the Jewish Agency, for the advancement of our aims in Palestine. The Executive are convinced that every Jew in this country can greatly contribute, at this critical moment, to safeguarding the future of our people and our homeland, and can and must take an active part in our political work; in enlightening British public opinion on the general Jewish situation, and on our efforts and achievements in Palestine which provide the only lasting solution of the Jewish problem.
The Executive have, therefore, decided to establish a special Department, the task of which will be to bring before British public opinion, as well as before the Jews of this country, the
urgency of the Jewish problem and the important part which Palestine can play in its solution through large-scale immigration and colonisation under suitable political conditions. Such a Department can only perform its functions adequately if it has behind it the full weight of Zionist and Jewish support.
The Executive have accordingly decided to convene a special Conference of selected laymen from London and the provinces, at which Dr. Weizmann and Mr. Ben-Gurion will report on the present political situation, the position in Palestine, and the problems facing us during and after the war; and where Dr. Brodetsky will outline a plan for our work in this country. A general discussion will follow.
The Conference will be held at the Anglo-Palestinian Club (43/44 Great Windmill Street, Piccadilly, London, W.1.) on Sunday, November 9th, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Brodetsky. The morning session will open at 11 a.m. with statements from Dr. Weizmann and Mr. Ben-Gurion; lunch will be provided (1.30 to 2.30 p.m.) in the Club’s restaurant; and Dr. Brodetsky’s statement will follow in the afternoon. The Conference will close at 5.30 p.m.
We should like to extend to you an urgent invitation to attend this meeting; we sincerely hope that you will be able to be present, and to take part in the important work which the new Department will have to undertake. Would you kindly let us know as early as possible whether we may expect you at the Conference.” In fine condition, with a couple of small stains. A highly significant document, shedding light on the Zionist leadership’s strategies during one of the most pivotal moments in Jewish history. Starting Bid $300
Royalty
Unique archive of six royal summons to coronations, representing over a century of the British monarchy—highlighted by King George IV, Queen Victoria, and King George VI
180. British Monarchs (6) Signed Coronation Invitations (1821–1937), with Queen Victoria and Five Kings. Unique archive of signed royal summons invitations to the coronations of British monarchs, sent to noblemen and noblewomen, each signed at the head by the associated monarch, including: King George IV, King William IV, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, and King George VI. Notably, this series represents an uninterrupted span of over a century of coronation ceremonies—from 1821 to 1937—as the coronation of Edward VIII was abandoned. Includes:
- Printed LS signed by King George VI, “George R,” one page, 7.75 x 11.75, June 1820, to Henry Stawell, Lord Stawell. In part: “Whereas the first day of August next is appointed for the Royal Solemnity of Our Coronation, these are to will and command you (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us at the time abovementioned furnished and appointed as to your rank and quality appertaineth.” In very good ton fine condition, with light toning and staining, and some chipping along the left edge.
- Printed LS signed by King William IV, “William R,” one page, 6.75 x 12.75, August 2, 1831, the recipient rubbed out. In part: “Whereas the eighth day of September next is appointed for the Royal Solemnity of Our and the Queen’s Coronation, These are to will and command you and the Countess your wife (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us.” In very good to fine condition, with a block of toning from prior display, mounting remnants to reverse, and trimmed edges.
- Printed LS signed by Queen Victoria, “Victoria R,” one page, 8 x 12.5, May 9, 1838, to John Lord Northwick, in part: “We greet you well. Whereas the Twenty eighth day of June next is appointed for the Solemnity of Our Royal Coronation. These are to Will and Command you (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us at the time abovementioned furnished and appointed as to your Rank and Quality appertaineth, there to do and perform all such Services as shall be requited and belong unto you.” In very good to fine condition, with edge toning from prior display.
- Printed LS signed by King Edward VII, “Edward R & I,” one page, 8
x 12.5, June 2, 1902, to Isabella Marchioness Dowager of Exeter. In part: “Whereas the twenty sixth day of June next is appointed for the Solemnity of Our Royal Coronation. These are to Will and Command you (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us at the time abovementioned, furnished and appointed as to your Rank and Quality appertaineth, there to do and perform all such Services as shall be required and belong unto you respectively.” In fine condition.
- Printed LS signed by King George V, “George R.I.,” one page, 8 x 13, May 24, 1911, to Richard Wogan, Lord Talbot de Malahide. In part: “Whereas the twenty second day of June next is appointed for the Solemnity of Our Royal Coronation. These are to Will and Command you and the Lady your wife (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us at the time abovementioned, furnished and appointed as to your Rank and Quality appertaineth.” In fine condition, with light toning and soiling.
- Printed LS signed by King George VI, “George R.I.,” one page, 8 x 12.75, April 12, 1937, to Lucy Joyce Gunning, Baroness Talbot de Malahide. In part: “Whereas the twelfth day of May next is appointed for the Solemnity of Our Royal Coronation. These are to Will and Command you (all excuses set apart) to make your personal attendance on Us at the time abovementioned, furnished and appointed as to your Rank and Quality appertaineth.” In fine condition, with light overall toning.
During the century represented by these royal invitations, British coronation ceremonies played a crucial role in reinforcing the monarchy’s place at the heart of national identity and imperial power. The grand occasions, beginning with the lavish coronation of George IV and culminating in the carefully orchestrated crowning of George VI, evolved into events of both state significance and public spectacle. They served to reaffirm the continuity of the monarchy amid changing political and social landscapes, from the expansion of the British Empire to the challenges of industrialization and democratic reform. The ceremonies blended ancient tradition with modern pageantry, symbolizing unity across the diverse peoples of Britain and its empire. Royal summons to coronations rarely appear at market—and rarer still as a complete group. Starting Bid $1000
“Dear Papa, I am longing to see you in the ship. Love from Charles”—stunningly early handwritten letter from the young prince, eager to reunite with his parents after their historic 1954 tour of Australia
181. King Charles III Early Autograph Letter Signed as a 5-Year-Old Prince, Missing His Parents While They Toured Australia in 1954. Remarkably early ALS in pencil from a 5-year-old Prince Charles, sent to his father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on March 25, 1954, during the latter’s royal tour of Australia with Queen Elizabeth II. The handwritten letter, signed “Charles,” one page both sides, 7.5 x 9.5, Buckingham Palace letterhead, reads, in full: “Dear Papa, I am longing to see you in the ship. Love from Charles,” who then adds several Xs and Os for his father. In fine condition.
When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip alighted from their Royal Yacht Gothic at Fram Cover in Sydney Harbor on February 3, 1954, it marked the first time a reigning British monarch had set foot on Australian soil. The tour lasted 58 days and covered all six Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory, with the royal couple visiting 57 towns and cities, which included major stops in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and more. By the time the tour ended on April 1, 1954, nearly two months had passed since 5-year-old Charles and 3-year-old Princess Anne had seen their parents. A wonderful, exceptionally early letter from the future king. Starting Bid $1000
King Henry VIII pledges to uphold “the treaty of concord, peace, and friendship” between England, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire
182. King Henry VIII Document
Signed, Ratifying the Treaty of London - Establishing a League to Contain French Power. King of England from 1509 until his death in 1547, remembered for his role in the English Reformation, his six marriages (and his beheaded ex-wives), and his radical changes to the English Constitution. Historic vellum manuscript DS in Latin, signed “Henry R,” one page, 11.5 x 8, November 1, 1516. Document signed at Greenwich, ratifying the Treaty of London. In part (translated): “We Henry by the grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland promise and do by these holy gospels and canon touched physically by us swear that for our part we will faithfully and inviolably observe the treaty of concord peace and friendship and all and singular articles of the same entered and concluded by our authority between our orators procurators and commissioners and those of His Imperial Majesty and of the Catholic Johanna and Charles Kings of Castille Leon Granada Aragon etc.”
Boldly signed at the conclusion in ink by King Henry VIII. Housed in a handsome full morocco presentation folder by Riviere. In fine condition. Accompanied by a full translation.
Provenance: Lot 304, The Library of William Foyle, Christie’s, July 13, 2000.
By this document, King Henry VIII pledged to uphold a compact signed by commissioners in London on October 29, 1516, between the Holy Roman Emperor (Maximilian I), the King of Spain (Charles I, later Emperor Charles V), and the latter’s mother, Joanna of Castile (‘la Loca,’ the Mad). Their agreement aimed at containing French power and supporting the Swiss, a goal Thomas Wolsey had pursued for months.
Under the agreement, Emperor Maximilian and Henry VIII would each provide 5,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry. England and Spain would also supply ships, and the Pope was invited to lead the alliance. The Swiss were to be secured with an annual pension. Although Maximilian ratified the treaty on 9 December—encouraged by a private deal with Henry that forgave his debts and promised him funds for a campaign around Verona—Wolsey’s plan soon collapsed. The Swiss accepted a French counteroffer, and Maximilian, lured by 60,000 florins from Francis I, instead joined the Treaty of Noyon, which had been secretly negotiated with Charles of Spain earlier that year.
King Henry VIII’s autograph is highly sought in any form, and this is an especially significant document as it pertains to peace on the European continent. Starting Bid $5000
183. Princess Diana and King Charles III (2) Signed Christmas Cards (1996). Two royal Christmas cards from 1996:
- an uncommon Christmas card from 1996 with an embossed coat of arms on the front, measuring 12 x 8 open, featuring an affixed color photo of Princes William and Harry with their cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To you both, with love from, Diana.” An attractive, sought-after example of the final royal Christmas card given out by Diana during her lifetime.
- a desirable Christmas card from 1996 with an embossed coat of arms on the front, measuring 16 x 6 open, featuring an affixed color photo of Princes William and Harry with their father in the countryside, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To you both— from, Charles.” In overall very fine condition. Starting Bid $200
184. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Signed Photograph. Attractive vintage mattefinish 7.25 x 9.5 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip posing together, bedecked in their royal attire, affixed to its original 8.5 x 11.5 mount, signed on the mount in fountain pen, “Elizabeth R., 1957” and “Philip.” In fine condition. A fabulous, regal portrait of the royal couple. Starting Bid $300
185. Queen Isabella I Document Signed. Queen of Castile from 1474 until her death in 1504, reigning over a dynastically unified Spain together with her husband, King Ferdinand II of Aragon; they are best remembered for establishing the Spanish Inquisition and for financing Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage that led to the discovery of the New World . Manuscript DS in Spanish, signed “Yo la Reyna,” one page, 8.5 x 11, December 1501. Untranslated document signed only one month after the marriage of her youngest daughter, Catherine, to Arthur, Prince of Wales, which bonded Spain and England, leading to some of the most important social and religious advances in European history. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing and staining. Starting Bid $200
Rare 1592 letter signed by “Rudolphus” as Holy Roman Emperor, countersigned by Johann Barwitz and Jacob von Kurz Senftenau, humanist officials who supported the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler
186. Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor Rare Letter Signed (September 15, 1592) - Cosigned by Johann Barwitz and Jacob von Kurz Senftenau, Noted Champions of Astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Member of the House of Habsburg who ruled as Holy Roman Emperor from 1576 until his death (1552-1612), remembered as an influential patron of the arts but ineffectual ruler whose mistakes led directly to the Thirty Years’ War. LS in Latin, signed “Rudolphus,” one page both sides, 8.5 x 12.5, September 15, 1592. Untranslated letter that is addressed to Cardinal Montelparo and countersigned by both Rudolph’s private counselor, Johann Barwitz, a noted Catholic humanist, and his chancellor, Jacob von Kurz Senftenau, two highly cultured officials who both supported astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler (the latter having dedicated one of his works to Barwitz). The reverse of the second integral sheet bears a near-complete embossed paper seal. In very good condition, with scattered light foxing and staining, short tears to the rough edges, and partial separation along the hinge. An evocative document of a brilliant court by its ruler and two of its most active players. Starting Bid $200
Activists and Social Leaders
“The demonstration of its operation will make you grasp the mechanism of wireless telegraphy”— Branly’s communication to the Academy of Sciences, explaining the principles of his important invention
205. Edouard Branly Autograph Manuscript
Signed - Draft of His Communication to the Academy of Sciences Exposing the Principles of Wireless Telegraphy. French inventor (1844–1940) primarily known for his involvement in wireless telegraphy. Important AMS by Edouard Branly on wireless telegraphy, ten pages, 5.5 x 8.5, no date, signed and inscribed on the first page in bold ink, “A Madame Paganon, Hommage et souvenir de collaboration, E. Branly.” Handsomely custombound by R. Aussourd in olive morocco decorated on the covers with straight and curved gilt fillets, spine with decorated ribs, with the bookplate of Michel de Bry affixed to the front pastedown.
Branly’s draft of his communication to the Academy of Sciences exposing the principles of wireless telegraphy. A brilliant and relentless scientist, Edouard Branly conducted his research in a small, very modest physics laboratory set up at the Catholic Institute of Paris to which he was attached. On November 24, 1890, Edouard Branly presented to the Academy of Sciences his invention of a sparksensitive switch, or “coherer,” the best-known form of which is the metal filing tube, which is the main organ of wireless telegraphy receiving devices.
The manuscript, written in the first person, contains numerous revisions, additions and corrections. After an introduction on electric telegraphy, Branly develops his invention (translated): “It was in 1890 that I discovered and studied in a complete way the switch sensitive to the spark…the demonstration of its operation will make you grasp the mechanism of wireless telegraphy.” This switch, with its metal filing tube, obeys the spark at a distance of a few meters but also allows transmissions of 500 kilometers. He continues his explanation: “The radiation of the spark makes the filing conductive, which gives the filing tube the name of radioconductor.”
Branly immediately thought of remote control and military applications and concluded that wireless telegraphy was superior, “which would be able to replace any other telegraphy.” Branly did not worry about finding an industrial or commercial application for his invention and others knew how to take advantage of it. His findings were subsequently improved and practically applied by Oliver Lodge and Guglielmo Marconi, which resulted ten years later in the first successful transatlantic communications. In fine condition, with worn joints to the binding. Starting Bid $5000
Scientists and Inventors
“I hope some of our women may be able to go from the Portland Convention, and that a woman’s congress may be held”
198. Carrie Chapman Catt Autograph Letter Signed, Proposing “that a woman’s congress may be held”. American suffragist and peace activist (1859-1947) who was one of the leading forces behind the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, ensuring women the right to vote. ALS, one page, 8.5 x 11, International Woman Suffrage Alliance letterhead, May 15, [c. 1906]. Handwritten letter to Benjamin F. Mills in Los Angeles, in full: “I have delayed my reply…until my plans for the summer should be more mature. I conclude not to go to California. I hope some of our women may be able to go from the Portland Convention, and that a woman’s congress may be held.” In very good to fine condition, with light creasing and a couple of short edge tears. Starting Bid $200
207. Thomas and Mina Edison (2) Signed Photographs. Attractive pair of vintage photographs of Thomas Edison and his second wife, Mina Miller Edison, which includes: a matte-finish 4 x 5.5 portrait photo of Thomas Edison by James W. White & Co., affixed to its original 5.75 x 7.75 cardstock mount, which is signed below in bold ink with his umbrella signature, “Thomas A. Edison”; and an original 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photograph of Mina Edison in a standing three-quarter-length pose, published by the Davis & Sanford photography studio, signed in fountain, “Mina M. Edison.” The reverse of both photographs bears stamps from the Valentine Museum of Richmond, Virginia, which had the photos deaccessioned to benefit collection care, preservation, and future acquisitions. In overall fine condition, with a very faint surface scratch to Edison’s face, noticeable at an angle. Starting Bid $200
Sought-after twice-signed Edison Phonograph Works stock certificate issued to the company’s president in 1888
206. Thomas Edison Twice-Signed Stock Certificate for Edison Phonograph Works. Partly-printed DS, signed twice, “Thos. A. Edison,” one page, 10.25 x 5.75, September 25, 1888. Stock certificate for 20 and 821/1000 shares in Edison Phonograph Works issued to Thomas A. Edison, signed at the conclusion in ink by Edison as the company’s president; signed again on the reverse by Edison to transfer the shares. The original receipt has been affixed to the left side. In fine condition. In 1877, when Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, he thought that its main use would be to record speech in business settings, which could then be played back and transcribed. Beginning to improve upon the phonograph and recording media in the 1880s, Edison pioneered the use of wax cylinders as a means of sound recording and reproduction. Edison’s phonograph would eventually be adopted primarily for entertainment purposes, bringing music into millions of American households. A holder of over 1,000 patents, Edison considered the phonograph to be his favorite invention. Starting Bid $300
212. Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed on His Personal ‘Prussian Academy of Sciences’ Visiting Card. ALS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” penned on the reverse of one of his personal visiting cards, 4 x 2.25, January 3, 1924. Untranslated handwritten letter providing a good recommendation for a scholarly doctor. Imprinted on the front is Einstein’s name and title: “Prof. Dr. Albert Einstein, Mitglied der Pr. Akademie D. Wissenschaften [Member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences].” In very good to fine condition, with creasing and light soiling. Starting Bid $1000
Einstein portrait from 1928, inscribed to his part-time music partner
209. Albert Einstein Signed Photograph (1928). Scarce vintage 4 x 5.75 silver gelatin portrait of Einstein by German press photographer John Graudenz, affixed to the original studio mount, which is signed and inscribed in German in fountain pen, “[To Youra] Guller, the wonderful performer, in gratitude, Albert Einstein, 1928.” The mount is also signed by Graudenz. Double-matted to an overall size of 11 x 15.75. In very good to fine condition, with a few spots of foxing to the mount, a crack to the lower right corner of the mount, and a surface abrasion to the recipient’s first name.
Youra Guller, born Rose Georgette Fuller, (1895–1980) was a French classical pianist who counted Einstein amongst her many prominent chamber music partners. According to Guller, the theoretical physicist was obsessed with intonation. An exceptional portrait boasting a beautiful full signature. Starting Bid $1000
Dense scientific calculations in the hand of Albert Einstein, hard at work on his Unified Field Theory
208. Albert Einstein Handwritten Scientific Calculations. Unsigned handwritten scientific calculations by Albert Einstein, one page, 8.5 x 11, no date but circa 1950. Einstein pens approximately 34 lines of dense scientific calculations pertaining to his work on the Unified Field Theory, with a section set out in an unusual tabular form, and several lines numbered “(1)” through “(4).” Einstein also jots a few notes in German, including: “Mit 1 und 3 bleibt nur [With 1 and 3 only remains],” “würde ? bestimmen [would determine]” “Probieren [Try],” and “Erste Gl[ied] erfüllt durch [First term satisfied by].” Much of the page is devoted to expressions containing what are called ‘Christoffel symbols,’ represented by capital gammas (“?”). In fine condition.
Einstein quietly pioneered a new approach to Unified Field Theory while World War II was raging. Intending his new Unified Field Theory to be ‘a generalization of the relativistic theory of gravitation,’ Einstein thought such a theory needed to be written in a new mathematical formalism capable of supporting both complex numbers and an asymmetric composition of the metric tensor.
Tilman Sauer describes Einstein’s final UFT papers as ‘highly abstract and esoteric theoretical investigations…exploring consequences of a generalized mathematics very much like venturing into an uncharted terrain,’ and Einstein himself said that these papers were ‘hard work…for which [even] a true mathematician would not muster the courage.’ Starting Bid $1000
“Do you really believe that the big nations will submit to the decisions of a court whose purpose is the execution of their chosen politicians?”
210. Albert Einstein Typed Letter Signed on a World Court: “Do you believe that such an allpowerful institution would be free of corruption and partiality?”. TLS signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.5 x 11, blindstamped personal Princeton letterhead, June 22, 1954. Letter to Reuben Pearl of Philadelphia, offering a pointed critique of his proposal for a world court. In part: “Do you really believe that the big nations will submit to the decisions of a court whose purpose is the execution of their chosen politicians? And do you believe that such an allpowerful institution would be free of corruption and partiality? Do you believe that a code for such a court could be agreed upon and that the judgements of such a court would be carried out? I must confess that I cannot believe in the practicality of such propositions and I am unable to spare the time to spend on your manuscript.” In very good condition, with overall creasing, and a light stain touching the signature.
The consignor notes that her grandfather, Reuben Pearl, had authored a manuscript pertaining the the state of Israel, international politics, and ethics, and submitted it to Albert Einstein for review. In his response, Einstein declines to spend his time with the manuscript, utilizing the Socratic method to question the logic of his arguments. Offering a window into Einstein’s thoughts on world politics and his method of argumentation, this is a fascinating and insightful letter. Starting Bid $1000
At the peak of his popularity in 1921, Einstein declines to comment on
“those who write about the Theory of Relativity”
211. Albert Einstein Typed Letter Signed, Declining to Comment on “those who write about the Theory of Relativity”. TLS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.25 x 9.75, November 29, 1921. Letter to the publisher Ulrico Hoepli declining a request for an endorsement of a publication on the Theory of Relativity. In part (translated): “To those who write about the Theory of Relativity…for years I have had to avoid giving recommendations on individual publications on this particular subject so as not to give the impression of partiality. You will therefore certainly understand that…your case is no exception.” In very good condition, with intersecting folds, several noticeable stray ink marks, and a large block of toning over most of the letter. A summary of this letter appears in the twelfth volume of The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, published by Princeton University.
Einstein had introduced his final version of the general theory of relativity to the world in 1916 with the publication of his paper ‘The Foundation of the General Theory of Relativity,’ but it did not become well known until British astronomers offered experimental proof of the concept in 1919. Recognized as a monumental discovery, these findings made front-page news everywhere and turned Einstein into a celebrity overnight. Even so, the exact nature of Einstein’s theory took some time to make its way around the world because it needed complicated translation from his original German; these direct translations were the only publications Einstein did authorize.
By the time of this letter he was at the height of his fame, receiving the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics and beginning his first world tour. The enormous popularity of his theory led to dozens of outside works that aimed to explain, interpret, or dispute his premise. Here he probably refers to a book entitled [translated] ‘The First Knowledge of Relativity: Einstein Accessible to All’ by Harry Schmidt, which was published by Hoepli in 1922 and discussed the theory and its implications in a ‘leisurely and colloquial’ manner. Around this same time Einstein was compiling a work that did just the opposite, The Meaning of Relativity, which was also published in 1922 and provided complex mathematical and technical details. Letters from Einstein discussing the Theory of Relativity are rare, with this being an exceedingly desirable example from the early period of its international dissemination. Starting Bid $1000
Scarce example of the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory—the ‘most dangerous toy in history’
213. Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory. Sought-after, near-complete example of the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Laboratory in its original reed suitcase, measuring 25˝ x 16.5˝ x 5˝, created by Alfred Carlton Gilbert, known for his development of the Erector Set and popular chemistry kits. The laboratory kit contains a cloud chamber allowing the viewer to watch alpha particles traveling at 12,000 miles per second, a spinthariscope showing the results of radioactive disintegration on a fluorescent screen, and an electroscope measuring the radioactivity of different substances in the set: carnotite, autunite, torbernite, and uraninite. This set is missing only the original flashlight bulbs and two of the original batteries.
Includes the original “Gilbert Atomic Energy Manual,” a “Prospecting for Uranium” guide published by the US Atomic Energy Commission and US Geological Survey, and a “Dagwood Splits the Atom” instructional comic book. In very good to fine condition, with some scuffing and edgewear to the case.
Produced only in 1950 and 1951, with fewer than 5000 sold total, this set is extremely rare, and highly coveted. In 2006, the pop culture publication Radar Magazine called the lab set one of ‘the 10 most dangerous toys of all time’ because of the radioactive material it included. The professional journal IEEE Spectrum published a more-detailed review in 2020, discussing the kit in the context of the history of science education kits and safety concerns. It described the likely radiation exposure as ‘minimal, about the equivalent to a day’s UV exposure from the sun,’ provided that the radioactive samples were not removed from their containers, in compliance with the warnings in the kit instructions. Starting Bid $300
215. Werner Heisenberg Typed Letter Signed to a Noted Physicist
and Science Historian. German theoretical physicist (1901-1976) awarded the 1932 Nobel Prize in physics for the creation of quantum mechanics. Scarce TLS signed “W. Heisenberg,” one page, 8.25 x 11.75, Max Planck Institute for Physics and Astrophysics letterhead, February 26, 1969. Letter to noted Indian-American physicist and historian of science Jagdish Mehra, in full: “When you come to Europe in May for two or three weeks, I hope that we can find an opportunity for discussion in my institute. I will certainly be in Munich for some parts of May, but I cannot give you any exact dates at the present moment.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope.
Jagdish Mehra (1931–2008) was educated at Allahabad University, the Max Planck Institut für Physik, and the University of California at Los Angeles, eventually obtaining a Ph.D. in theoretical physics at the University of Neuchatel. He is perhaps best known for his 6 volume work, The Historical Development of Quantum Theory, which he wrote with Helmut Rechenberg. He also wrote a biography of Richard Feynman, The Beat of a Different Drum: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, and a book on the controversy surrounding the exact role that David Hilbert played in the development of Albert Einstein’s gravitation theory. Starting Bid $200
“I have seen the Coronation of the Queen, unquestionably the most gorgeous pageant that our times have witnessed. I saw the Coronation of the Pope in 1830 at Rome, but it was mere tinsel in comparison with this. I am not going to describe it. I cannot.”
216.Samuel F. B. Morse Autograph Letter Signed on Attending the Historic Coronation of Queen Victoria. ALS signed “Sam. F. B. Morse,” one page both sides, 8 x 10, July 4, 1838. Addressed from London on America’s day of Independence, a handwritten letter from Morse to his friend, Catherine A. Pattison, describing in fantastic detail Queen Victoria’s coronation, which ushered in the Victorian era of modern history. In full: “I cannot let the Packet go without one hasty line at least to you, to show you that oceans have not wiped away the remembrance at home. I have seen the Coronation of the Queen, unquestionably the most gorgeous pageant that our times have witnessed. I saw the Coronation of the Pope in 1830 at Rome, but it was mere tinsel in comparison with this. I am not going to describe it. I cannot. I send you the papers, which give a fair account. I was so fortunate as to receive a ticket from the Duke of Norfolk for a seat in Westminster Abbey, (a rare favor, as many purchased a ticket for which they paid 25 and some were 30 guineas). The whole gorgeous scene passed directly beneath me, for the procession with all its richness was formed in the Nave within a few feet of me, before it entered the Choir where the grand ceremonial was performed. The Princesses with their diamonds in profusion and crimson velvet and ermine robes are a fine set of women, they are large, and I think your mother would have filled their robes as well as any I saw. The Queen is a pretty girl of 18 not so tall as you are, she excited personal interest from her manners and appearance aside from her magnificence in dress and attendance. She looked most gorgeous, indeed, when she returned from the choir with her crown (having £111.000 sterling’s worth or more than half a million of dollars of jewels) upon her head, her sceptre of gold and diamonds in her right hand, and the golden orb (the emblem of power) in her left. But I must suddenly stop. I am interrupted by visitors, and shall miss the packet unless I seal immediately, therefore excuse this apology for a letter, taking it as an evidence only of my continued regard for you and your sister and mother and family.” In fine condition, with seal-related paper loss to the partially detached integral address leaf. Starting Bid $200
Gödel considers contributing his “Princeton Lectures on Undecidable Propositions to be included in an anthology on mathematical logic”
214. Kurt Godel Typed Letter Signed on His “Princeton Lectures on Undecidable Propositions”. Massively influential logician, mathematician, and philosopher (1906–1978) considered to be a father of modern theoretical computer science. TLS, one page, 8.5 x 11, Institute for Advanced Study letterhead, September 21, 1963. Letter to Professor Martin Davis at Yeshiva University, asking for clarification regarding the subject matter of the proposed Davis-edited book, The Undecidable. In full: “Mr. Edelson of the Technical Publishing Company has asked me whether I would permit my Princeton Lectures on Undecidable Propositions to be included in an anthology on mathematical logic to be edited by you. I am enclosing a copy of my reply to him. However on rereading the second letter Mr. Edelson wrote me I find that the subject of the anthology will be recursive function theory. This makes me somewhat doubtful whether he has informed me correctly about your intentions, since only a few pages of my lectures would really fit into such an anthology. Please let me know what the situation is.” In fine condition.
American mathematician Dr. Martin Davis received his doctorate at Princeton University where his adviser was Alonzo Church. Davis is best known for his work on Hilbert’s tenth problem as well as for pioneering work on the so-called ‘satisfiability problem.’ Davis edited the 1965 publication The Undecidable: Basic Papers on Undecidable Propositions, Unsolvable Problems and Computable Functions, which included five pieces by Gödel as well as material by Alan Turing, Alonzo Church, Emil Post, Stephen K. Kleene, and J.B. Rosser.
Kurt Gödel, who was a friend and colleague of Albert Einstein, has been considered one of the most important logicians since Aristotle who, according to Dr. Davis, ‘utterly transformed the field of mathematical logic and our understanding of the foundations of mathematics, starting with his famous ‘incomplete theorem.’’
Davis recounts the context of the above material: “As a young man committed to making mathematical logic my life’s work,
Gödel was a towering and inspirational figure. I was also thrilled to be part of the circle at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton, and to see Einstein and Gödel walking together. Many years later, I was editing an anthology of fundamental research papers, The Undecidable (1965), all concerned with the new perspectives that Gödel’s revolutionary 1931 paper on formally undecidable propositions had illuminated. Several of the articles included were by Gödel himself. The book was entirely in English although three of Gödel’s contributions had been originally published in German, and I translated two of these. I was pleased when during our correspondence he approved my translations. He also wrote me adding a significant amount of new material to another article (one that had originated in a series of lectures given in English at the Institute of Advanced Study in Princeton in 1934), bringing it up to date, emphasizing the importance of Alan Turing’s work in extending the incompleteness theorem. Gödel sent some of this material to me in a handwritten letter, explaining that, because he was ill, he’d been unable to have it typewritten. After Gödel’s death in 1978, I was studying a manuscript found with his effects for a project to publish his collected works. I was amazed to discover in it work by Gödel that was very close in method and form to a theorem in my doctoral dissertation of 1950 that had enabled a strengthened form of the incompleteness theorem.”
In his book The Universal Computer, Dr. Davis summarized what Gödel had done with his paper on undecidability, the centerpiece of The Undecidable: “Leibniz had certainly proposed the development of a precise artificial language in which much human thought would be reduced to calculation. Frege, in his Begriffsschrift, had shown how the usual logical reasoning by mathematicians could indeed be captured. Whitehead and Russell had succeeded in developing actual mathematics in an artificial language of logic. Hilbert had proposed the metamathematical study of languages. But before Gödel no one had shown how these metamathematical concepts could be embedded in the languages themselves” (p. 121). Starting Bid $1000
“Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?”—
Pasteur offers experimental answers
217. Louis Pasteur Handwritten Manuscript on Rabies Experiments: “Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?”. Significant handwritten manuscript in French by Louis Pasteur, unsigned, one page both sides, 6.25 x 8.25, Arbois, October 1884. Remarkable manuscript penned during his rabies research, dating to eight months before the first successful human vaccination. Headed, “Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?,” the manuscript reads, in part (translated): “I have often read that rabies does not exist in Constantinople. However, several people I have consulted, most notably Dr. Fauvel, who have lived there for a long time, confirmed to me that they have definitely seen rabid dogs and people with rabies who have been bitten by those dogs in Constantinople. Although it is very rare, you can live a long time in Turkey without ever having seen a rabid dog or even heard of its existence.
It is understandable how the rumor was spread that rabid dogs do not exist. Nobody denies the existence of rabies in either Africa or Egypt. In 1884, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Sergent, a French public health doctor who has been living in Beirut for the past 27 years. He assured me that he had never seen a single case of rabies, either in dogs or in humans. These facts force me to ask the question which is the subject of this note. To resolve these queries experimentally, I asked Doctor Sergent to kindly send me some dogs from Beirut so that I could once and for all prove their immunity against rabies.” He goes on to discuss his experiment, in which the dogs from Beirut did indeed succumb to rabies. Pasteur concludes: “If rabies has never been observed in Beirut by Dr. Sergent, and if it does not seem to exist in Syria, it is because no one has ever brought it there. The dogs of these countries are ostensibly as susceptible as ours. So, our answer to the initial question we asked is NO. We have here a strong argument in favor of the opinion that rabies is never spontaneous.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $1000
Intellectuals
The great economist writes a British “small note” bill: “I suppose that if any real inconvenience was experienced the practical effect would be of substituting coin”
225. David Ricardo Rare Autograph Letter Signed on British Banking: “The small note bill has passed the House of Commons”. Extremely influential classical economist (1722–1823) known for developing the theory of comparative advantage. ALS, one page, 7.25 x 8.75, July 10, 1822. Handwritten letter concerning British banking and currency, in full: “The small note bill has passed the House of Commons & therefore your suggestion comes too late.—I agree with you that there is a great objection to the present practice of Country Bankers, of which practice I am not aware till I received your letter. It may indeed be urged in their favor that no one is obliged to take their notes if they do not like the conditions on which they are issued, and I suppose that if any real inconvenience was experienced the practical effect would be of substituting coin. I will show your letter to one of the Lords who takes interest in these subjects.” In fine condition, with a trivial stain to the right edge and small mounting remnants to corners.
According to Professor Christophe Depoortere of the University of Paris, this letter was most likely addressed to Thomas Joplin, an English timber merchant and banker. In February of 1822, Joplin had published ‘An Essay on the General Principles and Present Practices of Banking in England and Scotland,’ calling for the establishment of a joint-stock bank. With a new proposal in the works—‘Outlines of a System of Political Economy: To Suggest a Plan for the Management of the Currency’—Joplin reached out to Ricardo in hopes of gaining Parliamentary support for his ideas. The subject of much debate and controversy at that time, “the present practice of Country Bankers” to which Ricardo refers, was the issuance of private notes used for business transactions outside of London.
As stated at the start of his letter, the House had just passed a bill restricting their use, and further planning to withdraw them completely by 1823. However, agricultural depression and political pressure resulted in the extension of the small note to 1833. Ricardo recognized the potential economic consequences of removing the notes from circulation, and in 1819 had suggested the continued use of the £1 note. Ricardo’s letters are exceedingly rare, this being the only example we have offered. A boldly penned letter in superior condition and with important economic content. Starting Bid $1000
Malthus agrees with his intellectual foe on the population question:
“I quite approve of your emigration plan”
224. Thomas Robert Malthus Autograph Letter
Signed on the Population Question: “I quite approve of your emigration plan”. English scholar influential in the fields of political economy and demography (1766–1834). ALS signed “T. Robt. Malthus,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 9, January 11, 1831. Unpublished letter to economist Nassau William Senior, written from St. Leonards while convalescing. In full: “I should have written to you this evening, if I had not received your letter of this morning. I quite approve of your emigration plan, and see no objection to the draft of the bill which seems to propose adequate means to accomplish the desirable end. It would give me great pleasure to join your party, and I should not have been deterred by your saying that you could not give me a bed, knowing that there must be plenty of such articles in the neighborhood; but as we are about to have this warm climate on Saturday sennight, I think that two winter journeys so near together would not be justifiable either in regard to my health or resources. I must be at the College without fail on this day fortnight, and we have taken our lodgings to that time; but as Mrs. Malthus particularly wants a day in town, we shall start on Saturday and sleep at Mr. Otters at Stockwell that night. I will endeavour to see you on Sunday or Monday.” Addressed on the reverse of the second integral page in Malthus’s hand. In very good to fine condition, with a block of toning to the upper portion of all but the first page, and repaired areas of paper loss to the integral address leaf.
In Malthus’s 1798 Essay on the Principle of Population, focused on the unsustainability of a steadily increasing population, he argued that when the population grows faster than the production of food, the cost of living increases, thereby reducing the standard of living for all and causing economic instability. Malthus advocated for society to adopt preventative measures via abortion, birth control, and postponement of marriage to keep the population within the limits of its resources. Completely out of sync with the popular view that society was steadily improving, Malthus became instantly controversial and Nassau William Senior, a highly regarded classical economist at Oxford, became his chief intellectual opponent.
This letter is fascinating in that Malthus agrees with the “emigration plan” put forth by Senior, which called for legislative action to encourage laborers and farmers to emigrate from the agricultural districts of England and Wales and settle elsewhere, suggesting places such as the United States, Canada, and South Africa. He argued that such an exodus would relieve the British economy from the strain of ‘paupers’ while also improving these resource-rich developing nations overseas with an influx of labor. Malthus is exceedingly rare in general and as correspondence with a fellow economist about the population question, this letter in particular is of the utmost desirability. Starting Bid $1000
Dated shortly after the publication of his masterpiece Tractatus, a rare handwritten letter from Ludwig Wittgenstein as a primary school teacher, ironically requesting that he be assigned to instruct more advanced classes
226. Ludwig Wittgenstein Rare Autograph Letter Signed as a Primary School Teacher, Dated Shortly After the Publication of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Highly influential Austrian-British philosopher (1889–1951) whose greatest contributions were in the fields of logic, philosophy of mathematics, and language. Significant ALS in German, one page both sides, 8.25 x 6.75, no date [circa August 1924]. Likely addressed from Puchberg, a handwritten letter from Ludwig Wittgenstein to a school inspector, who had recommended that Wittgenstein negotiate his position in the school in Otterthal with its headmaster. In the letter, Wittgenstein pleads to be put in charge of advanced classes, which he finds more suitable to himself than the elementary classes he had been offered. So as not to be recognized as a member of the Wittgenstein family, the philosopher closes the letter with a dramatic flourish. In fine condition, with a central vertical fold.
Having completed his groundbreaking Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus in August 1918, and publishing German and English versions in the years that followed, Wittgenstein worked as a gardener in a monastery in 1920 and later took up teaching at primary schools in remote rural villages in Austria. He applied initially for these teaching positions under false names because he did not want to be recognized as being part of the famous and wealthy Wittgenstein family. In September 1924, he moved to Otterthal, where he would write the only other book published during his lifetime, a children’s dictionary, in addition to his 75-page Tractatus. Wittgenstein remains rare across all signed and handwritten formats, especially so in autograph letters, which are of the utmost scarcity. Starting Bid $300
American West
Prison letter from Jim Younger on keeping information from his brother:
“I never told Cole any thing of this, for it could do him no good…and if you will pardon me this once, that would have raised the devil him”
234. Jim Younger Autograph Letter Signed from Minnesota State Prison - “I never told Cole any thing of this”. ALS, one page both sides, 7.75 x 12.5, embossed ‘Hygeia Springs’ letterhead, “May Day” 1899. Addressed from the Minnesota State Prison, a handwritten letter to Cora “Corona” McNeill, in full (spelling and grammar retained): “There is none like you, and I know this world quite well. And loveing wishes from one so true, makes me happy’er than words can tell. And I want you to take all the care you can of your self and get well. God knows you have suffered enough, but you are brave and must fight a good fight, and I will help you all I can. I saw you very plain last night and you were laughing at an other Lady’s remarks of your self. Now I thought perhaps the doctor might object to my letters, so I won’t write very long ones untill you get stout, and then you, that is if you want long letters can tell mister doctor to get out with his pills. You see dear friend the length of my letters is all I can boast of in letter writing. I had a surprise when the law makers, and breakers, came over. You rember I wrote you a bout Gem, and twenty school girls, well the clown of that bevy of happy Lasses, was a long–with her baby girl, thirteen years old. She gave me a note which told me that her husband was a railroader and a Minnesotian, and that while she had never been able to perswade him to do any thing to help us, she had succeeded in getting him to promise to do nothing against us. I never told Cole any thing of this, for it could do him no good, and might result in harm. For ten chances to one, Cole would have written to her, or had some one to see him, and if you will pardon me this once, that would have raised the devil him, so to protect her, I have said nothing to any one else. She is the one who gave me the name of Gem. Some time I may be able to tell you more, but for the sake of her and her children, she said
not to tell for the present who she was. But all the rest may come and go but there no others like you—Ko no sir there is not and I don’t care who knows it. Love hope and eternal good wishes from your grateful friend.” In fine condition.
Cole and Jim Younger began their life of crime during the Civil War as members of the notorious Quantrill’s Raiders. The brothers avoided arrest longer than many other outlaws due to the sympathy and support of many of their fellow Confederate veterans. However, in 1876, the Younger luck ran dry when their attempted bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota, went famously awry. Armed townsfolk disrupted the robbery, chased off the gang, and in the ensuing melee, two townspeople were killed. When the Youngers were finally captured, they were tried and sentenced to life imprisonment at the Minnesota State Prison in Stillwater—a guilty plea saved them from the hangman’s noose. After two years of legislative wrangling, a parole bill was passed in Minnesota’s legislature and Cole and Jim Younger were freed on July 10, 1901. After his release, Jim became engaged to Alix Mueller, but due to the terms of his parole, Jim was not legally allowed to marry. In 1900 he was listed as a farmer in the census and killed himself on October 19, 1902, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Cora McNeill was born in St. Clair, Missouri, in 1862. She was an admirer of Cole and Jim Younger, and it is believed that she was a sweetheart of Jim’s before he went to prison. She continued her correspondence to both Jim and Cole while they were incarcerated in Minnesota following the botched Northfield bank robbery. She was married to Minneapolis judge George M. Bennett who attempted to secure a pardon for the Younger brothers. Starting Bid $300
Notorious Figures
The Chevaliere d’Eon writes on her change of fortune following the French Revolution
240. Chevaliere d’Eon Autograph Letter Signed on Her Change of Fortune After the French Revolution. French diplomat, spy and soldier (1728–1810) whose first 49 years were spent as a man, and whose last 33 years were spent as a woman. ALS in French, signed “Ch: D’Eon,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 9.25, April 19, 1799. Handwritten letter to her close friend, Colonel John Kemeys-Tynte, relating the Revolution to her financial struggles and disenfranchisement, writing to her friend that she is now a “Child of fortune, I give myself to it entirely since the death of Louis XV and XVI.” Though D’Eon had initially shown some support for the Revolution, she denounced the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette and turned away from the movement. D’Eon herself had personal relationships with both Louis XV and Louis XVI, the latter of whom had publicly recognized her as a woman in 1777. D’Eon entreats Tynte to continue supporting her: “I hope that you will not abandon me in my time of need
in the Revolution, which has also infantilized many others who did not deserve it any more than I did. To try to remedy my unfortunate situation, I would be beneficial for you and I to have a small meeting.” Tynte had been generous with his fortune in the past, co-signing and ultimately paying for D’Eon’s debts. In fine condition.
The Chevaliere did not take Tynte’s generosity for granted; she attempted both to recoup her own loans in England and to extricate her inheritance from France to repay him but was unsuccessful. D’Eon would remain impoverished and reliant on her social connections in England for the rest of her life. This was a significant change from her younger years, during which she had enjoyed a flourishing political career and gained a reputation as a spendthrift, and her change of fortune frustrated her immensely as a risk taker who had until this point always been able to land on her feet. Starting Bid $300
Lee
Harvey
and his mother stay in touch— signed
1959 Mother’s
Day
card from Lee Harvey Oswald and a signed 1956 Christmas card from his mother, Marguerite—Warren Commission Exhibits No. 266 and No. 268
241. Lee Harvey Oswald Signed Mother’s Day Card Sent to Marguerite Oswald in 1959 (Warren Commission Exhibit No. 266). Mother’s Day card sent by Lee Harvey Oswald to his mother, Marguerite Oswald, in 1959, measuring 7.25 x 7 open, signed inside in black ballpoint below a preprinted sentiment, “Love, Lee, xx.” Includes the original mailing envelope postmarked at Santa Ana, California, on May 7, 1959, which is handaddressed by Oswald, who writes, “Mrs. M. Oswald, 313 Templeton Dr., Fort Worth, Texas.” Both items are archivally matted and framed together with a mugshot photo of Oswald, taken on the day after President Kennedy’s assassination, to an overall size of 26.5 x 19.5.
Also included as part of the lot, but unframed, is an original Christmas card sent by Marguerite Oswald to her son in 1956, measuring 9.75 x 6 open, signed inside in ballpoint, “Hi – Your first Xmas away from home. Will miss you but happy to know you are in good hands. Be good. Mother,” who signs again below the printed greeting, “Love, Mother, xxx.” The reverse of the card is marked “Ex 268,” which identifies it as an exhibit in the Warren Commission Report, which ultimately did not publish exhibits 259-269, and a signed and handwritten statement from Marguerite: “A card I sent to Lee in 1956. In his sea-bag that he left at home after leaving the Marine’s in Sept 1959. Marguerite C. Oswald.” Lee Harvey Oswald had enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on October 24, 1956.
Although the frame backing obscures the reverse sides of the Mother’s Day card and its accompanying envelope, both bear annotations, either secretarial or in the hand of Marguerite Oswald. The reverse of the Mother’s Day card is marked “Ex 266,” identifying it as an exhibit in the Warren Commission Report, which ultimately did not publish exhibits 259-269; and the reverse of the envelope is annotated by Oswald’s mother, who wrote: “Hon. Jim Wright, Congressman, 12th Dist., House office Bldg,” “Hon [blank] Herter, U.S. State Dept, Wash / D.C.,” and, in another hand, “Hon., Lyndon Johnston [sic], U.S. Senator, Washington D.C.” Wright was Mrs. Oswald’s Congressman; Christian Herter had become Secretary of State on April 22, 1959; and Lyndon B. Johnson was one of her two U.S. Senators who, coincidentally, succeeded to the presidency after the death of JFK. In overall fine condition. Read more online at www.RRAuction.com. Starting Bid $200
Military
Rare original front-line drawings by a prolific French artist of the Great War, bound into a rare limited edition book set
354.
Lucien Jonas (8) Original WWI Drawings in Limited Edition Book Set. Rare partial limited edition ‘war sketchbook’ set featuring drawings made by French artist Lucien Jonas, published by Librairie Dorbon-aîné between 1915 and 1919. The group consists of two examples of the first volume, L’Armée anglaise (limited to 200), featuring black-and-white plates reproducing Jones’s sketches of British Army figures. The remainder are from the ‘grande luxe’ edition of 50 (75 for Vol. XII), each featuring an original drawing by Jones bound in the front, plus the standard black-and-white plates bound in with hand-colored examples of the same. These include Vols. III (Verdun), VI (Vosages et Lorraine), VII (Les Armées britanniques), VIII (Armement et Munitions), IX (Vaux), X (B.E.F.), XI (Douaumont), and XII (L’Armée américaine). Each book measures 10 x 12.5, and contains 50 to 60 plates (doubled in the ‘grande luxe’ editions, all of which are numbered “7” in the series). In very good condition, with general overall wear.
The publisher’s advertising materials described the set: ‘Each of these Notebooks, the series of which forms the most complete panorama and the most moving memory of the Great War, is reproduced in absolute facsimile by a special process. They contain 50 to 60 charcoal plates: portraits of the main chiefs and their staffs, types of soldiers, views and panoramas of battlefields, monuments destroyed, scenes from the life of the front, etc. It will be for the future, not just a memory for all those who experienced these terrible hours, but also a documentary museum for historians and artists.’
Lucien Jonas (1880-1947) was mobilized as ‘Peintre militaire attaché au Musée de l’Armée’ in 1915, and spent much of World War I on the front lines, becoming one of the most prolific and moving of Great War artists. His drawings were reproduced in large numbers in L’Illustration, Les Annales Politiques et Littéraires, Lectures pour tous, and in allied newspapers, before being immortalized in this limited edition sketchbook set by Librairie Dorbon-aîné. The present group consists of volumes 1 (2 copies), 3 and 6-12 from the series of 13, and features eight of Jonas’s original drawings—complete sets are virtually unheard of. Starting Bid $500
353. Henry Knox Letter Signed. Revolutionary War general, first United States Secretary of War, and founder of the military school that became West Point (1750–1806). LS signed “H. Knox,” one page, 8 x 12.5, March 11, 1790. Addressed from New York, a letter to Henry Ramsen, Jr., in full: “I transmit you the oath of Major Shaw respecting the Ship Massachusetts, as a necessary voucher for the issue of the Sea letter granted for the said ship.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Critical Post-WWI handwritten letter from the Red Baron’s top squadron commander, commenting on
the
self-perception
new German regime and his
as a legendary WWI flying ace
355. Ernst Udet Autograph Letter Signed with Critical Post-WWI Content and (2) Vintage Photographs. ALS in German, one page, both sides, personal letterhead with silver-embossed ‘EU’ monogram, July 29, 1920. Addressed from Munich, a boldly penned handwritten letter to former enemy-side Frenchman Jacques Mortane (1883-1939) in Paris, an important aviation specialist and editor of the weekly ‘La Guerre Aerienne Illustree,’ which in 1919 became ‘La Vie Aerienne.’ Mortane was also an intimate friend of the Allied ace Rene Fonck, who was a witness at his wedding. In full (translated): “Highly Esteemed Mr. Editor-in-Chief! At last I arrive at redeeming my promise. I hope that for you this photo of a Boche Ace, will become a remembrance of the aerial war on the other side! Moreover, I wanted to express my joy, that in the ‘Vie Aerienne No.’ having already been promoted from a ‘Boche Ace’ to a ‘German Ace,’ caused me great fun. I attach for you also, one more small picture of myself in a Rumpler DI, for which you perhaps may have use. In Germany the situation is becoming uglier by the day and soon it will be evident, that the Proletariat and those men who are our leaders, are not in the measure for their tasks. The conditions are unconscionable, and for a former soldier humiliating and vile. I am afraid, the worst is yet to come. I salute you.” In fine condition. Accompanied by a vintage German postcard photo of Udet in his aviation uniform and a photo of Udet posing with a Rumpler DI; the consignor attests that the photos were obtained with the letter and are, by reason of deduction, the very photos referenced in the letter. Starting Bid $200
356. World War I ‘Subscribe to the Victory Loan’ Canadian Poster. Large original vintage circa 1916 color 39.5 x 54.5 lithographic poster printed in Canada during during World War I, showing a Canadian soldier pointing forward at the public, his command in large letters below: “Souscrivez a L’Emprunt de la ‘Victoire’ [Subscribe to the Victory Loan].” Professionally linen backed, rolled, and in fine condition, with some well-done restorations to folds and wrinkles. Starting Bid $200
357. World War I (6) British Recruitment Posters. Group of six original vintage circa 1914–1915 color lithographic posters published during World War I by the Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, London, ranging in size from 14.75 x 19.5 to 24 x 39, including: “Rally Round the Flag / Every Fit Man Wanted” (Poster No. 1); “Your King and Country Need You” (Poster No. 3); “Remember Belgium, Enlist To-day” (Poster No. 60); “Halt! Who Goes There? If you are a friend, join the British ranks and help the brave lads at the front” (Poster No. 60); “Boys! Come Along, You’re wanted” (Poster No. 80); and “It is going to be a long drawn-out struggle,” with text from the Prime Minister’s speech at the Guildhall (Poster No. 110). Rolled and in very good to fine condition, with edgewear including small tears and creases, and staple holes to the top corners of the larger poster. Starting Bid $200
World War II
Rare D-Day Naval Ensign flag from LST-392, a tank-landing ship from the Invasion of Normandy
360. Normandy Invasion Flag from USS LST-392Rare 48-Star Naval Ensign Flag from D-Day. Important World War II-dated 48-star U.S. Naval Ensign flag from the LST-392, a tank-landing ship built for the United States Navy and assigned to the European Theater, where it participated in D-Day and the Invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach. Machine sewn by an unknown maker, the wool flag, 42˝ x 28.75˝, features 48 double-appliqued stars, reinforced header corners, and metal grommets on the header, which bears faint stamping marks. The field contains upside-down handwritten ink notations: “Flew From LST392 During The Invasion Of France, June [6 or 8]th. 1945”; the year, meant to be written as 1944, was erroneously added by the flag’s original owner. In very good to fine condition, with overall soiling, and fraying to the right edge. Originates from the estate of WWII veteran Donald Bousquet, Signalman 1st Class, U.S. Navy aboard LST-392, who received this flag from Lt. John D. Walker, the commanding officer of LST-392 from December 1943 to May 1945.
Accompanied by an official 72-page booklet entitled ‘United States Navy at War: Final Official Report to the Secretary of the Navy, Covering the period March 1, 1945, to October 1, 1945,” and four modern 8 x 6 prints of LST-392 in active service during World War II, which includes stops at Cherbourg and Termini-Imerese, Sicily.
USS LST-392 was launched on October 28, 1942, and was assigned to the European theater. After participating in operations in Tunisia, Sicily, and Salerno, it moved out of the Mediterranean to support the Invasion of France. On D-Day, she was assigned to LST division 70, in the second wave to hit Omaha Beach, Fox Green sector. It landed elements of 17th Signal Ops Bn, 509th MP Bn, 503rd Armored Car Co (recon troops) and parts of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion for a total of 65 vehicles and 229 men, embarked from Falmouth. In 1944, famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle was photographed on board LST-392 with the sailors.
Refitted to carry rolling stock (railroad), she was the first LST to enter Cherbourg Harbor in France, before mine sweeping was completed, and landed the first rail cars brought to France from England following the invasion. In support of the invasion, she made 55 trips between England and France between June 1944 and April 1945, earning four battle stars for World War II service. Following the war, LST-392 was decommissioned on April 12, 1946, and struck from the Navy list on June 19, 1946, and subsequently scrapped.
The Normandy landings, code-named Operation Neptune and better known as D-Day, were a pivotal moment in World War II. On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces launched the largest seaborne invasion in history, marking the beginning of the liberation of France and Western Europe. This daring operation paved the way for Allied victory on the Western Front.
Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs) were specialized ships developed during World War II to land troops and vehicles directly onto beaches during amphibious assaults. Unlike traditional ships that required docks or piers, LSTs had a shallow draft and a unique bow design with opening doors and ramps. This allowed them to get close to shore and unload cargo, tanks, and troops directly onto the beach. The LST design made them highly versatile. They could handle both deep ocean travel and shallow beach landings. The flat bottom allowed them to rest on the beach while the twin propellers and rudders were protected to avoid damage during grounding.
LSTs played a crucial role in World War II for the Allied forces, with more than 1,000 American LSTs built to support the Allied war effort. The design originated from a collaboration between the British and the United States. The British used converted ships for early landings in 1942, and then both countries built new, improved LSTs together. These ships were used extensively in both the Pacific War and the European Theater, including the D-Day invasion in Normandy. Starting Bid $1000
“This was their finest hour”—hand-illuminated quote from Churchill’s enduring speech
361. Winston Churchill Hand-Illuminated Signed Quotation: “This was their finest hour”. Gorgeous hand-illuminated manuscript quotation executed in colorful calligraphy on an off-white 7.75 x 10 card, signed at the bottom in fountain pen, “Winston S. Churchill.” Taken from Prime Minister Churchill’s historic speech to the House of Commons on June 18, 1940, the quote reads: “Let us brace ourselves to our duty and so bear ourselves that if the British Commonwealth and Empire last for a thousand years, men will say: This was their finest hour.” Affixed to a slightly larger cardstock sheet and in fine condition, with a couple of trivial stains to the left edge. Accompanied by a letter by Mrs. R. E. K. Hill, personal private secretary to Prime Minister Churchill, on 10 Downing Street letterhead, July 20, 1942, in part: “I should be very glad to see you here in connection with the book at 3 p.m. on Wednesday next, the 22nd, or on Friday next between 3
and 4 p.m., whichever day would be more convenient to you.”
Winston Churchill’s 36-minute speech, ‘This Was Their Finest Hour,’ delivered to the British House of Commons on June 18, 1940, stands as one of the most significant addresses in modern history. Coming at a time when much of Europe had fallen to Nazi Germany and Britain stood virtually alone, Churchill’s words were a rallying cry that bolstered national morale and steeled the resolve of the British people. By framing the coming struggle as a defining moment not only for Britain but for the survival of Western civilization, Churchill stirring oratory transformed fear and uncertainty into a sense of duty and purpose. The speech’s legacy endures as a symbol of leadership under pressure and the power of words to unite and embolden a people in their darkest hour. Starting Bid $1000
“No matter how prolonged or bitter the struggle that lies ahead you will do your full part toward the restoration of a free France, the liberation of all European nations under Axis domination, and the destruction of the Nazi military machine”
362. Dwight D. Eisenhower Historic WWII-Dated Typed Letter Signed on D-Day Success, Looking Forward to the “destruction of the Nazi military machine” (June 13, 1944). World War II–dated TLS, one page, 7.75 x 10.25, Headquarters European Theater, United States Army, Office of the Commanding General letterhead, June 13, 1944. Letter to Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford LeighMallory, expressing congratulations on the successful D-Day invasion of Normandy. In full: “One week ago this morning there was established through your coordinated efforts, our first foot-hold in Northwestern Europe. High as was my pre-invasion confidence in your courage, skill and effectiveness in working together as a unit, your accomplishments in the first seven days of this Campaign have exceeded my brightest hopes.
You are a truly great Allied Team; a Team in which each part gains its greatest satisfaction in rendering maximum assistance to the entire body and in which each individual member is justifiably confident in all others.
No matter how prolonged or bitter the struggle that lies ahead you will do your full part toward the restoration of a free France, the liberation of all European nations under Axis domination, and the destruction of the Nazi military machine.
I truly congratulate you upon a brilliantly successful beginning to this great undertaking. Liberty-loving people, everywhere, would today like to join me in saying to you ‘I am proud of you.’” Annotated at the head in pencil in another hand: “Will you please publish in CROs,” referring to Corps Routine Orders. In fine condition.
The D-Day invasion, launched on June 6, 1944, marked the largest amphibious assault in history as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, to begin the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi control. Despite fierce German resistance and heavy casualties, the operation was a success, securing a crucial foothold that allowed the Allies to push inland. In the immediate aftermath, Allied forces rapidly expanded their beachheads, captured key ports, and began the steady advance across France, dealing a significant blow to German military strength and hastening the collapse of Nazi occupation in Western Europe.
As indicated in the letter’s header, General Eisenhower sent copies of this letter to the five commanding officers of the Allied Expeditionary Forces: General Montgomery, Admiral Ramsay, air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory, Air Chief Marshal Harris, and Lieutenant General Spaatz. It was subsequently communicated to the soldiers, airmen, sailors and merchant seaman, and all others of the force, congratulating them for a job well done. Starting Bid $2500
Eisenhower announces victory in Europe:
“The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945”
363. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed ‘Top Secret’ SHAEF Message, Announcing Allied Victory in Europe (May 7, 1945). Significant original mimeograph copy of General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s historic announcement of the end of World War II in Europe, signed in fountain pen, “Dwight D. Eisenhower,” one page, 8 x 10.5, headed “Top Secret, Top Secret, SHAEF Staff Message Control, Outgoing Message,” May 7, 1945. Addressing “AGWAR for Combined Chiefs of Staff, AMSSO for British Chiefs of Staff,” Eisenhower announces: “The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945.” Marked at the bottom right as “Copy No. 37.” In fine condition.
At 0241 hours on May 7th, 1945, Colonel General Alfred Jodl signed the Instrument of Unconditional Surrender at the SHAEF War Room in Reims, France. His signature brought World War II to an end in Europe.
At 0320 hours the same morning, General Eisenhower, in his final act as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, sent this laconic “Top Secret” message to the Combined Chiefs of Staff: “The mission of this Allied Force was fulfilled at 0241, local time, May 7th, 1945.” The message was designated “Top Secret” initially, as there were concerns about potential German resistance pockets and the need for coordinated announcements from all Allied powers.
In the celebratory aftermath of victory, a small number of copies of the historic message were produced and signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower as souvenirs of the occasion. Though unknown exactly how many were signed by Eisenhower, only seven examples have appeared at auction since 1945. This example, “No. 37,” was presented to Col. James Gault (1902–1977), who served as military assistant to Eisenhower in the UK during the war. As a contemporary record of one of the most important communications of the 20th century, this is a remarkable and historic piece. Starting Bid $2500
Eisenhower announces the end of World War II in Europe: “All offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force will cease”
364. World War II Book Message: Eisenhower’s SHAEF Forward
Total Ceasefire Order (May 7, 1945): “All offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force will cease”. Historically important original “Book Message” purple ink telex document on red “Confidential” SHAEF Forward stationery, three pages on two sheets, 8 x 10.5, comprising Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s total ceasefire order transmitted at 0410 on May 7, 1945, with its “Confidential” and “Urgent” distribution list, marked as “Copy No. 2.” The message was prepared by SHAEF’s Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. John Whiteley, and was presented by Whiteley to Maj. Gen. Kenneth Strong, Eisenhower’s Chief of Staff for Intelligence, as a souvenir of the historic occasion.
Headed “Ref No: FWD-20801,” the historic cable reads, in part: “1. A representative of the German High Command signed the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command at 0141 hours Central European Time, 7th May under which all forces will cease active operations at 0001B hours 9 May.
2. Effective immediately all offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force will cease and troops will remain in present positions. Moves involved in occupational duties will continue. Due to difficulties of communication there may be some delay in similar orders reaching enemy troops so full defensive precautions will be taken.
3. All informed down to and including Divisions, Tactical Air Commands and Groups, Base Sections, and equivalent. No release will be made to the press pending an announcement by the heads of the three governments.” The second sheet contains the double-sided distribution list, listing the recipients of the important notice. In fine condition, with scattered small stains. Accompanied by a photocopy of the message, signed twice in ballpoint by its recipient, “Kenneth Strong, Major General.”
The present message was the fourth and final one sent by Eisenhower after the German surrender, which had been signed in Reims at 0241 hours. It was, however, arguably the most significant—the first three were addressed to American and British chiefs of staff, briefly confirming the fulfillment of their mission and encouraging the coordination of a tri-government announcement. This dispatch, Eisenhower’s fourth message, represents the first announcement of the end of the war made to the three million soldiers still serving as part of the Allied Expeditionary Force. As the notice of the war’s end directed to the troops under his command, it is of the utmost historical significance. Starting Bid $500
Roosevelt’s historic “D-Day Prayer,” presented to White House staffers for Christmas 1944
365. Franklin D. Roosevelt 1944 ‘D-Day Prayer’ Broadside, Given to White House Staff at Christmas. Beautiful original “D–Day Prayer” lithographic broadside presented to members of the White House staff by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 13.25 x 19.75, with “Christmas 1944, from F.D.R.” printed at the bottom.
In beautiful multicolored gothic type, the broadside features the president’s national address broadcast the night of the Normandy invasion, in full: “My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far. And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer: Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity. Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph. They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home. Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom. And for us at home—fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas—whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them—help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts. Give us strength, too—strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be. And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil. Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.” Framed to an overall size of 14.25 x 21. In fine condition.
Originally entitled ‘Let Our Hearts Be Stout,’ Roosevelt is said to have written this prayer during the night as the news of the June 6, 1944 D-Day invasion began to reach the White House. He rarely attended church, but according to his wife Eleanor, FDR ‘had a strong religious feeling and his religion was a very personal one.’ While FDR publicly spoke of his beliefs less than many presidents, his wartime speeches often referenced his creed. In his 1942 State of the Union address, he invoked Christian principles to justify the war: ‘We are fighting, as our fathers have fought, to uphold the doctrine that all men are equal in the sight of God.’ From the Collection of Paul K. Carr, former UACC President and Noted Expert. Starting Bid $300
President Truman’s historic WWII victory proclamation—“The Allied Armies, through sacrifice and devotion and with God’s help, have wrung from Germany a final and unconditional surrender”
366. President Harry S. Truman Signed 1945 WWII Victory Proclamation Broadside. Historic printed World War II proclamation broadside presented as a Christmas gift by President Harry S. Truman in 1945, 14.75 x 21.75, signed in the lower right corner in fountain pen, “Harry S. Truman.” The decorative broadside contains President Truman’s V-E Day proclamation of May 8, 1945, the day following the German surrender, calling for a day of prayer to be celebrated on May 13, 1945. In fine condition, with a central horizontal fold.
The text reads, in part: “The Allied Armies, through sacrifice and devotion and with God’s help, have wrung from Germany a final and unconditional surrender. The Western World has been freed of the evil forces which for five years and longer have imprisoned the bodies and broken the lives of millions upon millions of free-born men. They have violated their churches, destroyed their homes, corrupted their children, and murdered their loved ones. Our Armies of Liberation have restored freedom to these suffering people, whose spirit and will the oppressors could never enslave. Much remains to be done. The victory won in the West must now be won in the East. The whole world must be cleansed of the evil from which half the world has been freed. United the peace-loving nations have demonstrated in the West that their arms are stronger by far than the might of the dictators or the tyranny of military
cliques that once called us soft and weak…
Now, therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of America, do hereby appoint Sunday, May 13, 1945, to be a day of prayer. I call upon the people of the United States, whatever their faith, to unite in offering joyful thanks to God for the victory we have won and to pray that he will support us to the end of our present struggle and guide us into the ways of peace. I also call upon my countrymen to dedicate this day of prayer to the memory of those who have given their lives to make possible our victory. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed.” In fine condition, with a central horizontal fold.
On Harry S. Truman’s 61st birthday, Tuesday, May 8, 1945, having only recently assumed the presidency, he held a press conference in the Oval Office to announce Germany’s surrender from World War II. Before an audience of his cabinet and other dignitaries, President Truman delivered this proclamation and declared May 13, 1945, a day of prayer in honor of those who served. A remarkable proclamation from a hard-won day of celebration—a day that brought one of the darkest periods of modern history to a close. Starting Bid $500
Radiotelegram drafts from German armistice negotiations at Reims— Jodl communicates Eisenhower’s demand of unconditional surrender:
“I see no alternative—chaos or signature”
367. Alfred Jodl Signed Manuscript Radiotelegram Drafts to Reich President Karl Donitz, on German Surrender Negotiations with Eisenhower: “I see no alternative—chaos or signature” (May 6, 1945). Amazing, historic pairing of two manuscript radiotelegram transmission drafts in pencil, each signed by Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl, “Jodl,” transmitted to Reich President Karl Dönitz during armistice negotiations with General Dwight D. Eisenhower at Reims, France, on May 6, 1945.
The first, one page, 8.25 x 11.75, was dispatched at 8:41 PM. Headed (translated), “Open Telegram by Generaloberst Jodl to Grossadmiral Donitz and Generalfeldmaschall Keitel,” the manuscript reads: “Orders required to all concerned to move in direction ‘Frankenstrub’ as quickly and in as peaceful a manner as possible.” Jodl had arrived at Reims with instructions to negotiate a separate peace with the Americans and British in an effort to continue the fight on the Eastern Front and avoid the Soviet occupation of Germany. If a separate peace was impossible, Jodl was to ask for a delay ‘as long as possible’ between the signing of a surrender document and the fixing in place of German forces, buying time for 2,000,000 Germans in the east to flee to ‘salvation in the west,’ as Dönitz described it. With this transmission, Jodl signaled to Dönitz that the flight must begin: ‘Frankenstrub’ was the codename for Berchtesgaden, on the border of western Austria, and represented an undercover invitation to withdraw to the west as quickly as expedient.
The second manuscript, one page both sides, 8.25 x 11.75, bears the same heading and was urgently sent at 9:45 PM, after another hour of negotiations. It reads, in full (translated): “General Eisenhower insists we sign today. Otherwise Allied lines will be closed even to persons attempting to surrender individually and negotiations broken off. I see no alternative— chaos or signature. Request immediate radio confirmation
whether authorization for signing the capitulation will be put into effect. Hostilities will then cease on 9 May 0000 hours our time.”
Unable to negotiate a separate peace and seeing ‘no alternative but chaos,’ Jodl was forced to acquiesce to Eisenhower’s demand of unconditional surrender. He was, however, able to negotiate a further 48-hour delay to allow Germans to flee from the Soviets on the Eastern Front. The time spent negotiating, transmitting terms back-and-forth with Dönitz, as represented by these drafts—plus the delay of two days—became crucial hours that allowed even more soldiers and refugees to flee across the lines into the west, saving an estimated 1.5 million lives.
In Flensburg, Dönitz thought that the terms of the armistice were ‘sheer extortion’ but he had no other choice, realizing that millions of lives were at stake. He authorized Keitel to wire his acceptance. At around 1:30 AM on May 7th, Keitel radioed Jodl: ‘Grossadmiral Dönitz has given authorization to sign the capitulation under the terms given.’
At 2:41 AM, Jodl signed the instrument of unconditional surrender. World War II in Europe was over.
Professionally deacidified and in overall fine condition, with a couple trivial chips to corners.
Provenance: Collection of Major-General Sir Kenneth William Dobson Strong (1900-1982), a senior officer of the British Army who served as Eisenhower’s chief of intelligence at SHAEF. Strong played a leading part in the negotiations of the unconditional German surrender, acting as a translator. Includes photographic copies of each manuscript, signed in blue ballpoint, “Kenneth Strong, Major General.” Starting Bid $5000
Faced with demands of unconditional German surrender, Dönitz empowers Jodl to negotiate “an armistice agreement with General Eisenhower’s headquarters”
368. Reich President Karl Donitz Signed German Surrender Negotiation Document Presented to the Allies by Col. Gen. Alfred Jodl (May 6, 1945). Historically significant DS in German, signed “Dönitz,” one page, 8.25 x 11.75, May 6, 1945. Official document by which Karl Dönitz authorizes Alfred Jodl to negotiate terms of surrender with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, in full: “Ich bevollmächtige Generaloberst Jodl, Chef des Wehrmachtführungsstabes im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, die Voraussetzung zum Abschluss eines Waffenstillstandsakommens mit dem Hauptquartier des Generals Eisenhower zu erörtern [I authorize Colonel General Jodl, Chief of the Wehrmacht Operations Staff in the High Command of the Wehrmacht, to discuss the conditions for concluding an armistice agreement with General Eisenhower’s headquarters].” Signed at the conclusion in fountain pen by Dönitz, and stamped with the round seal of the Nazi Party at lower left. Professionally backed and deacidified, and in very good to fine condition, with scattered light staining and creasing, and restorations to small edge tears and losses.
With Adolf Hitler’s suicide on April 30, 1945, Karl Dönitz became head of Germany and its armed forces. It was clear that Germany had lost the war, and on May 6, 1945, following receipt of Eisenhower’s ultimatum of ‘unconditional surrender,’ Dönitz sent a representative of the government, Alfred Jodl, to negotiate a comprehensive military surrender with the Allied command, then headquartered at Reims, France. Jodl was dispatched with two nearly identical documents: this one, authorizing him to “discuss the conditions for concluding an armistice,” and another, authorizing him to actually ‘conclude an armistice agreement.’ The second document is today preserved in the collection of the National Archives. Writing in 1975, James B. Rhoads, Archivist of the United
States, observed: ‘The passage of more than 30 years…only heightens the importance of the surrender documents, which remain among the most significant records of the 20th century.’
Armed with documents granting plenipotentiary powers, Jodl was instructed to try to negotiate a separate peace with the Americans and British in an effort to continue the fight on the Eastern Front and avoid the Soviet occupation of Germany. If a separate peace was impossible, Jodl was to ask for a delay ‘as long as possible’ between the signing of a surrender document and the fixing in place of German forces, buying time for 2,000,000 Germans in the east to flee to ‘salvation in the west,’ as Dönitz described it. Ultimately, Jodl had to settle for the second option, successfully negotiating a 48-hour delay. The time spent negotiating, transmitting terms back-and-forth with Dönitz—plus the delay of two days—became crucial hours that allowed even more soldiers and refugees to flee across the lines into the west.
This document, allowing only negotiations of an armistice (rather than the conclusion of one), was deemed ‘unacceptable’ by the Allies and retained by Major-General Sir Kenneth William Dobson Strong (1900-1982), a senior officer of the British Army who served as Eisenhower’s chief of intelligence at SHAEF. Strong played a leading part in the negotiations of the unconditional German surrender, acting as a translator.
By empowering Jodl to negotiate and sign the surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, Dönitz effectively acknowledged total military defeat, leading to the formal end of hostilities in Europe and the beginning of Germany’s occupation and reconstruction. Few documents of such great importance exist in private hands. Starting Bid $10,000
Rommel writes home upon his return to the invaded Normandy coast, June 7, 1944:
“Situation not very encouraging...the superiority in aeroplanes, tanks and ships, is massive”
369. Erwin Rommel Autograph Letter Signed, One Day After D-Day: “Situation not very encouraging... the superiority in aeroplanes, tanks and ships, is massive” (June 7, 1944). Important World War II–dated ALS in German, in blue pencil, signed “Your Erwin,” one page both sides, 6 x 4, personal Generalfeldmarschall letterhead, June 7, 1944. Writing just one day after D-Day, Rommel writes home to his wife, Lucia, in full (translated): “Dearest Lu! I need a few quiet minutes for a short greeting to you. Hopefully you thoroughly enjoyed your birthday. It was very good that I was able to be there at the beginning. You can imagine what state I arrived here in. Situation not very encouraging. However, I hope we will still ‘triumph.’ It is, of course, only the beginning. Slowly I have calmed down. The boys are doing their best. However, the superiority in aeroplanes, tanks and ships, is massive. To you and Manfred hearty greetings and an intimate kiss.” In fine condition, with an old tape stain to the signed side.
As a powerful storm brought rough weather to the English Channel in the first week of June in 1944, Rommel, who had been overseeing preparations for defending against an Allied attack, assumed that any invasion plans would be postponed. He took leave to visit his family at their home in southern Germany, most of his command staff headed inland to a military conference,
and all German aerial and seaborne reconnaissance around the Channel was halted until the weather improved. So it was that on June 6th, when the Allied troops arrived at Normandy, Field Marshal Rommel was completely out of touch, rushing back by car from his home 400 miles away.
As Rommel notes the discouraging situation and overwhelming Allied superiority in air, sea, and land forces, his tone shifts from confident leadership to sober assessment, marking one of the earliest private acknowledgments of the tide of war turning against the Third Reich. Ten days later he would express the same sentiment to Hitler in an unsuccessful attempt to convince him of the impossibility of success.
This letter’s timing—written one day after the historic D-Day landings as Rommel rushed back from an ill-timed family visit, having misjudged the invasion’s imminence—underscores its historical weight, capturing a leader caught between personal loyalties and the crumbling reality of his military command. A truly remarkable piece of wartime correspondence, offering a rare and deeply personal glimpse into the mindset of one of Germany’s most famous commanders at a pivotal moment in World War II. Starting Bid $1000
“Secret” humanitarian food aid document from the first Allied-German meeting on Dutch soil, preceding Operations Manna and Chowhound
370. Operation Manna: Secret ‘Food Drop’ Document
Signed by Freddie de Guingand and Ernst Schwebel, Representing the End of WWII in the Netherlands (April 28, 1945). World War II–dated DS signed by MajorGeneral Sir Francis Wilfred de Guingand, “Fr. de Guingand” and Ernst August Schwebel, “Schwebel,” one page, 8 x 13, April 28, 1945. Headed “Secret,” a document containing the minutes of a meeting between “representatives of the Allies and of the German civil administration in Holland,” listing the attendees and the outcome: an agreement to meet “at 1300 hours (German Summer Time) on Monday, 30th April, 1945, with Lieut-General W. Bedell Smith, Chief of Staff to General Eisenhower, leading the Allied delegation, and Reichskommissar Seyss-Inquart leading the German delegation. German Naval, Army and Air Force representatives would form part of the delegation as the Reichskommissar’s experts. The Dutch Director-General of Food, Louwes, would accompany the German delegates…After this agreement, Allied experts were called in to explain to the German delegation what methods of feeding the Dutch civilian population the Allies proposed. The German delegates agreed to refer these details to their experts in order that the meeting on 30 April should proceed expeditiously.”
Signed at the conclusion in ink by de Guingand and Schwebel. Professionally backed and deacidified, and in very good to fine condition, with scattered light staining and creasing, and small areas of restored edge loss which affect none of the text.On April 28, 1945, at 0800 hours the Allied guns fell silent on the Dutch front. This was to facilitate a previously agreed meeting at Achterveld, near Amersfoort, where, at 1100 hours, Field Marshal Montgomery’s Chief of Staff, Major General ‘Freddie’ de Guingand, met with Dr. Ernst Schwebel, a representative of Seyss-Inquart, the Nazi governor of the Netherlands, to discuss the serious food situation in the country.
The Allied plan was to seek German permission to drop food from the air, beginning the following morning, and to follow this operation by sending further supplies by land, sea and rail as soon as possible in order to feed the Dutch nation who were now approaching starvation.
The German delegation approved the Allied plan in principle and this, the first Allied-German meeting on Dutch soil, enabled the humanitarian air drops popularly known by the British as Operation Manna and the Americans as Operation Chowhound, followed shortly by the ground-based relief operation called Operation Faust. Air drops of food began during the early hours of April 29th, while deliveries of food, medicine, and fuel by land and sea began on May 2nd. In total, over 11,000 tons of food were dropped over a ten-day period. This historic agreement, which saved Holland from starvation, was also the catalyst for the cessation of hostilities. The temporary truce brought about by the meeting continued until German forces in the Netherlands finally capitulated on May 5, 1945. These meetings between de Guingand and Schwebel are documented in Karl Doenitz and the Last Days of the Third Reich by Barry Turner (pp. 158–161). Starting Bid $500
Hand-drawn seating chart for the German surrender at Lüneburg Heath, executed by Admiral von Friedeburg
371. Hans-Georg von Friedeburg Hand-Drawn Seating Chart for the German Surrender at Lüneburg Heath (May 4, 1945). Hand-drawn seating chart for the signing of the German instrument of surrender at Lüneburg Heath on May 4, 1945, accomplished in pencil on an off-white 11.75 x 8 card by Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, German Commander of the Marine High Command. Von Friedeburg writes the name and rank of each member of his delegation—”v. Friedeburg,” “Wagner,” “Freidel,” “Pollek,” and “Kinzel”—indicating each seating position with an “X,” with Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery denoted merely by an abbreviation of his rank, “F. M.” In fine condition.
The seating plan was drawn up at the instigation of one of Montgomery’s public relations officers, Major Geoffrey Keating, who can be seen in photographs of the ceremony; those images also verify that all the participants in the ceremony occupied their positions as defined in the seating plan, which was drawn up by von Friedeburg sometime between 5 PM and 6:30 PM on May 4th.
On May 4, 1945, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces operating in the
Netherlands, northwest Germany—including the Frisian Islands and Heligoland—and Denmark. The signing took place in a carpeted tent at Montgomery’s headquarters on the Timeloberg hill at Wendisch Evern, near Lüneburg Heath, south of Hamburg. Representing Germany were: Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg, Commander-in-Chief of the German Navy; Lt. Gen. Eberhard Kinzel, chief of staff to Field Marshal Busch (Commander-in-Chief of the German armies in the Northwest); Rear Admiral Gerhard Wagner, Director of the German Military Cabinet; Colonel Fritz Poleck, staff officer; and Major Hans Jochen Friedel, another staff officer. This surrender, effective from May 5 at 08:00, encompassed all land, sea, and air forces in the specified regions, including naval vessels. It marked a significant step toward the conclusion of World War II in Europe, preceding the broader German Instrument of Surrender signed on May 8, 1945.
It is interesting to note that of the five Germans who signed the surrender documents, three died shortly thereafter: Admiral von Friedeburg committed suicide by swallowing poison on May 23, 1945; General Kinzel committed suicide on June 25, 1945; and Major Friedel was shot and killed sometime in 1945. Starting Bid $500
Rare Royal Air Force ‘Colour Portrait Project’ print signed by Winston S. Churchill— one of
372. Winston Churchill Rare Signed Color RAF Portrait by David Waddington - One of Five Known Examples
. Rare vintage 8.25 x 10.75 color transfer print of Churchill in his RAF uniform by David Waddington, signed in the lower border in ink, “Winston S. Churchill.” The photographer’s facsimile signature is printed in the lower border the image. Affixed to a 10 x 13.5 mount and in very good to fine condition, with a crack/tear to the lower right corner of the mount, and an unobtrusive professionally repaired tear to the image, passing through Churchill’s left arm and the end of his first name.
While serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF), photographer David Waddington was assigned to the ‘RAF Colour Portrait Project’—a fundraising effort to benefit the United States Army Air Forces Aid Society and Royal Air Force Charities. For his sitting, Winston Churchill chose to wear his decorated Air Commodore uniform: in 1939, he was appointed Honorary Air Commodore of No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force, and awarded honorary wings.
five known examples
Churchill was reportedly so enthused with the resulting portrait that he requested five direct-color transfer prints to autograph for presentation; these are therefore extremely rare and highly prized today. Similar prints, bearing Waddington’s printed signature but lacking Churchill’s autograph, were subsequently mass-produced for fundraising purposes. Starting Bid $1000
373. Hirohito Signed Photograph. Emperor of Japan (born 1901) from 1926 to his death in 1989. Hirohito’s reign was marked by rapid militarization and aggressive wars against China and the United States. Following the devastating result of the atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in World War II, he renounced his divinity in favor of a democratic constitutional monarchy. Rare vintage matte-finish 5.5 x 7.75 photo of Hirohito in a seated pose, boldly signed in ink in Japanese. Handsomely displayed in its original mat embossed with a chrysanthemum and framed to an overall size of 9.75 x 13. In fine condition, with faint silvering to darker areas of the image. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA. Hirohito is extremely scarce in signed photographs. Starting Bid $500
Britain liberates Hong Kong from Japan— historic “Instrument of Surrender” signed by Cecil Harcourt, Umekichi Okada,
and Ruitaro Fujita
375. Japan ‘Instrument of Surrender’ Document Ceding Hong Kong to the British, Signed by Cecil Harcourt and Japanese Military Representatives (September 16, 1945). Historic DS, signed “Cecil Harcourt,” “Umekichi Okada,” and “Ruitaro Fujita,” one page, 8.25 x 13.25, September 16, 1945. Contemporary copy of the “Instrument of Surrender” representing Japan’s formal surrender of Hong Kong to Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt, signed by the three original signatories. In full: “We, Major General Umekichi Okada and Vice Admiral Ruitaro Fujita, in virtue of the unconditional surrender to the Allied Powers of all Japanese Armed Forces and all forces under Japanese control wherever situated, as proclaimed in Article Two of the instrument of surrender signed in Tokio Bay on 2nd September, 1945, on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Imperial Japanese Headquarters, do hereby unconditionally surrender ourselves and all forces under our control to Rear Admiral Cecil Halliday Jepson Harcourt, C.B., C.B.E., and undertake to carry out all such instructions as may be given by him or under his authority, and to issue all necessary orders for the purpose of giving effect to all his instructions.” Signed twice at the conclusion by Cecil Harcourt on behalf of the government of the United Kingdom and the Commander-in-Chief, China Theatre, and signed and sealed in the margins by Major General Umekichi Okada and Vice Admiral Ruitaro Fujita. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light staining and creasing, and thin paper at corners due to prior mounting.
A small number of copies of this document were evidently signed at the surrender ceremony, which took place at the Government House, Hong Kong, on September 16, 1945. Another is held by the Imperial War Museum (HSR/V/8)—along with Admiral Fujita’s ceremonial sword, presented to Harcourt at the surrender—and at least one other copy remains in private hands.
On December 8, 1941, Japan invaded the British colony of Hong Kong, coinciding with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The colony fell after 18 days of fierce resistance, ushering in a brutal three-and-a-half-year Japanese occupation marked by widespread atrocities, starvation, forced deportations, and the deaths of approximately 10,000 civilians and prisoners of war. Japan’s surrender following the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the swift reestablishment of British control. Franklin Gimson, the colonial secretary, declared himself acting governor upon his release from internment on August 16th. Rear Admiral Cecil Harcourt arrived in Victoria Harbour with the British Pacific Cruiser Squadron on August 30th, and a formal surrender ceremony took place at Government House on September 16, 1945. Harcourt then served as the de facto governor of Hong Kong, as commander-in-chief and head of the military administration, until May 1946. Starting Bid $2500
The Allies surrender Java to Japan in 1942—a
historic document retained by the commander of the Texas ‘Lost Battalion’
374. Allied ‘Instrument of Surrender’ Document to the Japanese at Java (1942), Retained by the Commander of the Texas ‘Lost Battalion’. Manuscript DS, one page, 8.5 x 13.5, March 12, 1942. Col. Albert Searle’s retained copy of the Allied surrender document signed at Bandoeng, West Java, Indonesia, in March 1942. In full: “1. All British troops, Australian troops and personnel of the Royal Air Force, and all American troops, which now exist in Java surrender to the Japanese troops unconditionally. 2. All troops will obey absolutely to any orders of the Japanese troops, subject to their rights as prisoners of war, vide the Geneva Convention of 1929.” Signed at the conclusion by four Allied commanding officers: “P. C. Maltby, AOC Royal Air Force,” “H. D. W. Sitwell, Major General, Comd’g British Troops in Java,” “Arthur S. Blackburn, Brigadier Commanding Australian Troops in Java,” and “Albert C. Searle, Colonel U.S. Army.” In fine condition.
The Battle of Java, fought in early 1942 during World War II, was a major conflict between Allied forces and the Japanese Empire for control of the Dutch East Indies. After suffering heavy losses in the preceding Battle of the Java Sea, the Allies were unable to repel the Japanese invasion of the island despite a stubborn resistance. Japanese forces quickly overwhelmed the island’s Allied defenders—comprised mostly of Dutch, British, American, and Australian forces—through superior numbers and tactics. By early March 1942, Java fell to Japan, marking a decisive victory that secured vital resources for the Japanese war effort.
As conditions on Java deteriorated, Col. Albert Searle had arranged for the evacuation of most American forces from the island. However, he chose to stay behind in an effort to support the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, 36th Infantry Division (Texas National Guard) of the U.S. Army, still stationed there. The men of the battalion, plus the survivors of the sunken cruiser USS Houston, were soon captured by the Japanese and taken as prisoners of war.
On March 12, 1942, the senior British, Australian, and American commanders were summoned to Bandung where a formal instrument of surrender was signed in the presence of the Japanese commander, Lt. Gen. Masao Maruyama, who promised them the rights of the Geneva Convention for the protection of prisoners of war—a compact that had been signed, but not ratified, by Japan. Despite that promise, the prisoners’ rights were immediately and flagrantly violated—they were subjected to harsh interrogation, rigorous imprisonment, and inhumane treatment.
Searle and the 2nd Battalion—which would come to be known as the ‘Lost Battalion’—spent the duration of the war in horrific conditions, used as slave laborers building the Burma Railway. Authorities in the United States had no information about the fate of the men until September 16, 1944, when American submarines sank two Japanese freighters transporting more than 2,000 British and Australian POWs to Japan. The surviving POWs reported that American soldiers from the 2nd Battalion had worked with them on the Burma railroad. Starting Bid $2500
Two weeks after the Anschluss, Neville Chamberlain outlines his policy of appeasement: “Even though there may be countries with forms of Government which we dislike, we should take advantage of every opportunity to promote by negotiation and discussion a peaceful international settlement”
376. Neville Chamberlain Typed Letter Signed, Two Weeks After Nazi Germany’s Annexation of Austria (March 28, 1938): “The National Government remains determined to promote peace by conciliatory means”. TLS signed “Yours sincerely, N. Chamberlain,” three pages, 7.5 x 9.5, 10 Downing Street letterhead, March 28, 1938. Letter to Conservative Party politician John Busby, written two weeks after the Anschluss—Nazi Germany’s annexation of Austria, Hitler’s first act of territorial aggression in the series of events that precipitated World War II. In full: “The present international situation will be the dominating issue in everybody’s mind during the bye-election at West Fulham.
While the National Government remains determined to promote peace by conciliatory means, there can be no doubt that recent events in Europe have clearly demonstrated one fact—that the preservation of the peace of the world must be largely dependent upon the strength of our own country.
If we are to avert the perils of war the defence programme on which the National Government embarked three years ago must be accelerated even though it may involve sacrifices. But let us always remember that the sacrifices of peace are far less terrible than those of war.
Whether we look at the position from the point of view of collective action with other countries, or from the standpoint of our own national security, it is imperative that Britain should be strong.
I still hold, as I have always held, that the League of Nations, if it can be enlarged and strengthened, may some day be the salvation of the world. But we should not be promoting the cause of peace by pretending that the League in its present weakened condition can in fact guarantee collective security. We can best serve the League’s interests by seeking to enlarge and strengthen it so that it may be made a fitting instrument for the attainment of our ideals.
In the meantime we should avoid dangerous or reckless actions which might provoke conflict. Even though there may be countries with forms of Government which we dislike, we should take advantage of every opportunity to promote by negotiation and discussion a peaceful
international settlement, which may pave the way to a reduction of armaments, and so enable the countries of the world to devote their resources to the improvement of social conditions rather than the piling up of munitions of war.
Finally, let us all strive to preserve national unity so that we may present a united front to the world in face of the difficulties which lie ahead of us. Let us judge the issues, not from a narrow party standpoint, but from the point of view of what is best in the interests of our country and the world. Strength lies in unity, and the Government, which is necessarily responsible for the future destinies of our country, will need all the help and support that our people can give it.
Strength, unity and peace—these are the country’s essential needs, and believing as I do that they can best be secured by the maintenance of National Government I hope that the electors of West Fulham will rally to your support.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing and staining to the first page.
In March 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s approach toward Nazi Germany was marked by a policy of appeasement—the “conciliatory means” here mentioned—driven by a desire to maintain peace in Europe and avoid another catastrophic war. At this time, Hitler’s Germany had just carried out the annexation of Austria, which blatantly violated the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of St. Germain. Chamberlain, while uneasy about Hitler’s aggression, was not prepared to confront Germany militarily over Austria. He believed that many Germans and Austrians supported the union and saw the Anschluss as an internal German matter rather than grounds for war.
Chamberlain’s approach was shaped by his conviction that Germany’s grievances, particularly about the post-World War I settlement, could be addressed through negotiation and compromise. He hoped that by allowing certain revisions to the Versailles Treaty, such as the unification of German-speaking peoples, Germany’s appetite for expansion would be satisfied. This attitude would continue to define British foreign policy over the next year, leading up to the infamous Munich Agreement in September 1938. Starting Bid $1000
Just prior to Nazi Germany’s invasion of Poland, Prime Minister Chamberlain readies for war:
“I still hope we may avoid the worst, but if it comes we are thank God prepared for it”
377. Neville Chamberlain Typed Letter Signed with Autograph Postscript, on the Precipice of War with Germany (August 26, 1939): “I still hope we may avoid the worst, but if it comes we are thank God prepared for it”. TLS signed “Neville Chamberlain,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, 10 Downing Street letterhead, August 26, 1939. Letter to Captain Sir William Brass, M.P., in full: “Many thanks for your letter. It was good to have a word from you. I will certainly not forget you if there is an opportunity of taking advantage of your offer of help.” Chamberlain adds a handwritten postscript: “I still hope we may avoid the worst, but if it comes we are thank God prepared for it.” In very good to fine condition, with a few small stains, and some light rippling to the left edge.
On August 26, 1939, Great Britain stood on the precipice of war, with tensions between Germany and Poland escalating to a breaking point. For months, Europe had watched Adolf Hitler’s aggressive expansion with growing alarm. In March, Germany had annexed Czechoslovakia in violation of the infamous Chamberlain-negotiated Munich Agreement, and now Hitler’s demands were fixed on Danzig (Gdan´sk) and the Polish Corridor—territories awarded to Poland after World War I.
The sudden signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union on August 23rd had deeply shocked London and Warsaw. This non-aggression treaty included secret protocols for the partition of Poland, sealing Poland’s grim fate and isolating it diplomatically.
Britain, having learned hard lessons from appeasement, had made a guarantee to come to Poland’s aid if its independence was threatened, solidified in the Anglo-Polish military alliance
signed one day earlier on August 25th. Hitler had originally scheduled his invasion of Poland for August 26th, but when news of the Anglo-Polish pact reached Berlin, he temporarily postponed the attack.
Behind the scenes, British diplomats were still scrambling to avert war. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain hoped that deterrence, through strong alliances and military mobilization, might still dissuade Hitler. At the same time, Britain was accelerating preparations: air raid precautions were being implemented across cities, reservists were being called up, and public morale was being steeled for the possibility of conflict.
Thus Britain found itself in a state of grim resolve: committed to defending Poland, preparing for war, yet still clinging to fragile hopes that Hitler might yet be deterred. Within a week, however, those hopes would be extinguished as Germany launched its invasion of Poland on September 1st.
On September 3rd, Chamberlain announced Britain’s declaration of war on Germany from the Cabinet Room at 10 Downing Street: ‘This country is at war with Germany. You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me that all my long struggle to win peace has failed…We have done all that any country could do to establish peace, but a situation in which no word given by Germany’s ruler could be trusted and no people or country could feel themselves safe had become intolerable. And now that we have resolved to finish it, I know that you will all play your part with calmness and courage…It is evil things that we shall be fighting against, brute force, bad faith, injustice, oppression and persecution. And against them I am certain that the right will prevail.’ Starting Bid $1000
Four days before resigning, Prime Minister Chamberlain thanks Lord Beaverbrook for his support in the press:
“When so many are sounding the defeatist note over a minor set back, it is a relief to read such a courageous inspiriting summons to a saner view”
378. Neville Chamberlain World War II-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Lord Beaverbrook, Four Days Before His Resignation (May 6, 1940): “So many are sounding the defeatist note over a minor set back”. World War II–dated ALS, signed “Neville Chamberlain,” one page both sides, 4.75 x 7.5, 10 Downing Street letterhead, May 6, 1940. Handwritten letter to influential British newspaper publisher Max Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook, marked “Personal,” thanking him for publishing a supportive article amidst the Norway crisis. In full: “I must send you a line to express my pleasure at your splendid article in the Express this morning. When so many are sounding the defeatist note over a minor set back, it is a relief to read such a courageous inspiriting summons to a saner view.” In very good to fine condition, with old mounting stains to the corners. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Chamberlain’s own hand.
A month earlier, in April 1940, Germany launched Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Norway, aiming to secure iron ore shipments and seize strategic ports. Great Britain sent forces to aid the Norwegians, with much trumpeting about the might of British sea power, but the campaign ended in humiliating defeat. German forces, using swift amphibious assaults and paratroopers, seized key Norwegian cities before the Allies could mount an effective defense. Britain’s attempts to counter the invasion, notably at Narvik, ended in retreat as German air superiority and logistical challenges overwhelmed the expedition, exposing serious weaknesses in British military coordination and planning.
Chamberlain’s government was in crisis and public opinion began to turn. On May 6, Beaverbrook did his best to support Chamberlain, publishing an article, ‘What is the Damage?,’ in The Daily Express. He dismissed the Norwegian failure as a minor affair, damaging only to British prestige, urging his readers not to ‘despair over accounts in this war of incompetence, of stupidity, of misunderstanding and even of wilful neglect. Such vices and weaknesses are inseparable from war.’ He further outlined his reasons for confidence, including the defeat of U-boats, immense financial resources, the impregnable Maginot Line, and the misperception of domestic safety: ‘We may hope, with some confidence, that London and
other densely populated areas of Britain will not be bombed at all.’ Chamberlain wrote at once to express his pleasure with Beaverbrook’s work, reducing the Norwegian failure to a “minor setback.”
Lord Beaverbrook’s article could not stem the tide of opinion. The next day, May 7th, the House of Commons convened and began the ‘Norway Debate,’ discussing Allied efforts against Germany. The proceedings redirected to Chamberlain and his inefficacy as the nation’s wartime leader. At the end of the second day of debate, there was a division of the House for the members to hold a no-confidence motion. Chamberlain’s government won the vote but by a drastically reduced majority.
On May 9th and 10th, a desperate Chamberlain sought to form a coalition government with Labour and Liberal participation. The proposal was denied, but the opposition consented to the plan if a different Conservative was named prime minister. After Chamberlain’s first choice, Edward Wood, the Earl of Halifax, declined, the second candidate, Winston Churchill, emerged as the final choice. On the same day, Germany began its massive western offensive on Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and France. Accordingly, Chamberlain went to Buckingham Palace to resign and advise the King to send for Churchill.
In a resignation broadcast that evening, Chamberlain told the nation: ‘For the hour has now come when we are to be put to the test, as the innocent people of Holland, Belgium, and France are being tested already. And you and I must rally behind our new leader, and with our united strength, and with unshakable courage fight, and work until this wild beast, which has sprung out of his lair upon us, has been finally disarmed and overthrown.’
Chamberlain’s letter to Beaverbrook is discussed in several biographies and histories of World War II, including: Beaverbrook by Alan John Percivale Taylor (1972); Rudolf Hess and Germany’s Reluctant War 1939-41 by Alfred Smith (2001); A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900 by Andrew Roberts (2010); and The Newspaper Axis: Six Press Barons Who Enabled Hitler by Kathryn S. Olmsted (2022). Starting Bid $1000
379. Robert Capa ‘Omaha Beach During the D-Day Landings’ Wire Photograph. Iconic original 10 x 8 silver wire photo print of famed war photographer Robert Capa’s image of an American soldier trudging through the water during the D-Day landings at Normandy, France, on June 6th, 1944. Printed in 1964, with a “Plain Dealer Library” date stamp on the reverse and caption inherent to the image: “With Trembling Hands—An American soldier crawling through the water at ‘Easy Red’ beach, Normandy, during the Allied invasion of Europe in 1944. This is one of a series of pictures made by Robert Capa, the war photographer who landed with the American troops on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Capa, who was later killed in Indo-China, reported he was so gripped by fear on D-Day that he made the pictures ‘with trembling hands.’” Accompanied by a mat for display, revealing the image area of 8 x 6.5. In fine condition.
Robert Capa (1913–1958), a Hungarian–American war photographer, covered the Spanish Civil War, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II across Europe, the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and the First Indochina War. He captured some of the most enduring images of the 20th century, and is widely considered to be the greatest combat and adventure photographer in history. Starting Bid $300
380. Chiang Kai-shek Oversized Signed Photograph. Vintage glossy 9 x 11.75 photo of Chiang Kai-shek standing at three-quarter length in his decorated uniform, affixed to its original 11.75 x 14.75 mount, inscribed on the mount in ink to American economist and diplomat Henry J. Taylor, and signed and dated on the left side by Chiang Kai-shek. Also bears his red chop stamp. Displayed in its original frame to an overall size of 13.5 x 16.5; the worn frame’s kickstand is detached but present. In very good to fine condition, with soiling and creasing to the mount, creasing and light buckling to the image, and moderate staining to the frame. Starting Bid $200
381. Winston Churchill: The Second World War, Vols. I–VI (First Edition Set). Complete first edition book set: The Second World War, Volumes I-VI. All first edition, first printing. London: Cassell and Co. Ltd., 1948-1954. Unsigned. Hardcovers with dust jackets, 6 x 8.5. Overall book condition: NF/VG+, with a couple small stains to the jacket of the first volume.
As Britain’s prime minister for most of the Second World War, Winston Churchill had an unparalleled perspective on the conflict. After leaving office in 1945, he produced this remarkable account, which holds a very high place in the ranks of nonfiction books of the 20th century. The comprehensive series was a major success in both Great Britain and the United States, and was largely responsible for his being awarded the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature ‘for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.’ Starting Bid $300
Churchill comments on his literary output, “Triumph and Tragedy” and “The History of the English-Speaking Peoples”
382. Winston Churchill Typed Letter Signed to His Swedish Publisher on Books. TLS signed “Yours sincerely, Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, 10 Downing Street letterhead, May 13, 1954. Letter to his Swedish publisher Bertil Steiner, in full: “I am most obliged to you for your letter of April 28 and for the beautifully bound copy of Triumph and Tragedy, which I shall be proud to place with the other volumes. I appreciate the kind remarks you make about the work; our relations have indeed been agreeable and memorable. With regard to what you say about The History of the English-Speaking Peoples. I have as yet made no concrete plans and will not be able to start work on it for some time and I would prefer to leave the whole question in abeyance for the time being.” In fine condition, with file holes along the left edge. As Britain’s prime minister for most of the Second World War, Winston Churchill had an unparalleled perspective on the conflict. After leaving office in 1945, he produced a remarkable six-volume account—Triumph and Tragedy being Vol. VI—which holds a very high place in the ranks of nonfiction books of the 20th century. The comprehensive series was a major success in both Great Britain and the United States, and was largely responsible for his being awarded the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature ‘for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.’ Churchill’s four-volume A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, also referenced here, was published between 1956 and 1958. Starting Bid $300
Churchill
encourages trade unionists to
“rise
above narrow party politics and serve the good of their colleagues who share in their heritage of this great British movement”
383. Winston Churchill Typed Letter Signed on Trade Unions and Socialism. TLS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” two pages, 7.5 x 9.5, Chartwell letterhead, October 9, 1950. Letter concerning trade unions, in full: “I have the most lively and pleasant memories of last year’s meeting of Conservative trade unionists at Londonderry House, which I was privileged to attend and address, and I am most sorry that I cannot be with you this year, owing to my absence from the country. Today there is a growing body of trade unionists who are becoming less satisfied with the doctrinaire approach of the Socialist Party to industrial problems. They have watched, and are watching, theories of nationalisation being worked out in practice, and they view the results with grave misgivings. Conservative trade unionists have a special responsibility and a duty at this time to take a lead in fighting the evil forces which threaten to disrupt not only their unions but their country. I hope, therefore, that all Conservative trade unionists will be active in attending meetings of their branches and lodges and in supporting the election to office of those who are good trade unionists, irrespective of party creed or faction. Above all, I hope they will not hesitate to stand for union office themselves, and that if elected they will rise above narrow party politics and serve the good of their colleagues who share in their heritage of this great British movement.” In fine condition, with a file hole, and some minor staining, to the upper left corners. Starting Bid $300
As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Churchill sends thanks for a contribution “towards the reduction of the National Debt”
385. Winston Churchill Typed Letter Signed on National Debt. TLS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, embossed Treasury Chambers letterhead, November 20, 1928. Letter to John Davies, in full: “On behalf of His Majesty’s Government I desire to thank you for the further gift of £1,000 which you have sent towards the reduction of the National Debt and to express my warm appreciation of your generosity and patriotism. I propose to send a notice of acknowledgement to the Press but I will of course respect your wish to remain anonymous.” In fine condition, with faint toning along the intersecting folds. Starting Bid $200
“We can all take pride in what has been achieved under Conservative leadership”—Churchill cites an improving economy and a tenuous world peace
384. Winston Churchill Typed Letter Signed on Conservative Leadership: “We shall certainly persevere in working for peace in the world”. TLS signed “Yours sincerely, Winston S. Churchill,” two pages, 7.5 x 9.5, 10 Downing Street letterhead, March 17, 1955. Letter to British Conservative politician John E. Harvey, in full: “It gives me great pleasure to send the Woodford Division Conservative Association my very warmest greetings at its Annual General Meeting, and I am sorry that my duties prevent me from being with you in person to express them.
As we look back over the three and a half years that have passed since the last election, we can all take pride in what has been achieved under Conservative leadership. On the firm basis of restored solvency we have achieved greater prosperity. Production has risen in our factories and on our farms, more people than ever before are at work and the nation is enjoying both a new freedom and rising standards of living. Abroad our tireless efforts to lessen tension have been rewarded with some success. We shall certainly persevere in working for peace in the world.
Let no Conservative, however feel that this is a time to relax effort. It will call for continued exertions on the part of all our members we are to keep the country moving forward along the right road.” In fine condition, with a small file hole to the upper left corners. Starting Bid $300
Churchill writes to Viscount Northcliffe on the matter of the Canadian Cattle Embargo: “I have often talked it over with Beaverbrook, as you suggest, &...have every intention of voting for the removal of the Embargo”
386. Winston Churchill Autograph Letter Signed on the Canadian Cattle Embargo. ALS as the Secretary of State for the Colonies, signed “Winston S. Churchill,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8, embossed Colonial Office letterhead, June 10, 1922. Marked “Private,” a handwritten letter to Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, in part: “As you know, I have been for many years a strong opponent of the Canadian Cattle Embargo, & I have several times declared publicly my opposition to it & my support of the movement for its removal. I have often talked it over with Beaverbrook, as you suggest, & it was largely due to my representations that a line has been taken by the Government which enables the House to vote freely & Ministers to take their own line. I have every intention of voting for the removal of the Embargo.” Affixed to the left edge is a typed secretarial summary of Churchill’s letter. In fine condition. Accompanied by a custom clamshell presentation case. Starting Bid $300
387. Winston Churchill Signed Book Set - A History of the English-Speaking Peoples. Signed book set: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, Vols. I–IV. First editions. London: Cassell and Company, 1956–1958. Hardcovers with dust jackets, 6.5 x 9.75, with volume titles as follows: The Birth of Britain (416 pages), The New World (344), The Age of Revolution (332), and The Great Democracies (322). Signed on the half-title page of the fourth volume in fountain pen, “Inscribed by Winston S. Churchill, June 1958.” Autographic condition: very fine. Book condition: VG/VG, with edgewear to dust jackets and minor foxing to textblock edges (most noticeably to Vol. I) and the jacket spine of Vol. III. A History of the English-Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill is a four-volume historical work that traces the development of Britain and its influence on the broader English-speaking world. Written between 1937 and 1956, the series covers key events from Julius Caesar’s invasion of Britain to the end of the 19th century. Churchill blends narrative history with personal insight, highlighting themes of liberty, governance, and shared cultural heritage. The work remains a testament to Churchill’s literary skill and his deep admiration for the resilience and legacy of the English-speaking nations. Starting Bid $200
388. Winston Churchill Signed Book Set - The Second World War. Signed book set: The Second World War, Volumes I-VI. First editions. London: Cassell and Co. Ltd., 1948-1954. Hardcovers with dust jackets, 6 x 8.5, with volume titles as follows: The Gathering Storm (640 pages), Their Finest Hour (684), The Grand Alliance (818), The Hinge of Fate (917), Closing the Ring (673), and Triumph and Tragedy (716). Signed on the half-title page of the fourth volume in fountain pen, “Winston S. Churchill.” Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG/VG, with a cracked hinge to Vol. I and toning to dust jackets.
As Britain’s prime minister for most of the Second World War, Winston Churchill had an unparalleled perspective on the conflict. After leaving office in 1945, he produced this remarkable account, which holds a very high place in the ranks of nonfiction books of the 20th century. The comprehensive series was a major success in both Great Britain and the United States, and was largely responsible for his being awarded the 1953 Nobel Prize for Literature ‘for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.’ Starting Bid $200
Comprehensive first edition collection of Winston S. Churchill’s World War II and postwar speeches
389. Winston Churchill: First Editions of His Wartime and Post-War Speeches (13 Volumes). Comprehensive collection of first editions of Churchill’s historic speeches from World War II and beyond, including: Arms and the Covenant (1938), the sevenvolume set of Winston Churchill’s war speeches (1941–46), and the five-volume set of his post-war speeches (1948–1961).
Includes:
First English edition of Arms and the Covenant: Speeches on Foreign Affairs and National Defense by the Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill. London: George G. Harrap & Co, Ltd., 1938. Hardcover with dust jacket, 6.25 x 9, 466 pages. Book condition: VG/ VG-, with foxing to the jacket and textblock edges.
First English editions of the seven-volume set of Winston Churchill’s War Speeches. London: Cassell and Company Ltd., 1941–1946. Hardcovers with dust jackets, 6 x 8.75, with titles including: Into Battle (Vol. 1); The Unrelenting Struggle (Vol. 2); The End of the Beginning (Vol. 3); Onwards to Victory (Vol. 4); The Dawn of Liberation (Vol. 5); Victory (Vol. 6); and Secret Session Speeches (Vol. 7). Overall book condition: VG+/VG, with minor soiling and rubbing, some restoration to jacket spine heads and tails, ownership inscription to Vol. 2, and a price-clipped front flap of Into Battle. Between 1941 and 1946, Churchill’s war speeches were released by Cassell in seven separate volumes. The British first editions stand out visually, but they were produced under ‘War Economy Standard’ constraints—printed on inexpensive paper, bound in rough cloth, and covered with bright yet delicate dust jackets. As a result, they are prone to spotting, soiling, and fading, and time has taken a toll on most surviving copies; this is a fresh, very well-preserved set.
First English editions of the five-volume set of Winston Churchill’s Post-War Speeches. London: Cassell and Company Ltd., 1948–1961. Hardcovers with dust jackets, 6 x 8.75, with titles including: Post War Speeches: The Sinews of Peace (Vol. 1); Europe Unite: Speeches, 1947 & 1948 (Vol. 2); In the Balance Speeches, 1949 & 1950 (Vol. 3); Stemming the Tide: Speeches, 1951 & 1952 (Vol. 4); and The Unwritten Alliance: Speeches, 1953–1959 (Vol. 5). Book condition: VG/VG, with light foxing to endpapers and textblock edges, and minor edgewear to dust jackets. Notable among these speeches are the famous ‘Iron Curtain’ address that defined the Cold War divide, his early calls for European unity, and his sweeping 1949 reflection on the promises and realities of the 20th century. These postwar speech volumes are rarer than his wartime collections, with only single printings, and include The Unwritten Alliance—the last book Churchill published during his lifetime.
These thirteen volumes capture the full force of Churchill’s legendary oratory, spanning the speeches that shaped both Britain’s destiny and that of the wider world. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature not only for his historical works but for his ‘brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values,’ Churchill’s words remain as powerful and inspiring today as when first delivered. Starting Bid $300
390. Winston Churchill: First Edition Set of His Magnum Opus, The World Crisis (6 Volumes). Sought-after complete first edition book set: The World Crisis, comprising five works in six volumes. First editions. London: Thornton Butterworth Limited, 1923–1931. Hardcovers bound in the publisher’s original blue cloth with gilt-lettered spines, 6.5 x 9.5, with volume titles as follows: Vol. I: 1911–1914 (536 pages), Vol. II: 1915 (557), Vol. III: 1916–1918, Part I (292), Vol. IV: 1916–1918, Part II (296). Vol. V: The Aftermath (474), and Vol. VI: The Eastern Front (368). Overall book condition: VG/None, with an errata slip tipped into Vol. IV, light mottled foxing to textblocks (mostly confined to edges and endpapers), ownership inscriptions inside Vols. II and V, some rubbing to extremities, and the tipped-in frontispiece of the final volume partially detached.
Churchill’s history of the First World War is widely considered to be his magnum opus. His American biographer William Manchester wrote: ‘His masterpiece is The World Crisis, published over a period of several years, 1923 to 1931, a six-volume, 3,261-page account of the Great War, beginning with its origins in 1911 and ending with its repercussions in the 1920s. Magnificently written, it is enhanced by the presence of the author at the highest councils of war and in the trenches as a battalion commander.’ Skilled as a writer, orator, and historian, Churchill would receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 ‘for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values.’ Starting Bid $300
391. Winston Churchill Typed Letter Signed. TLS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 6.5 x 8.5, 28 Hyde Park Gate letterhead, July 30, 1958. Letter to Edward J. LaVallin, president of the Philadelphia Business Club, in full: “Thank you so much for your most agreeable letter telling me of the presentation of the trophy. I much look forward to receiving it from the hands of Mr. Whitney. Pray once more convey to the Philadelphia Business Club my warm thanks for this most pleasing gesture.” Nicely double-matted with a portrait to an overall size of 20 x 14.5. In very good to fine condition, with somewhat irregular light toning from prior display. Starting Bid $200
396. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed Book - Crusade in Europe (Ltd. Ed. #503/1426). Signed book: Crusade in Europe. First edition, limited issue, numbered 503/1426. NY: Doubleday, 1948. Hardcover in slipcase, 7 x 10, 559 pages. Signed in fountain pen on a special prefatory page reproducing Eisenhower’s ‘Order of the Day’ on D-Day, “Dwight D. Eisenhower.” Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG+/None in a G+ slipcase, with bumped corners to the case. Read more online at www.RRAuction.com. Starting Bid $200
Ike writes home to Mamie from liberated France—
“Some of the roads I travel are the ones we rode over 15 years ago”
395. Dwight D. Eisenhower War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Mamie. World War II-dated ALS signed “Ike,” two pages, 8 x 10.5, November 26, [1944]. Written from Gueux, France, a letter to his wife, Mamie D. Eisenhower, in full: “I’ve just arrived at forward hq after several days with Devers’ Army Group. Weather is so miserable that all my travel is by auto—which takes lots of time. This is late Sun. afternoon—I start out again early Tues. morn. I have just one day to ‘catch up’ on lots of things. Sometimes I think I’m just waking up to the extent that I miss you. On most of these trips the driver and the M.A. sit in the front (the latter to read the maps), and I have the whole back to myself. I have hours to think, and since the staff is not there to plague me, I think of you a lot. Some of the roads I travel are the ones we rode over 15 years ago, and I always wish you were along to see them, with me, again. A teletype from Stack today says you are fine. I always enjoy some message. It’s nice to be reassured concerning your health. Lately I’ve heard nothing from Johnny. I know how busy he is; but I sometimes wonder whether he can possibly know how much his letters mean to me. Within the past two weeks or so I think I’ve seen most of our old friends in this theater. All seem fine.
Last week l appeared (by recording) on 2 radio programs at home. One about munitions—the other, War Bonds. Wonder whether you heard either. The newsmen told me that the first one caused a big furor. Sorry I had to ask you to try to find an Xmas present for John from me. I was just at my wit’s end. Hope it didn‘t put too much of a burden on you. Well, the real purpose of this note is just to say ‘I love you’—By this time I know that you know it—but it’s fun to say—anyway. Lots & lots of love.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
De Gaulle prepares to lead the French resistance while exiled in London:
“I hope for France’s sake and for your sake, General, that you will be able to escape disaster, reach overseas France and continue the war.
At the moment, there is no armistice that would be honourable”
392. Charles de Gaulle WWII-Dated Autograph Letter
Signed to Gen. Weygand, from Exile in London on June 20, 1940: “I shall join any French resistance movement that may be organised”. World War II–dated ALS in French, signed “C. de Gaulle,” four pages on two sheets, 9 x 12.5, June 20, 1940. Handwritten letter to French General Maxime Weygand, penned just after de Gaulle arrived in London as he began to organize what would be the Free French. Weygand was the newly appointed Minister of National Defence in what would become the Vichy government in July 1940. Weygand, cleverly using de Gaulle’s old classmate General Pierre Lelong as an intermediary, had sent de Gaulle a message saying he must return to Paris or otherwise be considered a treasonous deserter from the (Vichy) French army.
In his reply, de Gaulle writes that he will gladly return to Paris on the condition that the French government continue its fight against Nazi tyranny. Should the Petain government surrender, de Gaulle threatens to continue to fight the Germans from exile. The timing is highly significant: de Gaulle had given his ‘Appeal of 18 June’ two days earlier, marking the beginning of the French Resistance, and here he lays out his philosophy for what would become the Free French movement. With this letter, de Gaulle is also effectively signing his own death warrant with the Petain government: Vichy tried de Gaulle in absentia and sentenced him to death for treason on August 2, 1940.
In full (translated): “General Lelong has informed me of your order to return to France. I have therefore enquired of him how to do so, as I have, of course, no other resolution than that
of serving in combat. I therefore intend to come and present myself to you within 24 hours if, by then, the capitulation has not been signed.
In the event that it is, I shall join any French resistance movement that may be organised. In London in particular, there are military elements, and no doubt others will come who are determined to fight, whatever happens in France. I feel I must tell you very simply that I hope for France’s sake and for your sake, General, that you will be able to escape disaster, reach overseas France and continue the war. At the moment, there is no armistice that would be honourable.
I would add that my personal relations with the British government, and in particular with Mr. Churchill, could enable me to be useful to you and to any other high French personality who would like to put himself at the head of the continued French resistance. Please accept, General, the expression of my most respectful and devoted feelings.” In fine condition, with light creasing, and some small edge tears and chips.
De Gaulle would make good on his threat. The Petain government surrendered in the Armistice of 22 June 1940, and de Gaulle remained in England to establish a government-in-exile while supporting the resistance in Nazi-occupied France. De Gaulle’s Free French Forces joined the Allied nations in their fight against the Axis powers, serving in essentially every major campaign from North Africa to Indochina and making substantial contributions to the liberation of France, and, ultimately, the victory of the Allies in World War II. Starting Bid $1000
Ike on the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests:
“The forthcoming tests are designed as a military experiment, with particular regard to the effect of the bomb on navel vessels, to obtain data which will be absolutely vital to our national security”
394. Dwight D. Eisenhower Typed Letter Signed on Bikini Atoll Atomic Bomb Tests: “The forthcoming tests are designed as a military experiment, with particular regard to the effect of the bomb on navel vessels”. TLS, one page, 7 x 9, War Department, Chief of Staff letterhead, March 11, 1946. Letter to J. P. Heinmuller, president of the LonginesWittnauer Watch Company, in full: “I am in receipt of your recent telegram proposing the transfer of the forthcoming atomic bomb tests from Bikini Atoll to Greenland. While it is agreed that the development of such copper deposits as you describe would be of considerable economic importance, I would like to emphasize that the forthcoming tests are designed as a military experiment, with particular regard to the effect of the bomb on navel vessels, to obtain data which will be absolutely vital to our national security.
Bikini Atoll was chosen, after much consideration, as the site that best satisfied the requirements of safety to participating personnel, good anchorage facilities, and the availability of stable or determinable air and sea currents which are such as to guarantee that contaminated air or water will not be carried to any inhabited area. Much of the information to be gained from these tests will be extremely valuable in considering the application of atomic energy to projects such as you propose. I thank you for your interest in this subject and appreciate your desire to advance the welfare of our country.” In fine condition.
The Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands was the site of U.S. nuclear testing during the late 1940s and 1950s. Between 1946 and 1958, a total of 23 atomic and hydrogen bombs were detonated there as part of the Cold War-era weapons development program. The first atomic test at Bikini Atoll, codenamed ‘Able,’ took place on July 1, 1946, as part of a series designed to examine the effects of nuclear explosions on naval warships. The bomb was dropped from a B-29 bomber and detonated 520 feet above the lagoon, where a fleet of surplus and captured ships had been positioned as targets. Although the explosion caused significant damage, the test’s results were less dramatic than expected. Starting Bid $300
Incredible five-foot U.S. Marines-issued battlefield map of the north coast of Guadalcanal, the first major Allied land offensive against Japan during World War II
397. Guadalcanal Coastal Battlefield Map of the 1st Marine Division (August 1942) - The First Major Conflict Between Allied and Japanese Forces in the Pacific Theater. Historic World War II-dated United States battlefield map of the north coast of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, the site of the Battle of Guadalcanal (code-named Operation Watchtower), the first major Allied land offensive against Japan during the war. Fought between August 7, 1942, and February 9, 1943, the conflict involved major land and naval battles on and surrounding the island of Guadalcanal. The lithographed strip map, 63˝ x 9.25˝, is entitled “North Coast of Guadalcanal Is., Lunga Pt. to Tetere, D-2, 15 July 1942, RF 1/24,000,” and contains six taped sections of the coastline of Guadalcanal that extends from Kukum in the west to Kema River in the east, and shows the littoral shoreline and nearly a half-mile inland. In addition to the preprinted landmarks, the map bears ink annotations for other points of interest, such as Kukum, Lunga Point, Lungo River, Lungo Lagoon, Alligator Creek, Tenaru River, Block Four River, Tenarout, and Lengo Point. Impressively framed to an overall size of 70˝ x 18˝. In good to very good condition, with extensive signs of use, including heavy overall creasing, edge tears, and paper loss, and old tape holding the sheets together.
The original map was prepared and hand-drawn by the 2nd Division mapmakers, hastily lithographed at a mapping station, and then issued to the 1st and 5th regiments of the 1st Marine Division. The map covers a broad coastal area with only a handful of place names and airfield locations; in fact, this map shows Henderson Field named as “reported Orange airfield.” Henderson, the center point of the campaign, was captured and named on August 12th, which suggests that this map may have been annotated between August 7th and 12th, as surely one would have named the primary base on the map.
This early battlefield map of the Guadalcanal littoral area shows the pivotal American landing sites between Koli Point and Lunga Point, which occurred on August 7th and 8th. In what was to become the first battle with Japanese forces in the Pacific Theatre, some 11,000 troops advanced and captured the Lunga Point airfield. Although the initial siege offered scant resistance, the Japanese high command soon sent reinforcements to the area, resulting in a long and bloody campaign. The withdrawal of the U.S. support fleet from offshore created enormous problems for the American defenders at Henderson Field, and reputations were won and lost in this testing ground over the five-month battle, with the Japanese finally withdrawing on December 28th. Guadalcanal was the first test for the new Marine regiments and divisions that were being hastily formed in the U.S. At Camp Pendleton, Quantico, and other military bases, Marines were being trained and assembled to fight the Island Hopping War that continued from August 1942 in Guadalcanal through to Okinawa in June 1945. Those campaigns, held across numerous islands, were some of the most ferocious battles in the history of the U.S. Marine forces. Starting Bid $200
Refuting charges of “Persecution of Jews” in the Nuremberg Trials, Rudolf Hess
summons his secretary to explain the motives for his bizarre 1941 flight
398. Rudolf Hess Nuremberg Trial Document Signed, Summoning a Witness for His Defense Against Charges of “Persecution of Jews,” Documenting His Flight to Scotland. Historic partly-printed DS in German, signed “Rudolf Hess,” and by his lawyer, “Dr. Seidl,” one page, 8 x 12.75, February 16, 1946. Document headed (translated), “The International Military Court, Tribunal Request of the Accused to Summon Witnesses,” made while preparing his defense for the Nuremberg trials. Hess and his lawyer, Alfred Seidl, request testimony from his private secretary, Hildegard Fath, who had knowledge of the following facts (translated): “1. The plan and preparations for the flight to England date back to June 1940. Amongst other things, the witness was charged with secretly obtaining reports from a Wehrmacht office on weather conditions over the British Isles, the Channel, and the North Sea. She had already received this assignment in the summer of 1940. 2. After the events of the night of November 8/9, 1938 (pogrom against Jews) became known, the defendant Hess made no secret of the fact that he strongly condemned such attacks.” The defendant further certifies: “These facts are relevant to my defense for the following reasons: To refute the allegations on page 9 of the trial brief against Rudolf Hess (Persecution of Jews).” Affixed to a slightly larger sheet and in fine condition, with stamps of the “International Military Tribunal” at the bottom.
On May 10, 1941—after several delays due to mechanical problems or poor weather—Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler’s eccentric deputy and one of the highest-ranking officials in Nazi Germany, undertook a solo flight to Scotland in a bizarre and controversial mission. Claiming to seek peace between Britain and Germany, Hess parachuted into Scotland near Glasgow, hoping to negotiate directly with the Duke of Hamilton, whom he believed had influence in British political circles. His unexpected arrival stunned both the British government and his fellow Nazi leaders. Hitler quickly denounced the flight as an act of madness, stripping Hess of his titles and distancing the regime from his actions. The British, suspicious of his motives, detained him as a prisoner of war.
When the Nuremburg trials commenced in November 1945, Hess was among the 24 defendants charged with war crimes. The case for Hess’s defense was presented chiefly from March 22–26, 1946, by his lawyer, Dr. Alfred Seidl. As part of the proceedings, Seidl read from an affidavit by Hildegard Fath, attesting to Hess’s motives: ‘Beginning in the summer of 1940—I cannot remember the exact
time—I had, by order of Hess, to obtain secret weather reports about weather conditions over the British Isles and the North Sea, and to forward them to Hess.’
Ms. Fath’s testimony continued: ‘Hess left a letter behind on his departure by air for England, which was handed to the Führer at a time when Hess had already landed in England. I read a copy of this letter. The letter began with words more or less like this: ‘My Führer; when you receive this letter, I shall be in England.’ I do not remember the exact wording of the letter. Hess occupied himself in the letter mainly with the proposals which he wanted to submit to England in order to achieve peace. I can no longer remember the details of the proposed settlement. I can however state definitely that no word was mentioned about the Soviet Union or about the idea that a peace treaty should be concluded with England in order to have the rear free on another front. If this had been discussed in the letter, it certainly would have been impressed upon my memory. From the content of the letter the definite impression was to be gained that Hess undertook this extraordinary flight in order to prevent further bloodshed, and in order to create favorable conditions for the conclusion of a peace.’
Hess’s behavior during the trial was odd—he claimed amnesia, ignored the proceedings (turning his attention to reading an amusing novel, sometimes laughing aloud), and refused to acknowledge the authority of the tribunal. He did himself no favors with a rambling, final speech to the court, delivered on August 1st, 1946: ‘I was permitted to work for many years of my life under the grandest son whom my country has brought forth in its thousand-year history. Even if I could, I would not want to erase this period of time from my existence. I am happy to know that I have done my duty to my people, my duty as a German, as a National Socialist, as a loyal follower of my Führer. I do not regret anything.’
On October 1st, Hess was found guilty of conspiracy and crimes against peace; thanks in part to Seidl’s ingenuity, he was found not guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Hess was sentenced to imprisonment for life.
This remarkable document, originating from the Nuremburg trials, provides Hess’s first-hand clarification of his motives for his strange 1941 flight—one of World War II’s enduring mysteries—as well as a refutation of the charges against him for “Persecution of the Jews.” Starting Bid $1000
“Went up before the Survey Board the other day — and I’m on my way out”—WWII-dated letter from Lt.
John F. Kennedy to fellow PT-109 survivor John Maguire, with the original mailing envelope signed and hand-addressed by “Lt. J. F. Kennedy”
399. John F. Kennedy War-Dated Typed Letter Signed to a Fellow PT-109 Survivor, with Hand-Addressed Mailing Envelope from “Lt. J. F. Kennedy”. World War II-dated TLS signed “Jack Kennedy,” one page, 7.25 x 10.5, United States Navy letterhead, postmarked November 18, 1944. Handwritten letter to “Mac,” fellow PT-109 survivor John E. Maguire, in full: “Thanks for your letter — it was a pleasure that you both and your wives came — and I hope that it wasn’t too much work for your wife driving both ways. I suppose you handle the radio. Mac — I’v[e] arranged to have some more of those pictures made of the crew of the I09. Write me and let me know who wants them…Also I’d like to send one to Harriss’ family. Would you [to] try to find their address? Also was Palmerlees first name…Bill? Went up before the Survey Board the other day — and I’m on my way out. It’s going to seem peciliar [sic] paying full price at those movie theaters again. It won’t seem quite right until everyone is out, I don’t think. Going to spend Christmas with the folks and then going to go to Arizona for a pretty long time, I guess. If there is anything I can do, let me know and best regards to the boys.” Includes the original free franked mailing envelope, 7.5 x 4, hand-addressed by Kennedy, who incorporates his signature in the return address area, “Lt. J. F. Kennedy, U.S. Naval Hospital, Chelsea–Mass.” Marked “Free” in the upper right and postmarked in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 18, 1944. In overall fine condition.
On April 24, 1943, Kennedy took command of PT-109, based in the Solomon Islands. In the early morning of August 2, 1943, Lieutenant Kennedy’s PT-109 was struck by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in the Blackett Strait. Two crew members were killed, but Kennedy and ten others survived — including Radioman, Second Class John E.
Maguire — and swam more than three miles to a deserted island. Kennedy clenched the strap of a badly burned crew member’s life jacket between his teeth and towed him to safety.
Over the next week, Kennedy or the entire crew swam to additional islands looking for food and fresh water. On one, Kennedy found packages of crackers and a fifty-gallon drum of drinkable water left by the Japanese and a small canoe, which he paddled back to his starving crew. After native scouts found the crew and took a message scratched on a coconut shell to allied authorities, another PT boat rescued them on August 8th. Kennedy later received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism for his actions in saving the crew.
He returned to duty for several months in the Solomon Islands before a doctor relieved him of command because of his back injuries. He was sent back to the United States in January 1944 and was soon stationed at the Submarine Chaser Training Center in Miami. From May to December 1944, Kennedy was hospitalized at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Massachusetts for back surgery and recuperation, then released from active duty. After more therapy at a military hospital in Arizona, Kennedy retired from the Naval Reserve on physical disability and was honorably discharged with the full rank of lieutenant on March 1, 1945.
John Maguire later worked in Kennedy’s congressional and presidential campaigns, and when Kennedy was elected president, Maguire was commissioned U.S. marshal for the Middle District of Florida, a position he held for nine years until Nixon became president. Maguire once said of Kennedy: ‘He was my commanding officer, my president and my friend. I’ll never forget him.’ Starting Bid $300
Scarce signed photo of Gen. MacArthur on the USS Cleveland to observe the last major amphibious landing of World War II
400. Douglas MacArthur Signed Photograph - Pictured Aboard the USS Cleveland in Borneo (1945). Historic vintage matte-finish 10 x 8 photo of Douglas MacArthur on board the USS Cleveland in 1945, neatly signed in fountain pen, “Douglas MacArthur, Borneo 1945.” Reverse is stamped: “Official Photograph, U.S.S. Cleveland.” In fine condition, with scattered small surface dings. Accompanied by five additional glossy 4 x 5 photos of MacArthur on the USS Cleveland, two with facsimile signatures inherent to the image.
In the closing chapters of the Pacific Theater of World War II, the USS Cleveland put out from Subic Bay on June 7th to act as part of the covering force and provide fire support for the invasion landings at Brunei Bay, Borneo, on June 10th. She returned to Subic Bay on June 15th, then sailed to Manila to embark General of the Army Douglas MacArthur and his staff as observers of the assault on Balikpapan, the last major amphibious landing of World War II. Just weeks later, the atomic bombs would be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the long conflict would draw to a close. A remarkable, historic photograph of MacArthur at war’s end. Starting Bid $200
402. George S. Patton Typed Letter Signed. TLS signed “G. S. Patton, Jr.,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, Headquarters, Third United States Army letterhead, April 30, 1945. Letter to Cadet Douglas M. Watson at the Peekskill Military Academy, in full: “I am enclosing my signature to this letter as the autograph you requested.” Attractively double-matted with a portrait of Patton in uniform to an overall size of 22.75 x 15.75. In very good to fine condition, with overall creasing, and a repaired tear to the bottom blank area. Starting Bid $200
“I am taking three guns two rifeles and a shot gun”—Patton loads up for his family’s summer on Catalina Island
401. George S. Patton Autograph Letter Signed, Preparing for a Summer Trip: “I am taking three guns two rifeles and a shot gun”. ALS signed “Geo. S. Patton, Jr.,” one page both sides, 7.75 x 12.25, no date but circa late 1890s. Handwritten letter to his mother’s sister, “Aunt Nannie,” in part: “We start for Catilena in two hours and twenty three minutes. Mama is all right now; we just got your letter. I had some ballast sacks made for my boat, the sacks are thirty in number and weigh when filled with sand from fifty to sixty pounds a piece. We got two water mellons but they were green. Dot and Marmion [Patton’s horse] will be turned out to day. Dot’s shews are off. I am taking my foot ball clothes over but I don’t believe I’ll play; nor go to Hick Cocks this year. Harrie Mellon may be on your train, I am taking three guns two rifeles and a shot gun 77 twenty two shells 20; 30-30 shells. Lance is going over with us. The mosquitoes are very bad and often bight clean through the soul of my shoes. I got a new dres suit vest and a new shirt, I have just come back from a good-by ride on Marmion before he is turned out he is fine. The fifth eye-lash from the left side of my right eye has a pain in the little toe of its left foot but the doctor thinks it is nothing serious. I have tolde you all the news.” In very good to fine condition, with some light creasing, a small tear to the top edge, and a stain caused by the ink from Patton’s pen.
George’s father had bought land and built a cottage on Santa Catalina Island in early 1895. The Pattons would go by buggy from their home to Long Beach where they would board the boat to the island, about 20 miles off the coast of southern California. Although young Patton could not spell very well, it is obvious from this letter that he loved Catalina, since he was counting the minutes until they left. It is also evident that the young man was already a horseman and sportsman who owned a veritable arsenal of weapons. Starting Bid $200
Rare hand-embellished menu from General Patton’s 60th birthday
gala
in Bad Nauheim
on November 11, 1945, signed by Patton and 18 of his comrades less than a month before his tragic collision
403. George S. Patton Signed Menu for His 60th Birthday Celebration (November 11, 1945) - Less Than a Month Before His Tragic Accident. Exceptionally rare menu from General George S. Patton’s 60th birthday celebration at the Spa Hotel in Bad Nauheim, Germany, on November 11, 1945, 7.75 x 10, featuring colorful hand-decorated borders, four-star rank, and unit insignia designs, neatly signed in ink by the gala’s guest of honor, “G. S. Patton, Jr.,” and 18 other attendees, which includes Robert B. Patterson, recently elevated to Secretary of War; Hobart R. Gay, Patton’s Chief-of Staff; Paul D. Harkins, deputy Chief-of-Staff and later Vietnam-era commander; Geoffrey Keyes, and Thomas H. Nixon. In fine condition.
Patton’s 60th birthday dinner celebration was an all-day affair, a combination reunion and bon voyage, with Patton celebrating with his old comrades of the Third and Seventh Armies before his scheduled journey home to the U. S. on December 10, 1945. This birthday dinner marks a rare happy moment in the tumultuous final chapter of Patton’s life. Just five weeks earlier, in September, Eisenhower stripped him of his roles as Third Army commander and military governor of Bavaria after Patton likened Nazi party members to Democrats and Republicans back home. Ike put him in charge of the Fifteenth Army, which was responsible for compiling a military history of the war. Patton was ill-suited for these duties. He opposed Washington’s denazification policy and thought the Americans should maintain high troop levels in Europe in preparation for a possible war with Soviet Russia. With no transfer to a Pacific command forthcoming, he just wanted to say goodbye and head home. It was a trip he never made. A truck struck his jeep on December 9th, breaking his neck and paralyzing him. He lingered in a Heidelberg hospital before dying on December 21st. Starting Bid $300
“The White House announced that Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor”
404. Pearl Harbor Attack: Naval Archive of News Flashes, Bulletins, and Photographs. Archive of material belonging to US Navy serviceman Albert Louis Allen, extending from his 1936 enlistment to his disability claim in 1947, with a focus on Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entry into WWII. The archive includes several News Flashes, military patches, newspaper clippings, letters, cards, magazine clippings, and photos—mostly affixed within a large 11.5 x 15.75 scrapbook—along with 22 silver gelatin photographs showing press coverage of the attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Oklahoma, U.S.S. Nevada, and U.S.S. Maryland, most measuring about 6.5 x 4.75.
Of particular note are:
- two “Beaver Tales” radio newsletters from the USS Beaver, announcing: “Germany Has Entered Poland Fighting and Bombing in Progress” (September 1, 1939) and “The Second World War Officially Came Into Being at 10 O’Clock” (September 3, 1939)
- ten pages of “News Flashes” and “Special Bulletins” from the U.S.S. Otus, December 8–13, 1941, announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor, with estimates of casualties, discussion of President Roosevelt’s actions, the Allied response, and the declaration of war by the United States: “The White House announced that Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor and all naval military areas in the island of Oahu…Over Pearl Harbor Navy Yard smoke rose in a heavy pale. Antiaircraft guns were heard in a continuous roar…Hickock and Pearl Harbor both evidently have witnessed bombing attack. Fires burning both places.”
Other material includes Allen’s enlistment paperwork, United States Navy training certificates, dinner menus from the USS Widgeon (Christmas 1937 and 1938) and USS Holland (Thanksgiving 1938), various correspondence, and other material from his naval career. In overall very good to fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Franklin D. Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed
as President, Three Days Before the 1935
Neutrality
Act: “Things do look serious in Europe”
405. Franklin D. Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed as President. TLS as president, one page, 7 x 9, White House letterhead, August 28, 1935. Letter to Norman Hapgood, Esq., in full: “Many thanks for your notes. The Senate Resolution has been much modified and an actual reading of it shows that it takes away little Executive authority except the embargo on certain types of arms and munitions (the type to be determined by me) between now and next February. Discretion must, of course, remain in the Executive in the long run. Things do look serious in Europe but we have passed so many serious crises during the past few years that I still hope.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Three days after this letter, the Neutrality Act of 1935 was passed by Congress on August 31, 1935, and imposed a general embargo on trading in arms and war materials with all parties in a war. Roosevelt invoked the act after Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia in October 1935, which prevented all arms and ammunition shipments to both countries. FDR letters boasting content presaging World War II and referencing important policies are both scarce and very desirable. Starting Bid $500
“It does prove your rightness making unkind remarks about some people who see in Nazi-ism ideals of peace and good-will”
407. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Letter on Nazi-ism and ‘Another crisis in Germany’ (February 1938). TLS as president, two pages on two adjoining sheets, 7 x 9, February 10, 1938. A letter from Roosevelt to Colonel Arthur Murray, in part: “I begin to think that events in this world move with a velocity which increases with every passing year. Even since your letter, written on January twenty-fourth, so many new things have happened that you are completely out of date! Another crisis in Germany, but it does prove your rightness making unkind remarks about some people who see in Nazi-ism ideals of peace and good-will.
I am getting on better with some of your people—for they are really showing signs of wanting to meet me part of the way—perhaps not fifty percent yet! I, too, am pursued by catch-cries in this country, and I am in the midst of a long process of education—and the process seems to be working slowly but surely.” In fine condition, with rusty staple holes to the upper left corner. Accompanied by two typed replies from Murray. Starting Bid $300
Early in WWII, President Roosevelt pledges the American manufacturing’s “full and uninterrupted production of the weapons and materials needed” by those “engaged in fighting the good fight for democracies”
406. Franklin D. Roosevelt WWII-Dated Typed Letter Signed as President, Pledging the “uninterrupted production of the weapons and materials” needed by those “fighting the good fight for democracies”. Significant World War II–dated TLS as president, one page, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, July 12, 1941. Letter to Matthew Woll, chairman of the American Labor Committee to Aid British Labor. In full: “The coming Aid British Labor Week, which is being sponsored by the American Labor Committee to Aid British Labor, deserves to have, and, I am sure will have, the whole hearted and enthusiastic support of Americans. It is fitting and proper that such a movement should be initiated by labor itself and it is natural that all groups should follow this leadership in making the highly commendable effort a success.
British workers are laboring ceaselessly and tirelessly for the cause of the democracy which is theirs and which they are determined not to surrender no matter what the sacrifice. In their supreme effort they deserve to have and they will have the whole hearted support of American workers who will see to it that there is full and uninterrupted production of the weapons and materials needed by their fellows engaged in fighting the good fight for democracies.
Every day our workers show their willingness and eagerness to serve this nation fully in the demands being made upon us to aid those whose way of life is our way of life. In this they share the determination of all those who are now united and working in the cause of democracy so that liberty and the priceless heritages we hold dear shall not be lost.” In fine condition.
In the summer of 1941, U.S. policy under President Franklin D. Roosevelt was focused on supporting the Allies while remaining officially neutral. Through the Lend-Lease Act, America sent vital military aid to Britain and, after June, to the Soviet Union following Germany’s invasion. At sea, the U.S. Navy was escorting convoys and engaging German submarines in an undeclared naval war in the Atlantic. Meanwhile, tensions with Japan escalated sharply after the U.S. froze Japanese assets and imposed an oil embargo in response to Japan’s moves in Southeast Asia. Though the United States had not yet entered the war, its actions made involvement increasingly likely as it aligned more openly against the Axis powers. Starting Bid $200
FDR writes Nevada’s
governor, seeking support for the Child Labor Amendment: “One of the most encouraging developments of the past few years is the general agreement that has been reached that child labor should be permanently abolished”
408. Franklin D. Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed as President: “Child labor should be permanently abolished”. TLS, one page, 8 x 10.5, The White House letterhead, January 4, 1937. Letter to the Governor Richard Kirman of Nevada, in full: “I am sure you will agree with me that one of the most encouraging developments of the past few years is the general agreement that has been reached that child labor should be permanently abolished. Outstanding gains were made under the N. R. A. codes which have been maintained in many establishments through the voluntary cooperation of employers.
However, it is clearly indicated that child labor, especially in low paid unstandardized types of work, is increasing. I am convinced that Nation-wide minimum standards are necessary and that a way should be found promptly to crystallize in legal safeguards public opinion in behalf of the elimination of child labor.
Do you not agree with me that ratification of the child labor amendment by the remaining 12 States whose action is necessary to place it in the Constitution is the obvious way to early achievement of our objective? I hope that you will feel that this can be made one of the major items in the legislative program of your State this year.” In fine condition, with toning from prior display.
Introduced by Congress in 1924, the Child Labor Amendment was a proposed amendment to the Constitution intended to give the federal government the power to regulate the labor of individuals under 18 years of age. It emerged in response to widespread concerns about child exploitation in the workforce during the early 20th century. Although it gained support from several states, the amendment ultimately failed to achieve the requisite three-fourths majority to become part of the Constitution. However, President Roosevelt’s letter to the governor of Nevada found success: the state quickly ratified the amendment mere weeks later, on January 29, 1937. Starting Bid $200
Two months after declaring war on Japan and America’s entrance into World War II—
“The paper weight which you had made from an engine part of a Japanese plane shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, has arrived and is now on my desk”
409. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Accepts a Birthday Gift Paperweight “made from an engine part of a Japanese plane shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941”. World War II-dated TLS as president, one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, February 10, 1942. Letter to Rear Admiral C. C. Bloch, commandant of the Fourteenth Naval District stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in full: “The paper weight which you had made from an engine part of a Japanese plane shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, has arrived and is now on my desk. Your kindness in remembering my birthday is deeply appreciated.” In his own hand, Roosevelt adds Bloch’s first name, “Claude,” to the salutation. In fine condition, with two file holes to the top edge.
Eleven days prior, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had celebrated his 60th birthday, roughly two months after the devastating Japanese aerial attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The following day, December 8th, Roosevelt delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress at the United States Capitol. The oration, one of the most famous in American political history, famously began with the words, ‘Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy…’ Thirty-three minutes after he finished speaking, Congress declared war against Japan and the U.S. officially entered WWII on the side of the Allies.
Claude C. Bloch (1878-1967) served as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet from 1938 to January 6, 1940. Following this assignment, he reverted to his permanent grade, rear admiral, and commanded the Fourteenth Naval District at Pearl Harbor at the time of the attack. Shortly before the attack, he and Admiral Husband E. Kimmel discussed the possible sighting and sinking of a submarine by the USS Ward. The two ordered that another ship be sent to investigate. Bloch was cleared of any responsibility for the unpreparedness of the U.S. forces during the attack, which was ultimately blamed on Admiral Husband E. Kimmel and General Walter Short; Bloch remained as commandant until April 1942. He later served on the General Board of the Navy from 1942, retiring from the Navy that year with the rank of admiral. Bloch was the highest-ranking Jewish officer in the armed forces until well after World War II. Starting Bid $500
Immense archive of over 700 photographs taken by an official Coast Guard cameraman while assigned in the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II
410. World War II: Henry J. Renzi’s Photographic Archive (700+) as a Coast Guard Cameraman During the European and Pacific Campaigns. World War II photographic archive of Henry J. Renzi (1921-2006), a photographer’s mate second class in the United States Coast Guard, who began his active service on January 27, 1943, and was honorably discharged on March 21, 1946. The archive contains over 700 photographs taken by Renzi during America’s involvement in World War II, in addition to several hundred of Renzi’s original negatives, which are presented in mediumto-larger format sizes. The photographs, mostly glossy and matte-finish, range in size from 4 x 2.5 to 14 x 11, with the majority (350+) either 8 x 10 or 10 x 8.
The photographs were taken by Renzi, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, during military assignments that carried him across the world as part of the U.S. Coast Guard. While a large portion of his photographs document his stays in areas like Hawaii, California, Scotland, and England, the archive is highlighted by Renzi’s time spent in the European and Pacific Theaters. Renzi was one of several Coast Guard cameramen who photographed the arrival of American LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank) during the Allied landings in France, and he was part of the U.S. forces that landed in locales like Saipan, Manila, and Okinawa during the Pacific Campaign. Renzi’s images offer a dynamic glimpse into his own wartime experience while also revealing the disparate natures of American military life, teetering from moments of quiet and jubilation to episodes of carnage and desperation. Given his enlistment as part of the Coast Guard, the archive features a noted emphasis on the lives and actions of maritime servicemen.
Included with the archive is Renzi’s original navy blue Coast Guard military dress uniform, consisting of his jumper top and bell-bottom trousers, with the former bearing a “Cravenette” label to inner collar, in addition to an abundance of his personal documents and ephemera, which includes Renzi’s U.S. Coast Guard Service card with lapel pin, an “Official Photographer U.S. Coast Guard” ID badge, an “Official U.S. War Photographer” patch, a U.S. Coast Guard second glass photographer’s patch, a vintage photographic copy of Renzi’s honorable discharge certificate, and a variety of personal photos, handwritten letters home, awards, and military memos dated to his time in the service. In overall very good to fine condition, with varying degrees of wear to photos, which includes creases, tears, and instances of emulsion loss. Starting Bid $200
Expansive
archive from the career of decorated
Army
officer Thomas Francis Hickey, featuring letters from George Patton (2), John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon (2)
411. Lt. Gen. Thomas Hickey’s 20th Century War Archive: WWI, WWII, and Korea, with Typed Letters Signed by Patton (2), Kennedy, Eisenhower, and Nixon (2). Remarkable, expansive archive from the distinguished career of United States Army officer Thomas Francis Hickey (1898–1983), who served from 1916 to 1958 and attained the rank of lieutenant general. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he held key commands including the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, and Third U.S. Army. Highly decorated, Hickey’s honors include the Purple Heart, Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Air Medal, and Legion of Merit. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
The archive is highlighted by two letters signed by George S. Patton, commending Hickey for efficiency in organizing a 1939 Military Demonstration and Pageant at Fort Myer, Virginia, and thanking him for a letter; a letter signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, appointing Hickey as director of the Net Evaluation Subcommittee; a letter signed by President John F. Kennedy, recognizing his vitally important work on that subcommittee; and two letters signed by Richard Nixon, thanking him for input concerning conflicts with Vietnam and North Korea. Other especially notable autographs include: Alexander M. Haig (TLS), Robert S. McNamara (TLS), F. Cardinal Spellman (3 TLSs), Mark W. Clark (SP and 6 TLSs), Geoffrey Keyes (2 TLSs), and Syngman Rhee (SP, signature faded).
Ephemera from throughout Hickey’s career includes:
- two World War I-era field message books, mostly filled out in pencil.
- a binder containing over 150 official papers from his early military career, ranging from 1917 through 1948, with letters and documents including military orders, extracts, and correspondence, many pieces marked “Confidential” or “Restricted,” with rosters of troops sent to France for duty in World War I, a small hand-drawn map of western Germany, daily reports, memoranda, and similar documents. Especially interesting are 1918 orders to “deceive the enemy as to the amount of activity in this sector” by halting vehicles, preferably under cover, during the passage of airplanes in daylight or clear nights.
- a binder containing over 130 official papers from his later career, ranging from 1949 to 1969, with various military travel orders, special orders, telegrams, memoranda, and official
correspondence.
- a variety of Hickey’s promotion certificates, chronicling his career from 1916 to 1954, with several chipped and torn on the edges.
- an oversized folding map headed “Gesamtplan von Wien,” demarcating areas controlled by the United States, Russia, France, and Britain.
- a WWII-era laminated, double-sided map of Mindanao Sea and Agusan Valley, Philippines, produced in 1944 by the Army Map Service.
- four WWII-era Army Air Forces silk maps from the Pacific Theater, labeled as “No. 20 Amboina / No. 21 Halmahera,” “No. 23 North Celebes / No. 24 South Celebes,” “No. C-41 Mindoro Island / No. C-42 Samar Island,” and “No. C-43 Mindanao Island / No. C-44, North Borneo.”
- a WWII-dated spiral-bound “Roster of General Officers, U.S. Army Forces, Pacific,” marked “Secret,” dated September 5, 1945.
- a booklet entitled “The Corps in Korea: A Brief Informal History of IX Corps,” reproduced by mimeograph process, Hq IX Corps, APR 14, 13 June 1955.
- a 40 x 26.5 World War I-era artillery guidon of Company F of the 7th Machine Gun Battalion, part of the 3rd Division, with frayed corners and a split to the central seam.
- a fine ‘sendai hira’ Japanese silk.
- a 43 x 31 Korean War-era flag of the 82nd Airborne Division, featuring its insignia at center, edged in golden fringe.
- a 47 x 30.5 Korean War-era flag of the IX Corps, featuring its insignia at center, edged in golden fringe.
- a 43 x 31 post-Korean War-era flag of the Third Army, featuring its insignia at center, edged in golden fringe.
- over 150 photos, ranging in size from 2.25 x 3.25 to 8 x 10, dating to World War I, World War II, and Korean War eras, showing a variety of subjects, with some affixed within a scrapbook. In addition to many photos showing Hickey himself, among the subjects depicted are Douglas MacArthur, Matthew Ridgway, Richard Nixon, Lyman Lemnitzer, the grave of General George S. Patton, cavalry troops, and Army athletics squads.
- a group of fourteen 9.5 x 7.5 photographs of Hickey’s retirement ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, all developed by the “Psy War Photo Lab.”
Full descriptions of the highlighted letters available online at www.RRAuction.com.Starting Bid $1000
“Freedom Is In Peril, Defend It With All Your Might”—rare pairing of iconic red-and-white Ministry of Information posters
412. World War II ‘Freedom Is In Peril’ and ‘Your Courage Will Bring Us Victory’ Rare British Propaganda Posters (Large). Rare pairing of original 19.75 x 29.75 posters published in 1939 by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Information, boasting the crown and text in white against a bright red full-bleed background: “Freedom Is In Peril, Defend It With All Your Might” and “Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory.” In overall good to very good condition, with some splitting to intersecting folds and tack holes to corners of the ‘Freedom Is In Peril Poster,’ surface loss to the edges of the ‘Your Courage’ poster, and a few substantial edge tears to both (some with inexpert repairs on the reverse); interestingly, very well done blueprint-style schematics of airplanes have been sketched on the reverse of both posters. A superb pairing from the same series as the iconic ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ poster. Starting Bid $300
413. World War II (4) Maps of France. Group of four World War II–era British maps of France prepared by the “Geographical Section, General Staff,” and published by the War Office, circa 1943, ranging in size from 30 x 22 to 34 x 22, highlighted by a “First Edition” map of Domfront (“Sheet 7 G/I”), plus “Second Edition” maps of Periers (“Sheet 5 F/2&6 F/I”), Torigni-Sur-Vire (“Sheet 6 F/4”), and Coutances (“Sheet 6 F/3”). All are extremely detailed, portraying the regions at a scale of 1:50,000 and denoting main roads, secondary roads, foot paths, railways, forts, and power cables. Rolled and in very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing and edgewear. Starting Bid $200
414. World War II Anti-American Propaganda Poster by Gino Boccasile. Original World War II-era color 27.25 x 39.25 anti-American propaganda poster by Italian illustrator Gino Boccasile, circa 1944, depicting an African-American soldier selling the looted ‘Venus de Milo’ statue for the small sum of $2. Professionally linen backed, rolled, and in fine condition, with flattened folds and minor professional restorations. Starting Bid $200
Eisenhower announces the
“the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe”
415. World War II Cipher Message: Eisenhower’s Total Ceasefire Order (May 7, 1945), Announcing the “unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe”. Historically important original “Cipher Message” purple ink telex document sent to the British Second Army Main Headquarters to announce the end of World War II in Europe, one page, 8.25 x 11.75, containing Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s total ceasefire order, as transmitted by SHAEF Forward at 0410 on May 7, 1945. The document is headed “FWD-20801. Confidential.” and marked “Most Immediate 040410B” at lower right. Received and printed at Lt. Gen. Miles Dempsey’s Second Army Headquarters less than an hour and a half after Germany signed the preliminary surrender document in Reims, the text reads: “PARA 1. A representative of the German High Command signed the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command at 0141 hours Central European Time, 7 May under which all forces will cease active operations at 0001B hours 9 May. PARA 2. Effective immediately all offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force will cease and troops will remain in present positions. Moves involved in occupational duties will continue. Due to difficulties of communication there may be some delay in similar orders reaching enemy troops so full defensive precautions will be taken. PARA 3. Down to and including Divs, Tac Air Commands and Groups, Base Sections, and equivalent. NO repeat NO release will be made to the press pending an announcement by the heads of the three governments.” Interestingly, the telex is printed on the reverse of an unused German ledger page—perhaps owing to wartime material scarcities. In fine condition, with slight edge chipping The present message was the fourth and final one sent by Eisenhower after the German surrender, which had been signed in Reims at 0241 hours. It was, however, arguably the most significant—the first three were addressed to American and British chiefs of staff, briefly confirming the fulfillment of their mission and encouraging the coordination of a tri-government announcement. This dispatch, Eisenhower’s fourth message, represents the first announcement of the end of the war made to the three million soldiers still serving as part of the Allied Expeditionary Force. As the notice of the war’s end directed to the troops under his command, it is of the utmost historical significance. Starting Bid $300
416. World War II Teleprinter Message: Eisenhower’s Total Ceasefire Order (May 7, 1945), Transmitted by 1st Canadian Army. Historically important original teleprinter document transmitted by the 1st Canadian Army to all of its subordinate units, one page, 8.25 x 9.75, containing Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s total ceasefire order, as transmitted by SHAEF Forward at 0410 on May 7, 1945. Authorized by R. Austin and transmitted at 0430, the document reads, in part: “A representative of the German High Command signed the unconditional…surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command at zero one four one hours Central European Time, 7 May under which all forces will cease active operations at zero zero zero one baker hours nine May…Effective immediately all offensive operations by Allied Expeditionary Force will cease and troops will remain in present positions. Moves involved in occupational duties will continue. Due to difficulties of communication there may be some delay in similar orders reaching enemy troops so full defensive precautions will be taken…No repeat no release will be made to the press pending an announcement by the heads of the three governments.” In fine condition, with some light staining.
The present message was a re-transmission of the fourth and final cable sent by Eisenhower after the German surrender, which had been signed in Reims at 0241 hours. It was, however, arguably the most significant—the first three were addressed to American and British chiefs of staff, briefly confirming the fulfillment of their mission and encouraging the coordination of a tri-government announcement. This dispatch, Eisenhower’s fourth message, represents his first announcement of the end of the war made to the three million soldiers still serving as part of the Allied Expeditionary Force. Recipient formations then retransmitted the message to their own subordinate units, as seen with this example. Starting Bid $300
“Full victory in Europe has been attained”— original mimeograph of Eisenhower’s ‘Victory Order of the Day’
417. World War II: ‘Victory Order of the Day’ from V-E Day (May 8, 1945). Original mimeographed ‘Victory Order of the Day’ signed in facsimile by Brig. Gen. T. J. Davis under the direction of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, one page both sides, 8 x 10.5, May 8, 1945. The order, distributed to chiefs of all general and special staff divisions, contains the text of Eisenhower’s famous order proclaiming victory in Europe. In part: “The crusade on which we embarked in the early summer of 1944 has reached its glorious conclusion. It is my especial privilege, in the name of all nations represented in this theater of war, to commend each of you for the valiant performance of duty. Though these words are feeble, they come from the bottom of a heart overflowing with pride in your loyal service and admiration for you as warriors.
Your accomplishments at sea, in the air, on the ground and in the field of supply have astonished the world. Even before the final week of the conflict you had put 5,000,000 of the enemy permanently out of the war. You have taken in stride military tasks so difficult as to be classed by many doubters as impossible. You have confused, defeated and destroyed your savagely fighting foe. On the road to victory you have endured every discomfort and privation and have surmounted every obstacle ingenuity and desperation could throw in your path. You did not pause until our front was firmly joined up with the great Red army coming from the east and other allied forces coming from the south.
Full victory in Europe has been attained.” In fine condition, with central vertical and horizontal folds. Originates from the personal archives of Major General George ‘Bobby’ Erskine, a British World War II general who served as head of the SHAEF mission to Belgium from June 1944–August 1945. Starting Bid $300
“General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly over all Europe”
418. World War II: V-E Day Proclamation White House Press Release. Original mimeographed White House press release, one page, 8 x 14, containing the text of President Harry S. Truman’s proclamation issued on V-E Day, May 8, 1945. Headed “Hold For Release,” the document begins: “The following address of the President, to be broadcast in connection with the surrender of Germany, must be held in confidence until the delivery of the address has begun.” It contains the address given by President Truman, followed by the text of his formal proclamation of victory. The speech begins: “This is a solemn but a glorious hour. I only wish that Franklin D. Roosevelt had lived to witness this day. General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly over all Europe.
For this victory, we join in offering our thanks to the Providence which has guided and sustained us through the dark days of adversity.
Our rejoicing is sobered and subdued by a supreme consciousness of the terrible price we have paid to rid the world of Hitler and his evil band. Let us not forget, my fellow Americans, the sorrow and the heartache which today abide in the homes of so many of our neighbors-neighbors whose most priceless possession has been rendered as a sacrifice to redeem our liberty…
We must work to finish the war. Our victory is but half-won. The West is free, but the East is still in bondage to the treacherous tyranny of the Japanese. When the last Japanese division has surrendered unconditionally, then only will our fighting job be done.” In fine condition, with a slightly rough left edge. Starting Bid $200
Official press release of President Truman’s V-E
Day messages, recognizing the “unconditional and abject surrender of the Nazi barbarians”
419. World War II: V-E Day White House Press Release (May 8, 1945).
Original mimeographed White House press release, one page, 8 x 14, documenting the messages sent by President Harry S. Truman to Allied leaders on V-E Day, May 8, 1945. The document provides the text of messages sent by Truman to Winston S. Churchill. Joseph Stalin, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Charles de Gaulle. In part: “The President today sent the following message to Prime Minister Churchill: ‘With the unconditional surrender of all the armies of Nazidom and the liberation of the oppressed people of Europe from the evils of barbarism, I wish to express to you, and through you to Britain’s heroic Army, Navy and Air Forces, our congratulations on their achievements…To Marshal Stalin: ‘Now that the Nazi armies of aggression have been forced by the coordinated efforts of Soviet-Anglo-American forces to an unconditional surrender, I wish to express to you and through you to your heroic Army the appreciation and congratulations of the United States Government on its splendid contribution to the cause of civilization and liberty…
To General Eisenhower: ‘In recognition of the unconditional and abject surrender of the Nazi barbarians, please accept the fervent congratulations and appreciation of myself and of the American people for the heroic achievements of your Allied Army, Navy and Air Forces. By their sacrifices, skill and courage they have saved and exalted the cause of freedom throughout the world…
To General De Gaulle: ‘The Nazi forces of barbarian aggression having now been driven into an unconditional surrender by our allied armies, this is an appropriate time to send through you America’s congratulations to the people of France on their permanent liberation from the oppression they have endured with high courage for so long.” In fine condition, with toning to the top, and a slightly rough left edge. Starting Bid $200
Stunning limited edition print of Eisenstaedt’s enduring ‘V-J Day in Times Square’
656. Alfred Eisenstaedt ‘V-J Day in Times Square’ Limited Edition Oversized Signed Photograph. Marvelous limited edition 13.5 x 19 silver gelatin print of Alfred Eisenstaedt’s iconic photograph entitled ‘V-J Day in Times Square,’ numbered 233/250, signed in the lower border in black felt tip by the photographer, “Eisenstaedt.” Annotated on the reverse in another hand in pencil: “Print made in Time Life photo lab, 1994, V-J Day, Times Square, New York City, 1945 by Alfred Eisenstaedt.” Handsomely matted and framed to an overall size of 25 x 30. In very fine condition.
Captured by Alfred Eisenstaedt with his beloved Leica amidst the jubilant V-J Day celebration in Times Square on August 14, 1945, this famous image has come to symbolize American victory in World War II. It was first published in a ‘Victory Celebrations’ montage in Life Magazine a week later, captioned: ‘In New York’s Times Square a white-clad girl clutches her purse and skirt as an uninhibited sailor plants his lips squarely on hers.’ The spontaneity of the scene led to the anonymity of the subjects—Eisenstaedt had no time to get their names and details. Although several men and women have claimed to be in the image, their identities have never been proven—resulting in one of the great mysteries in the history of American popular culture. Widely published and universally recognized, this is one of the enduring images of the 20th century. Starting Bid $1000
Portable M-209 cipher machine, as used by American troops on the front lines in WWII
977. WWII American M-209-B Cipher Machine. Desirable World War II–era American M-209-B mechanical pinand-lug cipher machine, measuring 7.25˝ x 5.25˝ x 3.5˝, identified on the plate on the top of the case: “Signal Corps, Converter M-209-B, 79306:CACH, 19449-PHILA-44-24.” Held inside the top of the case are the oiler, screwdriver, paper tape, and tweezers. Also includes the original olive drab canvas carrying bag, marked “M-209-B” on the front, with the front pocket containing a spare reel of paper tape, TM11-380 War Department Technical Manual, and Signal Corps Message Book M-210.
The M-209 is a portable hand-operated mechanical cipher machine initially developed in the late 1930s by the entrepreneur and inventor, Boris Hagelin. Hagelin fled Sweden for the United States at the outbreak of WWII and worked with the US Military to refine his cipher machine design. The M-209 was the result of this collaboration and the machine would be used by the US during WWII, as well as many other countries for decades after the end of the war. The relationship between Hagelin and the US goes much deeper than the collaborations during WWII: a February 2020 article in the Washington Post detailed the secret relationship Hagelin had with the CIA and German Intelligence services. The development of the M-209 led to one of the biggest intelligence operations in CIA history, known as ‘Operation Rubicon.’ In this operation the CIA used their secret technique to allow them to read all of the M-209 and other Hagelin cipher machine-enciphered messages until 2018.
This rotor-based cipher machine does not require electricity and is lightweight and durable, making it perfectly suited for tactical front line use. While the code generated by the M-209 was not as strong as the Enigma code, and could sometimes be read within 4 to 24 hours by the Germans, it was considered secure enough for tactical messages that were of no value after that length of time. The key is set by using the six adjustable cipher wheels with moveable lugs. Text is entered letter-by-letter using the selector wheel on the left side, and the encoded output letter is printed on the narrow paper strip. Starting Bid $500
Desirable circa 1943 German Enigma I cipher machine, housed in a ‘war trophy’ Enigma transport case
975. WWII German Enigma I Cipher Machine
(c. 1943). Sought-after World War II-era three-rotor Enigma I electromechanical cipher machine built for the German military by Heimsoeth and Rinke in Berlin in 1943. Based on the chassis of the commercial Enigma D, the Enigma I machine was the standard Enigma machine used by the German military throughout the war. It features an ebonite Steckerbrett [plugboard] on the front, which was exclusive to the German armed forces and exponentially increased the complexity of the code. This version of the Enigma is sometimes referred to as the Heeres [Army] Enigma, Wehrmacht Enigma, or Luftwaffe Enigma due to its military-specific application.
The Enigma machine is housed in an original oak Enigma case with hinged lid and hinged front panel, with serial number plate “A16878/ jla/43” on the keyboard. The three included rotors—marked “I,” “II,” and “III”—carry matching serial numbers matching that of the machine, “A16878,” as does the reflector, indicating that all were issued together in 1943. Stored inside the lid are two spare Stecker cables, ten spare light bulbs, a replica contrast screen, and replica “Zur Beachtung” instructions for cleaning, use, and troubleshooting. The inner front panel is stamped “Klappe Schliessen [Keep Closed]” and boasts the iconic oval-shaped “Enigma” brand. The case also retains its brown leather carrying handle on the rear.
This Enigma machine has an unusual history: it was discovered in an old wood shed in Antwerp, Belgium in 2017. Upon discovery, the machine was missing the plugboard, the wooden transport case, and the plug cables. Extensive restoration was undertaken, which included disassembly and cleaning, lubrication, testing, and repairs with both original and replica parts. An original Steckerbrett plugboard was sourced from a damaged, corroded ‘donor’ Enigma, and rewired using c. 1960s coated wire; the machine’s original plugboard wiring had been intentionally severed, perhaps by German troops to disable the device while under threat of capture. Since no original batteries have survived, this machine has also been modified to accept two modern C batteries. Thanks to this restoration, the Enigma machine operates at about 75% functionality—occasional key pushes fail to result in a lighted indicator.
Once restored, the Enigma I was installed within an original oak Enigma case (though not original to this machine), which was acquired from the family of a United States soldier who served in Europe during World War II. The soldier had sent the empty case—filled with items he had acquired during his time in Europe—back home to his address in Keyser, West Virginia, which is inscribed on the top of the lid, along with the
soldier’s return address. The transport case remains in exceptional condition, exhibiting appropriate patina for its age and history.
The three rotors included are especially desirable as they are original to the machine, with matching numbers: mismatches are typical of field-used machines, as the interchangeable rotors were often swapped out at German outposts. These rotors demonstrate a progression in design, which evolved as resources became scarce over the course of the war. The earliest rotors featured an all-metal construction, while later examples had Bakelite thumbwheels and ratchet wheels; these Bakelite examples are representative of the redesign.
Each rotor can display one of its 26 numerals through the three windows in the machine’s cover. They have spring-loaded brass contacts on the sides corresponding to each of the 26 numbers, and they may be arranged in any order on the internal shaft. The specific settings of the rotors and plugboard were determined on a daily basis via a secret codebook that allowed the German forces to synchronize their Enigma machines.
The Enigma machine has a standard German “QWERTZ” keyboard with 26 white-on-black keys, with matching “QWERTZ” lighted display. When a key is pressed, the corresponding encoded letter—as determined by the specific arrangement of the rotor wheels and plugboard—is illuminated. The rightmost rotor steps once each time a key is pressed. At an adjustable point it triggers the middle rotor to step, and so on. Through this mechanism, an easily crackable simple substitution cipher is avoided—letters are not encoded the same way twice. An encoded message would be written down and transmitted, usually via radio telegraph (a standard World War II-era German Wehrmacht Baumuster T1 telegraph key is included with this machine). In order to decode a message, the Enigma machine on the receiving end would have to be set up with the plugboard and rotor wheels in the same pattern as the sending Enigma: when the encoded message was typed in, the decoded letters would light up, revealing the secret message one character at a time.
Includes a modern reprint of the Enigma operator manual in German and a photocopy of the soldier’s enlistment record, showing that he served in campaigns at Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.
First patented in 1918 by Arthur Scherbius, the Enigma machine was developed for use in the transmission of confidential information: in addition to its obvious military and diplomatic applications, the machine found commercial use for the encryption of sensitive financial data. The German military adopted the Enigma as its primary cipher in 1926, after learning that the British had intercepted and interpreted coded German naval messages during World War I. Amidst the subsequent buildup of German forces, Poland felt particularly vulnerable—having been ceded disputed border territories by the Treaty of Versailles—and sought to crack the Enigma.
Genius Polish codebreakers—led by Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Rozycki, and Henryk Zygalski—developed techniques for the decryption of Enigma code, and turned over their research to Allied counterparts after Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland. Alan Turing and the other brilliant codebreakers at Bletchley Park continued their important work, speeding up the time it took to decode Enigma messages. The code breaking efforts at Bletchley Park led to the development of the world’s first computers as technology was pushed to defeat German cipher machines. Historians agree that these decoded messages shortened World War II by about two years, perhaps denying Nazi Germany the time needed to develop nuclear weapons. As a functional, war-dated example of the German military’s Enigma machine with a unique story, this piece is truly a marvel of technological and military history. Starting Bid $1000
Portable M-209 cipher machine, as used by American troops on the front lines in WWII
978. Swiss NEMA Model 45 Cipher Machine - Successor to Enigma. Wellpreserved original Swiss NEMA Model 45 cipher machine, serial no. TD-599, developed by Zellweger AG in Uster, Switzerland, during World War II as a replacement for the German Enigma Model K that was being used by the Swiss Army. The machine is also known as T-D, which stands for Tasten-Drücker Maschine (key-press machine).
The electro-mechanical wheelbased cipher machine features ten wheels: four electrical rotors with 26 contacts at each end, one electrical reflector with 26 pairwise cross connected contacts, and five drive wheels that control the stepping of the rotors and reflector. The stepping mechanism is adjustable and irregular, making the machine much less predictable than its predecessor—and therefore far more difficult to crack.
This wartime NEMA machine was stored away to be used in the event of a war—the three-language label on the lid reads (translated), “Only issue in case of war mobilization!”—and it shows only minor signs of wear. It is in very good working condition and accompanied by an operator’s manual as well as two original keys to the metal NEMA carrying case. Two spare rotors are stored in the lid, and the original external power cord and external lamp panel are also included.
During WWII, the Swiss Army used a modified version of the German-made commercial Enigma Model K machine. After the Swiss discovered that their Enigma K traffic was being read by both the Allied forces and the Germans, they started the development of their own improved machine, which they called NEMA, derived from “NEue MAschine [NEw MAchine].”
The NEMA cipher machine was developed between 1941 and 1943, and the first prototype was ready in early 1944. After a few modifications and improvements, the machine was finally approved in March 1945. Production started in 1946, with the first machines entering service in 1947. The NEMA was used by the Swiss Army in the years following WWII, and by the Swiss Diplomatic Service. The NEMA was officially declassified in 1992. Starting Bid $1000
“Bonaparte” levies a punishing tax on his newfound subjects: “The Jews of Cairo, not having participated in the extraordinary contribution, will pay a sum of one hundred fifty thousand francs”
431. Napoleon Document Signed, Levying a Tax on the Jews of Cairo. Manuscript DS in French, signed “Bonaparte,” one page, 8 x 12.5, Republique Francaise letterhead, June 16, 1799. Significant document reflecting Napoleon Bonaparte’s attitude toward the Jews in French-occupied Cairo, Egypt. In full (translated): “The Jews of Cairo, not having participated in the extraordinary contribution, will pay a sum of one hundred fifty thousand francs, to be deposited in the coffers of the paymaster general from now until the 10th Messidor [June 28, 1799]. An overdue charge of five percent for each day will be added to the sums not yet paid at this time.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing, and light creasing the left edge.
This significant document dates to Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt and Syria, which he proclaimed to ‘defend French trade interests’ and to establish ‘scientific enterprise’ in the region. One of the campaign’s enduring legacies was discovery of the Rosetta Stone on July 15, 1799, inspiring a burst of Egyptomania across Europe. This document relates to the aftermath of the Revolt of Cairo, launched by the city’s citizens against Bonaparte’s occupation in October 1798, which was summarily put down by the French Army. To punish Cairo’s citizenry, Bonaparte levied a heavy tax upon the city and replaced its divan government with a military commission. Evidently, the Jewish population had not participated in “the extraordinary contribution,” and by this decree met their comeuppance: charged with a sum of 150,000 francs, to increase at a usurious rate of 5% daily.
Napoleon Bonaparte’s attitudes toward the Jews were complex and often contradictory. On one hand, he advocated for Jewish freedoms and equality, granting them civil rights in France and the territories he controlled while encouraging their integration into broader society. He convened the Assembly of Jewish Notables and the Grand Sanhedrin to align Jewish practices with French law, reflecting his belief in a unified, loyal citizenry. However, he also imposed restrictions in some regions, such as the 1808 ‘Infamous Decree,’ which limited Jewish money lending and economic activities. Ultimately, Napoleon’s policies were driven less by genuine concern for Jewish welfare and more by his vision of a centralized, orderly state. Starting Bid $300
432. Napoleon Letter Signed, Directing Cavalry Horses from Bremen. Manuscript DS in French, signed “Np,” one page, 7.25 x 9, March 19, 1813. Cavalry-related military document, in full (translated): “Monsieur le Comte de Cessac, many horses from Bremen could not be received for the Ninth Lancers because there were no men available to take them. Give General Boursier orders to have these horses taken. May God keep you in His holy care. Trianon, March 19, 1813.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
433. Thaddeus Kosciuszko ThirdPerson Autograph Letter Signed. Polish military engineer and a military leader (1746-1817) who became a national hero in Poland, Belarus, and the United States. ALS in French, signed “General Kosciuszko,” one page, 6.75 x 4.25, no date. Untranslated handwritten letter from Thaddeus Kosciuszko sent to Minister Crawford, declining to dine with him due to a prior engagement. Affixed to a 9.5 x 6.25 album page and in very good to fine condition, with scattered light stains. Starting Bid $200
Aviation
Image
577. Amelia Earhart Signed Photograph. Vintage glossy 2.75 x 3.5 photo of Amelia Earhart wearing her aviator’s flight jacket, boldly signed in fountain pen. Nicely double-matted and framed to an overall size of 8 x 9. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
larger than actual size.
In the winter of 1909, Orville Wright and his sister, Katharine, take to the skies of Pau, France, aboard the hydrogen balloon Icare
578. Orville and Katharine Wright Signed Photograph - The Flight of the Hydrogen Balloon Icare over Pau, France (February 25, 1909).
Vintage original matte-finish 5 x 3.5 photo of Marquis Edgard de Kergariou, Ernest Zens, Orville Wright, and Katharine Wright about to ascend in the hydrogen balloon ‘Icare’ in Pau, France, signed by each in fountain pen, with Katharine adding the date and location below, “February 25, 1909, Pau.” Double-matted and framed to an overall size of 9 x 7. In very good to fine condition, with uniform fading to the image, and poor contrast to Orville’s heavily faded signature. A gorgeous and one-of-a-kind piece of aviation history. In early 1909, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were in Pau, France, demonstrating their revolutionary flying machine to European audiences, including royalty, military officials, and aviation enthusiasts. Their goal was to secure international recognition and contracts for their aircraft, solidifying their place as pioneers of aviation. These demonstrations showcased the Wright Flyer’s capabilities, including controlled flight and passenger-carrying, and were a critical step in proving the practicality of their invention. Pau, located in southwestern France, was chosen for its favorable weather and open spaces, ideal for flight trials. During this period, the Wright brothers not only captured the imagination of the public but also trained notable aviators, cementing their legacy as the architects of modern aviation. This era marked a turning point in aviation history, as the Wrights transitioned from inventors to global innovators.
The consignor notes that this photograph likely originated from the collection of Ernest Zens, a prominent French aeronaut and ballooning enthusiast during the early 20th century, known for his leadership in hot air ballooning and his contributions to the advancement of aviation. Active in an era of rapid aeronautical innovation, Zens was instrumental in organizing and leading balloon ascents, often collaborating with pioneers of flight, such as the Wright brothers. In 1909, Zens participated in events in Pau, France, where he piloted balloon rides, including one that carried Orville Wright and his sister Katharine. His work reflected the seamless connection between early ballooning and the burgeoning field of powered aviation, as both sought to expand humanity’s mastery of the skies. Zens’ efforts helped elevate ballooning as both a sport and a scientific pursuit, contributing to the era’s growing fascination with air travel.
Edgar Marie Louis Auguste de Kergariou, Marquis de Kergariou (1884–1948), was a French military officer and politician. A veteran of World War I, he ended his military career as a lieutenant colonel, earning the Croix de Guerre (1914–1918) and the Légion d’Honneur. After retiring, he entered politics and served as mayor of Lannion from 1929 to 1943 under the Independent Radicals. In 1938, he was elected to the French Senate after a competitive race and joined the Union Démocratique et Radicale group, contributing to the Public Works and Air Commissions. On July 10, 1940, he voted to grant full powers to Marshal Pétain and withdrew from parliamentary life shortly thereafter. He was later appointed ambassador to Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1943. Starting Bid $300
Observing the “close relationship between the navigation of the sea and the air,”
Zeppelin
seeks advice from a naval officer
579. Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin Typed Letter Signed on Airship Design and “the close relationship between the navigation of the sea and the air”. German engineer (1838–1917) who designed the famous rigid airship that bears his name. TLS in German, signed “G. v. Zeppelin,” one page, 8.75 x 11.25, September 3, 1910. Letter to Sea Captain Marwede of the Nautical Department, in full (translated): “The close relationship between the navigation of the sea and the air has always caused me to seek advice and additional support from the navy. It would give me especial pleasure and satisfaction to gain a senior and widely travelled naval officer as a colleague. However a situation does not exist within my business which in a reasonable time would offer such a satisfying role. The greater part of a year is required for the design and construction of an airship, whereas the flight testing, which must as a high priority also be carried out by the construction engineer before the machine goes to the customer, is carried out in a few days or weeks. It is possible that with the further evolution of airship construction and especially if the navy begins to order ships that an alteration would come in and it would give me great pleasure if we could then perhaps work in closer association.” In fine condition. Superior content on airships from their namesake creator. Starting Bid $200
Space Exploration
586. Moonwalkers (9) Signed Books. Group lot of eight books signed by a total of nine Apollo moonwalkers, the majority hardcover with dust jackets, all signed on an opening page in ink or felt tip by one or more astronauts, which includes: Alan Bean and Charles Conrad (Apollo: An Eyewitness Account, also signed by CMP Richard Gordon), Buzz Aldrin (Encounter with Tiber, ins), Charlie Duke (Moonwalker, also signed by Dotty Duke), Jim Irwin (To Rule the Night, ins), Edgar Mitchell (The Way of the Explorer, collector’s edition), Harrison Schmitt (Return to the Moon, ins), Dave Scott (Two Sides of the Moon), and Alan Shepard (Moon Shot). Also includes a first edition of Liftoff, which is signed by Michael Collins. In overall fine condition, with some wear to the Irwin dust jacket. Starting Bid $200
Coveted Apollo 11 ‘Type 1’ insurance cover
587. Apollo 11 Crew-Signed ‘Type 1’ Insurance Cover. Immensely desirable Apollo 11 ‘Type 1’ insurance cover with a color cachet of lunar surface activities, postmarked at Houston on July 20, 1969, the moon landing date of the Lunar Module Eagle, signed in black felt tip prior to launch by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. These historic covers were flown to Houston after launch for cancellation by Apollo 10 Commander Tom Stafford in his T-38 jet. In very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. The famous insurance covers, first produced for Apollo 11, were to provide financial security for astronauts’ families in case of disaster. They have earned near-legendary status as the ultimate space-related philatelic item and one of the most sought-after formats for astronaut autographs.
Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from Zarelli Space Authentication. Starting Bid $500
“Best wishes to Anthony N. Kontaratos”—original ‘Splashdown Party’ program signed by the Apollo 11 astronauts and Wernher von Braun and presented to the brilliant Greek NASA scientist who designed the ‘mailbox’ that saved the Apollo 13 mission
588. Apollo 11 and Wernher von Braun Signed ‘Splashdown Party’ Program - Presented to the NASA Scientist Who Helped Save the Apollo 13 Astronauts. Magnificent ‘Apollo Program Office’ program for the Apollo 11 ‘Splashdown Party,’ 9.75 x 12.75, held in honor of the first lunarlanding mission at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on September 9, 1969, signed and inscribed in black ink, “Best wishes to Anthony N. Kontaratos – M. Collins,” in black ballpoint, “Neil Armstrong,” in blue ballpoint, “Buzz Aldrin,” and in black felt tip, “Wernher von Braun.” Archivally double-matted and framed to an overall size of 27.25 x 24, which features a photo of the Apollo 11 crew in their white space suits and a photo of Von Braun, the NASA Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, and President John F. Kennedy at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on November 16, 1963. In fine condition. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from Zarelli Space Authentication. A rare memento from this exclusive celebration, made all the more desirable by the signature combination; items signed by von Braun and the full Apollo 11 crew are seldom encountered.
The program’s recipient, Anthony Kontaratos (1933-2009), was a revered Greek NASA scientist who served as Chief of Space Applications and Space Physiology at Bellcomm, Inc., the exclusive Technical Advisor to NASA’s Manned Flight Directorate, from 1965 to 1976. His work made him a member of the small group of Wernher von Braun’s close associates, who were responsible for designing and implementing the Apollo program to send humans to the moon. In this position, Kontaratos was head of a team of 16 experts from various disciplines – from biophysicists and psychologists to mathematicians and chemists – who served as NASA’s consultants on the health and safety problems of the Apollo astronauts and the interplanetary manned flights von Braun was envisioning.
Kontaratos’s greatest achievement, however, was his life-saving contribution made during the precious early stages of the Apollo 13 disaster. After an oxygen tank in the service module exploded two days into the mission, the Apollo 13 astronauts moved into the Lunar Module Aquarius, which had an oxygen supply designed for two men for two days. The three-man crew began to carefully ration their oxygen tanks, but they still needed to find a way to remove the mounting carbon dioxide levels. Engineers scrambled for a solution, and it was Kontaratos who conceived the design of a makeshift adapter for the LM’s lithium hydroxide canister; this fix, known famously as the ‘mailbox’ solution, allowed the square CM canisters to fit into the round LM system, removing CO? efficiently and preventing suffocation. Kontaratos, who received NASA’s Apollo Achievement Award in 1969, was even asked to play himself in Ron Howard’s 1993 Apollo 13 film — he did. Starting Bid $500
Art, Architecture, and Design
“I am too nervous to be able to pose. It is something that has always been painful for me”
658. Henri Matisse Autograph Letter Signed: “I am too nervous to be able to pose. It is something that has always been painful for me”. ALS in French, signed “H. Matisse,” one page, 5.25 x 7.25, November 2, 1949. Handwritten letter to a friend, declining to pose for a portrait. In full (translated): “I am quite upset about having to write to you that I am too nervous to be able to pose. It is something that has always been painful for me. I have never been able to pose even for Marquet 50 years ago. Please believe, dear friend, in my regrets and in my best wishes.” In fine condition. At this time in his life Matisse said that all he could do was work, dreading the daily confrontation with form and color on the canvas and could not face it without the consoling human presence of the pretty young girls he paid to pose for him: ‘That’s what keeps me there, surrounded by my fruit and flowers which I get to grips with little by little, almost without noticing and then I wait for the thunderbolt that is bound to follow.’ The young women who posed for him all learned to live and work in the atmosphere of almost unbearable tension generated by Matisse’s effort to express his emotions on canvas—an effort that drained all his strength. As evidenced here, he felt the same tension as when asked to pose himself. Henri Matisse and Albert Marquet were close friends and fellow artists who studied together at the École des Beaux-Arts under Gustave Moreau. They both became key figures in the Fauvist movement, often painting side by side and sharing a mutual respect for each other’s work. In 1899, Marquet did paint a portrait of Matisse, now held in the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. Starting Bid $300
659.
Peter
Max Original Oversized Artwork
- ‘Liberty Heads’. Wonderful original artwork by acclaimed pop artist Peter Max, entitled ‘Liberty Heads,’ depicting a pair of stylized stacked heads of the Statue of Liberty surrounded by squiggled lines, accomplished in multi-colored marker on an off-white 13.5 x 21.5 sheet of artist paper, which is signed below in thick black marker, “Max.” Impressively double-matted and framed to an overall size of 24 x 32. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Desperate for money, Gauguin turns to friends for help: “I can’t make a deal without talking to Van Gogh, who keeps the prices higher”
657. Paul Gauguin Autograph Letter Signed on Art: “I can’t make a deal without talking to Van Gogh, who keeps the prices higher”. ALS in French, signed “P. G.,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 4 x 6, no date but circa 1889. Handwritten letter to painter, art teacher, and collector Emile Schuffenecker, in part (translated): “2 words in a hurry…. I have, it is true, more than need of money at the moment, but I have credit. I cannot accept the press, feeling obliged with a knife at my throat, it would be a deplorable example! Besides that, I can’t make a deal without talking to Van Gogh, who keeps the prices higher.” He discusses the difficulty of making profitable deals in the present art market (“I therefore write to him for a deal of (200 Francs less commission less frame is equal to almost zero) he will have to deal that with him”) and mentions that he cannot fulfill a request as he does not have 40 francs (“What a nightmare to be held back by trifles every time it comes to work”). In fine condition.
A painter, art teacher, and collector—most notably one of Van Gogh’s earliest collectors—Emile Schuffenecker was one of
Gauguin’s closest friends, and an outspoken supporter of his artistic career. He was also responsible for proposing the important 1889 exhibition at the Volpini Gallery, which became a key moment in Gauguin’s career, expanding his influence on young painters. In late 1887 or early 1888, Gauguin traded his canvas ‘On the Shore of the Lake, Martinique’ to Vincent Van Gogh in exchange for two small paintings of sunflowers that the great Dutchman had completed the previous summer. Gauguin hung them above his bed when he lived in Paris on Rue Boulard with Emile Schuffenecker, and they remained there during his voyages in the South Seas. Desperate for money by 1896, Gauguin decided to finally part with these prized possessions; they were ultimately purchased by the art dealer Ambroise Vollard for 225 francs a piece. Today, one of the canvases resides in the collection of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. A rare and significant association piece connecting several important artistic figures of the Post-Impressionist movement. Starting Bid $1000
Monet writes to French novelist Lucien Descaves, a founding member of the Académie Goncourt
660. Claude Monet Autograph Letter Signed to Novelist Lucien Descaves, a Founding Member of the Académie Goncourt. ALS in pencil, in French, two pages, 5 x 7, Giverny par Vernon letterhead, July 6, 1914. Handwritten letter to his friend, the author Lucien Descaves, arranging a meeting. In full (translated): “It’s agreed for Thursday morning. You are to catch the 8:32 train at St. Guyner par Vernon, where you will find my car. I am working very hard at the moment, but I take a rest from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You are not bothering me at all and I will be delighted to see you and Mrs. Descaves. I have written to [Gustave] Geffroy, and I hope he is not in ill health. In all friendship and see you Thursday.” Impressively cloth-matted and framed with a portrait to an overall size of 26.5 x 18. In fine condition.
Claude Monet with his family to Giverny in 1883 where he enjoyed continued artistic and commercial success for the rest of his life. His friend, Lucien Descaves, was also a great creative mind. A novelist and founding member of the Académie Goncourt, a French literary society founded in opposition to Académie française, Descaves was a frequent visitor to Monet’s house at Giverny. Gustave Geffroy, who Monet mentions in the letter, was an author and art critic as well as a fellow founding member of Académie Goncourt who admired Monet. Geffroy was one of the first historians of the Impressionist art movement, with his publication of Histoire de l’impressionnisme in 1892, and a loyal champion of Claude Monet. The letter provides important evidence of how these three creative minds arranged time together for the exchange of artistic ideas. Starting Bid $300
Picasso writes to Apollinaire
about his Cubist
portrait:
“I think—and I want it to be printed in black and in no other way—that you should prevent any printing in another color”
661. Pablo Picasso Autograph Letter Signed to Guillaume Apollinaire, Concerning the Cubist Portrait for ‘Alcools’. ALS in French, signed “Picasso,” one page, 6.25 x 8, 242 Boulevard Raspail letterhead, postmarked February 27, 1913. Handwritten letter to French writer Guillaume Apollinaire, regarding the Cubist portrait of the author that Picasso created to be used for the frontispiece of Alcools: Poemes (1898–1913), published by Mercure de France. In full (translated): “My dear Guillaume, Max [Jacob], who was with you the other day at Mercure de France, told me that he saw a proof of your portrait for your book of verses printed in blue. I think—and I want it to be printed in black and in no other way—that you should prevent any printing in another color.” In fine condition, with two paperclip impressions to the upper left corner. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Picasso’s hand to “Guillaume Apollinaire, 202 Bd. St. Germain, E.V.”
Pablo Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire shared a vibrant friendship that helped shape the avant-garde spirit of early 20th-century Paris. Picasso’s revolutionary approach to painting, particularly Cubism, found a literary counterpart in Apollinaire’s bold, modernist poetry. Apollinaire’s first major collection, Alcools—published in 567 copies on the presses of Mercure de France in 1913—became a landmark modern work, blending tradition with experimental form in a way that paralleled the artistic innovations of Picasso. Fittingly, Picasso’s Cubist portrait of the poet was used as its frontispiece. Their creative exchange—visual and verbal—pushed boundaries and forged new paths in both art and literature, leaving a profound cultural legacy.
Picasso’s letter to Apollinaire is Reproduced in Album Apollinaire (Pléiade, 1971, p. 178) and Picasso/Apollinaire, Correspondance (1992, no. 77). Starting Bid $1000
662. Pablo Picasso Signature (1948). Bold vintage fountain pen signature, “Picasso, 28 Aout 48,” on an off-white 4 x 5 album page. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Toulouse-Lautrec authorizes the reproduction of “a Jane Avril poster”
664. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Autograph Letter
Signed on a Request to “Reproduce a Jane Avril Poster”. ALS in French, signed “H-TLautrec,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.25 x 7, June 25, 1893. Handwritten letter, in part: “I have received a request from Mr. [Jules] Roques, director of the Courrier français, asking me to reproduce a Jane Avril poster. As you are the first to whom I promised this reproduction, I have sent word to him to arrange with you so that your issues appear simultaneously so as not to spoil the matter.” In fine condition, with a short tear to one edge.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the famed French Post-Impressionist, was captivated by Jane Avril, a celebrated can-can dancer at the Moulin Rouge known for her distinctive, graceful style. Their friendship and artistic collaboration led to some of Lautrec’s most iconic posters, immortalizing Avril as a symbol of Belle Époque Paris. Through his vivid, expressive lithographs, Lautrec captured not only her performances but also the enigmatic charm that set her apart in the cabaret scene. Starting Bid $300
Desirable doggy drawing by the celebrated Saturday Evening Post illustrator
663. Norman Rockwell Signed Dog Sketch in BookNorman Rockwell: Illustrator. Signed book: Norman Rockwell: Illustrator. First edition. NY: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1946. Hardcover, 9 x 12, 208 pages. Signed and inscribed on the first free end page in fountain pen, “My very best wishes to Shirley and Alan Cooley, Sincerely, Norman Rockwell.” Rockwell adds a fantastic sketch of a scruffy dog with its tail tied to a tin can, one of his frequent and favorite subjects. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Tate Gallery exhibition poster signed by Andy Warhol, featuring his iconic Monroe silkscreen, ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’
665. Andy Warhol Signed 1971 ‘Marilyn Monroe’ Tate Gallery Exhibition Poster (19.75˝ x 26.75˝). Original color 19.75 x 26.75 promotional poster for an Andy Warhol exhibition held at London’s Tate Gallery from February 17 to March 28, 1971, featuring an iconic image of the artist’s silkscreened Marilyn Monroe, entitled ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,’ signed along the bottom in black felt tip, “Andy Warhol.” Printed in London at The Curwen Press Limited. Affixed to a same-sized cardstock mount and in fine condition, with a trivial ripple near the top edge, and faint dampstaining to the lower left corner.
The month of Monroe’s tragic death, Warhol, who had only just begun experimenting with the silkscreen process, decided to pay tribute to the late screen legend with a series of multicolored paintings. The basis of this image, and those that represent Warhol’s iconic ‘Marilyn Diptych,’ derives from a publicity shot by Gene Korman for the 1953 film Niagara. A gorgeous vintage Warhol exhibition poster in its own right, this museum-quality display piece finds Warhol signing one of his most identifiable and desirable subjects. The original silkscreen painting of ‘Shot Sage Blue Marilyn’ recently sold at auction for a record $195,000,000. Starting Bid $500
“What me worry?”— five original artist sketches of Snoopy, Gumby, Marmaduke, Woody Woodpecker, and Alfred E. Neuman
687. Cartoonists: Schulz, Clokey, Anderson, Lantz, and Aragones Original Sketches. Wonderful original sketches of Snoopy, Gumby, Marmaduke, Woody Woodpecker, and Alfred E. Neuman, accomplished in blue and black ink or felt tip on the same off-white 6.75 x 11 sheet by their respective legendary cartoonist — Charles Schulz, Art Clokey, Brad Anderson, Walter Lantz, and Sergio Aragonés — with each artist signing below their character, with Schulz signing his last name only, Clokey adding “Gumby,” and Aragonés adding the year, “93,” and writing “Yad-ly!” and “What me worry?” In fine condition, with a couple of faint stains to the right edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
A pirate’s booty—original concept painting for Disneyland’s famed Pirates of the Caribbean by Marc Davis, one of Disney’s ‘Nine Old Men’
688. Pirates of the Caribbean ride concept painting by Marc Davis. (Walt Disney Studios, circa 1960s) Desirable original concept painting by Marc Davis for Disneyland’s famous dark ride attraction Pirates of the Caribbean, which depicts a pirate in a merry full-length pose carrying an anguished rope-bound wench over his shoulder, signed in the lower right in black felt tip by Davis. Accomplished in ink and watercolor on untrimmed 12 x 10 heavyweight art paper, the scene is impressively captured through its use of balanced color and engaging action, the woman’s desperate flailing an apparent source of comedy for the single-toothed, rifle-armed pirate. In fine condition, with tack holes to corners. Read more online at www.RRAuction.com. Starting Bid $500
19th-century autograph album filled with dozens of literary notables, including Samuel L. Clemens, Rudyard Kipling, Richard Harding Davis, and several New England poets
698. 19th Century Notables Autograph Album with Samuel L. Clemens, Rudyard Kipling, and Benjamin Harrison. Hardcover autograph album, 7.5 x 5.75, containing approximately 45 autographs affixed inside, most on clipped slips or cards. Signers include: President Benjamin Harrison, Samuel L. Clemens, Rudyard Kipling, Richard Harding Davis, John Greenleaf Whittier, James Russell Lowell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., Thomas Bailey Aldrich, William Dean Howells, Edward Everett Hale, George W. Cable, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Francis Marion Crawford, Wendell Phillips, Julian Ralph, John Kendrick Bangs, Porfirio Diaz, Joseph Jefferson, Ernest T. Seton, Matthew Quay, Will Carleton, Édouard de Reszke, Reginald De Koven, Palmer Cox, Amelia E. Barr, Robert J. Burdette, Kate Douglas Wiggin, Carolyn Wells, and a few others. In overall fine condition. A desirable autograph collection, focused primarily on writers but also featuring a few musicians, artists, and politicians. Starting Bid $200
“As for French language mistakes, which escape our attention in general and which escape my attention greatly in particular, because the more one writes, the more chances one has to make them”
699. Honore de Balzac Autograph Letter Signed on Proofreading and Writing Errors: “The more one writes, the more chances one has to make them”. ALS in French, signed “de Balzac,” one page both sides, 5.5 x 8.75, no date but circa 1838–1839. Handwritten letter to Louis Desnoyers, who was, with Balzac, one of the founding members of the Société des gens de lettres [Society of People of Letters]. In 1836, Desnoyers was chosen to be the literary director of the periodical ‘le Siècle,’ where he was known to also take great care in proofreading. In full (translated): “My dear Desnoyers, as for French language mistakes, which escape our attention in general and which escape my attention greatly in particular, because the more one writes, the more chances one has to make them, there can be no doubt about the necessity in which you are to remove them. This is what proofreaders do, and I do not wish to equate your august functions with those of a proofreader. Here begins the thanks one owes an editor-in-chief, when one is not a fool because of self-esteem. I didn’t get home until eleven o’clock yesterday, because of a serious matter that took me out right at the time I usually go to bed. I couldn’t go to the printing press, the mistakes remained, but he who sins greatly will be forgiven! If you ask me for written permission to allow you to remove the French language mistakes, I’ll give it to you all the more willingly because it’s extremely useful for me, who can only manage to remove them all by going through proofs, and who always finds some!” Addressed on the integral leaf in Balzac’s own hand. In fine condition, with some toning to the bottom edge. A fantastic letter about proofreading and correcting language mistakes, from the great French author known for the care with which he corrected the proofs of his works. Starting Bid $300
Rare handwritten letter by the legendary Casanova, with significant commentary on world affairs
700. Giacomo Casanova Rare Autograph Letter
Signed on European Wars and Politics. Italian adventurer (1725-1798) who spent most of his life traveling through Europe meeting the famous men and women of his time; he is probably best known for his ‘Memoirs,’ which concerned his many love affairs. ALS signed “Casanova,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 7.5 x 9, July 9, 1790. Expansive handwritten letter to Count Antonio Collalto, in which Casanova reports on conflicts in Europe prompted by early revolutionary fervor, including the quelling of an uprising in Dresden by the Elector of Bavaria, Frederick Augustus III, and the ill-health of the Archduke Francis of Austria. Casanova ponders over the threat of war from Prussia, which might be tempted to intervene in Austria’s conflict with Turkey, but which he hopes will be prevented by the indolence of the court and the unwillingness of the King [Friedrich Wilhelm II].
Additionally, he reports a letter from his patron Pietro Zaguri, who tells him that all Constantinople desires peace, in part (translated): “Here there is a rise of villagers, which restrains
the government, and…were sent troops to suppress their daring. It is hoped, however, that the general allowance, which the most prudent Serenity electorate has been to hunt down, will calm down everything. It is here that S.A.R. Archduke Francesco suffered a sneer of blood. The ministers who surround Silesia, the king of Prussia, are lazy…He does not want to make war, and if he does not want to do it, he will not. He does not want the war to be feared.”
Casanova thanks Collalto for his letter and message from “l’egregio signor principe [Francesco] Ruspoli,” asks his permission to contact the prince, and offers his services whilst he is in Naples, assuring him that he has sent by mail-coach the two little books that he had requested, presumably the Corollaire [and Seconde Corollaire] à la duplication de l’Hexaèdre donné à Dux en Bohème, both of which Casanova had published that year in Dresden. In fine condition, with slight creasing and spotting. Handwritten letters by Casanova, particularly of such length, content, and impressive condition, are rarely offered at auction. Starting Bid $1000
“The final round of a long fight. Justice versus the Powers of Darkness”—
Arthur Conan Doyle celebrates the overdue liberation of the wrongly accused Oscar Slater
701. Arthur Conan Doyle
Signed Photograph from the Oscar Slater Trial“The final round of a long fight. Justice versus the Powers of Darkness”. Exceptional vintage matte-finish 5.75 x 7.75 full-length photo of Arthur Conan Doyle standing beside top criminal lawyer Craigie Aitchison outside of the Edinburgh High Court in 1928, where the author attended the famous court case of Oscar Slater, affixed to its original 7.25 x 10.25 presentation mount, which is signed neatly in black ink, “Arthur Conan Doyle,” who adds to the right, “The final round of a long fight. Justice versus the Powers of Darkness.” The mount is also signed in pencil by the photographer. Framed to a slightly larger size and in very good to fine condition, with silvering to the image, and scattered light foxing and small stains to the mount (one of which affects the date).
Oscar Slater (1872-1948) was the victim of a notorious miscarriage of justice in 1908. A Jewish immigrant from Germany, Slater was accused of the murder and robbery of a woman with whom he had had only coincidental contact. Despite strong evidence to the contrary, Slater was convicted of the crimes and sentenced to death, which was commuted due to a petition signed by nearly 20,000 people. Slater spent two decades in prison until his sentence was finally quashed in July 1928 in a session attended by Conan Doyle. This photograph was likely taken on the very day that Slater was finally acquitted of his charges. Conan Doyle had taken a keen interest in the case, which he had compared to the Dreyfus trial, and was involved in Slater’s 1928 appeal. Starting Bid $1000
Emerson directs his ‘Representative Men’ to the Earl of Lovelace—husband of Ada
Lovelace,
the ‘the first computer programmer’
702. [Ralph Waldo Emerson] Presentation Copy of Representative Men to Earl and Ava Lovelace, the Earliest Computer Programmer. Significant presentation book: Representative Men: Seven Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson. First UK edition. London: John Chapman, 1850. Hardcover bound in the original plum cloth, 5 x 8, 215 pages (plus 24 pp. of publisher’s advertisements in the rear). Inscribed on the first free end page in ink in an unknown hand, presumed to be that of Emerson’s publisher, “Right Honble. Earl of Lovelace, With the Author’s Compliments.” Housed in a handsome custom-made clamshell case. Book condition: VG/None, with sunning to spine and edges of boards.
Emerson’s journal confirms he personally requested this copy to be given to Lovelace: in his entry for 17 November 1849,
Emerson wrote, “I sent Chapman orders to send copies of Representative Men to…Earl of Lovelace.”
Lovelace and Emerson met frequently in London, especially at his publisher Chapman’s house, where the author boarded. Lord William Lovelace was married to Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace, the daughter of famed poet Alfred Lord Byron. She was a prominent mathematician known for her work on Charles Babbage’s early mechanical computer the Analytical Engine. Lovelace was present at a number of the ‘Representative Men’ lectures that Emerson delivered in England in 1848. This volume comprises Emerson’s essays on Plato, Swedenborg, Montaigne, Shakespeare, Napoleon and Goethe. Starting Bid $500
Fitzgerald offends at a Jazz Age party: “I was living in a state of mild masturbation at the Rennert”
703. F. Scott Fitzgerald Autograph Letter Signed and Handwritten Poem: “She could phone to any Princeton Club / And get a dancing, if alcoholic sub”. Remarkable pairing of an ALS and an unsigned handwritten poem: ALS signed “Ever your devoted friend, Scott,” three pages, 6 x 9.25, Hotel Rennert letterhead, no date but likely circa 1932. A letter to his friend Tom Lineaweaver, in part: “Had rather a run-in with your friend Davis—all my fault & yet unfortunate if it had any consequences. Leaving the Poes shortly after you, we went to a friend of his & from there called up Bryan Dancy. My idea was to drop in only, & on arrival, I called up the Rennert & asked them to send out a boy to drive my car. Some smart alec at the party met the man & sent him back so much against my will I had to stay to dinner. I wanted to be home. Anyhow it seems that I said to the assembly at dinner that ‘I was living in a state of mild masturbation at the Rennert.’ It seemed to me an entirely innocuous remark. I’d said the same thing to Eleanor a few hours before and she didn’t collapse, but Massa Davis & Wife decided to be offended. Then also I was unwise as to mention the word virginity in conversation. I realized about then that I was being to them, offensive. I sent for my man to come & drive me home & this time he appeared. This morning I sent Mrs. Dancy flowers & know there’s no harm done there, but what version that flowery ass, Davis, will give you I don’t know. I know that whenever I’m nice to people I don’t like or respect I’m sooner or later rude to them as a sort of compensation. I had heard the story of the Portsmouth Priory once too often.”
Also includes an unpublished handwritten poem in pencil by Fitzgerald, unsigned, two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.5 x 7, no date but likely written around the time of Eleanor and Tom Lineaweaver’s marriage on June 28, 1920. The poem opens: “I remember,—years ago / When a deb. was desperate for a beaux, / She could phone to any Princeton Club / And get a dancing, if alcoholic sub.” The final couplet reads, “So now we’re gathered here today / To celebrate the initial jump in the hay.” The letter is in very good condition, with a few partial separations to the horizontal folds, and a complete separation to the top fold of the third page; the poem is in fine condition.
Fitzgerald lived at Baltimore’s Hotel Rennert from March 30–May 20, 1932, presumably dating the letter to this period. The recipient, Tom Lineaweaver, was Fitzgerald’s longtime friend and former Princeton classmate. In the humorous letter, Fitzgerald tells the story of his “offensive” behavior after leaving a party at the Poes—a reference to the grandsons of Edgar Allan Poe’s cousin, who attended Princeton as well. Fitzgerald was seemingly forced into company that he had little patience for, leading to a series of off-colored comments that shocked the guests. With the additional unpublished poem—which gives insight and depth to this friendship that spanned decades, as it was seemingly written for Tom and Eleanor’s wedding on June 28, 1920— this is a remarkable collection from the highly sought-after American icon, boasting references to his attendance at riotous Jazz Age parties. Starting Bid $1000
“The notebook contains material handwritten by me during 1985 and 1986”— Stephen King’s notebook containing over 80 handwritten pages of early chapter drafts for The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three, as well as for his short story ‘The End of the Whole Mess’
704. Stephen King’s Personal Notebook from 19851086, with (80+) Handwritten Pages of Story Drafts and Early Chapters for The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three. Stephen King’s personally owned Mead Composition notebook that he used between the years 1985 and 1985, containing over 80 handwritten pages by the legendary horror novelist, which includes an early draft for the short story ‘The End of the Whole Mess’ and over 50 pages dedicated to sections of King’s 1987 dark fantasy novel The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three, the second book of King’s acclaimed Dark Tower series. Included with the notebook is a signed typed certificate of authenticity from King, one page, 8.5 x 11, personal illustrated letterhead, August 26, 1986, which reads: “This is to verify the authenticity of the enclosed notebook, which is to be auctioned for the benefit of the family of Manly Wade Wellman. The notebook contains material handwritten by me during 1985 and 1986.”
The notebook, 7.5 x 9.75, which bears an affixed Garbage Pail Kids card sticker (‘Alice Island’) to the front cover, opens with a short story draft entitled “How the Whole Mess Ended, By Stephen King,” who pens the story in black ink across the next 15 pages. The story begins: “I want to tell you about the end of war, the degeneration of mankind, and the death of the Messiah — this is an epic story, deserving thousands of pages and a shelf of volumes, but you — if there are any ‘you’ later on, to read this — will have to settle for the Reader’s Digest Condensed version. The direct injection works very fast — forty-five minutes to two hours, depending on blood-type, and I’ll be damned if I know what my blood type is, although I’m twenty-seven years old. If it’s O, I think you are in for a lot of blank pages, my hypothetical friend. I think I better assume the worst and go as fast as I can.”
The sections related to The Drawing of the Three are penned in a mixture of black, blue, and red ballpoint and ink, and
correlate with chapters related to the sections ‘The Lady of Shadows,’ ‘Reshuffle,’ and ‘The Pusher.” It begins on a page marked “A,” with “Chapter 1: Detta and Odetta,” which reads, in part: “Stripped of jargon, what Adler said was this: the ideal schizophrenic — if such a word can be used to describe a person in an abnormal state — would be a man or woman not only unaware of his other persona(e), but one unaware that anything at all was amiss in his or her life. Adler should have met Detta Walker and Odetta Holmes.”
Another passage, marked “11,” reads: “The gunslinger opened his eyes slowly and looked at Eddie, who stood panting before him with sweat running down the sides of his face and plastering his shirt against his chest in a single dark blotch. Any former semblance of neatness had disappeared. The bluish-purple crescents under his eyes completed the picture. Eddie Dean was a mess. ‘You gave me the gun,’ Richard said. Eddie thought the gunslinger looked as bad as he had before the first short dose of Feflex.”
A page marked “BB” starts with “The Pusher / Chapter One: Sweet Medicine,” which reads, in part: “When he had entered Detta, Roland had come forward immediately — which was to say, he had announced himself. Before he even began to speak to the mind he had entered, she sensed him and began to fight. In the bathroom of the sky-carriage, Roland had not come forward; he had remained far back in Eddie’s mind, only watching and yet some deep part of Eddie — not his mind, the gunslinger thought, but his ka — had sensed the entry and had sensed out a vague warning.” In fine condition. Accompanied by its original clamshell case, and a handwritten ‘thank you’ letter from Frances Wellman, the widow of beloved science fiction and fantasy writer Manly Wade Wellman, who had passed at the age of 82 on April 5, 1986; in the short letter, Wellman sends thanks to the auction winner “for burning the Stephen King notebook.” Starting Bid $1000
“I apologize for being so loud on the page”
705. Harper Lee Autograph Letter Signed: “I apologize for being so loud on the page”. ALS, one page, 8.5 x 11, February 20, [1995]. Handwritten letter to Don Salter, in full: “I apologize for being so loud on the page, but this is my only working pen this morning. Again, thank you for the book! I had read & enjoyed it some years ago, but am very glad to have a signed copy. As always, you are so kind to think of me. If you are of a mind to, please hold a print until I’m home again next fall. I’d be delighted with whatever you choose, and of course will want to pay for it. Please permit me to do so!” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, addressed in Lee’s hand. Starting Bid $200
Sending his “little book” in 1819, the important Italian poet hopes his cousin “will read my poor verses”
706. Giacomo Leopardi Autograph Letter Signed on Poetry, Sending His “Poor Verses” to a Cousin. Important Italian poet, essayist, philosopher, and philologist (1798-1837). Exceedingly rare ALS in Italian, one page, 4.25 x 5.75, March 15, 1819. Letter to his cousin, Conte Francesco Cassi, sending him a book. In part (translated): “On account of not trusting the mail, I waited a long time before I was offered an opportunity to send the little book that will be present with this…If you ever have this letter together with the booklet for a sign of confidence, and will read my poor verses, and reach the end, you have more friendship than I merit.” Affixed to a slightly larger card. In very good condition, with heavy overall foxing. It was around this period that Leopardi began writing his major works, beginning with the first poems of the Canti in 1818 and the Idylls in 1819. A fascinating and very early letter demonstrating Leopardi’s humility and admiration of his older cousin. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA. Starting Bid $1000
In his breakthrough year of 1903, Jack London makes a list of his current bibliography, including “Call of the Wild,” “The Son of the Wolf,” and his first novel, “The Cruise of the Dazzler”
707. Jack London Autograph Letter Signed (1903) with Rare Handwritten References to The Call of the Wild and His First Published Novel. Important ALS, two pages, 9.25 x 6, postmarked September 4, 1903 (Oakland, California).
Handwritten letter to author and journalist Russell Arden Bankson, in full: “First story I ever wrote was published in Overland Monthly, Jan. 1899, and is called ‘To the Man on Trail.’ First book ‘The Son of the Wolf,’ published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. I send you bibliography on next page.” On the second page, London has added a list of his publications next to their respective publisher, which includes his short story collections, “The Son of the Wolf – Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,” “The God of his Fathers – McClure, Phillips & Co.,” “The Children of the Frost – Macmillan Co.,” his novels, “The Cruise of the Dazzler – Century Co.,” “A Daughter of the Snows – Lippincott Co.,” “Kempton-Wace Letters,” and “Call of the Wild,” and his non-fiction work, “People of the Abyss.” London has added ditto marks next to the final three publications, identifying Macmillan as their respective publisher. In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope addressed in London’s own hand.
Russell Arden Bankson (1889–1975) was a journalist who worked as city and assistant managing editor for the Spokane Daily Chronicle in Spokane, Washington. He was also the author of numerous short stories, articles, and books, mostly in the Western genre.
A quintessential letter from the 27-year-old author written one month after the release of his breakthrough novel, The Call of the Wild. After appearing in five installments in The Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903, the work was sold to Macmillan and was quickly published in book format to great acclaim and popularity; the first printing of 10,000 copies sold out immediately. Named by Modern Library as one of the 100 greatest novels of the 20th century, The Call of the Wild is recognized as ‘one of the first American novels to examine the quest of the pioneering individual who breaks away from the sheltered environment of civilization and is romantically compelled to find freedom in nature. In the early part of the century this was considered the American dream’ (Parker, 16).
Holographic references made by London to his most famous work are exceedingly rare, with this beautifully penned example made all the more unique and desirable by London’s generous addition of his then full major bibliography. Mentions by London to his first story collection, Son of the Wolf (1900), to his first novel, The Cruise of the Dazzler (1902), or to The People of the Abyss (1903), his first-hand account of living in the slums of East End of London, are universally uncommon and coveted. A letter citing The Call of the Wild from the Doheny Collection auctioned for $17,000 in 1998, and another, with a mere ‘tonguein-cheek’ mention of the book, fetched over $8000 in 2006. An exciting opportunity to own a definitive Jack London letter from a most important literary period. Starting Bid $500
Remarkable letter by J. D. Salinger, commenting on his Jewish-Irish
heritage, boarding schools, and his intense need for privacy
709. J. D. Salinger Typed Letter Signed on Mixed Identity, Boarding Schools, and His Desire for Privacy: “It isn’t sheer paranoia”. TLS signed “Jerry,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, December 23, [1971]. Letter to Eileen Paddison, a boarding-school girl and aspiring writer who struck up an unlikely lifelong friendship with the author, maintaining a correspondence with Salinger for over 15 years. Over time, she became the recipient of some of the reclusive writer’s most candid and personal confessions.
In this long and intriguing letter, Salinger writes he understands what she is going through, grappling with a mixed identity, elucidating how similarities in their backgrounds led him to feel “a gigantic comfort” in her friendship. As well as both being boarding school kids, Salinger found it “extraordinary” that the two share the same unique combination of half-Irish, half-Jewish backgrounds. He recognizes that “mixtures in lineage” have become less of a social hang-up in recent years, adding that in his day they resulted in a “fairly rotten form of self-consciousness.”
He writes a bit on public education and boarding schools, observing: “Boarding schools have a bad name, but they oddly suit some kinds of kids.” Notably, it was Salinger’s own boarding school experience, coupled with intrinsic alienation, that formed the basis for his celebrated novel The Catcher in the Rye.
Salinger closes by thoughtfully cautioning against theft (“I just can’t stand any form of swiping, stealing, whatever verb”) and commenting on his intense need for privacy, asking if she destroys mail after she reads it. He says that he has had “some bad/ bitter experience with letters” and is therefore “leery of this form of conversation,” emphasizing that it “isn’t sheer paranoia.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope. Starting Bid $1000
Rand revises “The
Psycho-Epistemology of Art”
for publication in The Romantic Manifesto
708.Ayn Rand Hand-Annotated Essay - ‘The PsychoEpistemology of Art’ in The Objectivist Newsletter. Complete issue of the The Objectivist Newsletter (Vol. 4, No. 4, April 1965), four pages, 8.5 x 11, featuring the original published version of Rand’s essay entitled “Check Your Premises: The Psycho-Epistemology of Art.” Rand revises and edits the work for publication in her volume on art and aesthetics, The Romantic Manifesto, first published in 1969. Rand probably edited this essay after her famous break up with Nathaniel Branden, co-founder of the Objectivist movement and Rand’s longtime lover, as she has deleted a long reference to an article of his that originally appeared in the piece. She makes several other deletions and amends words here and there, also writing a new sentence on an accompanying blue sheet: “(Psychoepistemology is the study of man’s cognitive processes from the aspect of the interaction between the conscious mind and the automatic functions of the subconscious).” In fine condition. Provenance: Bonahams, October 22, 2007. Starting Bid $300
711. Stendhal Autograph Letter Signed. French writer (1783–1842) considered one of the earliest and foremost practitioners of realism. ALS in French, signed “H. Beyle,” one page, 5.75 x 9.5, circa 1840. Untranslated handwritten letter from his post at Civitavecchia, offering information about a few places in Italy with his personal recommendations. In very good to fine condition, with overall light creasing, and staining along the right edge. During this period, Stendhal was serving as consul of France at Civitavecchia, Italy.
In 1831, the French writer Stendhal, whose real name was Marie-Henri Beyle, was appointed consul at Civitavecchia, a small port town near Rome. Though the post was relatively obscure, it offered him ample free time to write and reflect. Stendhal found the bureaucratic duties dull but manageable, and he often escaped to Rome or Florence for cultural stimulation. His years in Civitavecchia were marked by a growing disillusionment with officialdom but also by the creation of some of his finest literary work, including drafts of The Charterhouse of Parma. Starting Bid $300
The French existentialist eats chocolate with his companion, Simone de Beauvoir
710. Jean-Paul Sartre Autograph Letter Signed: “The little jars of chocolate were very good”. ALS in French, signed “J. P. Sartre,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8.25, Grand Bar de la Poste letterhead, no date but annotated in pencil July 20, 1937. Letter to French theatre actress Wanda Kosakiewicz, written during a shopping expedition where Sartre was buying provisions. He assures Wanda that he is fond of her, promises her a much longer letter, and asks her to thank her sister for the chocolate. In part (translated): “We buy tomatoes, canned goods, oil, vinegar, tobacco, soap, that I know and in ten minutes we leave, we will settle on the bridge. I want you to know that I know how much I care about you—as strong as if you were there. I’ll write you a huge letter on the boat—if I’m not sick, I’ll start it this afternoon and finish it Friday by working there every day…I’m happy for you because you will see your sister soon. She will probably be there when the letter arrives. Tell her that the little jars of chocolate were very good and that the Castor [Simone de Beauvoir] ate hers with a lot of pleasure. I ate mine tonight in Lyon…Do not send your letters by plane. It seems that they are lost. By the boat they take eight days. Write me often. I salute you.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope addressed in Sartre’s own hand. Kosakiewicz was a love interest of Sartre and the younger sister of Olga Kosakiewicz, a student of the existentialist philosopher and writer Simone de Beauvoir, Sartre’s lifelong companion. Sartre’s nickname for Beauvoir was ‘Castor’—the French word for beaver, due to the phonetic similarity. Starting Bid $500
Rare oversized portrait of the Bengali polymath
713. Rabindranath Tagore Signed Photograph - Rare Oversized Portrait. Bengali poet, playwright, philosopher, and author (1861–1941) who became the first non-European to win a Nobel Prize (Literature) in 1913. Scarce vintage sepia 8.25 x 11.5 paperstock photo of Rabindranath Tagore in a noble bust-length pose, signed in the lower border in Bengali in fountain pen. A small printed caption bearing his name is affixed to the right of the autograph. In very good to fine condition, with tears to the top, and to the side borders, repaired with tape on the reverse. The largest signed portrait of Tagore that we have ever offered, and a great portrayal of one of literature’s foremost minds. Starting Bid $300
Handsomely penned autograph letter from Ivan Turgenev, sent to noted French publisher Georges Charpentier
714. Ivan Turgenev Autograph Letter Signed, Sent to Noted French Publisher Georges Charpentier. ALS in French, signed “Iv. Tourgueneff,” one page, 5 x 8, personal cross-style monogrammed letterhead, no date [circa January 1876]. Addressed from “Rue de Douai” in Paris, a handwritten letter sent to “Monsieur Charpentier,” ostensibly Georges Charpentier (1846-1905), the French publisher of Emile Zola, Gustave Flaubert, and Guy de Maupassant, and champion of Impressionist painters. In full (translated): “The death of poor Mr. Mohl forces me to go out early today, so as I will be in your neighbourhood, I prefer to go to your place around 3 o’clock. If you can’t be at home at this time of day, please could you leave me (for Stanilevitch) a receipt for 1200 francs (with the 400 he has already paid you) – and I will leave the 800 with you. But I hope to see you.” In very fine condition. An attractively penned handwritten letter from the great Russian scribe, who was then in the midst of writing Virgin Soil, his sixth and final novel, which was published the following year.
Although undated, other than Mercredi (Wednesday) at 8 am, it stands to reason that the letter must date to early January 1876, as Turgenev refers to the death of the German Orientalist Julius von Mohl (1800-1876), who passed away on January 4th in Paris. Julius von Mohl´s wife was Mary Elizabeth Mohl (1793-1883), a noted British writer and feminist, as well as a salon hostess in Paris and a close friend of Florence Nightingale. Starting Bid $300
Oscar Wilde pens a passage from
‘The Garden of Eros’
715. Oscar Wilde Autograph Quotation Signed - ‘The Garden of Eros’. AQS signed “Oscar Wilde,” on two off-white 6.5 x 4 album pages adjoined at the center, June 26, 1882. Wilde quotes a stanza from his poem ‘The Garden of Eros,’ in full: “Spirit of Beauty! tarry yet a-while, / They are not dead, thine ancient votaries, / Some few there are to whom thy radiant smile / Is better than a thousand victories.” In fine condition, with light show-though from old mounting residue along the back edges.
Oscar Wilde’s poem The Garden of Eros is a lush and evocative work that explores themes of beauty, art, and the fleeting nature of life. Drawing on classical references with numerous allusions to Greek mythology, it celebrates the ideal of aestheticism, where art and beauty reign supreme over moral constraints. The poem also reflects Wilde’s admiration for the hedonistic and artistic life, invoking a sense of longing for a lost paradise. Starting Bid $500
Leonard Bernstein’s stage-used baton from a 1967 New York Philharmonic performance of the Shostakovich 5th, presented to an aspiring conductor Music
750. Leonard Bernstein’s Stage-Used Baton for NY Philharmonic’s Performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in 1967. Leonard Bernstein’s personally-owned and -used custom-made baton, used to conduct a New York Philharmonic performance of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 in the spring of 1967. Made to Bernstein’s specifications by NY Philharmonic timpanist Saul Goodman, the baton measures 15˝ long overall and weighs a mere 6 grams; it features a cork bulb grip and a thin, lightweight wooden rod. The cork exhibits a distinctive patina from Bernstein’s use.
The consignor describes receiving the baton from Bernstein: ‘When I was 12, I became friends with Lenny and I went to at least one concert a week while he was with the NY Philharmonic as his guest, sat (usually) in the viewing room and then we all gathered in to his dressing room after the concert to ‘hang out’ for a while. One concert we talked about my conducting the Candide Overture, and he told me to bring the score so he could go over it with me. After a concert where he’d conducted the Shostakovich 5th, he proceeded to go over every note on the Candide score, and then gave me the baton he’d just used to conduct the Shostakovich 5th. He also signed the Candide score. Because I didn’t want to risk breaking the baton (very thin wood) or damaging the score I didn’t use either for the Candide performance, I bought another score and used another baton.’
Includes three pieces signed by Leonard Bernstein: a program for the Philharmonic Hall’s 1963–64 season, signed and inscribed on the front cover in black ballpoint, “For Bruce, Leonard Bernstein”; a program for the New York Philharmonic French-American Festival, July 14–July 31, 1965, signed and inscribed in blue ballpoint on the program page for the debut of Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, “Work hard Bruce! Leonard Bernstein,” “Zino Francescatti,” and “Philippe Entremont”; and the “Overture to ‘Candide’” score referenced in the consignor’s story, signed and inscribed on the front cover in black felt tip, “For Bruce—Best of everything, Leonard Bernstein.”
A 1962 piece in the New York Times profiled Philharmonic timpanist Saul Goodman and his rise as Bernstein’s preferred baton maker: ‘Mr. Bernstein did not use a baton until he became permanent conductor of the Philharmonic and Mr. Goodman had never made a baton until the conductor asked him to do so. ‘I became Lennie’s ‘official’ baton maker purely by accident…Since Lennie had never used a baton, he wouldn’t be too apt to make comparisons with whatever I fashioned for him. He showed me samples of several batons he had inherited from Serge Koussevitzky and suggested one for himself patterned in general after these…Lennie, being a pianist as well as a conductor, has strong hands and wants something firm to clasp in his hands when he conducts. The cork piece gives him a grip without adding to the baton’s weight’ (‘A Good Man with the Baton’ by Howard Bailey, September 2, 1962). Starting Bid $500
751. Georges Bizet Autograph Letter Signed to a Noted French Librettist. French composer (1838–1875) whose operatic masterpiece, Carmen, was completed just before his untimely death from heart disease. ALS in French, one page, 5.25 x 8.25, no date. Handwritten letter from Georges Bizet to “My dear Leroy,” ostensibly the librettist François-Hippolyte Leroy (1815-1887), stage director at the Opera, who wrote with Henri Trianon the libretto of Ivan IV, an opera left unfinished by Bizet. In the letter, Bizet sends two important and urgent translations and changes, in full (translated): “You will find attached: 1d - the translation of the Duo of 1st act which you will be kind to give to Alary. 2d - a change for the main phrase of the trio that you will be lovely to give to Nicolini. Thank you a thousand times.” In very good to fine condition, with an old tape stain to the right edge, and a lightly stained area to the lower left where a portion of the adjoining sheet has stuck to its back. Italian composer Giulio Alary (1814–1891) was the singing director of the Parisian Italian theater, and Ernesto Nicolini (1834-1898) was a French tenor. Starting Bid $200
Brilliant, boldly signed, distinguished portrait of the revered
Romantic
composer
752. Johannes Brahms Signed Photograph. Exceptional and uncommon mounted 5 x 7.5 head-andshoulders photo of Johannes Brahms, boldly signed on the mount in ink, and dated at Vienna. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. A large, boldly signed, crystal-clear image of the legendary composer. Starting Bid $500
Publishing contract for Haydn’s magnificent final oratorio, ‘The Seasons’
753. Franz Joseph Haydn Document Signed - Publishing Contract for His Final Oratorio, ‘The Seasons’. Austrian musician (1732-1809) who takes a place among the first rank of composers in the history of Western music. The sheer magnitude of his gift, along with his seemingly inexhaustible industry, resulted in one of the largest and most significant bodies of work by any single figure. His mastery of two forms, in particular—the string quartet and the symphony—practically defined the classical style and exerted a potent influence on all composers who followed, most notably Wolfgang Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, both of whom were intimate acquaintances of the older composer. Choice, manuscript DS in German, signed “Joseph Haydn,” one page both sides, 8 x 9.75, July 21, 1801. Untranslated contract in which Haydn cedes publication rights to his oratorio ‘The Seasons’ to Breitkopf & Haertel. Haydn agrees not to sell the work to third parties or make it available to any third parties before publication. He also agrees to copyedit the proofs in due time and to publicly announce having transferred the said publishing rights. Breitkopf & Haertel agree to pay a total royalty of 4500 Viennese florins, 2000 of which are to be advanced at the time of undersigning. Beautifully signed at the conclusion by Haydn, who adds the place and date, “Eisenstadt 21st July 1801,” affixing his monogrammed wax seal, impressed with the initials “JH,” to the right of his signature. In fine to very fine condition.
After nearly five decades of prolific composition and relentless work, Haydn had solidified his place as one of the most important composers of all time, enjoying international renown and financial stability. Following the success of his 1798 oratorio, The Creation, he decided to write a second, The Seasons. After Baron Gottfried van Swieten prepared the libretto for it, Haydn began his composition; but with his health declining, he struggled to complete his work, turning the project into a two-year venture. The Seasons finally had its dual premiere (first for the aristocracy, then for the general public) in the spring of 1801, and received overwhelmingly positive reviews. By the time the production was finished, the aging musician found himself physically incapable of continuing his work and quickly assigned the new oratorio to his regular publisher, Breitkopf & Härtel, who released it in 1802. An outstandingly rare and well-preserved document from the prominent composer at the close of his distinguished career. Starting Bid $2500
The opera seria master invokes allegorical Fortune as he passionately weighs compositions inspired by ancient, classical themes
754. Pietro Metastasio Spectacular 1769 Autograph Letter Signed: “Parnassus, is so garnished with thoughts, images of harmony and poetic warmth, that it enraptures”. Italian poet and librettist (1698-1782) considered the most important writer of opera seria libretti. Scarce ALS in Italian, one page both sides, 7.5 x 9, June 1769. Content-rich handwritten letter by Pietro Metastasio, in part (translated): “Our most gracious Lord Aurelio Mansi, finally returned from his devout pilgrimage to the chaste Adriatic lagoons, I was also given two very elegant copies of the singing applause with which Apollo and the Muses celebrated…two such clear and illustrious names Montecatini and Buonvisi. I found the collection worthy of the subject, no less than of the official care of the enlightened Collector; and I extend lively and sincere thanks to Fortune who, by opposing insurmountable obstacles to my desire, has saved me from the trial of such dangerous comparisons. The composition with which he announces…the arrival of Parnassus, is so garnished with thoughts, images of harmony and poetic warmth, that it enraptures the reader in its value: and the song, which boasts the same prerogatives, does not need to flaunt them with the historical tale of the anguish in which it was produced.” In fine condition. Scarce in any form, this is just the third Metastasio autograph that RR has ever offered, and the first ALS. Starting Bid $300
755. Ignaz Moscheles Autograph Musical Quotation Signed for ‘Op.64 - Piano Concerto No.4 in E major’. Bohemian composer and piano virtuoso (1794-1870), whose career after his early years was based initially in London, and later at Leipzig, where he succeeded his friend and sometime pupil Felix Mendelssohn as head of the Conservatoire. During his time in Vienna, Moscheles became good friends with Beethoven, making piano arrangements of many of his compositions, including Fidelio. Impressive AMQS by Ignaz Moscheles on an off-white 11.25 x 8.5 sheet of music paper bordered with an attractive green design of leafwork and instruments, signed and inscribed below in crisp black ink, “Au Domenico Barnett….I. Moscheles, Leipzig, 23d. Sept. 1861,” with the composer adding eight bars of music from a piano score, which Moscheles has entitled along the top as being a fragment of “4th Concerto,” assuredly his 1823 work, ‘Op.64 - Piano Concerto No.4 in E major.’ Affixed to a same-size backing sheet and in fine condition. Moscheles composed his Piano Concerto No. 4 in E major, Op 64, between March and June 1823 during his third visit to England. He gave the first performance in London on 16 June, and played it during his tour of German cities in the autumn and also on his return to Vienna in November. Bearing a dedication to Empress Caroline Auguste of Austria, it is the last of the virtuoso concertos of his touring years, before the increasing bias towards expressive and innovatory musical ideas in his later concertos. Although Mozart and (especially) Beethoven can be heard as primary inspirations, there is a great deal of forward-looking writing which surely points to the concerto’s being, in turn, a specific inspiration for Chopin’s E minor Concerto, composed in 1830. The recipient, Domenico Dragonetti Joseph Barnett (1839-1911), was the son of composer John Barnett, who was named after his godfather, the great classical bassist, Domenico Dragonetti, the musical partner of Domenico’s renowned cellist grandfather, Robert Lindley. In addition to being a gifted amateur artist, specializing in watercolors, Domenico was a musician who worked for many years as a piano teacher at Cheltenham Ladies College. Starting Bid $200
Exceptional photo of Rachmaninoff, with a quote from one of his most famous pieces
756. Sergei Rachmaninoff Signed Photograph with Autograph Musical Quotation. Vintage matte-finish 3.25 x 5.25 real photo postcard of a young Rachmaninoff by Breitkopf & Hartel of London, signed vertically in black ink, “S. Rachmaninoff, London, 26 Mai 1908,” adding a three-bar AMQS, identified in his hand as an excerpt from “2 Concerto, Op. 18.” In fine condition, with a few trivial dings to the edges and some silvering to dark areas of the image. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA.
On the same day that he signed this photo, Rachmaninoff performed the excerpted concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Koussevitzky at the Queen’s Hall. The piece established his fame as a concerto composer, and remains one of his most popular pieces to this day. Starting Bid $300
Richard
Wagner’s original draft for “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung”
757. Richard Wagner Handwritten Draft for “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung”. Autograph manuscript prose draft of Richard Wagner’s program introduction to his arrangement for the concert performance of Götterdämmerung, 8.25 x 13.75, eight pages on four sheets, headed: “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung.”
The draft begins (translated): “I. Prelude. (For the purpose of communicating the orchestral-symphonic part of this dramatic prelude, it was necessary to make abbreviations that corresponded to the intention of omitting the performance of the vocal parts, which would not be possible without a staged performance. Since the listener’s imagination had to be called upon to supplement the staged event, which has only been indicated here, the following attempts to provide an explanatory program for the fragments to be performed, which is intended to present this event in the form of a pantomime.)
Night scene on a rocky hill. The three Norns weave and throw the rope of fate: it breaks; the Norns entwine themselves with the ends of it and sink. Dawn. Daybreak. With the sunrise, Siegfried and Brünnhilde appear: Siegfried in the arms of the Valkyrie, who, as he sets out on new deeds, also gives him her horse. Fiery vows; oaths of loyalty: a heroic farewell. Siegfried leads his horse down the rocky slope: Brünnhilde calls after him, exultant, until he suddenly disappears from her sight, as if behind a rocky outcrop, and she only hears his horn call from the depths; then she sees him again, as he vigorously moves away in the distance; overwhelmed, she waves to him once more. Through the fire surrounding the rock, whose flames seem to dance around him with bright sounds, he now moves away, vigorously blowing his horn, until he reaches the Rhine, where Ahn (the Rhinemaidens) welcome him as their hero and savior for the rest of his journey. They accompany him to where his destiny is to be fulfilled at the court of the Gibichungs through Hagen, the heir to the Nibelung Ring.”
The draft then sets the stage for “Siegfried’s Tod [Siegfried’s Death]”: “He dies.—A long silence of deepest shock. The men then raise the corpse on the shield and slowly escort it away in a solemn funeral procession over the rocky heights. The orchestra accompanies this last scenic event in the manner of a funeral choir, which simultaneously celebrates and laments the origin, the glory and the fate of the hero praised as divine.”
The work is completed with “Schlus-Scene des Letzten Aktes [Final Scene of the Last Act],” setting the stage for the heroic immolation scene: “This fragment also begins in the middle of a violent action. Hagen has just killed Gunther in a fight over the Nibelung Ring and
now, shouting: “Give me the ring!”, he grabs the dead Siegfried’s hand, which clenches and raises up threateningly. There is general horror and a loud outcry, while Brünnhilde, from the background, strides firmly and solemnly towards the foreground.” Wagner’s draft contains the text of Brunhilde’s songs, with the famous lines “Schweigt eures Jammers jauchzenden Schwall! [Silence the jubilant torrent of your lamentation]” and “Fliegt heim, ihr Raben! [Fly home, you ravens!].”
After a final eulogy to the dead hero, Brünnhilde, willing to be reunited with her love, mounts her horse Grane and as a valkyrie rides into the flames, joining Siegfried in death: “She has stormily swung herself onto the horse and hurled it into the burning pile of wood. The fire immediately rises high, so that the fire fills the entire space in front of the hall and seems to be already engulfing the hall itself. Suddenly the fire collapses, so that only a dark cloud of glowing flames hovers over the place; this rises and completely disperses, while the Rhine has swelled mightily from the bank and its flood rolls over the burning place to the threshold of the hall. Three Rhine maidens have swum up on the waves; Hagen is extremely frightened at the sight of them; and rushes, shouting: ‘Back from the ring!,’ as if madly into the flood. Woglinde and Wellgunde wrap their arms around his neck and, swimming back, pull him into the depths, while Flosshilde, in front of them, holds the ring up in jubilation. At the same time, a glow similar to the northern lights breaks out from the sky from afar: in it one sees, with increasing clarity, the sky of Valhalla, with the gods in it as if in court: as a huge flame suddenly envelops the picture completely, the curtain fills.” Wagner’s draft is bound in full brown calf and in fine condition, with some minor edge splitting to folds.
Complete with several printed proof versions of the text, some with corrections and commentary in Wagner’s hand: three are annotated and initialed by him on the front, “R.W.,” and one includes its accompanying annotated and initialed envelope. Additionally includes an ALS signed “R. Wagner,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, no date, sent to music publisher “C. Giessel, Bayreuth.”
Richard Wagner’s magnum opus, The Ring of the Nibelung, was first performed in its complete four-opera cycle at the 1876 Bayreuth Festival. These operas, consisting of Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), remain some of Wagner’s most famous works. The Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) is the final opera in Wagner’s epic cycle and brings the monumental tale of gods, heroes, and the cursed ring to a dramatic conclusion. The opera follows the tragic downfall of Siegfried and Brünnhilde, culminating in the destruction of Valhalla and the end of the gods’ reign. Featuring Wagner’s signature leitmotifs and richly orchestrated music, Götterdämmerung is a powerful exploration of love, betrayal, and redemption. Starting Bid $2500
Belushi and Radner sign as members of NBC’s ‘Not Ready for Prime Time Players’
775. John Belushi and Gilda Radner Signed Album - NBC’s Saturday Night Live. NBC’s Saturday Night Live album signed on the front cover in felt tip, “John Belushi” and “Gilda Radner.” Belushi humorously adds a mustache and small beard over his face. In very good to fine condition, with scuffing and corner creasing, a discount hole, and some minor ink adhesion issues. The record is included.
John Belushi and Gilda Radner were two of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live when it debuted in 1975. Their explosive energy, sharp comedic timing, and fearless performances helped define the show’s early success and set a new standard for sketch comedy. Both comedic legends met unfortunate, early deaths, making their autographs in combination extremely scarce. Starting Bid $200
“John Belushi, Sat Nite Live, New York City”—superb signature from the original star of Saturday Night Live
774. John Belushi Signature - “Sat Nite Live, New York City”. Sought-after ballpoint signature, “John Belushi, Sat Nite Live, New York City,” on an off-white 4.25 x 2.5 sheet of trimmed notebook paper. Archivally double-matted and framed with a wonderful portrait of the comedy great to an overall size of 17.5 x 21.5. In fine condition. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA. Given Belushi’s desirable addition of “Sat Nite Live,” it stands to reason that the autograph was obtained during his legendary four-year run on Saturday Night Live, which began on October 11, 1975, the show’s premiere, and concluded on May 26, 1979, his last episode as a regular. Belushi did make several later cameo appearances on the show, his final being on October 31, 1981. A coveted autograph from the beloved SNL cast member. Starting Bid $200
776. Audrey Hepburn Signed Photograph. Gorgeous vintage glossy 6 x 9 Associated British Pathe publicity photo of Audrey Hepburn in a lovely head-and-shoulders pose, signed in fountain pen. In fine condition, with two file holes to the left edge. Starting Bid $200
777. Audrey Hepburn Signed Photograph. Glossy 8 x 10 photo of Audrey Hepburn in her starring role as Rima in the 1959 adventure-romance film Green Mansions, nicely signed in black felt tip. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Dual-signed photo of Hepburn and Tracy as Pat and Mike
778. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy Signed Photograph. Vintage matte-finish 8 x 10 photo of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in a scene from the 1952 George Cukor film Pat and Mike, signed by both actors in fountain pen in the lower right corner. In fine condition, with unobtrusive professional repairs to three punch holes along the left edge. Dual-signed photographs from Tracy and Hepburn remain quite rare and are highly coveted by collectors — the cinematic couple, whose affair was an open secret in Hollywood, starred opposite one another in nine fims over 26 years, including classics like Adam’s Rib and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, the latter of which was Tracy’s final film. This photo represents our first Hepburn and Tracy dual-signed photograph. Starting Bid $200
Houdini comments on noted mediums like Henry Slade, Maria Silbert, Franek Kluski, and John Slater, describing the latter as “very slick with his letter reading…He has a wonderful system and it really requires an expert to detect him”
780. Harry Houdini Content-Rich Typed Letter
Signed on Mediumship. TLS signed “Houdini,” one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, June 28, 1926. Letter to German writer and intellectual Carl Graf von Klinckowstroem (1884-1969), a historian of science, technology, and culture. He was intrigued by the occult, especially the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg, but he also showed a receptiveness to Houdini’s skepticism about false mediums. The letter, in full: “Am gathering all my Slade material for you and will send it as soon as my secretary finds where it is all filed. What do you know about Frau Silbert and Franz Kluski?
As you may know, I am on the Committee for the Scientific American and when Mr. O. D. Munn spoke of Kluski I offered to pay his expenses to come here to America. Mr. Munn told me that that was not necessary as they had an agreement with the New York Times to share the expenses and had invited him to come over. Having lunch with Mr. Munn one day last week he told me that Kluski would not visit America.
Enclosed notice regarding John Slater is very important as he is the best known medium in America. He has made an enormous fortune and is very slick with his letter reading as he resorts to from eight to ten methods for success.
He has a wonderful system and it really requires an expert to detect him. He, having a wonderful memory, relies on same for many of his spirit messages. Mr. Harry Keller who past away several years ago, had a system of memorization — he could tell a man the number of his watch thirty years afterwards. No doubt it is a valuable thing to have a memorizing system without needing any notations.” In fine condition, with a small stain and two file holes to the left edge.
Houdini’s letter, which illustrates the international nature of early 20th-century spiritualism, mentions five important contemporary figures in the field of psychical research and illusionism: Dr. Henry Slade, Maria Silbert, Franek Kluski, John Slater, and Harry Kellar. Of the four mediums mentioned, three are listed in ‘Hartmann’s Who’s Who in Occult, Physic and Spiritual Realms…in the United States and Foreign Countries’ (New York: Occult Press, 1925).
Houdini’s comparison between John Slater and Harry Kellar in our letter is especially interesting as it encompasses the essence of Houdini’s critique of charlatan mediums. While both Slater, a self-proclaimed medium, and Kellar, a magician, used the same memorization-based system of message reading and data recollection, Slater represented it as supernatural, while Kellar did not. This was the all-important difference: the bona fide magician did ingenious tricks without attributing them to any power but himself, while the spurious medium attributed them to the dead, angels, God, and other supernatural sorts. Starting Bid $200
“‘Safe Bind,’ ‘Safe Find’ does not apply to the undersigned. Harry Handcuff Houdini”
779. Harry Houdini Autograph Quote Signed - “‘Safe Bind,’ ‘Safe Find’ does not apply to the undersigned. Harry Handcuff Houdini”. Wonderful AQS in bold ink on an off-white 6.25 x 3.75 album page, which reads, in full: “‘Safe Bind,’ ‘Safe Find’ does not apply to the undersigned. Harry Handcuff Houdini, 1/11/11, Nottingham.” In fine condition. A decidedly appealing Harry Houdini signature boasting a rarely seen quote, his full nickname autograph, and a unique date pattern associated with his legendary series of shows at the Empire Theater in Nottingham, England, for the week of January 9–14, 1911. Starting Bid $300
“Lara says goodbye to Dr. Zhivago”— a page from Jarre’s iconic, Oscar-winning score
781. Maurice Jarre Autograph Musical Manuscript
Signed - ‘Lara’s Theme’ from Doctor Zhivago. Autograph musical manuscript, signed twice, “M. Jarre” and “Maurice Jarre,” one page, 10.75 x 14.25, being a fragment from ‘Lara’s Theme’ from Doctor Zhivago (1965), headed: “Lara says goodbye to Dr. Zhivago.” Fabulously executed in brown felt tip on 28-stave musically lined paper, the page from Jarre’s handwritten score is annotated in various colors in the left margin to denote instrumentation. In fine condition. Accompanied by a glossy 9.75 x 6.75 photo of Jarre, signed in thick blue felt tip.
Maurice Jarre’s score for Doctor Zhivago is a masterful blend of sweeping romance and emotional depth, perfectly capturing the film’s epic scope and intimate human drama. Anchored by the unforgettable ‘Lara’s Theme’—one of cinema’s most iconic melodies—the music weaves together lush orchestrations and Russian-inspired motifs to evoke the turbulent backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The score earned Jarre an Academy Award for Best Original Score and solidified his reputation as one of the greatest film composers of all time. Starting Bid $500
Magnificent portrait presented to the famed London footwear fabricators: “To Anello and Davide, With
gratitude for your work, Marilyn Monroe”
782. Marilyn Monroe Signed Photograph by Frank Powolny, Presented to London Shoe Designers Anello & Davide. Breathtaking vintage matte-finish 7.5 x 9.25 photo of Monroe by Frank Powolny, nicely signed and inscribed in white ink to the famed London shoemakers, “To Anello and Davide, With gratitude for your work, Marilyn Monroe.” Affixed to a same-size mount and in fine condition, with trimmed edges.
Marilyn Monroe and photographer Frank Powolny most famously teamed up in 1953 for a series of stunning, artfully framed publicity stills for the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Perhaps best known for his classic World War II pinup
of Betty Grable, Powolny remained a trusted photographer for Monroe throughout her career and is noted as taking the last known still photographs of the starlet during the production of Something’s Got to Give, one week before her death in 1962.
The recipient of this signed photograph, “Anello and Davide,” is a footwear company based in Covent Garden, London, specializing in custom-crafted ballet shoes and theatrical footwear. The firm is best known for innovating the ‘Beatle Boot’ for Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four,’ but also counted Marilyn Monroe, Peter Ustinov, Orson Welles, Margaret Rutherford, Jane Fonda, and David Niven among their celebrity clientele. A fabulous association piece. Starting Bid $1000
Rare 1953 Saks Fifth Avenue counter check
filled out and signed by Marilyn Monroe
783. Marilyn Monroe Signed and Filled Out Saks Fifth Avenue Counter Check (1953). Saks Fifth Avenue (Grant Avenue, San Francisco, California) counter check, 8.25 x 3.5, filled out and signed by “Marilyn Monroe,” payable to Saks & Company for $132.18, October 26, 1953. Monroe fills out the bank information in her own hand, “Bank of America, Sunset & Laurel Branch, Los Angeles, California,” and adds her phone number and address to the lower section, “882 N. Doheny Drive.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Monroe first moved into the Doheny Drive apartment building, which had been constructed just one year prior, in 1953, and lived there for about a year before marrying baseball legend Joe DiMaggio on January 14, 1954. The actress, who was already wildly popular at the time thanks to starring roles in both Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, lived in Unit #3 of the building, a one-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling that measured a scant 648 square feet. Despite its size, Monroe must have enjoyed the apartment because in April 1961, after her divorce from playwright Arthur Miller was finalized, the actress left New York and once again leased the very same unit in the very same building. She stayed there until March of 1962, at which point she moved into the Brentwood-area home she had purchased a few months prior, the same home in which she would sadly pass away on the night of August 4, 1962. Starting Bid $500
784. Monty Python Signed Photograph. Sought-after vintage 8.25 x 5.75 cardstock photo of the Monty Python crew in character, signed in ink by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. In fine condition, with a small crease touching the umbrella. A desirable, early signed photo of the legendary and beloved British comedy troupe. Starting Bid $200
785. John Wayne Signed Photograph. Classic mattefinish 8 x 10 photo of John Wayne walking with Pal the Rough Collie during the 1953 film Hondo, signed and inscribed in black ballpoint, “No cake, Sig? John Wayne.” In fine condition, with some light, unobtrusive creases in the upper left corner. Starting Bid $200
Sports
935. Kobe Bryant Oversized Signed Photograph. Dramatic color satin-finish 16 x 20 photo of Kobe Bryant going up for a backward slam dunk early in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, signed in black felt tip, “Kobe.” In fine condition, with an Upper Deck hologram affixed to the lower right corner. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Upper Deck Authenticated. Starting Bid $200
937. Bobby Jones Signed Photograph. Fantastic vintage matte-finish 8 x 10 photo of the golf legend relaxing on a bench, neatly signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “For Bob Heller, With best wishes, Bob Jones.” In very good to fine condition, with a vertical crease to the upper left background area. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Ty Cobb writes to the founder of the Baseball Hall of Fame, acknowledging “the great honor bestowed upon me as being the first to be voted into this National Baseball museum”
936. Ty Cobb Letter Signed to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Founder, on “the great honor bestowed upon me as being the first to be voted into this National Baseball museum”. Amazing LS signed “Ty Cobb,” two pages, 7 x 10.5, personal letterhead, January 10, 1948. Letter to “Stephen C. Clark, Cooperstown, N.Y.,” philanthropist and founder of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. In part: “I want to acknowledge receipt of, and thank you for sending me the framed photograph of my plaque in the National Baseball Hall of Fame…The photograph arrived in good order. One thing I would like to say Mr. Clark, in having the great honor bestowed upon me as being the first to be voted into this National Baseball museum. That when I was asked to contribute some momento’s, uniforms, shoes, etc. I was unable to do what I would like to have, for I had just given them away to boys who had asked for them, also the moths got some of the uniforms. This I confess to you, that I have a regret that I could not make a better donation, than is represented there now.” In fine condition, with two file holes to the top edge and a small water spot affecting one word on the first page.
Ty Cobb was one of baseball’s most electrifying and fierce competitors. Over a 24-year career, primarily with the Detroit Tigers, Cobb set innumerable Major League records, including a career batting average of .366—the highest in history. Renowned for his aggressive style of play and relentless drive to win, he dominated the sport during the early 20th century. In 1936, Cobb became one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving the highest percentage of votes among his legendary peers. Starting Bid $200
938.
Nile
Kinnick Rare Signed Menu - Heisman Trophy Winner
and Naval Aviator. All-American halfback and 1939 Heisman Trophy winner (1918–1943) who became a United States Navy aviator during World War II and died in a training flight off the coast of Venezuela. Rare pencil signature, “Nile Kinnick,” on a 3.5 x 4.5 menu from the “1940 Lyons Club Seventh Annual Football Banquet and Ladies Night,” which featured the All-American halfback as its guest speaker. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance, in part: “The Nile Kinnick signature on the 1940 Lyons Club program in Clinton, Iowa, belonged to our father, Robert Leedham. He was 13 years old in 1940 at the time he attended the Seventh Annual Football Banquet and Ladies Night where Nike Kinnick was the guest speaker. My father was a lifelong resident of Clinton, Iowa, and a graduate of the University of Iowa. I can only guess that as a teenager he knew that evening he was going to hear the 1939 Heisman trophy winner speak and was able to obtain his autograph.” Starting Bid $200
939. Babe Ruth Signature (ca. 1938). Vintage pencil signature, “Babe Ruth,” on an off-white 3 x .75 slip affixed inside a period autograph album; the album page to which the signature is adhered measures 5.5 x 4.25 and bears an affixed newspaper image of Ruth as the first base coach for the Brooklyn Dodgers, a position he assumed in 1938. The album also contains signatures of Leo Durocher, Cookie Lavagetto, Al Lopez, and some other minor players. In fine condition, with light soiling to the signed slip. Starting Bid $300
“Autographs
of Baseball Players, Yankee Stadium 1931”—highlighted
by
Babe
Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, and Herb Pennock
940. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and 1931 NY Yankees Signatures in Autograph Album. Fantastic vintage 3.5 x 5.75 autograph album, annotated on the front in ink: “Autographs of Baseball Players, Yankee Stadium 1931, Property of Seymour Kessler.” Inside are 41 pencil signatures of baseball players gathered in the Bronx, most captioned by Kessler and several with affixed newspaper or magazine portraits, accounting for much of the 1931 New York Yankees team plus several visiting ballplayers. Signers include: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Herb Pennock, Earle Combs, Joe Sewell, Red Ruffing, Luke Sewell, Vernon ‘Lefty’ Gomez, Red Rolfe, Joe MCCarthy, Charles Gehringer, Benny Tate, Lin Storti, Charlie Sullivan, Bob Fothergill, Butch Henline, Bill Sullivan, Lou McEvoy, Lyn Lary, Henry Johnson, Arndt Jorgens, Ken Strong, John Stone, Ben Chapman, George Pipgras, Bob Kline, Hal Rhyne, Tom Oliver, Al Van Camp, Earl Webb, Jimmie Reese, Joe Boley, Roy Sherid, Jim Weaver, Sam Boyd, Dusty Rhodes, Roy Johnson, Art Fletcher, Lu Blue, and Eddie Bennett (batboy). Notably, all pages are signed on a single side, with no back-to-back autographs. In overall fine condition, with wear to the covers. Starting Bid $500
Conditions of Sale
ANYONE EITHER REGISTERING TO BID OR PLACING A BID (“BIDDER”) ACCEPTS THESE CONDITIONS OF SALE AND ENTERS INTO A LEGALLY, BINDING, ENFORCEABLE AGREEMENT WITH R&R AUCTION COMPANY OF MASSACHUSETTS, LLC (“RR AUCTION”) TOGETHER WITH BIDDER, THE “PARTIES”).
This Agreement contains important provisions that control rights and liabilities, and specifically has provisions governing how disputes are handled as well as LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY that can be imposed upon RR Auction, WAIVER OF JURY and ARBITRATION PROVISIONS. This acknowledgement is a material term of these Conditions of Sale and of the consideration under which RR Auction agrees to these terms. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
The following terms and conditions (“Conditions of Sale”) constitute the sole terms and conditions under which RR Auction will offer for sale and sell the property on its website, and/or described in the catalog of items for auction (the “Catalog”). These Conditions of Sale constitute a binding agreement between the Parties with respect to the auction in which Bidder participates (the “Auction”). By bidding at the Auction, whether in person, through an agent or representative, by telephone, facsimile, online, absentee bid, or by any other form of bid or by any other means, Bidder acknowledges the thorough reading and understanding of all of these Conditions of Sale, all descriptions of items in the Catalog, and all matters incorporated herein by reference, and agrees to be fully bound thereby.
Section 1
The Parties1.1 RR Auction and Auction
This Auction is presented by RR Auction, a d/b/a/ of R&R Auction Company of Massachusetts, LLC, as identified with the applicable licensing information on the title page of the Catalog or on the www.RRauction.com Internet site. The Auction is conducted under these Conditions of Sale. Announcements and corrections from the podium at live auctions and those made through the Conditions of Sale appearing on the Internet at RRauction.com supersede those in the printed Catalog.
1.2
Bidder
Bidder shall mean the original Bidder on the property offered for sale by RR Auction and not any subsequent owner or other person who may acquire or have acquired an interest therein. If Bidder is an agent, the agency must be disclosed in writing to RR Auction prior to the time of sale, otherwise the benefits of the warranty shall be limited to the agent and not transferable to the undisclosed principal.
The rights granted to Bidder under these Conditions of Sale are personal and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person or entity, whether by operation of law or otherwise without the express written assent of RR Auction. Bidder may not transfer, assign, or otherwise convey these Conditions of Sale or any of the rights herein, and such purported transfer, assignment, or conveyance shall be null and void. No third party may rely on any benefit or right conferred on any Bidder by these Conditions of Sale, and no third party is intended as a beneficiary of these Conditions of Sale.
Bids will not be accepted from minor persons under eighteen (18) years of age without a parent or legal guardian’s written consent containing an acknowledgment of the Conditions of Sale herein and indicating their agreement to be bound thereby on behalf of the Bidder.
All Bidders must meet RR Auction’s qualifications to bid. Any Bidder who is not a client in good standing of RR Auction may be disqualified at RR Auction’s sole option and will not be awarded lots. Such determination may be made by RR Auction in its sole and unlimited discretion, at any time prior to, during, or even after the close of the Auction. RR Auction reserves the right to exclude any person from the Auction.
If an entity places a bid, then the person executing the bid on behalf of the entity agrees to personally guarantee payment for any successful bid and agrees to be bound by these Conditions of Sale in addition to company for whom the Bidder is acting
By accepting the Conditions of Sale, Bidder personally and unconditionally guarantees payment.
Section 2 Bidding Privileges
2.1 In order to place bids, Bidders who have not established an account with RR Auction must either furnish satisfactory credit information (including two collectibles-related business references) or supply additional information if requested, well in advance of the Auction. Bidders who are not members of RRAuction.com should pre-register before the close of the Auction to allow adequate time to contact references. Privileges will be granted at the sole discretion of RR Auction. Additionally, Bidders who have not previously established credit or who wish to bid in excess of their established credit history may be required to provide a cash deposit prior to RR Auction’s acceptance of a bid. Check writing privileges and immediate delivery of merchandise may also be determined by pre-approval of credit based on a combination of criteria: RRAuction.com history, related industry references, bank verification, a credit bureau report and/or a personal guarantee for a corporate or partnership entity in advance of the Auction venue.
2.2 Bidder providing any false or misleading information provided in connection with the registration shall be a material breach of the Conditions of Sale and in addition to any other remedies at law shall excuse RR Auction from performance under these Conditions of Sale, including the right to any refund.
2.2 Bidding privileges may be revoked without notice, for any reason, at the sole discretion of RR Auction .
Section 3
Buyer’s Premium
3.1 The Bidder acknowledges and agrees that a 25% buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price on all individual lots sold in timed and live Auctions. . For payment other than by cash, delivery will not be made unless and until full payment has been received by RR Auction, i.e., check or wired funds have fully cleared. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, signed by RR Auction, payment in full is due within thirteen (13) calendar days of the Auction or within twelve (12) calendar days of the invoice date, whichever is earlier. Bidder’s failure to pay any payment in full when due required shall constitute a material breach, and in addition to other damages available under contract or law, at RR Auction’s election, RR Auction may cancel the sale and require full premium still be due along with interest at 1.5% per month from the date of breach, or at the maximum legally allowable rate.
Section 4
Bidding
4.1 Each Bidder’s determination of its bid should be based upon its own examination of the item(s) and independent investigation, rather than the any reliance as to what is represented in the Catalog, online or elsewhere. Bidder affirms that it regards any statements made by RR Auction concerning the item as solely opinion and that Bidder is making its own inspection and independent evaluation of the goods, and is not relying upon any description or statements by RR Auction (including as to quality, authenticity, provenance, ownership, liens existing, on goods legality, or value) in making its determination to bid on or purchase an item. In any purchase or sale, the value of the item(s) is determined by the price. THE BIDDER HEREBY ASSUMES ALL RISKS CONCERNING ANY AND ALL PURCHASES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
4.2 RR AUCTION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ERRORS IN BIDDING. A Bidder should make certain to bid on the correct lot and that the bid is the maximum (plus the Buyer’s Premium) that the Bidder is willing and able to pay. Since other Bidders (by mail, facsimile, online, and in person) will be present, and since a reoffering could damage the momentum of the sale, once the hammer has fallen and RR Auction has announced the winning Bidder, such Bidder is unconditionally bound to pay for the lot, even if the Bidder has made a mistake.
4.3 All prospective Bidders who examine lots in person prior to the sale shall personally assume all responsibility for any damage they cause in so doing. RR Auction shall have sole discretion in determining the value of the damage caused, which shall be promptly paid by the prospective Bidder.
4.4 Title to any lot remains with Consignor, any secured party of the Consignor, or assignee of Consignor, as the case may be, until the lot is paid for in full by Bidder and Bidder has fully satisfied any outstanding financial obligations to RR Auction (including as it concerns aby other lots). RR Auction reserves the right to require payment in full before delivering any lot to the successful Bidder.
4.5 It is the Bidder’s responsibility and obligation to have the lots fully insured while in their possession. Bidder assumes any and all risk of loss upon the earlier of shipment to Bidder or in Bidder’s possession.
4.6 Bidder grants to RR Auction or its assigns the right to offset any sums due, or found to be due by RR Auction, and to make such offset from any past, subsequent or future consignment, or items acquired by Bidder in possession or control of RR Auction or from any sums due to Bidder by RR Auction. Bidder fur-
ther grants RR Auction a lien consisting of a senior security interest (or purchase money security interest to the extent applicable) in such sums or items to the fullest extent applicable, authorizes RR Auction to file documents concerning the interest, and Bidder agrees to execute any further documents as may be reasonably necessary to grant RR Auction such security interest. Bidder agrees that RR Auction and its assigns shall be a secured party with respect to items bought by Bidder and in the possession of RR Auction, to the extent of the maximum indebtedness, plus all accrued fees and expenses, until the indebtedness is paid.
4.7 By bidding in this sale, Bidder personally and unconditionally guarantees payment. The authorized representative of any corporate Bidder who is present at the sale shall provide RR Auction or its agent, prior to the commencement of the bidding (or at the time of registration), with a statement signed by a principal, director or officer that they he or she personally and unconditionally guarantees any payment due RR Auction.
4.8 RR Auction may at its sole and absolute discretion, make loans or advances to Consignors and/or prospective Bidders.
Section 5 Bidding Options
5.1 Non-Internet bids (including but not limited to in-person, facsimile, phone and mail bids) are treated similarly to floor bids in that they must be on-increment. Any in-person, facsimile, phone, or mail bids that do not conform to a full increment will be rounded up or down to the nearest full increment and this revised amount will be considered Bidder’s high bid.
5.2 When identical bids are submitted, preference is given to the first received. To ensure the greatest accuracy, written bids should be entered on the standard printed bid sheet and be received at RR Auction’s place of business at least twenty-four (24) hours before the Auction start. RR Auction is not responsible for executing mail bids or facsimile bids received on or after the day the first lot is sold, nor Internet bids submitted after the published closing time; nor is RR Auction responsible for proper execution of bids submitted by telephone, mail, facsimile, e-mail, Internet, or in person once the Auction begins.
5.3 In all Auctions, bids on an item must raise the current high bid by at least 10%, or as specified on a per-Auction basis. Bids will be accepted in whole dollar amounts only. No “buy” or “unlimited” bids will be accepted. In a live sale, bids on an item can change at the discretion of RR Auction.
5.4 RR Auction reserves the right to accept or decline any bid. Bids must be for an entire lot and each lot constitutes a separate sale. All bids are per lot unless otherwise announced. Live auction lots will be sold in their numbered sequence unless RR Auction directs otherwise. It is unlawful and illegal for Bidders to collude, pool, or agree with another Bidder to pay less than the fair value for lot(s). For live auctions, RR Auction will have final discretion in the event that any dispute should arise between Bidders. RR Auction will determine the successful Bidder, cancel the sale, or re-offer and resell the lot or lots in dispute. RR Auction will have final discretion to resolve any disputes arising after the sale and in online auctions. If any dispute arises, RR Auction’s sale record is conclusive.
Section 6 Payment
6.1 Subject to fulfillment of all of the Conditions of Sale set forth herein, upon the sooner of (1) the passing of title to the offered lot pursuant to these Conditions of Sale, or (2) possession of the offered lot by the Bidder, Bidder thereupon (a) assumes full risk and responsibility (including without limitation, liability for or damage to frames or glass covering prints, paintings, photos, or other works), and (b) will immediately pay the full purchase price or such part as RR Auction may require. In addition to other remedies available to RR Auction by law, RR Auction reserves the right to impose from the date of sale a late charge of 1.5% per month of the total purchase price if payment is not made in accordance with the conditions set forth herein. All property must be removed from RR Auction’s premises by the Bidder at his/her expense not later than sixty (60) business days following its sale and, if it is not so removed, RR Auction may send the purchased property to a public warehouse for the account, at the risk and expense of the Bidder.
6.2 Payment is due upon closing of the Auction session, or upon presentment of an invoice. RR Auction reserves the right to void an invoice if payment in full is not received within thirteen (13) calendar days of the Auction or within twelve (12) calendar days of the invoice date. In cases of nonpayment, RR Auction’s election to void a sale does not relieve the Bidder from their obligation to pay RR Auction its fees (seller’s and Buyer’s Premium) on the lot and any other damages pertaining to the lot.
6.3 All sales for total invoices greater than $1,000 are strictly for cash in United States dollars (including U.S. currency, bank wire, cashier checks, eChecks, and bank money orders), and are subject to all reporting requirements.
6.4 All deliveries are subject to good funds; funds being received in RR Auction’s account before delivery of the Purchases; and all payments are subject to a clearing period. RR Auction reserves the right to determine if a check constitutes “good funds”: checks drawn on a U.S. bank are subject to a ten (10) calendar day hold, and ten (10) business days when drawn on an international bank. Clients with pre-arranged credit status may receive immediate credit for payments via e-Check, personal or corporate checks.
6.5 In the event that a Bidder’s payment is dishonored upon presentment(s), Bidder shall pay the maximum statutory processing fee set by applicable state law. If Bidder attempts to pay via check and the financial institution denies the transfer from Bidder’s bank account, or the payment cannot be completed using the selected funding source, Bidder agrees to complete payment.
6.7 If RR Auction refers any unpaid invoice to an attorney for collection, the Bidder agrees to pay and shall be liable for RR Auction’s attorney’s fees, court costs, and other collection costs incurred by RR Auction in addition to the invoice amount and interest the greater of 1.5% per month or at the maximum legally allowable rate from date of invoice to collection. If RR Auction assigns collection to its house counsel, such attorney’s time expended on the matter shall be compensated at a rate comparable to the hourly rate of independent attorneys.
6.8 RR Auction shall have a lien against the merchandise purchased by the Bidder (as well as to the extent it is a consignor any other monies owed or due to Bidder) to secure payment of the Auction invoice. RR Auction is further granted a lien and the right to retain possession of any other property of the Bidder then held by RR Auction or its affiliates to secure payment of any Auction invoice or any other amounts due RR Auction or affiliates from the Bidder. With respect to these lien rights, RR Auction shall have all the rights of a secured creditor, including but not limited to the right of sale. In addition, with respect to payment of the Auction invoice(s), the Bidder waives any and all rights of offset he might otherwise have against RR Auction and the consignor of the merchandise included on the invoice (the Consignor”). If a Bidder owes RR Auction or its affiliates on any account, RR Auction and its affiliates shall have the right to offset such unpaid account by any credit balance due Bidder, and it may secure by possessory lien any unpaid amount by any of the Bidder’s property in their possession.
6.9 All checks, cashiers checks, bank checks, or money orders are payable to R&R Auction Company of Massachusetts, LLC. RR Auction clients with an invoice totaling $1,000 or under will have the option to pay by VISA, Mastercard, Discover or Paypal. All Paypal payments must be sent to FinanceDepartment@ rrauction.com. Authorize.net, a third-party service provider contracted by RR Auction for processing on-line payments, charges a nonrefundable service fee of 3%, which will be added to your final invoice should you pay by credit/debit card.
Section 7 Sales Tax
RR Auction is a remote seller and we are now required to collect Sales/Use Tax from our bidders. The states that we have nexus in we will be required to collect and remit sales tax on your behalf. Each state has different requirements to meet nexus. When RR Auction has achieved a certain monetary and/or invoice threshold in each state we will apply sales tax to your total invoice. The states that are affected are: ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, PENNSYLVANIA,RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN
If we have not achieved nexus in a particular state it is still your responsibility to pay sales tax on your purchases.
The sales tax rate is determined by the State, Country, and City where purchases are shipped to. If you decide to pick up your purchases at our New Hampshire location you will not be required to pay sales tax. The State of New Hampshire does not have a general sales and use tax. All purchases picked up at our Massachusetts location will be taxed at the current rate of 6.25%.
If you have a resale number please email Sue@RRAuction.com or fax to (603) 732-4288 a copy of your state resale certificate and you will be exempt from paying sales tax.
Section 8
Delivery; Shipping; and Handling Charges
Bidder is liable for shipping and handling and providing accurate information as to shipping or delivery locations and arranging for such. RR Auction is unable to combine purchases from other auctions or affiliates into one package for shipping purposes. Lots won will be shipped in a commercially reasonable time after payment in good funds for the merchandise and the shipping fees is received or credit extended, except when third-party shipment occurs. Bidder agrees that
service and handling charges related to shipping items which are not pre-paid may be charged to a credit card on file with RR Auction.
Successful international Bidders shall provide written shipping instructions, including specified Customs declarations, to RR Auction for any lots to be delivered outside of the United States. NOTE: Declaration value shall be the item’(s) hammer price and RR Auction shall use the correct harmonized code for the lot. Domestic Bidders on lots designated for third-party shipment must designate the common carrier, accept risk of loss, and prepay shipping costs.
All duties, customs, and any other import charges are the responsibility of the bidder.
Section 9
Title
Title shall not pass to the successful Bidder until all invoices of Bidder (including those pertaining to the item(s) at issue) and amounts owed to RR Auction are paid in full. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to provide adequate insurance coverage for the items once they have been delivered to a common carrier or third-party shipper.
Section 10
Rights Reserved
RR Auction reserves the right, at any time before, during or after an auction has ended to: withdraw any lot before or at the time of the Auction, cancel any bid, and/or to postpone the Auction of all or any lots or parts thereof, for any reason. RR Auction shall not be liable to any Bidder in the event of such withdrawal, cancellation, or postponement under any circumstances. RR Auction reserves the right to refuse to accept bids from anyone at any time.
Section 11
Conducting the Auction
11.1 RR Auction reserves the right to postpone the Auction or any session thereof for a reasonable period of time for any reason whatsoever, and no Bidder or prospective Bidder shall have any claim as a result thereof, including consequential damages.
11.2 RR Auction’s Discretion: RR Auction shall determine opening bids and bidding increments. RR Auction has the right in its absolute discretion to reject any bid in the event of dispute between Bidders or if RR Auction has doubt as to the validity of any bid, to advance the bidding at its absolute discretion and to determine the successful Bidder in the event of a dispute between Bidders, to continue the bidding or to reoffer and resell the lot in question. In the event of a dispute after the sale, RR Auctions record of final sale shall be conclusive. RR Auction also may reject any bid if RR Auction decides either that any bid is below the reserve of the lot or article or that an advance is insufficient. Unless otherwise announced by RR Auction at the time of sale, no lots may be divided for the purpose of sale.
11.3 Reserves
Lots may be subject to a reserve which is the confidential minimum price below which the lot will not be sold. Consignors may not bid on their own lots or property. RR Auction may, from time to time, bid on items that it does not own. RR Auction may execute bids consecutively or otherwise up to one bid increment below the reserve.
11.4 Off-Site Bidding
Bidding by telephone, facsimile, online, or absentee bidding (advance written bids submitted by mail) are offered solely as a convenience and permitted subject to advance arrangements, availability, and RR Auction’s approval which shall be exercised at RR Auction’s sole discretion. Neither RR Auction nor its agents or employees shall be held liable for the failure to execute bids or for errors relating to any transmission or execution thereof. In order to be considered for off-site bidding in any manner, Bidders must comply with all of these Conditions of Sale and the terms contained on the Registration Form.
11.5 Estimate Prices:
In addition to descriptive information, each item in the Catalog sometimes includes a price range which reflects opinion as to the price expected at auction (the “Estimate Prices”). In other instances, Estimate Prices can be obtained by calling RR Auction at (603) 732-4280. The Estimate Prices are based upon various factors including prices recently paid at auction for comparable property, condition, rarity, quality, history and provenance. Estimate Prices are prepared well in advance of the sale and subject to revision. Estimates do not include the Buyer’s Premium or sales tax (see under separate heading).
11.6 Owned or Guaranteed Property:
RR Auction generally offers property consigned by others for sale at public auction; in very limited occasion, lots are offered that are the property of RR Auction.
11.7 Before the Auction:
Bidder may attend pre-sale viewing for all of RR Auction’s auctions at no charge. All property to be auctioned is usually on view for several days prior to the sale. Bidder is encouraged to examine lots thoroughly. Bidder may also request condition reports (see below). RR Auction’s staff are available at viewings and by appointment.
11.8 Maximum Bids In All Auctions:
To maximize Bidder’s chance of winning, RR Auction strongly encourages the use of maximum bids. RR Auction will then bid for Bidder until the lot reaches Bidder’s specified maximum. Maximum bids are strictly confidential. Placing arbitrary, non-incremental bids on lots with prior maximum bids may result in these lots being sold for less than 10% above the under Bidder’s bid.
11.9 Successful Bids:
The fall of RR Auction’s hammer indicates the final bid. RR Auction will record the paddle number of the Bidder. If Bidder’s salesroom or absentee bid is successful, Bidder will be notified after the sale by mailed or emailed invoice.
11.10 Unsold Lots:
If a lot does not reach the reserve, it is bought-in. In other words, it remains unsold and is returned to the Consignor. RR Auction has the right to sell certain unsold items after the close of the Auction. Such lots shall be considered sold during the Auction and all these Terms and Conditions shall apply to such sales including but not limited to the Buyer’s Premium, return rights, and disclaimers.
11.11 Bidding in Timed Auction:
Bidder may open, monitor, and/or raise bids at any time before the close of a lot through www.rrauction.com. RR Auction offers a callback service the day of the Auction, but Bidder is responsible for supplying a correct telephone number(s) where Bidder can be reached until the Auction closes. Bidder must request this service in writing. RR Auction will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Bidders who request a callback are contacted if outbid; however, RR Auction does not guarantee this service and it is merely a courtesy and not an enforceable right. The auctioneer may also execute a bid on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve, either by entering a bid in response to salesroom, telephone or absentee bids. Under no circumstances will the auctioneer place any bid on behalf of the consignor above the reserve. The auctioneer will not specifically identify bids placed on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve.
To ensure proper registration, those Bidders intending to bid via the Internet must visit www.RRauction.com and register accordingly at least one full day prior to the actual auction. Winning bidders will be notified by RR Auction. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays, or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids.
Any Bidder may bid on any lot prior to 6 pm EST/EDT. At that time, an extended bidding period goes into effect. If Bidder has not bid on a lot before 6 pm EST/ EDT, Bidder may not bid on that lot after 6 pm EST/EDT. Only those Bidders who have placed bids on a lot before 6 pm EST/EDT will be allowed to bid on that lot after 6 pm EST/EDT. If Bidder is the only Bidder on a lot at 6 pm EST/ EDT, that lot is awarded to Bidder. During the extended bidding period, a lot will remain open only to those who bid on that lot prior to 6 pm EST/EDT. All lots WITHOUT an opening bid at 6 pm EST/EDT will remain OPEN to ALL Bidders until 7 pm EST/EDT or until they receive their first bid. These lots will close immediately upon receipt of a bid or at 7 pm EST/EDT, whichever comes first. For all lots that are active after 7 pm EST/EDT, bidding will remain open until 30 minutes pass without a bid being placed on THAT lot (the “30 Minute Rule”). The 30 Minute Rule is applied on a PER LOT BASIS; each lot in the Auction closes individually based on bidding activity after 7 pm EST/EDT. On a PER LOT BASIS, the 30 minute timer will reset each time a bid is placed after 7 pm EST/EDT. If Bidder is the high Bidder, raising Bidder’s maximum bid will NOT reset the timer. RR Auction reserves the right to close the Auction at any time at its sole discretion.
11.12 Bidding - Internet Live Auction:
Bidder may open, monitor, and/or raise bids at any time before the close of a lot through www.rrauction.com. RR Auction offers a callback service the day of the Auction, but Bidder is responsible for supplying a correct telephone number(s) where Bidder can be reached until the Auction closes. Bidder must request this service in writing. RR Auction will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Bidders who request a callback are contacted if outbid; however, RR Auction does not guarantee this service and it is merely a courtesy and not an enforceable right.
To ensure proper registration, those Bidders intending to bid via the Internet must visit www.RRauction.com and register accordingly at least one full day prior to the actual auction. Winning bidders will be notified by RR Auction. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays, or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including
but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids.
During live internet or live auction, property is auctioned in consecutive numerical order, as it appears in the catalog. The auctioneer will accept bids from those present in the salesroom or absentee bidders participating by telephone, internet or by written bid left with RR Auction in advance of the auction. The auctioneer may also execute a bid or bids (successively or otherwise) on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve, either by entering a bid in response to salesroom, telephone or absentee bids. Under no circumstances will the auctioneer place any bid on behalf of the consignor above the reserve. The auctioneer will not specifically identify bids placed on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve. All auctions for lots are with reserve unless specifically stated otherwise.
During live Auctions, internet bids can be placed in real time through one or more of the following Third Party services: www.liveauctioneers.com, www.invaluable. com and www.icollector.com. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays, or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids. RR Auction treats any third-party site bids as floor or telephone bids. Floor bids and telephone bids are always considered first over third party sites bids, and floor bids are considered earlier than telephone bids. All RR Auction lots purchased through the third-party sites carry an additional Buyer’s Premium.
11.13 Miscellaneous:
Agreements between Bidders and Consignors to effectuate a non-sale of an item at Auction, inhibit bidding on a consigned item to enter into a private sale agreement for said item, or to utilize RR Auction’s Auction to obtain sales for non-selling consigned items subsequent to the Auction, are strictly prohibited. If a subsequent sale of a previously consigned item occurs in violation of this provision, RR Auction reserves the right to charge Bidder the applicable Buyer’s Premium and Consignor a Seller’s Commission as determined for each auction venue and by the terms of the seller’s agreement.
Acceptance of these Terms and Conditions qualifies Bidder as a client who has consented to be contacted by RR Auction in the future. In conformity with ”donot-call” regulations promulgated by the Federal or State regulatory agencies, participation by the Bidder is affirmative consent to being contacted at the phone number shown in his application and this consent shall remain in effect until it is revoked in writing. RR Auction may from time to time contact Bidder concerning sale, purchase, and auction opportunities available.
11.14 Rules of Construction: RR Auction presents properties in a number of collectible fields, and as such, specific venues have promulgated supplemental Terms and Conditions. Nothing herein shall be construed to waive the general Conditions of Sale by these additional rules and shall be construed to give force and effect to the rules in their entirety.
Section 12
RR Auction’s Remedies
Failure of the Bidder to comply with any of these Conditions of Sale or the terms of the Registration Form is an event of material breach or default. In such event, RR Auction may, in addition to any other available remedies specifically including the right to hold the defaulting Bidder liable for the Purchase Price or to charge and collect from the defaulting Bidder’s credit or debit accounts as provided for elsewhere herein: (a) cancel the sale, retaining any payment made by the Bidder as damages (the Bidder understands and acknowledges that RR Auction will be substantially damaged should such default occur, and that damages under subpart (a) are necessary to compensate RR Auction for such damages); (b) resell the property without reserve at public auction or privately; (c) charge the Bidder interest on the Purchase Price at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month or the highest allowable interest rate; (d) take any other action that RR Auction, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or appropriate to preserve and protect RR Auction’s rights and remedies. Should RR Auction resell the property, the original defaulting Bidder shall be liable for the payment of any deficiency in the purchase price and all costs and expenses associated there with, including but not limited to warehousing, sales-related expenses, reasonable attorney fees and court costs, commissions, incidental damages and any other charges due hereunder which were not collected or collectable. In the event that such Bidder is the successful Bidder on more than one lot and pays less than the purchase price for the total lots purchased, RR Auction shall apply the payment received to such lot or lots that RR Auction, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. If RR Auction does not exercise such discretion, the lots to which the payment shall be applied will be in descending order from the highest purchase price to the lowest. Any Bidder failing to comply with these Conditions of Sale shall be deemed to have granted RR Auction a security interest in, and RR Auction may retain as collateral such security for such Bidder’s obligations to RR Auction, any Bidder’s property in RR Auction’s possession or to which title has not yet passed to Bidder. RR Auction shall have the benefit of all rights of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.) as adopted by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Section 13 Warranties
13.1 RR Auction does not provide any warranties to Bidders, whether expressed or implied, beyond those expressly provided in these Conditions of Sale. All property and lots are sold ”as is” and “where is”. By way of illustration rather than limitation, neither RR Auction nor the Consignor makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to merchantability or fitness for intended use, condition of the property (including any condition report), correctness of description, origin, measurement, quality, rarity, importance, exhibition, relevance, attribution, source, provenance, date, authorship, condition, culture, genuineness, value, or period of the property. Additionally, neither RR Auction nor the Consignor makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to whether the Bidder acquires rights in copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property (including exhibition or reproduction rights) related to the item, or whether the property is subject to any limitations or other rights. RR Auction does not make any representation or warranty as to title.
13.2 All descriptions, photographs, illustrations, and terminology including but not limited to words describing condition (including any condition reports requested by Bidder, see also Terminology), authorship, period, culture, source, origin, measurement, quality, rarity, provenance, importance, exhibition, and relevance, used in the Catalog, bill of sale, invoice, or anywhere else, represent a good faith effort made by RR Auction to fairly represent the lots and property offered for sale as to origin, date, condition, and other information contained therein; they are statements of opinion only. They are not representations or warranties and Bidder agrees and acknowledges that he or she shall not rely on them in determining whether or not to bid or for what price. Price estimates (which are determined well in advance of the Auction and are therefore subject to revision) and condition reports are provided solely as a convenience to Bidders and are not intended nor shall they be relied on by Bidders as statements, representations or warranties of actual value or predictions of final bid prices.
13.3 Bidders are accorded the opportunity to inspect the lots and to otherwise satisfy themselves as to the nature and sufficiency of each lot prior to bidding, and RR Auction urges Bidders to avail themselves accordingly.
13.4 All lots sold by RR Auction are accompanied by an Auction Certificate (“AC”). On any lot presented with an AC issued by RR Auction, the certification is only as to its attribution to the person or entity described or to the lot’s usage and only as explicitly stated therein (the “AC”), to the exclusion of any other warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to those pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code. The AC inures only to the original Bidder (as shown in RR Auction’s records). Bidder may not transfer, assign, or otherwise convey the AC and such purported transfer, assignment, or conveyance shall be null and void.
Section 14
Firearms
RR Auction complies with all Federal and State rules and regulations relating to the purchasing, registration and shipping of firearms. A Bidder is required to provide appropriate documents and the payment of associated fees, if any. Bidder is responsible for providing a shipping address that is suitable for the receipt of a firearm.
Section 15
Unauthorized Statements
Under no circumstances is any employee, agent or representative of RR Auction authorized by RR Auction to modify, amend, waive or contradict any of these Conditions of Sale, any term or condition set forth on a registration form, any warranty or limitation or exclusion of warranty, any term or condition in either the Registration Form or these Terms and Conditions regarding payment requirements, including but not limited to due date, manner of payment, and what constitutes payment in full, or any other term or condition contained in any documents issued by RR Auction unless such modification, amendment, waiver or contradiction is contained in a writing signed by all parties. Any statements, oral or written, made by employees, agents or representatives of RR Auction to Bidder, including statements regarding specific lots, even if such employee, agent or representative represents that such statement is authorized, unless reduced to a writing signed Bidder and by an authorized officer of RR Auction by all parties, are statements of personal opinion only and are not binding on RR Auction, and under no circumstances shall be relied upon by Bidder as a statement, representation or warranty of RR Auction.
Section 16
Bidder’s Remedies
16.1 Except as stated expressly herein, Bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy related to or pertaining to items it bids upon, views, or purchases from RR Auc-
tion, and any claims by Bidder related to authenticity, ownership, condition, title or value, shall be against Consignor only.
16.2 This section sets forth the sole and exclusive remedies of Bidder as against RR Auction (inclusive of its affiliates, officers, managers, employees or agents), or in any way arising out of, related to, or in connection with these Conditions of Sale, , and is expressly in lieu of any other rights or remedies which might be available to Bidder by law. Time is of the essence with respect to these procedures.
16.3
Title to Items
The Bidder hereby accepts the benefit of the Consignor’s warranty of title and any other representations and warranties made by the Consignor for the Bidder’s benefit. In the event that Bidder demonstrates in writing, satisfactory to the sole discretion of RR Auction, that there was a breach of the Consignor’s warranty of title concerning a lot purchased by Bidder, RR Auction may make demand upon the Consignor to pay to Bidder the Purchase Price (including any premiums, taxes, or other amounts paid or due to RR Auction). Should the Consignor not pay the Purchase Price to Bidder within thirty days after such demand (if any made), RR Auction may disclose the identity of the Consignor to Bidder and may assign to Bidder all or some of RR Auction’s rights against the Consignor with respect to such lot or property. Upon such disclosure and/or assignment, all responsibility and liability of RR Auction, if any, with respect to said lot or item shall automatically terminate related to or arising from these Conditions of Sale or such transaction operating as a complete waiver and general release by Bidder as to RR Auction and its agents, contractors, and affiliates, as to any and all claims concerning or related to the item, if any . RR Auction shall be entitled to retain the premiums and other amounts paid to RR Auction by Consignor only. The rights and remedies provided herein are for the original Bidder only and they may not be assigned or relied upon by any transferee or assignee under any circumstances.
16.4 Authenticity Challenge Process
(1) If Bidder wishes to dispute or challenge the Authenticity of the lot or item (including asserting that it is incorrect), Bidder must adhere to the following procedure: Within 30 days of the Auction Date, Bidder must present written evidence to RR Auction, that the lot is not authentic as determined by a known expert in the field (and one recognized by RR Auction within its discretion) and send the physical item or lot at issue to RR Auction along with all evidence relied upon by Bidder for contesting the Authenticity. (“Authenticity Challenge Process”) “Authenticity” shall mean a gross discrepancy in the between the description, genuiness, or attribution of the item as represented by RR Auction in the Catalog or at the auction, and the item. If RR Auction concurs that the lot is not Authentic as was represented (it is sole discretion), Bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy as against RR Auction (inclusive of its affiliates, agents, employees, and contractors) shall be a refund of the purchase price of the subject item paid by Bidder, with no other costs, liabilities or amounts recoverable by Bidder. If RR Auction does not agree with the assertion by Bidder, then the Parties shall follow the dispute resolution procedures of these Conditions of Sale. Strict adherence to the Authenticity Challenge Process is a condition of standing for Bidder to initiate suit or claim.
(2) So long as Bidder has complied with the Authenticity Challenge Process, any claim, suit or action, by Bidder concerning an AC or Certification of Authenticity, or related to the authenticity of the item must, without any exception, be brought within one (1) year of Auction Date and is subject to the other limitations and conditions stated in the Conditions of Sale.
16.5 Other Issues. Any dispute or claim by Bidder against RR Auction (or its affiliates, directors, employees, officers, agents, or contractors)) other than Authenticity, concerning any item or lot bid upon, or purchased, including value, title, condition, bidding process, or description must be asserted (if at all) in the following manner:
(1) If the description of any lot in the Catalog is materially or grossly incorrect (e.g., gross cataloging error), or there is any other gross material issue pertaining to the item or lot, the item or lot may be returned if returned within five (5) calendar days of receipt, and received by RR Auction no later than twenty-one (21) calendar days after the Auction Date with explanation in writing.. If there is any discrepancy between the description in the Catalog and a certificate of auction, then the description in the certificate of auction (“Lot Challenge Process”). This paragraph shall constitute Bidder’s sole right with respect to the return of items, and no refunds shall be given for any items not returned to and received by RR Auction within the period of time stated herein or not materially or grossly in deviation from the description. Such a refund is subject to RR Auction’s sole discretionary review, and any request for refund must be made concurrently with returning the physical item or lot to RR Auction. Any item not returned within said frame will constitute acceptance of the item and a waiver and release of
any and all claims by Bidder pertaining to the item other than with respect to authenticity; and
(2) Provided that the Bidder has engaged in the Lot Challenge Process, any claim concerning such must be brought no later than one (1) year of the Auction Date for the item or lot at issue and is subject to the other limitations and conditions stated in the Conditions of Sale.
NO RETURN OR REFUND OF ANY AUCTION LOT WILL BE CONSIDERED OR PROVIDED EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THESE CONDITIONS OF SALE AND BIDDERS OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SUCH SHALL BE A COMPLETE DEFENSE TO ANY CLAIMS BY BIDDER RELATED TO THE CONDITIONS OF SALE, ANY AUCTION OR BID.
16.6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. For any and all claims by Bidder arising out of or related to this Agreement, Bidder’s viewing, bid, or purchase of items, or any agreement between the Parties, or otherwise, Bidder agrees that to the fullest extent such can be limited under the law, Bidder shall have no right to recover and hereby waives any and all rights to recover from against RR Auction or its affiliates, directors, employees, officers, agents, or contractors, consequential or indirect damages, lost profits damages, punitive, exemplary, statutory (or multiplier damages), physical or emotional distress damages, general or special damages of any kind (beyond amounts actually paid by Bidder for item(s) at issue), and in the event of recovery of any damages whatsoever, such shall be limited by the amounts actually paid by Bidder to RR Auction for the item(s) at issue in such claim, or if no money was paid to RR Auction by Bidder for items at issue, or there items are at issue, the amount of $150.00.
Section 17
RR Auction’s Additional Services
For Bidders who do not remove purchased property from RR Auction’s premises, RR Auction, in its sole discretion and solely as a service and accommodation to Bidders, may arrange to have purchased lots packed, insured and forwarded at the sole request, expense, and risk of Bidder. RR Auction assumes no and disclaims all responsibility and liability for acts or omissions in such packing or shipping by RR Auction or other packers and carriers, whether or not recommended by RR Auction. RR Auction assumes no and disclaims all responsibility and liability for damage to frames, glass or other breakable items. Where RR Auction arranges and bills for such services via invoice, RR Auction will include an administration charge.
Section 18
Headings
Headings are for convenience only and shall not be used to interpret the substantive sections to which they refer.
Section 19
Entire Agreement
Except to the extent Bidder is also a consignor (in which case the terms of the consignment agreement shall also govern), these Conditions of Sale constitute the entire agreement between the Parties together with the terms and conditions contained in the auction Registration Form. They may not be amended, modified or superseded except in a signed writing executed by all parties. No oral or written statement by anyone employed by RR Auction or acting as agent or representative of RR Auction may amend, modify, waive or supersede the terms herein unless such amendment, waiver or modification is contained in a writing signed by all parties.
If any section of these Conditions of Sale or any term or provision of any section is held to be invalid, void, or unenforceable by any court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction, the remaining parts of the agreement and remainder of the sections or terms and provisions of the section and all sections shall continue in full force and effect without being impaired or invalidated in any way.
Section 20
Governing Law and Enforcement
20.1 The Parties agree that all agreements between the Parties including but not limited to these Conditions of Sale are entered into in Boston, Massachusetts, no matter where Bidder is situated and no matter by what means or where Bidder was informed of the Auction and regardless of whether catalogs, materials, or other communications were received by Bidder in another location.
20.2 The Parties agree that these Conditions of Sale, any other related agreement(s), along with all claims between the Parties, including those arising out of or related to such are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Mas-
sachusetts, without regard for its conflict of laws principles. The Parties agree that any dispute between the Parties, including but not limited to those related to or arising out of these Conditions of Sale, or related to or arising out of any other related agreement(s) shall be submitted to confidential binding arbitration (the ”Arbitration”) before a single Arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) The Parties agree that the Arbitration shall be conducted pursuant to the commercial rules of the AAA in Boston, Massachusetts, unless the Consumer Arbitration Rules apply, in which case, such rules and venue will govern. In the event that the Parties cannot agree on the selection of the Arbitrator, then the Arbitrator shall be selected by the AAA. The prevailing Party in the Arbitration shall also recover all of its related fees and costs, whether before or after the formal institution of the Arbitration, including but not limited to its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, if RR Auction prevails, such recovery, in addition to all remedies available at agreement or law, shall include the Buyer’s Premium as defined in these Conditions of Sale. Federal arbitration law, including the Federal Arbitration Act apply to this agreement to arbitrate and its related provisions. The arbitration and all related proceedings shall be held strictly confidential and all documents and discovery shall be held confidential and not used, published or disclosed publically or to anyone outside the Parties or expert consultants or counsel who shall agree to hold such confidential.
20.3 The Parties consent to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as exclusive jurisdiction and venue for all claims between the Parties except as provided specifically herein and may seek confirmation of the decision in the Arbitration pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act in any Court of competent jurisdiction, including the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. To the extent such is necessary under the law, RR Auction may enforce the Arbitration award against Bidder and any related Party in any court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as RR Auction consenting to jurisdiction or venue in any location outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
THE PARTIES MAY NOT BRING CLAIMS AGAINST EACH OTHER AS A CLASS OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLAIMED CLASS, OR IN A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED, THE CLAIMS AGAINST EACH OF THE OTHER CANNOT BE CONSOLIDATED OR JOINED WITH MORE THAN ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON OR ENTITIES’ CLAIMS. NO INJUNCTIVE OR DECLATORY RELIEF SOUGHT BY BIDDER IF ANY, CAN AFFECT OR BE ORDERED TO AFFECT ANY OTHER BIDDERS OR PERSONS.
20.4 Except as provided specifically in these Conditions of Sale in Bidder’s Remedies against RR Auction (along with its affiliates, directors, agents, officers, employees, and contractors) for any dispute, claim, cause of action related to or arising out of these Conditions of Sale or any other related agreement(s), brought by Bidder must be brought within the earlier of the Auction Date as it pertains to the item(s) at issue or no later than one (1) year of the acts, omissions or circumstances occurred giving rise to the alleged claim, without exception. This provision is intended as a full, complete and absolute bar to and release of any claims by Bidder initiated after one (1) year of such acts, omissions or circumstances. The Parties agree further that these waiver provisions are intended to be binding in the event of any dispute, specifically including but not limited to third party claims and cross-actions brought by Bidder. These provisions are consideration for the execution of these Conditions of Sale.
20.5 To the fullest extent under applicable law and except as specifically stated herein Bidder hereby holds harmless, releases and discharges RR Auction and its agents, officer’s directors, affiliates, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, promises, agreements, damages, causes of action, suits, demands, losses, debts, and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected existing prior to these Conditions of Sale. Bidder agrees to the Conditions of Sale and upon each instance that Bidder participates in any auction, bids, or otherwise agrees to such terms and reaffirms this release as of the date of so participating or agreeing unless Bidder otherwise provides clear written notice to RR Auction prior to so bidding.
20.6 The Bidder hereby agrees that RR Auction shall be entitled to present these Conditions of Sale to a court in any jurisdiction other than set forth in this paragraph as conclusive evidence of the Parties agreement, and the Parties further agree that the court shall immediately dismiss any action filed in such jurisdiction.
20.7 Liquidated Damages for Specific Breaches
In the event that Bidder provides false information in connection with registering for bidding, fails to correct or update information or breaches the Conditions of Sale by failing to pay the purchase price when due after becoming the winning bidder, as liquidated damages associated with such breaches, R&R may obtain from Bidder the greater of (1) 150% the reserve of the item (if any); (2) the amount bidder bid; or (3), the full amount that bidder would have otherwise paid. Bidder will also be liable for an additional 20% of such amount to account for additional administrative costs, shipping, additional advertising, and other dam-
ages and liabilities fees that are difficult to calculate on an item-by-item basis.
20.8 Indemnity. Bidder agrees to defend, indemnify, hold harmless RR Auction (along with its officers, directors, agents, contractors, and affiliates) from and against any and all claims, costs, fees, damages, and liabilities arising out of or related to these Conditions of Sale, view of items, or lots, bidding, or participation in any auction by RR Auction, and/or or in any way connected to any item you viewed, bid upon or purchased through RR Auction.
Section 21: State-by-State Law Issues
This Auction is being conducted in and the sale shall take place in the State of Massachusetts. Notwithstanding, the foregoing, should these terms and conditions violate the law of any State should that state’s law be found to govern, or any provision herein determined to be invalid, the clause itself and the remainder of the Agreement shall be valid to the fullest extent allowed. Also, to the extent other states law apply to any transaction arising out of the Agreement (without admitting such), RR Auction states:
For Residents of California:
SALE OF AUTOGRAPHED COLLECTIBLES: AS REQUIRED BY LAW, A DEALER WHO SELLS TO A CONSUMER ANY COLLECTIBLE DESCRIBED AS BEING AUTOGRAPHED MUST PROVIDE A WRITTEN EXPRESS WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF SALE. THIS DEALER MAY BE SURETY BONDED OR OTHERWISE INSURED TO ENSURE THE AUTHENTICITY OF ANY AUTOGRAPHED COLLECTIBLE SOLD BY THIS DEALER.
A written express warranty is provided with each autographed collectible, as required by law. This dealer may be surety bonded or otherwise insured to ensure the authenticity of any autographed collectible sold by this dealer.
Section 22
Glossary of Condition terms
Information provided to prospective Bidders with respect of any lot, including any pre-sale estimate, whether written or oral, and information in any catalogue, condition or other report, commentary or valuation, is not a representation of fact but rather a statement of opinion held by RR Auction.
Use of the following terms constitutes an opinion as follows:
VERY FINE describes an item believed to be in virtually flawless condition, and is used sparingly for items of exceptionally attractive appearance.
FINE is the most common statement of condition, and applies to most items that we offer. It describes items that we believe to show expected handling wear, generally acceptable random flaws (such as light creases, small bends, etc.), and an overall appearance that is pleasing to the majority of collectors.
VERY GOOD describes an item that we believe exhibits more moderate flaws (such as toning, light staining, professional reinforcements or repairs, etc.). Most collectors would be comfortable with items in very good condition, and this would be the expected condition for many formats (early presidential documents, for example).
GOOD describes an item which we believe to have obvious visible flaws, including heavy wear, missing portions, or repairs that affect appearance; generally items in this condition are offered only if an item is otherwise believed to be exceedingly rare or important.
Bidder may call and request further details and information about RR Auction’s opinions concerning any item via phone or email which shall provided in RR Auction’s discretion.
Certificate of Auction, Certificate of Authenticity and Goods Acquired:
Bidder warrants that Bidder (and its agents, assigns, successors, and affiliates) shall not purposely deface, destroy, dismember, cut-up into parts the item or Lot purchased at auction from RR Auction and in the event such shall occur whether purposefully or accidently, Bidder (and its agents, assigns, successors, and affiliates) shall refrain from advertising, promoting, or marketing the item as having been purchased from RR Auction and shall in no event display, expressly claim, or imply that the item was certified or auctioned in such state by RR Auction. As liquidated damages for such breach, Bidder agrees to be liable to RR Auction for the greater of the amount of three (3) times the hammer price of the item along with all other fees and costs as otherwise provided in this Terms of Sale.
32. John Quincy Adams Signed Free Frank Starting Bid $200
36. Chester A. Arthur Letter Signed Starting Bid $200
33. John Quincy Adams Land Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
37. Chester A. Arthur Signed Executive Mansion Card Starting Bid $200
34. President Chester A. Arthur Appoints Rufus Ingalls as the 16th Qu... Starting Bid $200
38. Chester A. Arthur and Robert Todd Lincoln Document Signed as Pres... Starting Bid $200
42. George W. and Laura Bush Signed Photograph as President and First... Starting Bid $200
35. President Chester A. Arthur Proclaims Federal Support for the "Wo... Starting Bid $200
39. James Buchanan Document Signed as President, Sending Ceremonial L... Starting Bid $200
40. George Bush Signed Book - My Father, My President Starting Bid $200
41. George W. Bush Signed Book - Decision Points Starting Bid $200
43. George Bush and Margaret Thatcher Signed Photograph - From the Pe... Starting Bid $200
44. Jimmy Carter (2) Signed Photographs Starting Bid $200
46. Jimmy Carter Signed Photograph Starting Bid $100
47. Jimmy Carter Signed Inaugural Invitation Starting Bid $100
48. Jimmy Carter Signed Book - A Full Life Starting Bid $100
49. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton Starting Bid $200
53. Bill Clinton Typed Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
57. Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter (2) Signatures (2012 Leaf Executive... Starting Bid $100
61.
50. Grover Cleveland Autograph Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
54. Bill Clinton Typed Letter Signed to Paul Newman: "I came to admir... Starting Bid $200
58. Calvin Coolidge Signed Book - The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidg... Starting Bid $200
51. President Grover Cleveland Advocates an American Envoy to Germany... Starting Bid $200
55. Bill and Hillary Clinton (2) Signed Books Starting Bid $200
52. Bill Clinton Typed Letter Signed: "I, too, was deeply alarmed wit... Starting Bid $200
56. Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton (4) Signed Books Starting Bid $200
59. Calvin Coolidge Signed Check Starting Bid $100
Starting Bid $200
62. Dwight D. Eisenhower Autograph Letter Signed to His Wife - "The R... Starting Bid $200
63. Dwight D. Eisenhower War-Dated Typed Letter Signed on "visiting t... Starting Bid $200
60. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed 'D-Day' Order from 'Crusade in Europe... Starting Bid $200
64. Dwight D. Eisenhower Typed Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
Dwight D. Eisenhower (16) Typed Letters Signed in Scrapbook of Br...
65. Dwight D. Eisenhower Typed Letter Signed as President - Four Days... Starting Bid $200
69. Millard Fillmore Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
73. James A. Garfield Letter Signed on the 1880 Presidential Election... Starting Bid $200
77. Benjamin Harrison Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
66. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed Holiday Card as President of Columbia... Starting Bid $200
70. Gerald Ford Signed Book - Assassination Report of the Warren Comm... Starting Bid $200
74. Warren G. Harding Signed Photograph by the Harris & Ewing Studio Starting Bid $200
78. President Rutherford B. Hayes Writes to the Prince of Romania on ... Starting Bid $200
67. Dwight D. Eisenhower Typed Letter Signed as President to His Brot... Starting Bid $200
71. Gerald Ford Signed Time Magazine Starting Bid $200
75. Warren G. Harding Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
79. Rutherford B. Hayes Document Signed Starting Bid $200
68. Mamie Doud Eisenhower Autograph Letter Signed on American Electio... Starting Bid $100
72. Gerald Ford Typed Letter Signed as President, Endorsing George Ha... Starting Bid $100
76. President Benjamin Harrison Prohibits Cattle Grazing on the Chero... Starting Bid $200
80. Herbert Hoover Signed Book - The Challenge to Liberty Starting Bid $200
81. Herbert Hoover Signed Book - The Challenge to Liberty Starting Bid $200
85. Lyndon B. Johnson Typed Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
89. Lyndon B. Johnson Signed Book - The Professional Starting Bid $200
82. Herbert Hoover Signed Book - America's First Crusade Starting Bid $200
86. Lyndon B. Johnson Oversized Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
90. Lyndon B. Johnson Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
83. Andrew Johnson Document Signed as President - Appointment for Fut... Starting Bid $200
87. Lyndon B. Johnson Signed Sketch, Presented to a Campaign Strategi... Starting Bid $200
91. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson Collection of (30+) Ephemer... Starting Bid $200
84. Lyndon B. Johnson Typed Letter Signed as President Starting Bid $200
88. Lyndon B. Johnson Signed Book - The Vantage Point Starting Bid $200
92.
John F. Kennedy Ephemera Collection of (22) 1960 Presidential Cam... Starting Bid $200
93. John F. Kennedy Original 1960 Campaign Poster - "Kennedy for Pres... Starting Bid $200
94. John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt Signatures with Original Ph... Starting Bid $200
95. Abraham Lincoln: Famous Cooper Union Address Booklet Starting Bid $200
96. James Madison and James Monroe Document Signed as President and S... Starting Bid $200
97. President William McKinley Sends a Letter of Condolence to Albert... Starting Bid $200
101. Richard Nixon Signed Book - The Real War (Ltd. Ed. #419/2500) Starting Bid $200
105. Franklin Pierce Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
98. William McKinley Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
102. Richard Nixon Signed Book - 1999: Victory Without War Starting Bid $100
106. James K. Polk Document Signed as President - Appointment for Futu... Starting Bid $200
99. James Monroe Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
103. President Franklin Pierce Begins Annexation Talks with the Kingdo... Starting Bid $200
108. James K. Polk Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
100. Richard Nixon Signed Book - The Memoirs of Richard Nixon Starting Bid $200
104. Franklin Pierce Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
109. Ronald Reagan Partial Draft Autograph Letter Signed to His Daught... Starting Bid $200
110. Ronald Reagan Signed Book - Speaking My Mind Starting Bid $200
111. Ronald Reagan Signed Book - Where's the Rest of Me? Starting Bid $200
112. Ronald Reagan Signature Display Starting Bid $200
113. Ronald Reagan Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
114. Ronald Reagan Signed Bookplate Starting Bid $200
118. Theodore Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed as Assistant Secretary of ... Starting Bid $200
115. Ronald Reagan Signed 1977 Eureka College Program Starting Bid $200
116. Ronald Reagan Signature Starting Bid $200
120. Zachary Taylor Letter Signed, Defying His Superiors After the Bat... Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
117. Theodore Roosevelt Signed Book - African Game Trails, Presented t...
119. William H. Taft Document Signed Starting Bid $200
121. Harry Truman Signed White House Card and Bess Truman Typed Letter... Starting Bid $200
122. Harry S. Truman Signed Book - Mr. President Starting Bid $200
123. Donald Trump Signed New York Post Newspaper with 'Mug Shot' Front... Starting Bid $200
124. Donald Trump Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
125. Donald Trump Signed Membership Certificate for the Mar-a-Lago Clu... Starting Bid $200
126. Donald Trump Signed Book - Trump: The Art of the Comeback Starting Bid $200
127. Donald Trump Signed Holy Bible - 'Signature Edition' Starting Bid $200
128. Donald Trump Signed Baseball Cap - Make America Great Again Starting Bid $200
129. Donald Trump Signed Playboy Magazine (March 1990) Starting Bid $200
130. Donald Trump Signed Time Magazine Starting Bid $200
134. Donald Trump Signature Starting Bid $200
138. Donald Trump Signed 2017 Inaugural Ceremonies Pass Starting Bid $200
Donald Trump Signature Starting Bid $200
131. Donald Trump Signed $20 Dollar Bill - PSA GEM MT 10 Starting Bid $200
135. Donald Trump Signed Book - Letters to TrumpHuge Signature Starting Bid $200
139. Donald Trump Signature Starting Bid $200
132. Donald Trump Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
136. Donald Trump Signed 2017 Presidential Inauguration Invitation Starting Bid $200
140. Donald Trump Signed $5 Dollar Bill Starting Bid $200
133. Donald Trump Signed Book - The Art of the Comeback Starting Bid $200
137. Donald Trump Signed Book - Trump: Surviving at the Top (Ltd. Ed. ... Starting Bid $200
141. Donald Trump Signed $10 Dollar Bill Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
142.
143. Donald Trump Signed Magazine - Newsweek Starting Bid $200
144. Donald Trump Signed Baseball Hat - Make America Great Again
145. Donald Trump 2025 U. S. Capitol-Flown Inauguration Flag
147. John Tyler Document Signed as PresidentAppointment for Future ... Starting Bid $200
151. Martin Van Buren Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
248. Charles Babbage: On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures (Fi... Starting Bid $200
148. John Tyler Partial Document Signed as President Starting Bid $200
152. Martin Van Buren Letter Signed to Nicholas Biddle, President of t... Starting Bid $200
249. David Ben-Gurion Autograph Letter Signed on Sigmund Freud Starting Bid $200
149. John Tyler and Daniel Webster Partial Document Signed as Presiden... Starting Bid $200
218. Louis Pasteur Signed Print Starting Bid $200
250. Claude Bernard Autograph Letter Signed Starting Bid $200
150. Martin Van Buren Signed Check Starting Bid $200
247. William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
251. Annie Besant Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed
252. British Prime Ministers (4) Multi-Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
253. Paul Broca Autograph Letter Signed Starting Bid $200
254. Luther Burbank Signed Photograph Starting Bid $200
255. Richard Byrd Signed Book - Little America Starting Bid $100
256. George Washington Carver Autograph Letter Signed Starting Bid $200
