Remarkable Rarities | www.RRAuction.com | September 24, 2026
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September 24, 2026
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Iconic Force print of the Declaration of Independence: “In Congress, July 4, 1776” LOT 5001
Declaration of Independence: Force Print from W. J. Stone’s Copperplate (c. 1833) Exquisite rice paper engraving of the Declaration of Independence, 24 x 28.5, printed from Stone’s copperplate in 1833 for inclusion in Peter Force’s American Archives. The Declaration famously begins, “In Congress, July 4, 1776. The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America.” Impressively archivally double-matted and framed to an overall size of 33.5 x 38.5. In fine condition, with intersecting folds (as issued) and some minor wrinkling. By 1820, the original Declaration of Independence had seriously deteriorated due to inappropriate handling and storage, creating an immediate need for a facsimile reproduction. Commissioned by John Quincy Adams, William J. Stone engraved a copperplate by lifting ink directly from the original and creating a perfect copy. He printed 201 before placing the plate in storage for safekeeping.
Peter Force was later commissioned by Congress to print a series of books-now known as the American Archives-featuring the founding documents of the United States. For the occasion, the Stone engraving was removed from storage and used to produce new copies on rice paper, distinguished from the original by an engraving in the lower left corner “W.J. Stone S.C. Washn.” The prints of the Declaration were later folded and issued in the first volume of the fifth series of books. After printing, the plate was again retired, now residing with the original Declaration at the National Archives. Congress authorized the printing of 1500 copies of American Archives, but subscriptions for the elaborate edition were disappointing, and in the end many fewer copies—perhaps only 500—were issued. Most were folded and bound into Volume I, Series Five. A magnificent and highly displayable example. Starting Bid $1,000
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War-dated receipt issued from New Jersey’s strategically vital Ringwood Ironworks on July 4, 1776—the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence LOT 5002
Revolutionary War: Receipt Issued from New Jersey’s Ringwood Ironworks, Dated July 4, 1776 Revolutionary War-dated partly-printed receipt, one page, 7.5 x 3.25, July 4, 1776. Receipt acknowledging one ton of iron issued at Ringwood, New Jersey, on the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. In full: “Received 78 [bars] of Iron…which I promise to deliver to E. W. Kiers.” A handwritten notation along the bottom indicates that the iron is “for Hallet the Chairmaker.” Impressively double-matted and framed with a print of John Trumbull’s Declaration of Independence painting and an engraved plaque to an overall size of 15.75 x 23. In fine condition, with light scattered staining. Issued from the Ringwood Ironworks, one of the Continental Army’s most important wartime iron suppliers, this remarkable receipt dates to one of the most consequential days in American history. Under the direction of Scottish-born ironmaster Robert Erskine, who the following year became George Washington’s Geographer and Surveyor General, Ringwood furnished critical iron products for the Revolutionary cause and later supplied links for the massive Hudson River Chain stretched across the Hudson at West Point. The receipt is directed to Edward Wm. Kiers, a documented quartermaster in New Jersey’s Revolutionary War forces, providing a direct connection to the American war effort. Revolutionary War documents bearing the iconic date of July 4, 1776, the day Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, are of the utmost rarity and remain among the most sought-after artifacts of the nation’s founding. Starting Bid $300
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September 24, 2026
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“For the use of Genl. Marion’s Brigade”— a Revolutionary War receipt signed by the ‘Swamp Fox’ LOT 5003
Francis Marion Revolutionary War-Dated Document Signed, Procuring Beef for His Brigade During Their 1781 Campaign Against the British Military officer (1732–1795), known as the ‘Swamp Fox,’ who served during the Revolutionary War. Due to his irregular methods of warfare, he is considered one of the fathers of modern guerrilla warfare. Revolutionary War-dated self-contained partial manuscript DS, signed “Certify’d Fran. Marion, Brig. Genl Militia,” one page, 8 x 1.5, October 9, 1781. Document reads, in full: “Received 9th October 1781 of the Est. of Mr. Norrell one Stear weighing two hundred & fifty weight for the use of Genl Marians [sic] Brigade.” Receipt is also signed by Thomas Blackwell as Commissary to Gen. Francis Marion’s Brigade. Beautifully cloth-matted and framed with an engraved portrait and descriptive plaque to an overall size of 16 x 25. In very good to fine condition, with vertical folds, somewhat irregularly-trimmed edges, and scattered toning and foxing; all of the writing, along with Marion’s signature, remains quite bold. During October of 1781, Continental Army officer Francis ‘Swamp Fox’ Marion was proving a formidable opponent to the British, who occupied South Carolina from 1780-1781. Marion, one of the founding fathers of guerilla warfare, used his extensive knowledge of the Santee swamps to achieve his heralded victory over the British at Eutaw Springs on September 8th. A month later, he signed this receipt for “one Stear weighing two hundred & fifty weight” to feed his men, as he and his troops would stay on for another year until their last clash with the British on August 29, 1782. This document provides a glimpse into not only the necessities needed to keep these men strong opponents for the British, but the will power and determination it took to remain to see the job done. Starting Bid $500
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September 24, 2026
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Selectman John Hancock signs a scarce 1765 Faneuil Hall lottery ticket later endorsed by future Tea Party patriot Edward Proctor LOT 5004
John Hancock Signed 1765 Faneuil Hall Lottery Ticket, Endorsed by Boston Tea Party Patriot Edward Proctor Scarce lottery ticket crisply signed at the conclusion in ink, “John Hancock,” one page, 3.25 x 1.75, for the “Faneuil-Hall Lottery” held in Boston in June 1765. In full: “The Possessor of this Ticket (No. 4171) is intitled to any Prize drawn against said Number, in a Lottery granted by an Act of the General Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, for Rebuilding Faneuil-Hall; subject to Deduction.” Signed neatly on the reverse by the bearer of the ticket, Edward Proctor, a prominent Boston patriot and future Boston Tea Party participant. In fine condition. In colonial America, lotteries were a widely accepted means of financing public improvements. Boston turned to this method after Faneuil Hall, the city’s landmark marketplace and meeting hall, was destroyed by fire in January 1761, issuing lottery tickets signed by John Hancock in his capacity as one of Boston’s five selectmen to help fund its reconstruction. Similar ventures were undertaken elsewhere, including George Washington and Captain Thomas Bullitt’s proposed Mountain Road Lottery of 1767, which sought to finance a road through the Allegheny Mountains and a resort at present-day Hot Springs,
Virginia, though that lottery ultimately failed and the projects were completed by other means. While large numbers of lottery tickets were issued during the colonial period, surviving examples signed by prominent Revolutionary figures such as Hancock are today exceedingly scarce. Edward Proctor (1733–1811) was a prominent Boston merchant and patriot who helped lead resistance to the Tea Act. As a member of the North End Caucus, he served on the committee charged with securing the resignation of the East India Company’s tea consignees, and on the night of December 16, 1773, commanded the volunteer boarding party aboard the Dartmouth, participating in the destruction of the tea. His civic and fraternal involvement in Boston was extensive: he joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1756, later served on the committees of correspondence and safety in the years leading up to the Revolution, and, during the Revolutionary War, attained the rank of colonel in the Massachusetts militia. A Freemason and member of St. Andrew’s Lodge, he rose to Junior Grand Warden of the Massachusetts Grand Lodge, while also serving the city as a fireward and Overseer of the Poor. He died in Boston in November 1811 at the age of seventy-eight and was buried in Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. Starting Bid $2,500
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John Hancock commissions a veteran of Shays’ Rebellion as aide-de-camp to Maj. Gen. William Shepard
LOT 5005
John Hancock Document Signed as Governor of Massachusetts, Appointing a Veteran of Shays’ Rebellion as Aide-de-Camp to Maj. Gen. William Shepard Manuscript DS, signed “John Hancock,” one page, 12.5 x 7.75, August 1, 1789. As governor of Massachusetts, Hancock appoints Samuel Buffington as “Aid de Camp to Major General William Shepard, Commander of the fourth Division of the militia in this Commonwealth comprehending the County of Hampshire…with the rank of Major.” Boldly signed in the left margin by Governor John Hancock, and countersigned at the conclusion by John Avery as secretary. The large white paper seal affixed at the upper left remains intact. Mounted, matted,
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and framed to an overall size of 24.5 x 17.5. In fine condition. Buffington was serving under Shepard during Shays’ Rebellion of 1786-87, in which they had to defend Springfield against a rebel militia. Buffington, commanding a company of light horse under Shepard’s command, directly confronted Shays during his march to the Springfield Armory. In the exchange, Buffington warned Shays that Shepard would defend the Arsenal by means of force. Shays continued to advance, and Shepard first fired warning shots over the heads of Shays’ men, followed by grape shot fired by two cannons. The rebel advance was halted when four Shaysites were killed and 20 were wounded. Starting Bid $500
Sought-after signature of the renowned Boston silversmith and Revolutionary patriot, whose midnight ride became an enduring symbol of the American Revolution
LOT 5006
Paul Revere Signature Historic ink signature, “Paul Revere,” on an off-white 2.5 x .5 slip. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Archivally cloth-matted and framed with a color photo of John Singleton Copley’s portrait of Revere to an overall size of 13.5 x 20.5. In fine condition, with uniform toning from prior display. Starting Bid $500
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Upon his arrival in England on July 24, 1785, Franklin reports on his journey home after nearly nine years as America’s minister to France, concluding the diplomatic mission that secured French support during the Revolutionary War and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris recognizing American independence LOT 5007
Benjamin Franklin Autograph Letter Signed, Written From England After Securing French Support for the American Revolution and Helping Negotiate the Treaty of Paris ALS signed “B. Franklin,” one page, 4.5 x 7.5, July 24, 1785. Addressed from “Southampton in England,” a handwritten letter from Benjamin Franklin to “M’r Grand,” believed to be Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand, the Swiss-born Protestant banker in Paris who served as the principal financial agent for the United States during the American Revolutionary War. Written upon Franklin’s arrival in England following nearly a decade as American minister to France, the letter reads, in full: “We arrived here very well at 8 o’Clock this Morning, after a Voyage of 45 Hours. I find my Self better for the Journey, by Land, and Passage by Sea, instead of being fatigued as I apprehended. I send this by Way of London; and shall write you more fully by the Return of the Pacquet Boat that brought us here. My Love to your good Family, & to all our Friends and Neighbours that enquire after us. We have brought with us the Part of our Baggage that came in the Roulier to Havre. The Part by the Boat from Rouen was not arriv’d.” Franklin adds a brief postscript: “M. le Veillard is here with us very well. My Children present their Respects.” The integral second page is detached but present. In fine condition, with faint intersecting folds and a repaired short tear to the lower left corner. Accompanied by a custom blue cloth presentation folder with gilt-lettered spine, featuring a mounted engraved portrait of Franklin to the inside front cover. Provenance: Charles Hamilton, 24 July 1975, lot 133; Christie’s 2026, with photocopy of original authenticity letter from Peter Klarnet, Christie’s Senior Specialist, Manuscripts.
Franklin wrote this letter during one of the defining transitions of his life. After nearly nine years as America’s minister to France, he had concluded the diplomatic mission that helped secure American independence and was beginning his journey home. Appointed in 1776 to seek French support for the American cause, Franklin became the young nation’s most celebrated diplomat abroad, negotiating the 1778 Treaty of Alliance that brought France into the Revolutionary War and serving as one of the American commissioners who concluded the 1783 Treaty of Paris, formally recognizing American independence. By the summer of 1785, with his diplomatic service complete, Franklin had departed his longtime residence at Passy and reached Southampton on July 24th, where he penned this letter to his trusted Paris banker, Rodolphe-Ferdinand Grand. Grand had served as the principal financial agent for the United States in France throughout much of the Revolutionary War, managing loans, payments, and other financial affairs on behalf of the American commissioners. Writing immediately after his arrival in England, Franklin reports favorably on his 45-hour journey, notes that part of his baggage had yet to arrive from Rouen, sends greetings to mutual friends in Paris, and mentions his close friend Louis-Guillaume Le Veillard, who accompanied him on the final stage of his departure from France. Within weeks of writing this letter, Franklin sailed aboard the London Packet for Philadelphia, arriving on September 14, 1785, to a hero’s welcome. He would soon be elected President of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council and, two years later, become the eldest delegate to the Constitutional Convention, where he helped shape the framework of the United States Constitution. Starting Bid $5,000
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“I called at the Caffé Boston today, where I dined, but you were not at home”— rare handwritten letter from Thomas Paine, dated to the 1790s amid the French Revolution, inviting Revolutionary patriot Ira Allen to meet in Paris LOT 5008
Thomas Paine Autograph Letter Signed to Ira Allen, Addressed from Paris During the French Revolution English-born political philosopher and Founding Father (17371809) whose revolutionary pamphlets Common Sense and The American Crisis galvanized support for American independence. One of the Enlightenment’s most influential political writers, his advocacy of liberty, republican government, and natural rights helped shape both the American and French revolutions. ALS, one page, 7 x 4, dated “4 Vendémiaire” (the first month of the French Republican calendar, in effect from 1793 to 1806). Addressed from Paris, a handwritten letter from Thomas Paine, bearing the salutation, “Dear Citizen.” Although framed, photographic evidence of the reverse reveals the recipient as “Le General Allen, American,” strongly suggesting the letter was sent to Revolutionary patriot Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen. The use of the French Republican calendar places the letter in the 1790s, by which time Ira Allen was living and traveling extensively in Europe on diplomatic and commercial business, including prolonged stays in France. The letter reads, in full: “I called at the Caffé Boston today, where I dined, but you were not at home, – will you call on me tomorrow morning at 12 OClock.” Archivally and impressively cloth-matted and framed with a plaque and a modern print portrait of Paine to an overall size of 29.5 x 23; the accompanying plaque erroneously identifies the recipient as Ethan Allen. In fine condition, with show-through from docketing on the reverse. Thomas Paine fled to France in September 1792 to escape a British indictment for seditious
libel following publication of Rights of Man. Despite speaking no French, he was elected to the National Convention, where his plea for clemency during the trial of Louis XVI earned him the enmity of the increasingly radical Jacobin faction. Arrested in December 1793, Paine remained imprisoned in Paris until his release in November 1794, ultimately residing in France until returning to the United States in 1802. The recipient is very likely Ira Allen, who held the rank of major general in the Vermont militia, matching the docketing on the reverse, “Le General Allen, American.” The letter’s use of the French Republican calendar effectively rules out Ira’s older brother, Ethan Allen, who died in 1789 before the calendar’s adoption. Ira Allen traveled to France in 1795 to procure muskets and cannon on Vermont’s behalf. After the arms ship Olive Branch was seized by the British in 1796, he was detained in England before returning to the Continent, where French authorities, suspecting him of espionage, confined him for nearly two years before his release around 1800. The proposed meeting place, the Café Boston, was known as a gathering place for English-speaking foreigners in Paris, making it a fitting location for an informal meeting between two American revolutionaries living abroad during the upheaval of the French Revolution. The letter provides a rare glimpse into the personal interactions of two prominent figures whose lives were profoundly shaped by the revolutionary movements of their age. Starting Bid $500
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Foundational 1788 first edition of The Federalist—Hamilton, Madison, and Jay’s landmark defense of the United States Constitution LOT 5009
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay (First Edition, 1788) - The Landmark Defense of the United States Constitution Extremely rare, historically significant book: The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, Agreed Upon By the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787. First edition in two volumes. New York: Printed and Sold by J. and A. McLean, 1788. Hardcover bound in contemporary marbled boards, expertly rebacked and recornered in periodstyle speckled calf, with elaborately gilt-decorated spines and red and black morocco labels. Pagination: vi, 227; vi, 384. An extraordinarily rare and highly important first edition of The Federalist, the landmark collection of 85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay written under the shared pseudonym “Publius” in support of ratification of the United States Constitution. One of the foundational texts of American political thought, The Federalist exerted an immediate influence on the Constitution’s adoption and remains the most authoritative contemporary exposition of its principles. Conceived by Hamilton as an urgent response to opposition to the proposed Constitution, the essays first appeared in New York newspapers beginning in October 1787. Hamilton enlisted John Jay and James Madison in the effort, with Hamilton ultimately contributing the majority of the essays. Their immediate purpose was practical and political: to persuade the citizens of New York to ratify the Constitution drafted at Philadelphia. Their enduring achievement, however, was far greater. As Printing and the Mind of Man observes, although the essays “were designed as political propaganda, not as a treatise of political philosophy,” The Federalist nevertheless survives as “one of the new nation’s most important contributions to the theory of government” (PMM 234).
Its influence was profound from the outset. E. Dwight Church notes that the work “exerted a powerful influence in procuring the adoption of the Federal Constitution, not only in New York but in the other states,” further praising it as a remarkably concise and lucid explanation of “the true principles of a republican form of government” (Church 1230). The Grolier Club likewise recognized The Federalist as the most authoritative early interpretation of the Constitution, observing that “as a commentary and exposition of the Constitution, the influence of the Federalist has been profound” (One Hundred Influential American Books, 56). It has also been described as “the most thorough and brilliant explication of the Federal Constitution (or any other constitution) ever written” (The Constitution, a Documentary and Narrative History by Page Smith, 263–264). The first collected edition was issued by New York printers J. and A. McLean in two volumes in 1788, while the ratification debate was still underway. It contains the complete series of 85 essays, including several that had not yet appeared in newspaper form, giving this edition exceptional historical importance as the first appearance of The Federalist as a unified work. Bibliographical references: Sabin 23979; Howes H114; Evans 21127; Streeter II:1049; PMM 234; Church 1230; Grolier 100 American 56. In very good to fine condition, with a small, neat repair to the lower outer margin of leaf G3 (pages 77–78) in Volume I affecting a few words; a remarkably attractive set. Housed in a custom-made morocco clamshell case. An exceptional example of one of the greatest books in American history—an original 1788 first edition of The Federalist, the intellectual cornerstone of the United States Constitution and one of the most consequential works ever printed in America. Starting Bid $25,000
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Federal period American dirk with Pumpelly family arms and Tammany Hall “Beware” rattlesnake engraving LOT 5010
Historic Federal Period American Dirk Belonging to the Pumpelly Family with Later Tammany Hall Engraving A beautifully made early 19th-century American dagger, 8 1/8” overall, with a 4 1/2” straight, double-edged blade lacking a ricasso. The steel has an overall bright gray patina with spots of thin freckling along its length that darken slightly towards the tip. The hilt has reversed, scalloped-edge quillons, a smooth silver ferrule, and silver wire-wrapped horn grip with smooth silver pommel. The design and quality of workmanship of the dagger is typical of the Federal Period, especially the years leading up to and just after the War of 1812. The silver sheath has an older, original engraved coat of arms of the distinguished and historic Pumpelly family of central New York (the arms: argent chaussé on a pale gules, accosted by two roses in base [on the azure]; a fleur-de-lis or; a chief of the last an eagle displayed sable; crest: on an esquire’s helmet, ornamented with a wreath of colors and lambrequins of azure and argent, a ship on stormy waves) executed skillfully on the side opposite the frog stud. The scabbard has further engraving, added later and by a different hand, depicting floral vignettes at the tip and throat, as well as a double coiled rattlesnake with extended tongue next to the word “Beware” - the emblem found on the membership badges of Tammany Hall as approved by an order of January 11, 1790. On the handful of original Tammany badges of this design known to exist today, the central motif is further surrounded by the legend: ‘Where Liberty dwells, there is my Country / Octr. 12th 1492.’ The Pumpellys were descended from Jean Pompili, a FrancoItalian Huguenot from Avignon who left France for New England some time in the early 18th century. His son, also named Jean, became a ship captain based in Plymouth, MA, and drowned by accident in 1727, shortly before the birth of his only son: John Pompilie (alternately spelled ‘Pumpely,’ then ‘Pumpelly’ as the name became anglicized). John did not have a happy home life after his mother remarried, and ran away from home at the age of fifteen to enlist in Capt. Loring’s Company of His Majesty’s Massachusetts Provincial Regiment of Foot as a drummer boy. He saw combat service in the French and Indian War where he distinguished himself for bravery; being promoted to Sergeant for carrying dispatches through hostile territory to and from the besieged and doomed garrison at Fort William Henry. Pumpelly re-enlisted several times during the course of the war, also taking part in the Crown Point Expedition and Battle of Lake George, the Siege of Louisbourg, and the Battle of the Plains of Abraham where
both Montcalm and Wolfe were mortally wounded. Additionally, Pumpelly served as a member of Rogers’ Rangers, and was both a messmate and friend to Ebenezer Webster, the father of famed NH congressman and statesman Daniel Webster. He settled in Salisbury, CT, after marrying Hannah Bushnell, daughter of Captain Samuel Bushnell of Salisbury, and during the ensuing Revolutionary War, John served as Commissary to General Israel Putnam, himself also a veteran of Rogers’ Rangers and fellow Connecticut resident. John would also serve as the Superintendent of the Ironworks at Mount Riga in Salisbury, which produced cannons and assorted munitions throughout the Revolutionary War period. John would move to Boone County, NY, in 1803, where his son James had become a wealthy surveyor and land agent. John spent the remainder of his life as a gentleman farmer and passed away in 1819 at the incredible age of 92. John and Hannah would have seven children in all: James, Charles, Jerusha, Maria, Harriet, William, and Harmon. All of the Pumpelly sons became prominent men within central New York social and business circles, but William’s youngest son Raphael is the most well-known today as a prominent American geologist and explorer of the midlate 19th century who conducted geologic surveys in Japan, China, Mongolia, and Siberia, including the first extensive survey of the Gobi Desert. Raphael Pumpelly summered in Dublin, NH, and the trail leading from his old property near Dublin Lake to the summit of nearby Mt. Monadnock is still named the “Pumpelly Trail” in his honor. Despite their prominence in both state and financial affairs, there is no known connection between the Pumpelly family and the Tammany Hall political machine except one of animosity towards the corruption and graft so prevalent in Tammany dealings after the rise of William ‘Boss’ Tweed to Tammany’s overall leadership in the 1860s. It is easy to conclude, therefore, that the addition of Tammany Hall symbolism to the scabbard was instead commissioned by a subsequent unknown owner, unrelated to the family, and one who had much different political leanings. It is even possible that the dagger was used as a distinctive badge of membership for the owner in lieu of the metal badges worn by members as described above. Whatever the reason, the addition of the distinctive design adds an intriguing twist to what is already an exceptional example of an early Federal period American dagger. It would make a splendid addition to any fine collection of early American antiques or War of 1812-era American edged weapons. Starting Bid $1,000 www.RRAuction.com | 17
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Framed display uniting the signatures of America’s first 25 presidents, spanning the nation’s first century and highlighted by attractive examples of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln LOT 5015
American Presidents: Signature Display of the First 25 Presidents, George Washington Through William McKinley Framed display containing ink signatures of the first 25 presidents of the United States of America: George Washington (“G:o Washington”), John Adams, Thomas Jefferson (“Th: Jefferson”), James Madison, James Monroe (“Jas. Monroe”), John Quincy Adams (“J. Q. Adams”), Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren (“M. Van Buren”), William Henry Harrison (“W. H. Harrison”), John Tyler, James K. Polk (“J. K. Polk”), Zachary Taylor (“Z. Taylor”), Millard Fillmore (“M. Fillmore”), Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant (“U. S. Grant”), Rutherford B. Hayes (“R. B. Hayes”), James A. Garfield (“J. A. Garfield”), Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland (22nd and 24th president), Benjamin Harrison
(“Benj. Harrison”), and William McKinley (“Wm. McKinley”). Each signature is penned on an off-white slip ranging in size from 2.5 x .75 to 4.75 x 1. Professionally matted with engraved portraits and framed to an overall size of 48.75 x 30.5, with the lower border of the frame bearing an engraved presentation plate: “Presented, To the Oxford Club, By Dr. Chas. E. Clark, Aug. 15, 1899.” In overall very good to fine condition, with some folds, and scattered stains and toning. Accompanied by a full letter of verification from Grad Authenticity. Spanning the first century of the American presidency – from George Washington through William McKinley – this remarkable display unites the signatures of the nation’s first 25 presidents, and is highlighted by an exceptionally bold example autograph of Abraham Lincoln. Starting Bid $1,000
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“Time has not yet so silvered over my Locks, but that I can remember, ‘I once was young’”—handwritten letter from Abigail Adams to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Ann Harrod, on the eve of her wedding to Thomas Boylston Adams LOT 5016
Abigail Adams Autograph Letter Signed “Time has not yet so silvered over my Locks, but that I can remember, ‘I once was young’” ALS signed “A. Adams,” one page, 7.5 x 9, May 15, 1805. Addressed from Quincy, a handwritten letter to her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Ann Harrod, offering advice concerning her forthcoming marriage to her son, Thomas Boylston Adams. In full: “I received your Letter of May 6th, no apology was necessary for any delay of replie to mine. I enter fully into all your embarrassments. Time has not yet so silvered over my Locks, but that I can remember, ‘I once was young.’ I have regretted the obsticals which have heitherto impeded your union, with one whom I hope will render you happy, tho his situation is not what he could wish it to be. I feel desirous to remove all difficulties within my power. Your own observations my dear Ann, must have convinced you that no situation in Life is exempt from its cares, its anxieties, and perplexitys, nor will you expect that the important one, into which you are so soon to enter, will be without its share. It will render you, as Dr. Watts expresses it, but a ‘broader mark’ by developing new Duties, and new relations upon you. From the knowledge I have of your disposition, your Education and habits, I have the fullest assurance that you will discharge them in such a manner as to approve yourself to your own mind, and diffuse
pleasure and happiness to all those who are connected with you. It would give me pleasure to sanction your union with my presence, but as that cannot be, receive the united Blessing of the parents of your Friend – and our best wishes that you may be blessed in each other. Louisa [wife of John Quincy Adams] joins her Love with ours, and pleads her lame arm, in excuse for not writing. – Most tenderly and affectionately.” The left margin bears remnants of the original wax seal. In fine condition, with a slightly trimmed bottom edge. Written one day before Ann Harrod’s marriage to Abigail and John Adams’s youngest son, Thomas Boylston Adams, this warm and deeply personal letter finds Abigail welcoming her future daughter-in-law into the Adams family while reflecting on the responsibilities of married life. The letter also echoes Abigail’s earlier endorsement of the match, in which she described Ann to Thomas as “a serious, solid, sensible, amiable woman” and assured him that he would “never meet with any obsticals from me whenever you can see your way clear to support a family.” Unable to attend the ceremony, Abigail instead conveys the “united Blessing” of both parents, making the letter a heartfelt wedding benediction written on the eve of the marriage. Starting Bid $1,000
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Treaty of Ghent negotiators John Quincy Adams and Albert Gallatin pursue a $6 million loan to bolster the war effort in 1814—rare complete US government loan package from the Treasury Secretary’s archives LOT 5017
War of 1812: John Quincy Adams and Albert Gallatin Letter Signed with $6 Million European Loan Document Archive Important archive of manuscripts from the collection of Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford, involving a proposed loan from Europe to support the United States government during the War of 1812. The US faced a $50 million shortfall in revenue, brought on by restricted trade, years of seizures of merchant ships, and the expense of the war. There was a real question as to whether the federal government would be able to continue to support the military during wartime. To meet this challenge, Congress authorized President James Madison to borrow up to $25 million. As structuring the loan into tranches would make it more palatable to the public, they first sought a loan in the amount of $6 million. Trusted diplomats John Quincy Adams and Albert Gallatin were already in Europe to begin negotiating the Treaty of Ghent, and they were charged with acquiring the loan at the same time. On September 29, 1814, John Quincy Adams wrote in his journal: ‘[Boyd] left Washington the 12th of last month…He arrived at Bordeaux the 17th of this month at Paris the 23d and here this morning…His dispatches and newspapers are to the 12th of August. Those from the Treasury are in the first instance for Mr. Gallatin with powers to negotiate a loan in Holland of six millions of dollars. They are to me only in the case of Mr. Gallatin’s absence and to Mr. Crawford in case the loan should not be obtainable at Amsterdam.’ On October 3, Gallatin wrote confidentially to the bankers Willem and Jan Willink in Amsterdam, who had been investors in the Louisiana Purchase, seeking funds up to $6 million. A true copy of this letter is included, bearing secretarial signatures of Gallatin and Adams. Gallatin received a response from the Willinks, explaining that they would be unable to lend the money on terms likely to be acceptable. The Ghent negotiators then wrote to Secretary Crawford with this news on October 16th to ask for his advice. Their letter is the highlight of this archive: ALS in Gallatin’s hand, signed by both, “Albert Gallatin” and “John Quincy Adams,” one page both sides, 7 x 8.75, Ghent, October 16, 1814. In part: “We received your letter of 26th September, and wrote immediately by Mr. Boyd to our bankers at Amsterdam on the subject of the loan. Their answer gives no hope of success at this time
at that place; but as you will perceive it holds out some expectation that on the contingency of favorable circumstances, the object may be obtainable after the commencement of the ensuing year. We are of opinion that such enquiries should now be made at Paris, as may enable us to give the necessary information to our government by the next dispatch vessel; and we believe that if any considerable portion of the loan can be obtained by your operations, the residue will be raised at Amsterdam. In what manner these enquiries should be made, without their object becoming public, you will be best able to judge. It is probable that the two houses of Hottinger and of Delessert, who have both some property in America, may be safely entrusted with the object…We enclose copies of the powers and instructions from the Treasury.” Included is the complete loan package enclosed with the letter, containing four manuscript copies of documents and orders, all in a secretarial hand but most with annotations by John Quincy Adams, including a true copy of he document from the Secretary of Treasury authorizing Gallatin and Adams to seek a loan “not exceeding in the whole six millions of dollars.” As it turned out, the response from France was even less encouraging than the one from Holland. Crawford responded to Gallatin that he had ‘made sufficient enquiry to ascertain that no loan can be obtained in France upon terms which can be accepted.’ Crawford feared that the recent capture of Washington would only pose further obstacles to their desires. Talleyrand himself had said ‘on holding a large amount of the funded debt of the US, he would not give one sou for the whole of it.’ On October 25, just days after this letter, Crawford wrote to Gallatin, ‘The inference is almost necessary that the US have not in the hands of their bankers funds sufficient to discharge the interest of the public payable in Europe,’ meaning the interest payment due on the US Louisiana debt. The next day, Gallatin reported to Monroe that a loan in Europe would not be obtainable before the first of the following year. His candid assessment was much worse: it would not be forthcoming at all. The budget shortfall thus went unsolved, forcing the United States to default on some of its debts in November 1814 with missed interest payments on bonds. Only the end of the war would put the nation on a more stable financial footing. Starting Bid $5,000
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September 24, 2026
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“I have duly guarded and maintained neutrality with all nations”— Jackson defends his legacy, with mentions of Gen. Sam Houston and Indian policy in his administration LOT 5018
Andrew Jackson Autograph Letter Signed, Mentioning Gen. Sam Houston, His Executive Papers, and Indian Policy: “The treaty with Spain required us to control our Indians & keep them at peace” ALS, one page both sides, 7.5 x 12, January 25, 1838. Handwritten letter to “William S. Fulton, Senator in Congress,” in part: “Having seen in the Globe Mr. Adams resolution, I wrote to you, to the Secretary of State & to the President on day before yesterday to which I beg leave to refer you. In my letter to the secretary of state I give all the memorandum I can find here—the letter to Gov’r Pope, & to you, and your reply…will be found on file in the War Department. It was said about that time that the forces to be employed by Gen’l Houston were the Cherokees & other Indians. The treaty with Spain required us to control our Indians & keep them…at peace with her. The Secretary of War having the Indian affairs under his charge was directed…to write Gov’r Pope on the subject… On Gen’l Duff Green furnishing to me an extract…I have a strong impression on my mind of endorsing on your confidential report and referring it to the Department of War to remain on file. I recollect that Governor Cass thought I had better keep it on the Executive file, but I observed I would soon be out of office, and I would rather refer it to…the War office… Should you not fine it there, I have to request that you make out a statement of the facts of this case and furnish it to the Secretary of State, that he may communicate it to the House of Representatives, with my letter to him of the 23rd instant.
I have a great desire that these papers be laid before Congress, to show not only in this, but on all other occasions, I have duly guarded and maintained neutrality with all nations. You must have these letters on file in the Executive archives of Arkansas…Being so unwell, about the time I retired from office, that I could not attend to the packing up my papers, they were thrown in large boxes…& will take a long time to assort them. I have as far as my feeble health would permit searched my papers here—have found nothing—but the memorandum I have furnished the President & Secretary of State.” Addressed on the integral leaf in Jackson’s own hand. Matted and framed to an overall size of 18.5 x 17, with a glass backing for viewing the reverse. In fine condition, with sealrelated paper loss to the integral address leaf. This letter finds Jackson in retirement at the Hermitage, still defending the conduct of his administration amid congressional scrutiny of American neutrality during the volatile Texas Revolution era. Writing to William S. Fulton—his former secretary during the Seminole campaign and, by 1838, a U.S. senator from Arkansas—Jackson urgently seeks documentary proof that he had observed treaty obligations with Spain and properly restrained Native forces from being drawn into foreign conflict. The letter reveals Jackson’s lingering sensitivity to charges of executive overreach and his desire to shape the public record, even while weakened by poor health and struggling to locate papers from the chaotic close of his presidency. Starting Bid $300
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September 24, 2026
| REMARKABLE RARITIES
One day after the Jonesboro Debate, Abraham Lincoln writes to Congressman Washburne to verify a Stephen Douglas allegation about slave states— “If his allegation be true, burn this without answering it” LOT 5019
Abraham Lincoln Examines Debate Claims Made by Opponent Stephen Douglas, Verifying a Republican Ally’s Stance “against the admission of any more Slave States” – “If his allegation be true, burn this without answering it” Historic ALS signed “A. Lincoln,” one page, 7.5 x 6.25, September 16, 1858. Handwritten letter to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne, concerning an allegation made by Stephen Douglas against Washburne at the preceding Lincoln-Douglas debate in Jonesboro, Illinois. The letter, in full: “Yesterday at Jonesborough, Douglas, by way of placing you and me on different ground, alledged that you were everywhere, pledging yourself unconditionally against the admission of any more Slave States. If his allegation be true, burn this without answering it. If it be untrue, write me such a letter as I may make public with which to contradict him.” To the lower left, Lincoln adds, “Address to Springfield.” Elihu B. Washburne was elected as a Whig to the 33rd Congress in 1852 and was reelected as a Republican in 1854 and 1856. By this time, he was seeking his fourth term in Congress and had been present at the second Lincoln-Douglas debate held in
his congressional district of Freeport on August 27, 1858. Includes a handsome presentation folder with quarter-bound slipcase. Archivally matted and framed with a portrait under True Vue conservation clear acrylic to an overall size of 20.75 x 14. Professionally cleaned, rice paper-backed, and restored to near-fine condition. An astounding Lincoln letter that mentions both his pivotal debates with Douglas and the admission of slave states to the Union, the issue that divided the nation and led to the Civil War. The Lincoln letter here offered is published in Roy P. Basler’s ‘The Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln’ (Rutgers University Press, 1953). Basler notes, ‘Apparently, Washburne did not reply to this letter, for in the Lincoln Papers there are no Washburne letters between May 31, 1858 and May 20, 1860.’ It is possible that Washburne did reply, addressing his letter “to Springfield” as requested by Lincoln, but Lincoln would not have received it until he returned home on October 16th after the final debate with Douglas. If he did receive Washburne’s reply, the issue was now moot, so Lincoln may have destroyed it. According to The Collected Works, after Elihu Washburne died, this letter was owned by his son, Hempstead Washburne. Starting Bid $10,000
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September 24, 2026
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Abraham Lincoln’s ‘Penny Profile,’ signed to aid Union soldiers in 1864 LOT 5020
Abraham Lincoln Signed Carte-de-Visite Portrait, Donated to Benefit a Union Soldiers’ Aid Society in 1864 Exceptional original 2.25 x 4 carte-de-visite portrait of Abraham Lincoln in right-facing profile, boldly signed at the bottom in ink, “A. Lincoln.” Published by Brady’s National Photographic Portrait Galleries of New York and Washington, the mount bears a remarkable contemporary inscription on the reverse: “Contributed for the benefit of the S. A. So. of Westford Ma. at their levee Dec. 14th 1864 by Pres. Lincoln.” In very good to fine condition, with clipped corners, a small stain to the mount, and an old inventory label to the reverse. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. This celebrated profile, commonly known as Lincoln’s ‘Penny Profile,’ was taken on February 9, 1864, by Anthony Berger of Mathew Brady’s Washington studio. One of Lincoln’s most recognizable likenesses, it later served as the principal photographic source for Victor David Brenner’s design of the Lincoln cent; during the same sitting, Berger also made the portrait eventually adapted for the five-dollar bill.
According to contemporary local accounts, this was one of six autographed portraits donated by President Lincoln to benefit the Soldiers’ Aid Society of Westford, Massachusetts. Unable to provide federal funds directly, Lincoln instead supplied signed photographs to be sold at the society’s fundraising levee on December 14, 1864, supporting the families of local Union soldiers. An accompanying period newspaper clipping from 1924 documents Lincoln’s donation of six CDVs, noting that Lincoln’s signature was “not a facsimile, but the Great Emancipator’s own handwriting.” This example is believed to have been acquired at the benefit by prominent Westford industrialist and civic leader Charles G. Sargent, then passed to his son Allan C. Sargent, a noted preservationist and member of several historical and patriotic organizations. It remained quietly preserved within the family for roughly another century before being rediscovered in an old desk, its significance revealed when the newspaper clipping fell from the back of its frame. Also accompanied by a detailed statement of provenance from descendant John Sargent French. Starting Bid $10,000
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September 24, 2026
| REMARKABLE RARITIES
Handwritten letter from President Lincoln penned at the height of the Civil War, reviewing the court-martial conviction of a Union lieutenant: “I have some reason to believe there are strong mitigating circumstances in his case” LOT 5021
Abraham Lincoln Civil War Autograph Letter Signed, Ordering the Review of a Court-Martial Conviction for “strong mitigating circumstances” (March 18, 1863) Civil War-dated ALS as president signed “A. Lincoln,” one page, 5 x 8, Executive Mansion letterhead, March 18, 1863. Handwritten letter to Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt requesting a review of the court-martial conviction of Lieutenant John Benson Williams of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, whom Lincoln believed deserved further consideration. In full: “It is said Lieut. John Benson [Williams], of the 3rd regular Infantry, has been sentenced by a Military Commission, to be dismissed the service. I have some reason to believe there are strong mitigating circumstances in his case, which the Commission perhaps, did not deem competent for them to consider. I will thank you to procure the record, examine it and report upon it to me.” In fine condition. The reverse of the integral leaf bears contemporary manuscript endorsements documenting the letter’s progress through the War Department. Upon receiving Lincoln’s request, Holt forwarded it to the Adjutant General, noting on March 23rd that “No record or report in regard to [the Williams case] has been received at this office.” The letter was subsequently returned to Holt with the record of Williams’s court-martial,
docketed “Please see papers within,” enabling him to review the proceedings at the President’s request. After examining the record, Holt prepared a detailed report for Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on March 30th, rejecting the purported mitigating circumstances, identified as Williams’s claimed illness, and concluding that the officer had abandoned his command without leave. Stanton transmitted Holt’s findings to Lincoln, who ultimately declined to intervene, writing on April 11, 1863: ‘I decline to interfere in behalf of Lieut. Williams.’ Written at the height of the Civil War, this letter provides an exceptional glimpse into Lincoln’s personal oversight of military justice. Just fifteen days before writing this letter, Lincoln had signed the Enrollment Act, the first federal conscription law in American history, which initiated the Union’s first nationwide draft as the government sought to replenish its armies. Even as he confronted the immense responsibilities of directing the Union war effort, Lincoln devoted personal attention to the case of a single officer, first ordering a careful review of the evidence before reaching a final decision. Such measured consideration of an individual soldier’s fate reflects the thoughtful exercise of executive authority that distinguished Lincoln’s wartime leadership. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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‘With malice toward none’— a scarce admission ticket to Abraham Lincoln’s historic second inauguration, March 4, 1865 LOT 5022
Abraham Lincoln 1865 Inauguration Day Ticket - Admit One, Signed by Sergeant-at-Arms George T. Brown Scarce original admission ticket to Abraham Lincoln’s second presidential inauguration, 3.75 x 2.25, issued for “Inauguration Day, March 4, 1865.” The partly printed ticket is filled out in ink to admit “One” and signed at the conclusion by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms George T. Brown. In very good condition, with overall light soiling, and small old tape stains to the corner tips.
Held on the East Portico of the United States Capitol during the closing weeks of the Civil War, Lincoln’s second inauguration witnessed the delivery of one of the most celebrated speeches in American history. In his address that day, Lincoln called for the nation to move forward “with malice toward none, with charity for all”—words now regarded among the most significant in presidential oratory. Tickets to the historic ceremony are extraordinarily scarce, with only a small number of known examples. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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“All the best men in the Department agree that, whether probable or not, it certainly is possible that the ship was blown up by a mine which might, or might not, have been towed under her”—Theodore Roosevelt discusses the competing theories surrounding the destruction of the USS Maine in a letter written just 13 days after the battleship exploded in Havana Harbor LOT 5023
Theodore Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed on the USS Maine Disaster, Written Thirteen Days After the Explosion (February 28, 1898) - “It certainly is possible that the ship was blown up by a mine” TLS, two pages, 8 x 10.5, Navy Department, Office Assistant Secretary letterhead, February 28, 1898. Letter to Captain Charles O’Neil, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, concerning the explosion of the USS Maine, written less than two weeks after the battleship’s destruction in Havana Harbor: “The enclosed statement explains itself. I don’t want to bring this matter in any way officially before the Department, but, writing to you personally, don’t you think it inadvisable for Prof. Alger to express opinions in this way? Captain Bradford has all along believed that Prof. Alger is absolutely in error in his views. He believes that the explosion was not accidental. Captain Clover is inclined to the same belief. I should certainly feel that it was not advisable for either of them to make public any such statement, and it seems to me that it is inadvisable for Prof. Alger to make these statements. I don’t know the conditions under which he made them; and, besides, I don’t want to bother the Secretary, or to bring on any wrangle in the Department, and I should just like to get your views about the matter unofficially. Mr. Alger cannot possibly know anything about the accident. All the best men in the Department agree that, whether probable or not, it certainly is possible that the ship was blown up by a mine which might, or might not, have been towed under her; and when we have a court sitting to find out these facts it seems to me to the last point inadvisable for any person connected with the Navy Department to express his opinion publicly in the matter, and especially to give elaborate reasons for one side or the other. The fact that Mr. Alger happens to take the Spanish side, and to imply that the explosion was probably due to some fault of the Navy, whether in the Construction Department, or among the officers, has, of course, nothing to do with the matter.” In fine condition, with light surface impressions. The original draft manuscript of Roosevelt’s letter is held by the Library of Congress. Provenance: Charles Hamilton, May 21, 1965.
Written just thirteen days after the destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Roosevelt’s letter offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the Navy Department during one of the defining crises of the late nineteenth century. The battleship exploded on February 15, 1898, killing more than 260 American sailors and triggering an international incident that would soon propel the United States into the Spanish-American War. Although public opinion quickly placed responsibility on Spain, the cause of the explosion remained under official investigation, and senior Navy officials sharply disagreed over whether the disaster resulted from an external mine or an internal accident. As sensational newspaper coverage fueled anti-Spanish sentiment and popularized the rallying cry ‘Remember the Maine!,’ Roosevelt sought to prevent premature speculation from within the Navy Department itself. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Roosevelt found himself at the center of those early deliberations. Writing privately to Captain Charles O’Neil, Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, he expresses concern that Professor Philip R. Alger, a respected Naval Academy professor and ordnance expert, had publicly advanced his own theory before the Navy’s Court of Inquiry could determine the facts. Roosevelt notes that two senior naval officers believed Alger’s conclusions to be mistaken and emphasizes that “all the best men in the Department” agreed it remained entirely possible that the Maine had been destroyed by a mine. More importantly, Roosevelt insists that no one connected with the Navy Department should publicly speculate while the investigation remained underway, revealing his determination to maintain discipline and present a unified official position during one of the nation’s most politically charged military crises. Within weeks of writing this letter, the Navy’s Court of Inquiry concluded that the Maine had been destroyed by an external mine, fueling public outrage and accelerating the march toward war. Congress declared war on Spain in April 1898, and Roosevelt resigned from the Navy Department the following month to organize the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, the famed Rough Riders, whose exploits in Cuba would launch his national political career. Starting Bid $1,000
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“Then came Pearl Harbor”— nine months after Japan’s attack, President Roosevelt declares that America is “building more ships and building them faster than any nation has ever produced them in all history” LOT 5024
Franklin D. Roosevelt War-Dated Typed Letter Signed as President on the American Merchant Marine After Pearl Harbor World War II-dated TLS as president, one page, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, September 1, 1942. Letter to Arthur M. Tode, the Honorary President of The Propeller Club of the United States, in full: “One short year ago, when I addressed a message to the American Merchant Marine Conference and the Propeller Clubs, we had just begun our emergency shipbuilding program as a national safeguard against the growing threat of war. Then came Pearl Harbor. The past few months have shown the heroic and vital part being played in this struggle by American seamen and American ships. The war demands that an increasing portion of the world’s ocean traffic must be borne on American flag vessels. We are building more ships and building them faster than any nation has ever produced them in all history. These ships are sailing the seven seas carrying armaments and supplies to United Nations forces on the battlefronts of the world. The Propeller Clubs realize that the preeminence of American shipping — so grimly necessary now — should be maintained after victory has been won. I commend your organizations for their patriotic efforts in promoting the restoration of the American merchant marine and insuring the future of the United States as a great maritime nation.” In very fine condition. Accompanied by a custom-bound clamshell case and a copy of Arthur M. Tode’s August 22, 1942, letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s secretary, Marvin H. McIntyre, requesting the
customary presidential message for the forthcoming American Merchant Marine Conference. Written on September 1, 1942, less than nine months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, this letter dates to a pivotal moment in America’s wartime mobilization, as the nation’s emergency shipbuilding program accelerated to meet mounting losses at sea. Just seventeen days later, a wire report placed the number of merchant vessels sunk in the western Atlantic at 471, a figure that rose to 502 by late October and 572 by mid-November. Against that backdrop, Roosevelt praised the “heroic and vital part” played by American seamen and declared that the United States was “building more ships and building them faster than any nation has ever produced them in all history.” His remarks reflect the Maritime Commission’s unprecedented Liberty ship program, which ultimately surpassed even its ambitious wartime production goals. Roosevelt’s commitment to the American merchant marine predated his presidency: as Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the First World War, he oversaw the arming of American merchant vessels and the organization of convoys against submarine attack, experience that shaped his appreciation of the merchant fleet’s strategic importance during World War II. Addressed to the Propeller Club of the United States, a national maritime organization founded to promote and strengthen the American merchant marine, the letter commends its members’ wartime efforts while urging them to preserve American maritime strength long after victory had been secured. Starting Bid $500
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September 24, 2026
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Remarkable presidential letters from the personal archive of Admiral Richard E. Byrd— FDR dispatches him on a “scientific expedition to the Antarctic Continent,” and later recognizes his heroic contributions: “You already have all the medals it is within the power of this Government to give” LOT 5025
Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower Archive of (46) Signed Letters to Admiral Richard E. Byrd The Most Decorated 20th-Century American Polar Explorer Archive of presidential letters to pioneering polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, consisting of (44) letters from Franklin D. Roosevelt—including two autograph letters signed and 42 typed letters signed or initialed—and two typed letters signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower, spanning 1927 to 1954. The correspondence traces Byrd’s long friendship with Roosevelt from the years before his presidency through World War II, followed by Eisenhower’s expressions of admiration and gratitude during the early Cold War. Roosevelt generally addresses Byrd familiarly as “Dear Dick” and signs with his full name or characteristic initials, “FDR.” Highlights from the Roosevelt letters include: October 15, 1927 (signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt”): “Good old Van Lear Black is dead set against your Antarctic Expedition, but I told him that after all there is only one more Pole for you to conquer and that I hoped by the time you get back, somebody else would have flown across the Pacific!” September 7, 1933 (signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt”): “I am delighted that you have had the faith to go ahead with this scientific expedition to the Antarctic Continent…I realize the importance of your excellent preparations for scientific discovery, and the fact that you will make a detailed survey of a large area of new continent previously unexplored. It is worth while to serve twelve branches of science.”
July 12, 1939 (signed “FDR”): “I do not need to tell you how deeply happy I am that you will command the first American Expedition for the actual occupation of a portion of the Antarctic Continent. The most important thing is to prove (a) that human beings can permanently occupy a portion of the Continent winter and summer (bookplate) that it is well worth a small annual appropriation to maintain such permanent bases because of their growing value for four purposes—national defense of the Western Hemisphere, radio, meteorology, and minerals.” September 19, 1940 (signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt”): “You made noteworthy flights which resulted in the discovery of five new mountain ranges; five islands, more than 100,000 square miles of area, a large peninsula, and 700 miles of hitherto unknown stretches of Antarctic coast. You accomplished this without the loss of a single man…The operation of the United States Antarctic Service has been a credit to the Government of the United States and to your qualities as a leader of men. You already have all the medals it is within the power of this Government to give, and as it is contrary to custom to give two medals of the same kind to any officer, I am directing that in lieu of another medal you be awarded a gold star to be attached to the suspension ribbon of your Distinguished Service medal.” In overall poor to very good condition, with pervasive dampstaining, foxing, toning, fading, and discoloration throughout; large portions of the autograph letters are difficult to decipher. Despite the extensive condition issues, the presidential signatures and initials generally remain visible, with many retaining strong contrast. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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Archive documenting the decades-long friendships between Washington correspondent Carleton V. Kent and Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, and Kennedy through signed correspondence, White House memorabilia, and personal photographs LOT 5026
Carleton V. Kent Archive of Presidential Correspondence and White House Material from John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Harry S. Truman, and Robert F. Kennedy (1942-1964) Archive of presidential correspondence and personal memorabilia documenting the close friendships between longtime Chicago Sun-Times Washington correspondent Carleton V. ‘Bill’ Kent Jr. (1909–1985), his family, and several American presidents from World War II through the mid-1960s. Spanning more than two decades, the collection follows Kent from his wartime service and early friendship with Dwight D. Eisenhower through his years covering the White House, preserving an exceptional group of 12 signed letters and artifacts from Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Harry S. Truman, Robert F. Kennedy, and Mamie Eisenhower, together with original White House photographs and related personal material. The highlight of the collection is a TLS from John F. Kennedy as president, signed “John Kennedy,” on White House letterhead, March 25, 1961: “Thanks very much for the good letter which you sent me after the Gridiron Club dinner…” Kennedy adds a lengthy handwritten postscript extending onto the reverse: “I am naturally grateful that the Gridiron Club did not present me in a Harvard sweater this year. I am wondering if it might not be a good idea for you to move your seat. I always turn to recognize you—and catch Mae Craig’s eye.” The five Eisenhower letters trace the evolution of a friendship spanning nearly two decades, from a warm 1942 wartime note joking that Kent should become his “press agent,” to a 1954 White House letter exchanging family news and greetings, followed by two heartfelt 1958 presidential condolence letters recalling lifelong friendships and expressing sympathy after the death of Maud Hurd. The final letter, dated October 13, 1959, reflects the easy camaraderie between the president and Kent as Eisenhower forwards a gift of personalized golf balls, writing, in full: “With this note I am sending you six personalized golf balls, in a not too subtle attempt to win you over (if indeed seven days in the golfing community of Palm Springs did not completely do
so) to the fascination of the game. Actually the balls are a gift from Mr. Edwin L. Parker. I am thanking him for all of us, but if you also should want to express personal appreciation to him, his address is A. G. Spalding and Bros., Inc., Chicopee, Massachusetts.” Additional presidential material includes a White House menu for the TwentySeventh Annual Dinner, held March 4, 1950, signed on the cover by Harry S. Truman; a handwritten Truman note as president, “Thank her please. Hope I qualify, HST,” penned at the foot of Kent’s letter to the president; two signed Robert F. Kennedy letters from 1964 thanking the Kents for their contribution to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Fund and inviting them to a memorial Mass for President Kennedy at St. Matthew’s Cathedral; and a warm 1952 signed letter from Mamie Doud Eisenhower recalling that Kent had been “my dinner partner at a party that the press gave for Ike and me,” adding that “He is a most attractive young man and full of fun.” The archive also includes five original vintage photographs documenting Kent’s career and presidential associations, including a circa 1940s1950s image of Kent boarding an aircraft, a September 8, 1964, White House photograph by Cecil W. Stoughton, a photograph of Kent with President Lyndon B. Johnson, a boat photograph with Johnson, and an informal political/press meeting photograph. Accompanied by Kent’s wartime military documents, including his 1943 USAFIME (United States Army Forces in the Middle East) civilian identification card and visa booklet issued while serving with the United States Army Forces in the Middle East, his 1943 Shellback certificate commemorating his crossing of the Equator aboard the U.S.S. Hermitage, his 1944 Fifth Army Association membership card, and his 1965 U.S. Government press credential; Maud Rogers Hurd’s October 1953 statement recalling President Eisenhower’s visit to Abilene; a photocopy of Lyndon B. Johnson’s January 8, 1964, letter praising Bill Kent and Emmett Dedmon; an autopen letter from Jacqueline Kennedy acknowledging the Kents’ contribution to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Fund; a printed-signature portrait photograph of President John F. Kennedy; and Kent’s Chicago Sun-Times obituary, published January 25, 1985. In overall fine condition, with staining to the Truman menu. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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“Mommy, I Have to Write a Play, By John Kennedy”—an imaginative, stream-of-consciousness middle school assignment by JFK Jr. LOT 5027
John F. Kennedy, Jr. Autograph Manuscript Signed - Middle School Metafiction, ‘Mommy, I Have to Write a Play’ (1974-75) Autograph manuscript, signed twice and titled at the top, “John Kennedy, Mommy, I Have to Write a Play, By John Kennedy,” comprising a seven-page handwritten English composition written by Kennedy as a student at the Collegiate School in New York City, circa 1974-1975. The play, drafted in blue ink on 8.5 x 11 notebook paper, is signed at the top of the first page by a 14 or 15-year-old Kennedy, who adds a cast listing: “Cast: John Kennedy, Mother, Maid, Sister.” The first scene is set: “Opens on a well lighted room, a little boy is over at his desk in the corner of the room. His head is encircled by books and papers. He is mumbling various words.” Kennedy begins the dialogue: “John: Oh no, I have to write this stupid play for school. What an idiot I am. It’s 10:03 on Sunday night. I’m just beginning this stupid play. I don’t even know what to write. I can’t do a play I’ve already seen cause the teacher might see it and I would be in trouble. For plagiarizing. I don’t see why every one in school is so damn uptight about stupid plagiarism. If I’m too dumb to think of a play, then why can’t I take something like Hamlet and turn it in to a farce. I wish I could do that. Oh hell (expletive deleted)…I’ll go ask mummy, or sis or the maid. Boy I bet they will have good ideas. I’ll ask mommy first.” “Mommee, mommee I got a play to write and I can’t think of anything to write. Mummy—in a soft motherly tone: Well, let me see. Why don’t you write about an astronaut or something. John (sarcastically): Oy, yea, sure. Mummy (in a not so soft voicer): Well, do you have any easier ideas? I mean do you have something that you want to start with? John (head down): Nope. Mother (angrily): Well, harupmh, lucky you have a long time to finish this play. John (pleadingly): But that’s just the catch. If you made me go to bed at 11:00, I have about 20 more minutes. Mummy…John, I thought you had a sense of responsibility. I thought you were doing well in school. Well,
God, if youndon’t get this play done, no more television for you for a week.” “Sister: Yea, you big dummy. John: Shut up. Mummy: Don’t speak to your sister that way. You just wait, John. When the whole world turns against you, your sister will be the only one to you to side with. I’ll be dead by then, knock on wood. Sister: No I won’t, not for a million dollars, not with that pervert. John: Oh shut up, just shut up. Mother: Really, John. You want to keep your marks up this term, or else you will be going to some boarding school with other little spastics who can’t even crayon. John: I can crayon. Mummy: No but really, when you get a long term paper to do, do it. Do a little bit every day so on the last night, you won’t have to cram…” “John: Now I’ll just write a play about a boy in Collegiate School who has to write a play. I’ll develop the characters a lot like this: Mother gets irritable easily. She frequently doesn’t follow the ‘don’t cry over spilled milk’ theory, constantly getting mad because you shouldn’t have done that two hours ago. Her ideas for plays are about as good as mine. She says, John, if Shakespeare can develop a play from stories, then you can do. Oh, do I agree. The character ‘sister’ is even worse. She suggested a play about a pretzel vendor who was possessed. No kidding. The maid was just too involved in doing things. She likes to yell at you when you get messy. Not really much of a character. Well, now that I have a background, I better start writing my play.” Each pages bears red ink correction marks from his teacher, who gave Kennedy a score of 85, noting: “More developed and creative than you might think. Kind of stream of consciousness.” In fine condition. Accompanied by a four-page typed transcript of the play. Written during John F. Kennedy, Jr.’s teenage years at Manhattan’s Collegiate School, this self-referential play offers a candid glimpse of the future publisher and public figure as an irreverent, imaginative student. Its stream-of-consciousness humor, family dialogue, and anxiety over a looming deadline reveal a precocious wit and an emerging instinct for turning his own life into narrative. Starting Bid $200
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“Here is a Topps card for your Bush display”—George H. W. Bush’s limited 1990 Topps ‘White House issue’ baseball card, one of only 100 presented to the president, with three signed letters from Bush and George W. Bush documenting Ronald E. Wade’s efforts to obtain the coveted card LOT 5028
1990 Topps #USA1 George Bush (White House Issue) Baseball Card “Here is a Topps card for your Bush display” Limited issue 1990 Topps baseball card (#USA1) of a young George H. W. Bush leaning on a wooden fence and wearing his Yale baseball uniform. The card, which depicts Bush as captain of the 1948 Yale baseball team, features his name below, “George Bush,” and “USA” in red lettering to the upper left. Of significant interest is the card’s top surface, which yields a thick glossy coat, a trait that identifies this as a rare ‘White House issue’ card. Encapsulated and graded by PSA as “NM 7.” Supporting the authenticity of this card are three signed letters from George Bush and his son, George W. Bush, each directed to Ronald E. Wade, a floor leader at the 1988 Republican National Convention who Bush later appointed to his Presidential Inaugural Committee. Wade served as the regional director for Bush’s presidential campaigns in 1980, 1988, and 1992. The letters read as follows: - TLS from George Bush, July 5, 2001: “Here is a Topps card for your Bush display. Glad to do it. I hope all goes well with you. President Bush comes to Walker’s Point tomorrow; Governor Jeb is here now. Life is grand!”
- ALS from George W. Bush, signed “GW,” postmarked April 2, 1989: “No word on the Bush card yet. The old boy is hoarding them. Even I don’t have one. We will see about the May 18th (17th?) fundraiser.” - ANS from George W. on the inside of an 8.5 x 12.5 photograph folder: “I mentioned the card to Dad’s office – as yet no response. Thanks for your friendship.” In overall fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelopes and by a letter of provenance from Wade, who relays how he obtained the card. In 1990, Topps Chairman Arthur Shorin created a special edition trading card—#USA1—and personally presented President George H. W. Bush with 100 copies during a meeting in the Oval Office. The president distributed the cards to friends, family members, and select White House staff. Although only 100 copies were originally gifted to President Bush, Topps later produced a nearly identical, more widely available version, resulting in two distinct issues. The most notable difference lies in the finish: the cards presented to President Bush feature a thick, glossy coating on the front, while the later version has an uncoated surface similar to standard 1990 Topps cards. One of the rarest trading cards of the 1990s, this example comes with direct provenance to President George H. W. Bush and represents an unmissable opportunity for serious collectors. Starting Bid $5,000
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“Trump: A Man Before His Time”— Donald Trump-signed high school term paper completed in 1989 and presented to Trump nearly 20 years later at the July 4, 2009, opening of Trump International Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia LOT 5029
Donald Trump Signed High School Term Paper, “Trump: A Man Before His Time,” Presented to Him Nearly 20 Years Later at Trump International Golf Club Original 13-page typewritten term paper entitled “Trump: A Man Before His Time,” 8.5 x 11, written by David M. Sanok as a high school senior for his Advanced Composition class and dated December 21, 1989, signed prominently on the title page in blue ballpoint by Donald Trump when the author presented him with the paper nearly 20 years later at a welcome party for the Trump International Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. The title page is graded with a score of 186/200 plus 10 bonus points, and the paper bears handwritten editorial annotations, corrections, and comments throughout. In fine condition. Accompanied by the author’s original research material (rough draft, index cards, and copies of the periodical articles cited in the bibliography), the original photograph taken at the Trump International Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, shortly after Trump signed the title page, depicting the author, his wife, and Donald Trump, and a signed letter of provenance from the author: “I wrote this term paper as a senior at Merrillville High School in Merrillville, Indiana, for my Advanced Composition class. It’s dated December 21, 1989, and is 16 pages total, including the title page and bibliography, exploring the business career, philosophy, and public image of Donald J. Trump, drawing on 64 footnoted sources from period publications including Time, Newsweek, Fortune, Life, People Weekly, and Business Week. I chose the title myself, and the paper’s conclusions, including the closing line calling him “a man ahead of his time,” were my own analysis as an 18-year-old, not drawn from any source.
My mother had kept the paper since 1989. When I learned my family would be attending an event at a club Trump had just purchased, I asked her to ship it to me. My paper had noted that Trump doesn’t care for small talk but understands it’s part of doing business, and I thought bringing it along would give me a real conversation piece if I got the chance to speak with him. On July 4, 2009, my family and I attended the welcome party for Trump International Golf Club members in Sterling, Virginia. I brought the paper with me, and Trump signed the title page in person. A few minutes later, my wife and I ran into him again in the club lobby and asked for a photo. He said, ‘Anyone who writes a term paper about me, I’m happy to take a photo with.’” Starting Bid $500
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“You are so smart at Chem!”— the 16-year-old Barry Obama signs a classmate’s yearbook LOT 5030
Barack Obama Signed 1978 Punahou High School Yearbook “You are so smart at Chem!” Hardcover 1978 Oahuan yearbook from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii, 9 x 12.25, 327 pages, signed and inscribed inside on an athletics page in pencil, “Lyle, I’m sorry you can’t sign mine, cause you were a good buddy in Chem. this year. You are so smart at Chem! Thanks for helping me in labs, God will reward you. Have a choice summer. I await readings about your chem. work in years to come. Friends, Barry.” Obama is pictured twice in the yearbook: as part of Mr. Kusinoki’s junior class (p. 68) and as a member of the varsity basketball team (p. 163). The book is filled with inscriptions from fellow classmates, with others also referencing Lyle’s prowess in the laboratory (Dawna writes: “I’d really like to thank you for spilling hydrochloric acid on me and for getting my hands spotted with silver nitrate… Really, I want to thank you for all of your help in chem”). In very good condition, with cracked hinges and rubbing to boards.
By 1978, Barack Obama was nearing the end of his years at Punahou School in Honolulu, where he had enrolled in the fifth grade after returning to Hawaii from several childhood years in Indonesia. Living largely with his maternal grandparents, Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, Obama came of age in a setting that he would later describe as formative to his developing sense of identity. At Punahou, one of Hawaii’s most prominent private schools, he was known as “Barry,” played basketball, and was beginning to grapple with questions of race, belonging, ambition, and his place within the wider world—experiences he later explored at length in his memoir Dreams from My Father. Written at the close of his junior year, this unusually substantial inscription captures Obama well before the beginnings of his political career, in the familiar voice of a 16-year-old writing to a friend and chemistry classmate. Its references to laboratory work, summer plans, and friendship provide an intimate snapshot of Obama’s adolescence during a formative period in Honolulu—more than three decades before his election as the 44th president of the United States. Starting Bid $500
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Extraordinary 1703 multi-signed manuscript Native American Indian land deed, ceding a large tract of land on Long Island to the powerful Van Cortlandt family LOT 5035
New York Indian Chiefs Signed Land Cession Deed, Selling Long Island Acreage to the Van Cortlandt Family (1703) Rare manuscript deed signed by twelve Native American Indian chiefs, one page, 14.5 x 11.5, June 1, 1703, selling a large tract of land on Long Island to members of the wealthy and influential Van Cortlandt family. This deed follows in a long line of similar transactions stretching back to 1626, when Peter Minuet purchased Manhattan Island from the local Indians on behalf of the Dutch West India Company. In 1670, Governor Francis Lovelace purchased Staten Island from local chiefs. The present contract was made on June 1, 1703, between twelve Indian chiefs and Gertrude Van Cortlandt, widow of the late Stephanus Van Cortlandt, and her children. The names of the chiefs on the document include Wamshas, Suppans, Porspas, Rawson, and others from the local Indian tribes. They agree to sell, “for and in consideration of eighty three pounds currant money of New York to us in hand paid,” an extensive tract of land “on the south side of Nassau island.” The deed is signed at the conclusion in ink by the twelve Native American Indian leaders mentioned, all signing with their marks beside affixed red wax seals. It is additionally signed by three witnesses—including the noted trader and land speculator Arent Schuyler—and is endorsed on the reverse by Jacobus Van Cortlandt (1658-1739), who was mayor of New York City in 1710 and 1719, and, like other members of his family, also set about amassing a large estate through purchases of land from local Indian tribes (a part of which became present-day Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx). Van Cortlandt attests that the chiefs have presented themselves before him and confirmed the accuracy of the document. In good to very good condition, with tears and fold splitting (nearly complete separation to the central vertical fold), partly repaired with old tape on the reverse. The Van Cortlandt family was among the most prominent clans in colonial New York. Stephanus Van Cortlandt (1643-1700) was born in New Amsterdam (now New York),
the son of a wealthy merchant. In 1681 he married Gertrude Schuyler of Albany, and they had eleven children. Stephanus Van Cortlandt rose to prominence as a merchant himself, and he successfully negotiated the power struggle between the Dutch and British in New York, being appointed to positions of power by colonial authorities on both sides. In 1677 the British governor of New York, Sir Edmund Andros, appointed him the first native-born mayor of New York City, and he served on the Governor’s Council, as receiver of the revenue for New York and New Jersey, and as a judge on several courts. Also in 1677, Andros granted Van Cortlandt a license to obtain land from the Indians, and in 1683 he began buying huge tracts of land along the Hudson River and in western Connecticut. He also owned land in Manhattan, as well as in the counties of Suffolk (on the northeast shore of Long Island), Richmond (on Staten Island), and Kings (in present-day Brooklyn). Upon his death in 1700, Van Cortlandt divided his land among his eleven children, though his widow, Gertrude, largely controlled the estates until her death in 1723. The Van Cortlandts continued to add to the family lands through purchases such as the one executed in this deed. Early colonial land cession documents of this nature are exceptionally rare survivals, offering direct, contemporaneous evidence of the complex and often fraught relationships between Native American Indian communities and European settlers. While such agreements are frequently cited in broader narratives of colonial expansion, the original manuscripts themselves remain underutilized as primary sources that illuminate the agency and material realities of Indigenous participants. This deed stands as an important historical record, preserving not only the names and marks of the Native leaders involved, but also the legal and economic frameworks through which land was transferred—providing invaluable insight into the early dynamics of colonial land acquisition and Native–colonial relations in New York. The Western Americana auction of Jochen Zeitz. Starting Bid $2,500
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Daniel Boone buys a boat— a rare handwritten 1787 document by the legendary frontiersman LOT 5036
Daniel Boone Autograph Document Signed for the Purchase of a Boat ADS signed “Daniel Boone,” one page, 8 x 3.25, October 31, 1787. Handwritten promissory, in full: “I promis to pay to the governor or order the Sum of 25 pounds for a Bote rc’d of Capt. John Juitt.” Prominently signed at the conclusion in ink by Daniel Boone. Attractively mounted, double-clothmatted, and framed with an engraved portrait and plaque to an overall size of 17.5 x 21.75. In fine condition, with intersecting folds and a couple small edge chips. In 1787, Boone lived in Maysville, Kentucky, where he was a tavern keeper, surveyor, land speculator, and recently-elected member of the Virginia State Assembly. He was prosperous, owning seven slaves and 100,000 acres of land at the time of this document. This promissory note was most likely for the keelboat Boone purchased for a business venture he would conduct the following year. In the spring of 1788, he loaded a large shipment of 12 tons of ginseng on the vessel and set out for Philadelphia where it was to be shipped to China. The boat was damaged on the way and much of the ginseng ruined, resulting in a financial loss for Boone. An extremely scarce signed document, as rare as it is desirable. Starting Bid $1,000
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Sought-after 1784 handwritten letter from Daniel Boone as deputy surveyor of Lincoln County, assuring a client that his land, “20 miles from Boonesborrough between the Cantuck and Licking,” is secure and that “the business shall be Dun” LOT 5037
Daniel Boone Autograph Letter Signed as Deputy Surveyor, Referencing Land “20 Miles from Boonesborrough” (1784) Handwritten letter from Daniel Boone to James Minor, in full (spelling and grammar retained): “Mr. Smith Has Wated on me Several times to Survey your Land But onavoidable accedents hath prevent it But it will be Dun in a few weeks from now but your Land is out of any Dispute and is very good and Lyes a bout 20 miles from Boonesborrough between the Cantuck and Licking I hope you will Rest assured the business shall be Dun as Mr. Smith is always Redy to attend.” Boone has addressed the reverse mailing panel in his own hand, “Mr. James Minor.” In very good to fine condition, with some small stains, and discreet expert professional repairs. Accompanied by an engraved portrait of Boone bearing a facsimile signature. As a pioneer and frontiersman, Daniel Boone was influential in extending the nation beyond the peaks of the Allegheny Mountains. With the company of his brother Squire, he explored the Kentucky wilderness from 1767 to 1769, and eventually settled his family in the territory in 1773. Two years later, he extended the Wilderness Road over the Cumberland Gap through the Allegheny Mountains and erected three settlements, one of which was named ‘Boonesborough.’ In 1783, Boone was appointed deputy surveyor of Lincoln County, and in this role surveyed parcels of land for early Kentucky settlers, including the tract referenced here. In the wake of the Revolutionary War, he resettled in Maysville, Kentucky, and later was elected to the Virginia state assembly in 1787. His military pursuits over, Boone became a local celebrity and, for a period, earned a profitable living as a tavern keeper, surveyor, horse trader, and land speculator. An especially important moment in Boone’s life came in November 1784 with the publication of John Filson’s The Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke, which chronicled his adventures and quickly made him an international celebrity, with translations appearing in French and German shortly thereafter. The legalities of land speculation soon caught up with Boone’s sense of honor and weak investment strategies, and in 1788, he moved upriver to Point Pleasant, Virginia, operating at a trading post and later occasionally working as a surveyor’s assistant. An interesting land document dating to the most prosperous period of Boone’s life. Provenance: Christie’s, Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts Including Americana: Lot 129, June 21, 2013. The Western Americana auction of Jochen Zeitz. Starting Bid $1,000
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Attorney William Barrett Travis fights for Anglo immigration to Texas, precipitating Santa Anna’s impending incursion
LOT 5038
William Barret Travis Document Signed 1834 Texas Colonization Petition, a Legal Flashpoint on the Road to the Alamo Manuscript DS, signed “W. Barret Travis, Secretary,” four pages on two adjoining sheets, 8 x 9.75, February 7, 1834. In full: “To his Excellency the Governor of the State of Coahuila & Texas. The Ayuntamiento of the municipality of Austin with respect, represents That on the 5th of February 1834, Sterling C. Robertson with whom we are well acquainted claiming to be the agent for a member of the Nashville company of the State of Tennessee, one of the United States of the north, petitioned this body—praying that they would consider the conditions & situation of said company—in relation to the contract made by it and the state government for the colonizing of a grant of Land in the Province of Texas, originally granted to Robert Leftwich—and confirmed to said company by the free State of Coahuila & Texas. This Ayuntamiento having in accordance with the prayer of the said petitioner, examined the facts and testimony presented to them, and having maturely examined and considered the question of the right of the Nashville company to colonize said Grant, Report to you as follows, and herewith transmit the testimony introduced before them. Resolved, by this Ayuntamiento, that from the facts laid before us by Sterling C. Robertson in relation to the Nashville company that they are of opinion, that said contract was never forfeited by the Nashville company. That anterior to the passage of the Law of the 6th of April 1830, the aforesaid Sterling C. Robertson had introduced for the purpose of establishing or settling in the Nashville colony at least one hundred families, which in our opinion under article 8th of the colonization Law of March 24th 1825 of the state was a saving of the contract so far as related to the one hundred families thus introduced. Resolved that, this Ayuntamiento one of opinion that when the Law repealing the 11th article of the Law of the 6th of April 1830 shall shall [sic] take effect that said company will have the right of completing said contract written the term of one year from the repeal of the article of the Law aforesaid in as much as by effect or operation said article was opposed to said contract and the aforesaid S. C. Robertson positively prohibited by order of His Excellency General Manuel de Mier y Teran of Texas…he had already introduced. Resolved, that the Zeal, industry and continuing perseverance of Sterling C. Robertson in endeavoring to settle the Nashville Colony is a matter of general & universal admiration, and we are further satisfied that a very large majority of the people of Texas, anxiously desire that he should be recognized as the Empressario of said Colony. This Ayuntamiento in conclusion would respectfully request that considering the active condition of the colony, and the uncertaintly that continues to exist when titles will be made to these people referred to—that your Excellency will appoint a commissioner to make titles to the settlers of said Nashville Colony, so soon as the convenience of your Excellency will permit, and that your Excellency, considering of the various matters contained in this memorial, will be pleased to act and direct, as to you
may seem just & proper and as the interests of the parties concerned may seem to require.” Signed at the conclusion by Travis, with an Austin stamp under his signature. Also signed at the conclusion, “R. M. Williamson, Prest,” and docketed “Exhibit C Representations of the Ayuntamiento of Austin to the Governor in relation to Robertson’s right to colonize etc.” In very good to fine condition, with lightly mottled toning, a small circular area of ink erosion affecting a single word of text, and short splits and minor paper loss along the folds. This extraordinary legal document underscores the legal and political tensions that were prevalent between Mexican authorities and Anglo-American colonists. The petition’s subtext accentuates the risks associated with early Texas and the sometimes arbitrary nature of Mexican authorities’ actions. The decision based on Travis’ argument would also directly contribute to Santa Anna’s subsequent move to revoke the Constitution of 1824, putting him and Travis on a collision course that would culminate in Travis’ martyrdom at the Alamo and eventual Texan independence. In 1822, Sterling Robertson was one of the 70 stockholders who received Mexican government permission to settle in Texas. In 1825, he set out from Nashville to explore and survey Robert Leftwich’s grant. In the spring of 1830 Robertson obtained the authority to introduce 200 families. Upon arriving in Texas, however, he and several other would-be colonists were prevented from settling because of the Law of April 6, 1830. The thwarted empressario was subsequently outmaneuvered by Stephen Austin, whose adjacent colony absorbed Robertson’s territory. Travis, in making his client’s case, alleges that Robertson was wrongly denied his right to settle families in his colony, having been “positively prohibited by order of His Excellency General Manuel de Mier y Teran,” a Mexican official who was alarmed by the growing number of Anglo-American settlers. In 1830, President Bustamante appointed Teran Commandant General of the Eastern Interior Provinces; in considering Robertson’s request to settle additional families in his colony, Teran took a broad view of the 1830 immigration law. In this document, Travis argues that Robertson had declared his intentions to settle his colony prior to the passage of the 1830 immigration law, that he was in compliance with article 8 of the 1825 law, and that there was no justifiable ground to deny him his right to colonize the territory. As a result of this petition, Robertson prevailed and served as the colony’s empressario in 1834 and 1835. An even more far-reaching result was Santa Anna’s subsequent decision to revoke the Constitution of 1824, as he was infuriated by the decision and upset by the immensity of Anglo immigration to Texas—his reaction would set in motion a chain of events that ultimately ignited the Texas Revolution. As a fitting postscript to this episode, Robertson would sign both the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the Republic of Texas. An outstanding document illustrating Travis’ prowess as a lawyer and how his legal adroitness helped precipitate the Texas Revolution. Provenance: The Robert Davis Collection. Starting Bid $5,000
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Rare signature of legendary frontiersman and Alamo defender David Crockett LOT 5039
David Crockett Signature Frontiersman, politician, and folk hero (1786–1836) who became famous for his shrewd and humorous speeches; he was killed at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Rare ink signature, “David Crockett,” on an off-white 4 x 1.75 slip, clipped from the closing of a letter by Cave Johnson, a fellow
Tennessee Representative, whose signature appears above Crockett’s. Handsomely archivally mounted, cloth-matted, and framed with an engraved portrait of Crockett to an overall size of 11 x 14.5. In very good condition, with mild irregular toning. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/ DNA. An important and difficult-to-acquire American signature. Starting Bid $500
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Financing the first transcontinental railroad—an exceedingly rare 1868 Central Pacific Railroad bond signed by Leland Stanford LOT 5041
Leland Stanford Signed Bond of the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California A Security Used to Finance the First Transcontinental Railroad Rare and historically important DS, signed “Leland Stanford,” one page, 17.25 x 12.25, January 1, 1868. Bond of the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California in the amount of $1000, payable at a rate of 6% “in United States Gold Coin…This Bond being one of the Series I of First Mortgage Bonds which the said Company is authorized to issue upon that portion of their Rail Road line lying eastwardly of the eastern boundary line of the State of California.” Neatly signed at the conclusion in ink by Leland Stanford as president, and countersigned by E. H. Miller, Jr., as secretary. Endorsed on the reverse by Darius Ogden Mills and William E. Barron as trustees. The gold foil seal affixed at the lower left remains intact. Printed in black and pink, the oversized certificate is richly embellished with allegorical and industrial vignettes celebrating the transformation of the American West: at upper right, a wagon train winds through a rugged mountain pass, evoking the slow and perilous overland journey of the pioneer era; opposite, a steam locomotive races through the same dramatic landscape, presenting the railroad as the modern force that conquered distance and terrain. A harbor scene below, crowded with sailing ships and waterfront activity, further links the Central Pacific to commerce and the growing global power of the United States. In very good to fine condition, with standard cancelation holes through the signature lines, a professionally repaired tear to the lower right corner, and show-through from tape reinforcements to small fold splits on the left edge.
Issued little more than a year before the celebrated joining of the rails, this imposing bond is a direct financial instrument of the enterprise itself—a security created to raise the immense sums required to carry the Central Pacific eastward from California and through the formidable Sierra Nevada. Under the leadership of Leland Stanford and his fellow ‘Big Four’ investors—Collis P. Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker—the company accomplished one of the defining feats of 19th-century American engineering, relying heavily upon a workforce of more than 10,000 Chinese laborers to blast tunnels, bridge ravines, and lay track through extraordinarily difficult terrain. When the Central Pacific met the Union Pacific at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869, Stanford took part in the ceremonial driving of the Golden Spike, completing the first transcontinental railroad and inaugurating a new era of national transportation, trade, and expansion. The historical importance of the bond is heightened by its exceptional rarity. The Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum documents only a small group of surviving first mortgage bonds of this general type, representing differing series and designs. As the issued bonds were redeemed, canceled, and ordinarily destroyed, the few known survivors are believed to have been retained in the company’s own archives as documentary specimens; an estimated three to five examples are known today. Signed by Stanford and further endorsed by prominent California financier Darius Ogden Mills, this monumental and richly engraved certificate survives as both a financial artifact of the railroad’s construction and a compelling visual monument to the transformation it helped bring about. Starting Bid $5,000
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“This Compass (given to me by the daughter of Admiral Bligh) was used by the Admiral in finding his way to Land, when he was turned adrift in the Pacific Ocean by the Mutinous Crew of the Bounty” LOT 5042
William Bligh Attributed Cased Mahogany Pocket Surveying Compass Used in His Epic 3,600-Mile Voyage to Safety After the HMS Bounty Mutiny Late 18th-century English cased mahogany pocket surveying compass attributed to Admiral William Bligh and relating to HMS Bounty, consisting of a circular 3˝ dry compass with blued steel needle marked “N” and “S,” printed compass card graduated with cardinal points and quarter degrees, and brass locking ring, housed in its original mahogany case measuring 3.5˝ x 3.5˝ x 1˝ with brass hinges and twin swing latches. Affixed to the underside of the hinged lid is an early handwritten ink inscription reading, in full: “Mutiny of the Bounty / This Compass (given to me by the daughter of Admiral Bligh) was used by the Admiral in finding his way to Land, when he was turned adrift in the Pacific Ocean by the Mutinous Crew of the Bounty. J. B. Toogood.”
In very good to fine condition, with a crack to the glass, not affecting operation. According to the inscription, the compass was given by Admiral William Bligh’s daughter to J. B. Toogood and identifies the instrument as the one used by Bligh in finding his way to land after he was set adrift by the mutineers following the April 28, 1789, mutiny aboard HMS Bounty. Led by Acting Lieutenant Fletcher Christian, the mutiny quickly became one of the most famous episodes in naval history, inspiring countless books, films, and historical studies. Cast adrift with 18 loyal men in an open launch, Bligh successfully navigated more than 3,600 nautical miles across the Pacific to Timor in one of the greatest feats of seamanship and open-boat navigation ever recorded. Provenance: Admiral William Bligh’s daughter, as stated in the inscription; J. B. Toogood; Jack B. Toogood family, by direct descent. Starting Bid $5,000
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Ernest Shackleton and the Nimrod Expedition—an exceptional “British Antarctic Expedition” shore party signature sheet and signed 1912 polar portrait LOT 5043
- a remarkable vintage matte-finish 2.5 x 3.75 photo of Shackleton, bundled in a jacket that would serve to protect him from harsh polar conditions, signed in fountain pen, “Yours v. sincerely, Ernest Shackleton, 1912.”
Remarkable autograph display celebrating Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic exploits, featuring a set of signatures from the shore party of the Nimrod Expedition of 1907–1909, plus a scarce signed photograph of the explorer himself. Includes:
Handsomely cloth-matted and framed together with a descriptive plaque to an overall size of 24 x 18. In overall fine condition.
Ernest Shackleton Signed Photograph and British Antarctic Expedition Shore Party Signatures
- an outstanding set of 14 ink signatures from the shore party of the historic Nimrod Expedition of 1907–1909, otherwise known as the British Antarctic Expedition, which was the first of three expeditions to the Antarctic led by Ernest Shackleton. The signatures are on an off-white 8 x 10 sheet of illustrated letterhead emblazoned with the emblem for “The British Antarctic Expedition, 1907 / 1909.” Signers include: Ernest Shackleton (expedition leader), Jameson Boyd Adams (second in command/meteorologist), Eric Marshall (physician/cartographer/ photographer), James Murray (biologist), Raymond Priestley (geologist), Philip Brocklehurst (assistant geologist), Bertram Armytage (pony handler), William Roberts (cook/assistant zoologist), George Marston (artist), Alistair Mackay (physician), Frank Wild (provisions), Ernest Joyce (general stores/ zoological collections), Aeneas Mackintosh (second officer), and Bernard Day (electrician/mechanic).
Led by Ernest Shackleton, the Nimrod Expedition achieved a new “Farthest South,” coming within 97 miles of the Pole, discovered the Beardmore Glacier as a route to the Antarctic interior, and completed the first ascent of Mount Erebus. Despite limited funding, the expedition also produced important geological, biological, and meteorological research and tested the first motorized transport used in Antarctica. After Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole in 1911, Shackleton turned to the next great objective: crossing the continent from sea to sea via the pole. His 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition ended in disaster when the Endurance became trapped and crushed by ice, but his leadership in bringing every member of the party to safety cemented his reputation as one of the defining figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Starting Bid $1,000
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William and Mary aim to unite the colonies “for the Preservation and Defence of Albany its Frontiers, against the French” LOT 5044
King William’s War: Archive of Letters and Documents Signed by King William III, Queen Mary II, and Colonial Governors of North America, for “the Preservation and Defence of Albany its Frontiers, against the French” Remarkable archive of scarce documents associated with King William’s War, highlighted by two documents signed by King William III of England and two documents signed by Queen Mary II, plus letters by governors of New York and Massachusetts, housed together in a custom-made full red morocco presentation folder. Includes: - LS by William III, signed “William R,” one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, March 1, 1692/3, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia. In part: “It having been represented unto us by Our Governor, Councill and assemboly of Our Province of New York, That Our Revenue in that Province is very much Exhausted by the Great and Continued charge of Maintaining and Securing Our Fort of Albany the Frontier of all Our Plantations in the Northern Part of America against the French, We do therefore charge and require you to cause the sum of Five hundred Pounds out of our Revenue of Quit Rents in Virginia to be forthwith Transmitted to Our Trusty and Welbeloved Chidley Brook Esq’r, Our Receiver and Collector of Our Revenue of New York…to be Employ’d for our service against the French in those Parts.” - LS by Mary II, signed “Marie R,” one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, October 11, 1692, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia, citing the “great Expence for the Preservation and Defence of Albany its Frontiers, against the French” and requesting assistance for the “Province of New York in the Maintenance and Defense of it during the Present War.” - LS by Mary II, signed “Marie R,” one page both sides, 9 x 13.5, August 22, 1694, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia, ordering him to send soldiers for the defense of New York, “a Quota or Part of Our Militia of Our Colony of Virginia, not Exceeding two hundred and forty men,” citing the evasion of previous such orders. - Vellum manuscript DS by William III, in Latin, signed “Gulielmus R,” 20.5 x 29, March 30, 1700, being a warrant for the appointment of commissioners to meet with French ambassadors to discuss claims between England and France for possession of areas in the Hudson Bay region. In this important document, William reiterates two of the articles included in the Treaty of Ryswick (1697). By this treaty, Louis XIV recognized William’s claim to the throne of England and settled the Anglo-French contest for possession of the Hudson Bay and Newfoundland.
- LS by the first royally appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, signed “William Phips,” one page, 9.5 x 14, March 16, 1692/3, to “the President and Councill of their Maj’ties Colony of Pencilvania.” In part: “The Queens most Excellent Maj’tie haveing directed mee, upon application of the Governor, to give assistance, unto the Province of New York in Case of Necessity, and alsoe to agree with the Governors of Virginia, Maryland, & Pencilvania; upon a Quota of men: or other assistance, to be given by Each Colony, or Province, for defence of New York dureing the present Warr, I have thought it convenient, to signifie unto Your Hon: and Councill: that I shall have especiall regard unto Her Maj’tie’s directions…as far as the safety of this Government will permitt.” - LS by Colonial Governor of New York Benjamin Fletcher, signed “Ben. Fletcher,” one page, 8.5 x 12, September 24, 1694, to Edmund Andros, colonial governor of Virginia. Fletcher advises Andros of a “treaty with the Indians—of the five Nations” and explaining that Frontenac had succeeded in getting them to come to Montreal for a treaty, also asking Andros for Virginia’s help towards maintaining a garrison of men and officers at Albany and on the frontier. In fine condition. - ALS by William Stoughton, signed “Wm. Stoughton,” one page, 6 x 7.5, September 19, 1699, to Rev. Rowland Cotton, concerning payments to Indians, presumably in an effort to keep the peace. He writes that he hopes to send “the remainder of what will bee due to your & Capt. Tuppoes Indians for 98 & 99…You & Capt. Tuppoe may advise…what the reasonable sum may be.” Although Stoughton served as Acting Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay for most of the period from 1694 to 1701, he is better known as a judge who presided over the Salem witch trials. Created in the midst of King William’s War, the papers in this archive document an early and unusually direct effort by the English Crown to compel its North American colonies to act in concert against a common enemy. New York’s exposed frontier—especially Albany and the Hudson corridor—was regarded as the defensive barrier protecting the colonies to the south from French forces and their Native allies, yet its small population could not sustain the burden alone. William III and Mary II therefore ordered Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New England to contribute money, militia, and supplies, anticipating the intercolonial cooperation that would become increasingly necessary in later imperial wars. Together, these documents reveal both the strategic importance of New York and the persistent difficulty of transforming a collection of separately governed colonies into a coordinated system of continental defense. Starting Bid $2,500
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Handwritten endorsement by Marie Antoinette in the summer of 1779, only months after the birth of her first child, rendering her royal approval of a financial agreement as Queen of France LOT 5045
Marie Antoinette Autograph Endorsement Signed as Queen of France, Approving a Financial Agreement (July 1779) Autograph endorsement in French, signed “Antoinette,” penned in the left margin of a financial memorandum, one page, 7.5 x 10, July 1779. Written five years into Marie Antoinette’s reign as Queen of France and only months after the birth of her first child, the document was submitted for the queen’s approval, detailing the financial terms of a proposed transaction and requesting her decision. Marie Antoinette renders her ruling in a handwritten endorsement to the left margin, writing: “Mr. Berthier will make the same arrangements and schedule as Mr. Giac with Mr. Chateaugiron.” The accompanying financial memorandum details the proposed transfer of a government office, setting forth the purchase price, payment schedule, and competing financing arrangements before seeking the queen’s approval. It reads, in part (translated): “Price of the acquisition of M. Giac on M. Chateaugiron—290,000. Schedule of Payments: Before the end of January 1774, 6 months—90,000. During the year 1774—18 months—100,000. In the first 3 months 1779—21 months—100,000. Total: 290,000. M. Giac also promised half
of the salary until the payment of the 90,000. That is to say, for 6 months this object is valued at 4,000. M. Bertier has offered the same arrangements. M. Giac deserves money (immediately available) which is indispensable to him to satisfy the arrangement. M. Bertier offered him some, while deducting the interest. The deduction of this interest would increase the price of the charge by 18,900. M. Bertier, being less concerned with financial considerations, is willing to accommodate. M. Giac, not wanting to go against the outline which the Queen’s letter provides, has honored M. Seulray. Decision of July 1779. Her majesty is asked to decide if she will permit M. Bertier to give M. Giac 294,000 (immediately available) without deducting interest.” Attractively mounted, cloth-matted and framed with an engraved portrait to an overall size of 22.75 x 18.5. In fine condition, with intersecting folds (one vertical fold passing through a single letter of the signature), scattered creases, and a bit of light soiling. An exceedingly desirable document from one of Europe’s most infamous royals. Provenance: Bonhams, Fine Books & Manuscripts, Lot 268, September 2014. Starting Bid $500
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“It is important that General Loison’s division, formed at Koenigsberg, be well concentrated. It is too far from Minsk. It must hasten to rejoin the 9th Corps”—extremely rare military letter from Napoleon while in Moscow, with the Emperor’s autograph lines of text, addressed to Marshal Berthier, written just three days before the retreat that shattered the Grande Armée LOT 5046
Napoleon Letter Signed from Moscow, with the Emperor’s Autograph Lines of Text, Addressed to Marshal Berthier Three Days Before the Retreat (October 16, 1812) LS in French, signed “Nap,” with the emperor’s own handwritten revisions and cancellations (nine autograph lines of text on the second page struck through by the emperor himself, who also crosses out a word in the text and replaces it above in his own hand), one page, both sides, 7.25 x 9, October 16, 1812. Addressed from Moscow to Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel and Major General of the Armies, in part (translated): “My cousin, write to the Duke of Bellune that Babinowitschby is a place rich in resources and that his division must stay there. The Emperor has ordered the movement of the Westphalian contingent to Smolensk. It is important that General Loison’s division, formed at Koenigsberg, be well concentrated. It is too far from Minsk. It must hasten to rejoin the 9th Corps, comprised of the Westphalian regiment and a regiment of Darmstadt, which must remain at Vitebsk and Kovno, at the governor’s disposal until the division arrives.” The final eight lines were vigorously struck through, with the cancellations extending into a ninth line in which he commended the addressee to God’s protection. In fine condition. Letters from Napoleon sent from Moscow are exceedingly rare, and those containing the emperor’s autograph text are virtually impossible to find.
Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in June 1812 grew out of the collapse of the Continental System, the economic blockade intended to isolate Britain after the Treaties of Tilsit. Expecting the capture of Moscow to compel Tsar Alexander I to negotiate, Napoleon entered the ancient capital on September 14th, only to find it largely deserted and soon engulfed in flames. During the ensuing five weeks he repeatedly sought peace, but Alexander refused all overtures. Dated October 16th, this letter was written during the emperor’s final days in Moscow, just three days before he abandoned the city and began the retreat that destroyed the Grande Armée and marked the decisive turning point of the Napoleonic Wars. Addressed to Marshal Louis-Alexandre Berthier, Prince of Neuchâtel and Napoleon’s indispensable chief of staff, the letter demonstrates that even as his strategic position deteriorated, the emperor remained immersed in the operational details of the campaign. Ordering the movement and concentration of French and allied forces at Babinowitschy, Smolensk, Koenigsberg, Minsk, Vitebsk, and Kovno, it concerns the very communications and supply corridor upon which the Grande Armée would soon depend during its withdrawal from Russia. Before dispatching the letter, Napoleon personally revised the text, replacing a word in his own hand and striking through its closing lines, preserving tangible evidence of his direct involvement in military correspondence at one of the most consequential moments of his reign. Starting Bid $2,500
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Horatio Nelson’s signed “Order of Battle” preceding Trafalgar, issued from HMS Victory on September 29, 1805 LOT 5047
Horatio Nelson Signed “Order of Battle” in Preparation for Trafalgar - The Defining Naval Engagement of the Napoleonic Wars Manuscript DS, signed “Nelson & Bronte,” one page, 8 x 13, September 29, 1805. Document headed “Order of Battle and Sailing,” addressed to “Francis Pender, Esq’r, Capt’n of His Maj’s Ship Queen, Given on board the Victory off Cadiz the 29th of September 1805.” Issued 22 days prior to the Battle of Trafalgar, the document enumerates the ships of Nelson’s fleet alongside their captains, including the ships Téméraire, Superb, Victory, Neptune, Tigre, Canopus, Conqueror, Agamemnon, Leviathan, Prince of Wales, Ajax, Minotaur, Queen, Donegal, Spencer, Spartiate, Prince, Mars, Royal Sovereign, Tonnant, Bellerophon, Colossus, Achille, Polyphemus, Revenge, Britannia, Swiftsure, Defence, Orion, Zealous, Thunderer, Defiance, and Dreadnought. Signed at the conclusion in ink by Horatio Nelson, “Nelson & Bronte.” Affixed by its left edge to a slightly larger sheet and in fine condition, with expected document wear. Housed in a custom-made red morocco clamshell case with gilt-stamped titles. In the tense weeks before Trafalgar, Nelson was organizing the fleet that would soon alter the course of European history. Having returned to England in August 1805 after a fruitless pursuit of Villeneuve’s combined fleet across the Atlantic, Nelson rejoined his command off Cadiz on September 28 aboard Victory. The very next day—his 47th birthday—he began circulating orders to his captains, refining the unconventional battle plan that would become famous as the “Nelson Touch”:
rather than engaging in the traditional parallel line of battle, he intended to drive two columns into the enemy line, accepting their initial exposure in exchange for the decisive, close-range action that favored British gunnery and seamanship. This document, issued to Captain Francis Pender of the Queen just three weeks before the engagement, captures Nelson’s fleet at this critical moment in its preparations for Trafalgar. Nelson’s fleet was also in urgent need of provisioning. On October 2, Nelson ordered Pender’s Queen and four other ships of the line—Canopus, Spencer, Zealous, and Tigre, escorted by the frigate Endymion—to Gibraltar for supplies. Nelson expected their prompt return, but the squadron was diverted to convoy duty in the Mediterranean and did not rejoin the fleet in time: Pender and the Queen consequently missed Trafalgar by little more than a week. On October 21, Nelson’s 27 ships-of-the-line met the 33-strong Franco-Spanish fleet under Villeneuve, defeating it decisively in a matter of hours—18 enemy ships captured or destroyed without the loss of a single British ship—and confirming British command of the seas while extinguishing any realistic prospect of reviving Napoleon’s invasion scheme. Nelson himself did not live to see the victory confirmed, mortally wounded by a French musket ball aboard Victory roughly an hour into the battle; his death transformed a stunning tactical triumph into a national tragedy and cemented his status as Britain’s greatest naval hero. Starting Bid $1,000
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Nelson before the loss of his arm: a handwritten 1796 letter from Gibraltar Bay on assuming the rank of Commodore LOT 5048
Horatio Nelson Autograph Letter Signed, Announcing His Promotion to Commodore from Gibraltar Bay - A Scarce Pre-Amputation Autograph ALS, signed before the loss of his arm, “Horatio Nelson,” one page both sides, 7.5 x 9.5, December 12, 1796. Handwritten letter to “the Principal Officers & Commissioners of His Majesty’s Navy,” written from “La Minerve, Gibraltar Bay.” In full: “Being appointed by Sir John Jervis on the 11th day of August last as a Commodore with a Captain under me, which appointment has been approved of by the Admiralty, I beg leave to acquaint you of it, and that I have drawn a bill this day for 15£ for Stationary being the allowance for a Junior flag officer, and I shall in due time draw for the same pay, being directed to enjoy the same allowance by my order to hoist the Pendant.” In fine condition.
Written at a pivotal moment in Nelson’s rise to naval immortality, this letter dates to the closing weeks of 1796, when the 38-year-old captain had recently been elevated by Admiral Sir John Jervis to the rank of commodore. Penned aboard HMS Minerve in Gibraltar Bay, it concerns the practical financial allowances accompanying his new command, yet its timing gives the document exceptional historical resonance. Within months, Nelson would distinguish himself spectacularly at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in February 1797, personally leading the daring boarding actions that cemented his reputation for aggressive, unconventional command. Later that year, during the disastrous assault on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a musket ball would shatter his right arm, necessitating its amputation. This boldly signed letter therefore preserves Nelson’s hand from the brief but consequential period before the wound that permanently altered both his physical life and the appearance of his autograph. Starting Bid $500
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Captain Cook prepares to sail in 1776, ordering “His Majesty’s Sloops, the Resolution and Discovery, to be Ballasted with Coals as was done in former voyages” LOT 5049
James Cook Autograph Letter Signed, Outfitting the HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery for His Final Voyage in 1776 British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer (1728– 1779) who led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. He completed the first recorded circumnavigation of the main islands of New Zealand and led the first recorded visit by Europeans to the east coast of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. ALS signed “Jam: Cook,” one page, 8 x 10, February 21, 1776. Handwritten letter to a gentleman, in full: “Please to order His Majesty’s Sloops, the Resolution and Discovery, to be Ballasted with Coals as was done in former voyages of the same nature.” In very good to fine condition, with silking to the reverse and professional restoration to marginal losses. This brief but historically resonant letter finds Captain James Cook deep in preparations for what would become his third and final voyage of Pacific exploration. Both HMS Resolution, his veteran flagship from the second voyage, and the newly
acquired HMS Discovery were, fittingly, former colliers—coalcarrying vessels built in the Whitby tradition that had shaped Cook’s own early seafaring career in the North Sea coal trade. His practical instruction here, ordering the ships ballasted with coal as had been standard practice in earlier voyages, reflects both Cook’s meticulous attention to seaworthiness and his intimate, firsthand knowledge of collier-built ships, whose flat bottoms and shallow draft made them ideal for the uncharted coastlines he intended to survey. The two ships would not depart Plymouth until July 12 of that year, embarking on a voyage officially tasked with returning the Pacific islander Omai to his home in the Society Islands, but secretly charged with locating the Northwest Passage. Cook would not live to see the mission’s end, losing his life in Hawaii in February 1779. Letters from this final period of preparation are scarce, particularly those touching on the operational minutiae of outfitting his ships for the voyage from which he would never return. Starting Bid $2,500
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“Fr. v. Richthofen / Rittmeister”— rare signed portrait of the legendary Red Baron, picturing famed German World War I flying ace Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen in military uniform, mailed by his father on June 18, 1918, less than two months after his son’s death LOT 5050
Manfred von Richthofen (‘The Red Baron’) Signed Photograph Rare matte-finish 3.25 x 5.25 portrait postcard of famed German World War I flying ace Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen, picturing him in his decorated military uniform, which bears the prestigious Pour le Mérite just below his collar, signed in fountain pen on the image, “Fr. v. Richthofen / Rittmeister.” Published with the printed caption, “Unser erfolgreichster Kampf-Flieger. Freiherr von Richthofen.” Archivally double-matted and framed to an overall size of 14.5 x 16.75; window to frame backing reveals the reverse of the postcard, which bears a lengthy handwritten letter in German by Richthofen’s father, Major Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, postmarked June 18, 1918, and addressed to Alexander Blümich, thanking him for the memorial marching song ‘Der Rote Kampfflieger’ (‘The Red Fighter Pilot’) dedicated to his son. In fine condition, with the signature somewhat muted against the dark background. Credited with 80 confirmed aerial victories, Manfred von Richthofen (1892–1918) was the highest-scoring fighter ace of the First World War and the most celebrated aviator of his generation. Flying the crimson-painted Fokker Dr.I triplane that earned him the enduring nickname ‘The Red Baron,’ he became an international celebrity and a powerful symbol of German air superiority. His death in combat near the Somme on April 21, 1918, at the age of 25, transformed him from a wartime hero into an enduring legend, and signed photographs from his brief career remain among the most coveted relics of early military aviation. Provenance: Bonhams, Fine Books and Manuscripts: Lot 175, June 2022. Starting Bid $500
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“I Want YOU”—a landmark archive of 36 American World War I propaganda posters, highlighted by James Montgomery Flagg’s enduring Uncle Sam
LOT 5051
World War I Poster Collection - (36) American Propaganda Posters, Highlighted by James Montgomery Flagg’s Uncle Sam: “I Want YOU!” Archive of 36 original World War I American propaganda posters, dating principally from 1917–1918 and assembled by the consignor’s grandfather in the years following the war. The collection represents a broad cross-section of the American home-front poster campaign, with examples promoting Liberty Bond drives, military recruitment for the Army, Navy, and Marines, food conservation, the United War Work Campaign, the YMCA, Red Cross, Knights of Columbus, Jewish Welfare Board, Salvation Army, and related patriotic and relief efforts. The group features works by many of the leading illustrators of the period, including James Montgomery Flagg, Joseph Pennell, Sidney H. Riesenberg, Henry Reuterdahl, Adolph Treidler, Frederick Coffay Yohn, Alice Hendee, Frances Adams Halstead, Burton Rice, Jessie Willcox Smith, Henry Patrick Raleigh, Charles Livingston Bull, Dan Sayre Groesbeck, George Mather Richards, and others. Individual posters range in size from approximately 26 x 18 inches to 41 x 43 inches. The archive is led by five especially notable posters: - James Montgomery Flagg’s “I Want YOU for U.S. Army,” the defining American recruitment image of World War I, featuring Uncle Sam’s direct, commanding appeal to the viewer. - Flagg’s “First in the Fight—Always Faithful,” a dramatic Marine Corps recruiting poster pairing the service’s historic motto with a forceful call to enlist. - Flagg’s “Boys and Girls! You Can Help Your Uncle Sam Win the War,” promoting War Savings Stamps. - Charles Chambers’s “Il Cibo Vincerà la Guerra! [Food Will Win the War],” the Italian-language edition issued by the U.S. Food Administration to encourage immigrant communities to conserve food and support the Allied cause.
- Frederick Coffay Yohn’s “U.S. Marines—First to Fight in France for Freedom,” a large-format recruiting image celebrating the Marines’ prominent role in the American Expeditionary Forces. The posters are applied to cardstock backings and in overall good to very good condition, with expected age-related handling wear, including scattered creasing, edge wear, small tears and losses, toning, and occasional surface soiling; Flagg’s ‘Uncle Sam’ poster has a few strips of masking tape affixed at the top edge, and “That Liberty Shall Not Perish From the Earth” has losses to the top and bottom edges. Accompanied by a numbered 36-entry document identifying each poster by title, attributed artist, dimensions, and condition notes, available online at RRAuction.com. The mobilization of American visual culture during the First World War produced, in barely eighteen months, one of the most concentrated bursts of graphic design in the nation’s history. The Committee on Public Information, together with war-bond and relief organizations, commissioned the country’s leading illustrators—men and women trained in the golden age of magazine art—to translate the abstractions of war finance and sacrifice into images capable of persuading Americans to enlist, conserve resources, and contribute to the cause. Through bold typography, heroic figures, emotional appeals, and striking symbolic imagery, these posters recruited servicemen, sold war bonds, and rallied support for military and humanitarian organizations. They remain a powerful visual record of the national propaganda campaign that followed the United States’ entry into World War I. Assembled in the years immediately following the Armistice and retained within a single family for more than a century, the present collection offers a rare opportunity to acquire an unusually broad cross-section of the genre: thirty-six posters spanning its principal categories, from the war’s most iconic image to several designs seldom offered at public auction. Starting Bid $1,000
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With D-Day fast approaching, Prime Minister Churchill dispatches a “Most Secret” letter to Bernard Montgomery in April 1944, thanking him for his notes “on Air Requirements for OVERLORD as viewed by the army,” recommendations for how Allied air power should support the forthcoming invasion of Normandy LOT 5052
Winston Churchill War-Dated “Most Secret” Typed Letter Signed to Bernard Montgomery, Concerning Operation Overlord, the Normandy Invasion (April 1944) World War II-dated TLS signed “Yours sincerely, Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, Prime Minister (10 Downing Street, Whitehall) letterhead, April 1944. Marked “Most Secret,” a letter to General Sir Bernard Montgomery written during the final planning stages of Operation Overlord, the forthcoming Allied invasion of Normandy, in full: “Thank you so much for your letter of March 30, with which you sent me a copy of your note on Air Requirements for OVERLORD as viewed by the army.” In fine condition, with a couple of small stains. Written just weeks before the June 6, 1944, invasion of Normandy, this letter captures Churchill and Montgomery at the height of the final planning for Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious invasion in history. As commander of the 21st Army Group, Montgomery was responsible for developing the ground plan for the assault and worked closely with General Dwight D. Eisenhower in preparing the Allied invasion of northwest Europe. The memorandum referenced here – “Air Requirements for OVERLORD as viewed by the army” – concerned what was almost certainly one of the most consequential strategic debates preceding D-Day: whether Allied air power should continue focusing on strategic targets inside Germany or instead be concentrated on isolating the Normandy
battlefield by attacking rail lines, bridges, and transportation centers across occupied France. The issue carried profound military and humanitarian consequences. Montgomery and the army strongly favored directing air power toward supporting the invasion by disrupting the French transportation network, while many senior air commanders preferred to continue the strategic bombing campaign against Germany. Churchill himself agonized over the projected civilian casualties in occupied France, with early estimates suggesting that tens of thousands of French civilians might be killed if the transportation plan were adopted. Although he repeatedly questioned the proposal and even appealed to President Franklin D. Roosevelt for reconsideration, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower ultimately approved the plan, judging it indispensable to Overlord’s success. Classified “Most Secret,” the British government’s highest security classification during World War II, and exchanged from 10 Downing Street during this critical period, the letter documents Churchill’s personal review of Montgomery’s recommendations at the very moment the Allies were resolving one of the final strategic questions before D-Day. While Churchill letters marked ‘Secret,’ ‘Private,’ and ‘Confidential’ survive with some regularity, examples bearing the far more restrictive “Most Secret” classification are considerably rarer, reflecting the extraordinary sensitivity of the Overlord planning process. Starting Bid $5,000
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‘Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire’—a lifesaving ‘Schutz-Pass’ issued during the Holocaust by Raoul Wallenberg, protecting a Budapest doctor LOT 5054
Raoul Wallenberg Signed Schutz-Pass #0005 with Extremely Rare Complete Signature with Photo of Budapest Doctor Whose Life He Saved World War II-dated DS in German and Hungarian, signed “R. Wallenberg,” one page, 8.25 x 13.25, August 15, 1944. Ultra-early blue and gold two-language Schutz-Pass, “Nr. 0005,” issued to “Dr. Ladislaus Vámbéri” of Budapest. Upper left provides his personal information including his 1901 birth date, height, eye, and hair color. Adjacent to his personal information is Spiegel’s signature and affixed photograph. Bottom portion bears printed statements in German and Hungarian, neatly signed in the lower left corner by Wallenberg, and countersigned by Swedish Minister to Budapest, Carl Ivan Danielsson. In very good condition, with partial separations along the somewhat fragile intersecting folds.
Wallenberg arrived in Hungary in July 1944 as the country’s Jewish population was under siege. Nearly every other major Jewish community in Europe had already been decimated, and the Nazis were dispatching more than 10,000 Hungarian Jews to the gas chambers daily. An announcement that any Jew, even those holding foreign citizenship, would be interred led to Wallenberg’s urgent plan to save as many lives as he could. With time of the essence, he devised and distributed thousands of ‘Schutzbrief’ letters of protection and ‘SchutzPass’ passports—official-looking, but essentially invalid, Swedish passports granting the Hungarian bearer immunity from deportation. Nazi officials readily accepted the paperwork. Thus, with this pass, Wallenberg saved the life of Budapest resident Dr. Laszlo Vamberi, whose name is recorded in the Nevek Project’s Holocaust Survivors and Victims Database. Notably, since Wallenberg signed nearly all of the thousands of passes with a squiggle like ‘R,’ those with his full signature are extremely rare and sought after. Starting Bid $1,000
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Goering denies knowledge of the Great Escape—the crime that shattered his Nuremberg defense LOT 5055
Nuremberg Trials: Hermann Goring Document Signed, Summoning a Witness to Address the Killing of ‘Great Escape’ POWs “to refute the accusation, that Goering committed war crimes” Partly-printed DS in German, signed “Hermann Göring,” one page, 8 x 12.75, January 15, 1946. Document headed (translated), “The International Military Tribunal, Defendant’s Application for Summons for Witness,” made while preparing his defense for the Nuremberg trials. Göring and his defense lawyer, Otto Stahmer, request testimony from “Bernd v. Brauchitsch, Colonel of the Luftwaffe, at present at the Nuremberg prison,” citing his knowledge of the following facts: “The witness has been the chief adjutant of the defendant for many years; he has therefore, knowledge of all the orders issued by the defendant; especially a) Goering had not been informed of the shooting of 50 equipped airmen, and condemned the incident sharply when he learned of it. b) Goering was against the lynching of shot-down enemy terror pilots, and demanded—if necessary—legal proceedings. These facts are relevant…to refute the accusation, that Goering committed war crimes.” In fine condition, with expected document wear. Accompanied by a contemporary English translation and an original ‘mug shot’ photograph of Bernd von Brauchitsch, who was the son of Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch. The requested testimony addressed one of the most notorious war crimes involving the Luftwaffe: the murders following the March 1944 ‘Great Escape’ from Stalag Luft III at Sagan. Of the 76 Allied airmen who escaped, 73 were recaptured and 50 were handed over to the Gestapo and shot, their deaths
falsely reported as having occurred during further escape attempts. Göring’s defense sought to place responsibility farther up and outside the Luftwaffe chain of command—Hitler issuing the order, Keitel transmitting it, and Himmler’s SS carrying it out—while von Brauchitsch was expected to affirm that Göring had neither known of nor approved the executions. The Sagan affair nevertheless became the specific catalyst that shattered Göring’s carefully constructed defense. On March 15, 1946, he professed complete innocence of the murders, but under cross-examination days later he retreated from earlier evidence that he had attended Hitler’s conference on the shootings, conceded that the official German notice claiming the prisoners had been shot while escaping was false, and admitted that he regarded the affair as ‘the worst matter during the whole war.’ The contradiction was devastating: Göring could not plausibly present himself as the all-powerful head of the Luftwaffe while simultaneously claiming ignorance of a nationwide manhunt and the execution of 50 airmen held under Luftwaffe authority. The episode punctured his preferred image as a traditional, honorable soldier removed from the regime’s secret atrocities and exposed the weakness of his attempt to shift blame entirely to Hitler, Keitel, and Himmler. Although the Sagan murders were only one part of the vast case against him, they supplied the prosecution with a direct and morally unmistakable crime that helped destroy his credibility before the Tribunal. Göring was ultimately convicted on all four counts and sentenced to death, committing suicide shortly before his scheduled execution in October 1946. Starting Bid $2,500
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Exceptionally early circa 1933 Enigma I cipher machine used by the German military from the prewar buildup through World War II LOT 5056
Enigma I German Military-Issue Cipher Machine (c. 1933, Partially Operational) Exceptionally early three-rotor Enigma I electromechanical cipher machine manufactured for the German military by Chiffriermaschinen AG at Steglitzerstrasse 2 in Berlin, with serial number “A1317.” The low serial number indicates that the machine was ordered circa 1931–1932 and likely delivered to the German military in 1933, making it a notably early production example. Based on the chassis of the commercial Enigma D, the Enigma I became the standard cipher machine used by the German Army and Air Force. It features an ebonite Steckerbrett [plugboard] on the front, an innovation exclusive to the German armed forces that exponentially increased the complexity of the code. Also known as the Heeres [Army] Enigma, Wehrmacht Enigma, or Luftwaffe Enigma, machines of this early type were used to conceal Germany’s clandestine military expansion in violation of the Treaty of Versailles before seeing service throughout World War II. The machine, serial number “A1317,” is housed in a very early stained oak transport case with hinged lid and front panel. An exterior tag reads “A600,” indicating that the case was originally issued with another machine; however, it is of the correct early vintage for A1317. The case retains what appears to be its original finish and exhibits wear consistent with military use. An exact replica address tag replaces the missing original inside the lid. Both the machine and its case remain in excellent overall condition, with no significant rust or corrosion, suggesting that they were stored in a clean, dry environment after their period of service. The three included rotors—marked “II,” “IV,” and “V”—carry serial numbers that do not match the machine or one another (A7149, A604, and A8843). Such mismatches are typical of field-used Enigmas, as interchangeable rotors were frequently exchanged at German communications posts and maintenance depots. When A1317 was first issued, it would likely have been equipped with rotors I, II, and III; beginning in 1937, the German military expanded the available rotor set to five, issuing rotors IV and V to machines already in service. The rotors appear to have been refurbished to restore functionality at some point in time. Their internal wiring, along with that of the machine and reflector, has been inspected and verified. Each rotor can display one of its 26 numerals through the three windows in the machine’s cover. Spring-loaded contacts on either side correspond to the letters of the alphabet, and the rotors may be installed in different orders on the internal shaft. Their sequence, starting positions, ring settings, and plugboard connections were changed according to secret daily key sheets, allowing German communications units to configure their machines identically while producing an enormous number of possible cipher settings. The Enigma has a standard German “QWERTZ” keyboard with 26 white-on-black keys and a corresponding illuminated letter display. When a key is pressed, electrical current passes through the plugboard, rotating rotors, and reflector, illuminating the encoded
letter. The rightmost rotor advances with each keystroke and, at predetermined turnover points, causes the adjacent rotors to step. As a result, a letter is rarely encrypted the same way twice, avoiding the weaknesses of a simple substitution cipher. An operator recorded the illuminated letters and transmitted the resulting ciphertext, usually by radio telegraph. The receiving station, using an Enigma set to the same daily configuration, typed the ciphertext to reveal the original message one illuminated character at a time. A modern battery holder accepting standard flashlight batteries is included to permit operation. The machine is partially functional, with an encoded bulb illuminating on approximately 75% of keystrokes. Missing or nonfunctional bulbs have been replaced with exact replica Enigma bulbs. Also included are an original WWII Germany military telegraph key, a reproduction of an original Enigma operating manual, plus three modern booklets discussing the Enigma. Enigma A1317 likely remained in German military service from its delivery in 1933 through the end of the war in May 1945 and may subsequently have seen postwar service in Europe. Britain encouraged several countries—including Norway and West Germany—to continue employing captured or surplus Enigma machines after the war, without revealing that Allied cryptanalysts had mastered their decryption. The machine was acquired in 1995 from the family of a German collector known to have obtained surplus military Enigmas in West Germany during the 1970s, and was later exhibited in a French museum for more than two decades. First patented in 1918 by Arthur Scherbius, the Enigma was developed to protect confidential commercial, diplomatic, and military communications. The German armed forces adopted versions of the machine during the 1920s, after learning how effectively British intelligence had exploited German naval communications during World War I. Polish mathematicians Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki, and Henryk Zygalski made the first decisive breakthroughs against the military Enigma and shared their methods with Britain and France shortly before the German invasion of Poland. At Bletchley Park, Alan Turing, Gordon Welchman, and their colleagues expanded upon the Polish work, developing electromechanical bombes and increasingly sophisticated methods of processing intercepted communications. The resulting intelligence, codenamed Ultra, influenced operations throughout the European and Atlantic theaters and is widely credited with significantly shortening the war. German forces were ordered to destroy Enigma machines rather than allow their capture, and many were smashed, burned, sunk, or otherwise disabled during the final collapse of the Third Reich. Consequently, only a small fraction of the machines manufactured are believed to survive, with many preserved in institutional collections. An exceptionally early example with documented European museum display and distinguished provenance, Enigma A1317 represents a rare artifact at the intersection of military, cryptographic, and computer history. Starting Bid $25,000
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“This letter is to acknowledge your contribution to the development of the atomic bomb”—two months after Hiroshima, Oppenheimer commends a Los Alamos shop technician who helped construct equipment for “an important experiment,” accompanied by his Los Alamos employees’ handbook, World War II dog tag, and the Santa Fe New Mexican of August 6, 1945 LOT 5057
Robert Oppenheimer Typed Letter Signed to a Manhattan Project Shop Technician on His “contribution to the development of the atomic bomb,” with Los Alamos Employees’ Handbook TLS signed “J. R. Oppenheimer,” one page, 8 x 10.5, P.O. Box 1663, Santa Fe, New Mexico letterhead, October 1, 1945. Letter to T/5 Evan Gale Newbury, in full: “This letter is to acknowledge your contribution to the development of the atomic bomb. The striking success of this project was only made possible by the work and sacrifices of the Military Personnel. I wish to thank you for the work you have done since you joined the project in April 1945. According to your Group Leader, you are to be especially commended for your work as a shop technician. In this capacity, you have helped in the construction of equipment to be used in an important experiment. You have carried out all your duties skillfully and carefully with a minimum of supervision. You have always shown a spirit of cooperation. You are urged to present this letter as a reference.” Framed to an overall size of 10.5 x 13.25. In fine condition. Accompanied by Newbury’s original 19-page Employees’ Handbook from the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory of Los Alamos, New Mexico, a rare surviving booklet that offers a glimpse into everyday life inside the nation’s most secret scientific installation. Its sections on security detail the laboratory’s strict access controls, including Tech Area badges, resident identification requirements, and visitor pass procedures—policies that reflect the extraordinary secrecy under which Newbury and thousands of other Manhattan Project personnel worked. Also included is Newbury’s copy of the front page of the Santa Fe New Mexican from August 6, 1945, headlined “Los Alamos Secret Disclosed by Truman / Atomic Bombs Drop on Japan,” published on the day President Truman publicly announced the existence of the Los Alamos laboratory. Newbury has annotated inside the upper banner: “This is where I am and what I am doing.”
Preserved alongside the handbook are Newbury’s original World War II U.S. Army identification tag; an August 26, 1945 “Enlisted Man’s Temporary Pass” authorizing travel to Albuquerque; a wartime V-Mail letter sent to his family while serving overseas, advising that he was participating in military operations and temporarily unable to write home; a period photograph of Newbury posing beside heavy machinery during his overseas Army service, and a signed letter of provenance from his daughters recalling their father’s military service and work as a machinist on the Manhattan Project. Dated two months after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and a month after the close of World War II, Oppenheimer praises the contributions of Technician Fifth Grade Evan Gale Newbury, who joined the Manhattan Project in April 1945 as a shop technician at Los Alamos. Crediting him with helping construct equipment used in “an important experiment,” Oppenheimer commends Newbury’s skill, careful workmanship, independence, and spirit of cooperation, recognizing the vital behind-the-scenes work performed by the laboratory’s machinists and technicians in support of the atomic bomb’s final development. In the weeks following Japan’s surrender, Oppenheimer mailed letters of gratitude to departing Los Alamos personnel, recognizing the indispensable contributions of the scientists, engineers, technicians, and military members who had made the Manhattan Project a success. Many of these letters also reaffirmed the ‘absolute secrecy’ surrounding the work, a mandate established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and rigorously enforced by General Leslie R. Groves. At Los Alamos, every employee was required to have both a purpose and a pass; information was strictly compartmentalized, all personnel signed secrecy oaths, and signs posted throughout the laboratory reminded workers: ‘What you see here, what you do here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here!’ Maintaining that secrecy across a project that employed approximately 129,000 people at its peak in June 1944 remains one of the Manhattan Project’s most remarkable achievements. Starting Bid $1,000
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“My God what have we done. If I live a hundred years I’ll never quite get these few minutes out of my mind”— Captain Robert A. Lewis’s mission-used Enola Gay logbook, kept at the last-minute request of New York Times science editor William Laurence and written largely in darkness, with his haunting eight-page in-flight account of the devastating ‘Little Boy’ bomb drop over Hiroshima and his own pencil sketch of the atomic mushroom cloud LOT 5060
“My God what have we done”—Captain Robert A. Lewis’s Mission-Used Enola Gay Logbook, with His Harrowing Eight-Page In-Flight Account of the Devastating ‘Little Boy’ Bomb Drop over Hiroshima Mission-used flight logbook maintained by Captain Robert A. Lewis, co-pilot of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay during the Hiroshima atomic bombing mission, containing 25 handwritten pages documenting the first wartime use of an atomic weapon. The notebook, 8 x 10.5, opens with an eight-page in-flight account, written aboard the Enola Gay as events unfolded, followed by a 14-page history of the 509th Composite Group and three pages of later notes and verse. Lewis explains its origin in a signed statement dated August 8, 1945: “This log was a last minute request of William Laurence—(Science Editor) N.Y. Times. He had been ordered to be aboard, but arrived in Tinian too late. He asked me to keep some notes of the mission. A great deal of the notes were written in almost complete darkness. Half way through I ran out of ink.” The statement carries ink revisions in a second hand, ostensibly Laurence’s own, while Laurence attests to separate pencil corrections confined to the in-flight account: “Pencil corrections were made by Mr. William Laurence. Attested as true. William H. Laurence.” Lewis’s mission diary begins: “Little Boy Mission #1 / First Atomic Bomb / August 6th 1945 / Target Hit / By Capt. Robert A. Lewis / Pilot aboard Ship.” Recording the mission in real time, he notes, “We started engines at 0227 and taxied out…then we got off the ground at exactly 0245.” Among his observations: “I think everyone will feel relieved when we have left our bomb with the Japs and get halfway home. Or better still all the way home.” Midway through the flight he notes “(out of ink),” then continues in pencil. Approaching Hiroshima, Lewis writes, “At 0730 we are loaded, the bomb is now alive and it’s a funny feeling knowing it’s right in back of you. Knock wood… Well folks it’s not long now.” Upon confirmation that Hiroshima is the primary target, he records that “everyone has a big hopeful look on his face,” adding, “There’ll be a short intermission while we bomb our target.”
Lewis then provides “a brief blow by blow description of the bomb run,” recalling that after Major Thomas Ferebee released the bomb, “for the next minute no one knew what to expect.” He describes the blinding flash, “two very distinct slaps on the ship,” and the destruction: “there in front of our eyes was without a doubt the greatest explosion man has ever witnessed. The city was 9/10 covered with smoke… and a large column of white cloud” rising to an estimated 50,000 feet. A later inserted page preserves Lewis’s reflections: “I am certain the entire crew felt this experience was more than anyone human had ever thought possible. It just seems impossible to comprehend. Just how many ‘Japs’ did we kill? I honestly have the feeling of groping for words to explain this or I might say My God what have we done. If I live a hundred years I’ll never quite get these few minutes out of my mind.” He predicts, “I honestly feel the Japs may give up before we land at Tinian. They certainly don’t care to have us drop anymore bombs of atomic energy like this.” Returning toward Tinian, he observes that “everyone on the ship is actually dumbstruck,” and concludes: “Love to all, ‘Bud’ R. A. Lewis.” The back cover contains Lewis’s pencil sketch of the Hiroshima mushroom cloud, annotated “Various Colors,” “40,000 Ft Plus,” and “09:30 8/6/45.” The front cover bears his title, “Bombing of Hiroshima,” dated “Aug. 6–1945,” and signed “By Robert A. Lewis / Capt-USAAF.” He identifies “Ship #44-27292 ‘Enola Gay,’” gives the call sign “Dimples ‘12,’” lists the crew, and adds, “Hold for Top Secret Clearance.” Beginning August 10, Lewis added a 14-page “History of 509th Gp.,” covering the unit’s formation under Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr., training, aircraft preparation, and deployment to Tinian. Additional pages concern the Potsdam ultimatum and preserve a 509th Composite Group morale song. In fine condition, with light stains and overall wear. Accompanied by a custom clamshell case and the July 29, 1985, “The Atomic Age” edition of Time magazine, whose cover features Lewis’s reflection, “My God, what have we done?” Starting Bid $25,000
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“As I was coming down the steps from the officers’ quarters, I was distracted by a violently bright light”—extraordinary 1947 eyewitness survivor’s manuscript of the Hiroshima atomic bombing by Korean officer G. T. Hun— “This was an Atomic Bomb. A new war weapon” LOT 5061
Hiroshima Atomic Bomb: Original 1947 Survivor’s Eyewitness Manuscript by Korean Officer G. T. Hun Historic eyewitness manuscript recounting the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, handwritten in Japanese by Korean officer G. T. Hun in 1947 on two large 17.25 x 15.25 sheets of fine rice paper, documenting his firsthand experiences while serving as a Japanese Army officer stationed in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Accompanied by Hun’s handwritten English presentation note, dated “22 Oct. 47” (“To: Mr. Fridl, from a Dumb Boy. I wish you Good Luck”), a handwritten English draft translating the opening portion of the narrative, and a contemporary typed English translation prepared for U.S. Army Lt. Arthur William Fridl. As the accompanying handwritten and typed English translations preserve different portions of the narrative, the following excerpts are compiled from both to present the fullest account of Hun’s eyewitness testimony. Written just two years after the bombing, Hun’s vivid narrative begins by explaining that he is writing at Fridl’s request: “Upon the request of Lt. A. W. Fridl, FA U.S. Army, I am going to describe my experience with the Atomic Bomb…I was stationed in Hiroshima and had command over 159 soldiers and one officer.” He then recounts the moment of detonation: “At about 0815…As I was coming down the steps from the officers’ quarters, I was distracted by a violently bright light…It appeared to be from the explosion of an Electron Fire Bomb…only much more intensive…I immediately fell to the floor and sought shelter.” Moments later came the blast: “I heard a thunderous noise…The barracks…were almost completely demolished.” Emerging into the devastated city, Hun describes one of the manuscript’s most haunting scenes: “At a playground, I saw people’s bodies stacked all around like mountains. Dying people were crying and weeping ‘save me.’…I climbed up a hill and saw a lot of people dead on the road. All the clothing was gone and the bodies were all like negro. Many people
were dying…I did not see any animals alive. All were dead.” He continues by recounting desperate civilians seeking water, “Many people who were injured jumped in a ditch and drank water. All died,” before realizing, “I found out that this was an Atomic Bomb. A new war weapon…Most citizens of Hiroshima were dead, and there was no police power in town for three or four days. No one came to this city to offer aid. They were afraid of the rays which burned people to death.” Hun goes on to describe his own injuries, writing: “I was burned about the arm…the flesh was eaten away…the nerves were not responsive,” before recalling that by August 9th, “my arm suddenly became very sore. I was in a bad condition very close to death.” He later recounts his recovery after the war, observations on radiation injuries, including his belief that white clothing reduced burns and that burn victims should not drink water, and concludes with a sobering reflection on the future of warfare: “This weapon is the worst weapon in the world. Maybe the 21st century a most deadly weapon will be found, and maybe it will be even greater than this.” In fine condition. G. T. Hun was a Korean officer serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during Japan’s occupation of Korea, commanding 159 soldiers in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. His account offers the perspective of a Korean colonial subject serving in Japan’s military at the end of World War II. Writing in October 1947 for Lt. Arthur William Fridl, a recent West Point graduate serving with the U.S. Army in postwar Korea, Hun recorded his experiences while the events remained painfully fresh. His manuscript records not only the immediate devastation wrought by the atomic bomb but also the uncertainty surrounding an entirely new weapon, describing catastrophic burns, the collapse of civil authority, delayed radiation injuries, and the absence of organized relief. Original firsthand survivor manuscripts documenting the atomic bombing of Hiroshima are exceedingly uncommon, and accounts written so soon after the event – especially by a Korean serving in the Japanese military – are rarer still, making this an exceptional primary source documenting one of the defining events of the twentieth century. Starting Bid $500
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Sought-after signature of Isaac Newton, the towering mind who reshaped modern science
LOT 5062
Isaac Newton Signature English physicist, mathematician, and astronomer (1643–1727), widely regarded as the most influential figure in the history of science, whose ideas and discoveries, including calculus, the laws of gravitation and motion, and observations on the nature of light and optics, earned him a place among the most profound geniuses in the history of mankind. Sought-after ink signature, “Is. Newton,” on an offwhite 2.25 x .75 slip, archivally matted and framed with an engraved portrait to an overall size of 11.75 x 16.5. In very good to fine condition, with two areas of toning, and a tear touching the last letter of the signature. Starting Bid $1,000
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Edison at 70: program signed by the Wizard of Menlo Park, Henry Ford, and the Edison inner circle
LOT 5063
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford Signed Program from Edison’s 70th Birthday Testimonial Dinner Program from a “Testimonial Dinner tendered to Thomas A. Edison by his Employees in honor of his Seventieth Birthday,” at the Edison Storage Battery Building in West Orange, New Jersey, on February 10, 1917, 6 x 9.75, signed on the backing card in ink by Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Mina Miller Edison, Charles Edison, and Miller Reese Hutchison. Also signed underneath the four program pages and on the reverse by a variety of noted Edison employees and associates, including Fred Ott, Lewis Lueder, William Henry Meadowcroft, J.V. Miller, and many more. Affixed above the program sheets is a golden wax seal featuring Edison’s likeness. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light staining and soiling.
Held on February 10, 1917, the eve of Thomas Edison’s seventieth birthday, this West Orange testimonial dinner honored the inventor at the height of his stature as America’s foremost technological icon. Staged by his employees inside the Edison Storage Battery Building, the event reflected the extraordinary loyalty and institutional pride surrounding Edison’s vast industrial laboratory, where generations of machinists, chemists, engineers, and assistants helped transform his ideas into practical products. The presence of Henry Ford—Edison’s close friend and admirer—alongside Mina and Charles Edison, Miller Reese Hutchison, Fred Ott, William Henry Meadowcroft, and other longtime associates makes the program a rich commemorative piece from the inner circle of the Edison enterprise. Starting Bid $300
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Edison Lamp Co. note with incandescent light bulb vignette, signed by luminary inventors Thomas Edison and Francis Upton
LOT 5064
Thomas Edison and Francis R. Upton Signed Promissory Note from Edison Lamp Co., with Handsome Light Bulb Vignette Partly-printed DS, signed “Thos. A. Edison” and “Francis R. Upton,” one page, 8 x 3.25, October 3, 1888. Handsome promissory note issued by the Edison Lamp Co., in full: “Three months after date, we promise to pay to the order of Ourselves Fifteen hundred fifty Dollars for value received at the German National Bank, Newark, N.J.” Neatly signed at the conclusion in ink by Thomas Edison as president, and countersigned by Francis R. Upton as treasurer. Also endorsed on the reverse by Upton The document features a wonderful vignette of an early Edison incandescent lamp. Double-matted and framed to an overall size of 16 x 11.25, with a window in the backing for viewing the reverse. In fine condition.
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This Edison Lamp Co. promissory note dates to a defining moment in the commercialization of electric light, when Edison’s incandescent lamp had moved beyond laboratory novelty and into industrial production, financing, and large-scale urban installation. Incorporated in the early 1880s, the Edison Lamp Co. manufactured the bulbs at the heart of Edison’s electric lighting system, supplying the growing network of central stations and wired buildings that helped transform nighttime life in American cities. The presence of Francis R. Upton—Edison’s mathematically trained associate and a key figure in the development and management of the lamp works—adds further significance, while the engraved light bulb vignette makes the document unusually displayable. As both a financial instrument and a piece of corporate ephemera, the note captures Edison at the intersection of invention, manufacturing, and modern electrical enterprise. Starting Bid $300
“I have always felt that to be a professor is next to being God”—Stephen Hawking congratulates his wife’s academic advisor in a rare handwritten letter LOT 5066
Stephen Hawking Autograph Letter Signed to Spanish Medievalist Alan Deyermond: “I have always felt that to be a professor is next to being God” ALS signed “Stephen,” one page, 5.25 x 7, blindstamped “6, Little St. Mary’s Lane, Cambridge” letterhead, July 1969. Handwritten letter to Alan Deyermond, the distinguished scholar of medieval Spanish literature and recently appointed professor at Westfield College, London. In full: “Congratulations on your appointment. I have always felt that to be a professor is next to being God. As you gaze down from your Olympian heights have pity on us poor mortals.” In fine condition, with a light paperclip impression to the top edge. Autograph letters by Stephen Hawking are of the utmost rarity, with only a tiny handful known at auction; this example is especially significant as one of the last letters he may have written by hand. Diagnosed with early-onset motor neurone disease in 1963, Hawking had by the late 1960s lost much of his physical ability to write or type, increasingly relying on dictation to close associates who could understand his deteriorating speech. At the time of this witty letter, Hawking was engaged in his groundbreaking work with Roger Penrose, yet his own academic future remained uncertain: his research fellowship was nearing its end, and his physical condition prevented him from pursuing a conventional university teaching post. He would not receive his own chair in gravitational physics until 1977, followed by his appointment as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge in 1979. The recipient, Alan Deyermond, was the tutor and later Ph.D. supervisor of Hawking’s first wife, Jane. In her memoir, Music to Move the Stars, Jane recalls Stephen’s first meeting with Deyermond, during which Hawking provocatively dismissed medieval literature as “as useful an occupation as studying pebbles on the beach”; Deyermond, also an Oxford graduate, “willingly picked up the gauntlet,” and the two parted on “remarkably amiable terms.” Hawking’s playful congratulations here—casting Deyermond’s professorship in mock-Olympian terms—reflects both his biting humor and genuine regard for a fellow academic. Accompanied by an ALS by Jane Hawking, signed “Jane,” dated July 5, 1969, beginning: “Stephen joins me in sending you our congratulations on the Professorship. We are truly delighted for you, especially as we know how well deserved the title is.” Also includes Deyermond’s hardcover first edition of Jane Hawking’s memoir, Music to Move the Stars: A Life with Stephen, signed and inscribed on the title page in black ballpoint, “Dear Ann & Alan, with much love & gratitude, Jane.” Starting Bid $1,000 www.RRAuction.com | 97
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“Somewhat eventful times have once again occurred since my last letter. Specifically, it was written in the newspapers that there were plans for my assassination”—Albert Einstein writes to his son Eduard from Cromer, England, in September 1933, while under armed protection from Nazi threats and preparing to leave Europe for Princeton LOT 5065
Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed to His Son Eduard from His English Refuge amid Nazi Threats (1933) “There were plans for my assassination” ALS in German, signed “Papa,” one page both sides, 7 x 9, circa September 23, 1933. Addressed from Cromer, England, a handwritten letter in pencil from Albert Einstein to his son Eduard Einstein, nicknamed “Tetel,” in full (translated): “Somewhat eventful times have once again occurred since my last letter. Specifically, it was written in the newspapers that there were plans for my assassination. This resulted in my police protection being increased to the point that I no longer wished to bother. That is why I have spent more than three weeks here by the English coast enjoying an enviable solitude. The cottage in which I live alone measures around 9 sqm and consists of only one room. When you step out the door, you are immediately greeted by Mother Nature. I spend most of my time doing mathematics and walk around outside when I’m cold. Unfortunately, the ship will be returning to America in around two weeks. An old chap like myself simply cannot have his peace and quiet! Unfortunately, dying takes the joy out of it. I would have loved to come and visit you. But it was something I couldn’t even think about given the conditions! It is simply nothing more than the stupid revolting against the sensible in Germany. You see, the stupid constitute the vast majority — Food notwithstanding, I am always by myself. When you’re tired, you feel very stupid because you have nothing to distract you. You should always have something mechanical to do, such as cooking. Incidentally, it would be something good for you too, even if I don’t believe you will be able to make it very far. Generally, it is good for your mental balance if you have something you can do for hours where you can be sure you will achieve something even when simply doing it by routine. Even though I write little, I still think about you a great deal. I hope you are in a steady mood with no significant irritations. Should you wish to write anything else to me, the address is Commander Locker Lampsen, Cromer, England, until 3. X. Subsequently, Princeton Uni-
versity (New Jersey). My warm greetings to you both.” Einstein adds a short postscript to Eduard’s mother, his first wife, Mileva Marić: “Dear Mileva! This letter is for you as well. Should you run into any business-related difficulties, look no further than Mr Dukas. He is very experienced and will be happy to help.” In fine condition, with a short separation to the vertical fold, faint paperclip impressions, and two light horizontal bends. Although undated, the letter can be placed to circa September 23, 1933, during Einstein’s stay at Roughton Heath near Cromer, Norfolk, where he lived under the protection of British MP and former naval officer Commander Oliver Locker-Lampson. The dating is supported by Einstein’s instructions that correspondence could reach him at Cromer until October 3rd and his statement that his ship would leave for America in around two weeks; on October 7th, he departed Southampton for the United States, where he would take up his position at the newly established Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Einstein had left Germany following Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and was living in Belgium before coming to England amid concerns for his safety. At Cromer, Locker-Lampson arranged for him to occupy a small wooden cottage at Roughton Heath under armed protection, circumstances reflected directly in Einstein’s account here of his isolation, mathematical work, and reports of plans for his assassination. The letter’s recipient, Eduard Einstein, affectionately called Tetel, had hoped to pursue psychiatry and was an admirer of Sigmund Freud before being diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1930 at age twenty. Einstein’s advice here about maintaining mental balance through routine activity, together with his hope that Eduard was experiencing no significant irritations, was written against the background of his son’s illness. Mileva Marić, Einstein’s first wife and the recipient of the letter’s postscript, cared for Eduard until her death in 1948; he subsequently spent much of his remaining life at Zürich’s Burghölzli psychiatric clinic, where he died in 1965. Einstein’s departure for the United States shortly after writing this letter marked a lasting separation between father and son: the two never saw each other again. Starting Bid $1,000
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“The word ‘beat’ is not used in speaking of screw propellors, but only of flapping wing machines”— Wilbur Wright advises Funk & Wagnalls on the vocabulary of aviation LOT 5067
Wilbur Wright Typed Letter Signed to Dictionary Publisher Funk & Wagnalls on the Language of Flight: “The word ‘beat’ is not used in speaking of screw propellors, but only of flapping wing machines” TLS signed by Wilbur Wright, “Wright Bros.,” one page, 8.5 x 11, Wright Brothers letterhead, April 4, 1910. Letter to publisher Funk & Wagnalls, who were then compiling dictionaries and encyclopedias. In full: “The phrase ‘ballon-sonde’ is but the French of the English equivalent ‘sounding balloon,’ which is good English. It should be inserted with a cross reference to ‘sounding balloon.’ We are not familiar with the expression ‘ballon d’essai,’ but the expression ‘pilot balloon’ is common use in English, and refers to small unmanned balloons sent up prior to an ascension for the purpose of determining the direction and force of the upper air. The word ‘beat’ is not used in speaking of screw propellors, but only of flapping
wing machines.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing and several tiny edge tears, with show-through from old tape reinforcements at the lower right edge. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA. Written at a moment when the language of powered flight was still being standardized, this letter finds Wilbur Wright serving as an expert authority for Funk & Wagnalls as its editors refined aviation terminology for their reference works. His precise distinctions between “sounding balloon,” “pilot balloon,” screw propellers, and “flapping wing machines” offer a remarkable glimpse of the Wright brothers not only as inventors, but as participants in defining the vocabulary of the new aerial age. Signed just over two years before Wilbur’s death in 1912, it is an unusually substantive example directly connected to the technical legacy of their pioneering work. Starting Bid $500
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Orville addresses the ‘Wright/Smithsonian’ controversy and the development of Langley’s airplane motor, claiming that Secretary Charles D. Walcott attempted “to take from the Wright Brothers and give to Dr. Langley the credit for the scientific data on which the Wright aeroplane was based” LOT 5068
Orville Wright Typed Letter Signed on the ‘Wright/Smithsonian’ Controversy and the Development of Langley’s Airplane Motor TLS, nine pages, 7.25 x 10.5, personal letterhead, December 2, 1943. Important and exceptionally lengthy letter to Major Lester D. Gardner of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, in which Wright revisits the bitter Smithsonian-Wright controversy and offers a detailed technical and historical reassessment of the Langley aircraft engine, arguing that Stephen M. Balzer had been denied proper credit for his role in its development. Wright opens: “I thought you might be interested in what I have learned in the past two years concerning the origin of the Langley motor,” explaining that he had long believed the engine to be “entirely a creation of Manly’s,” but was “astonished” to discover that “the basic design of the motor was Balzer’s.” He proceeds to analyze the evolution of the five-cylinder radial engine in remarkable detail, discussing Balzer’s original design, Charles M. Manly’s alterations, conflicting horsepower claims, lubrication and carburetion systems, and the Smithsonian’s promotion of Langley’s legacy. Wright writes with unusual technical precision and barely concealed indignation, observing that Manly “overstates the power he obtained” from his “re-creation,” and questioning whether Manly’s horsepower measurements could be trusted “any more accurate than his measurement of the thrust.” He further asserts that “Manly’s friends always speak disparag-
ingly of Balzer’s work,” while pointing out that Balzer’s engine already embodied key features later credited to Manly: “It was from Balzer that Manly derived the radial system!” Wright also highlights what he saw as telling omissions in the official account, noting that Manly described the lubrication and carburetor systems “as though they were of his own invention,” though both had been used in the Balzer-Langley engine. The letter culminates in a forceful indictment of the Smithsonian’s handling of early aviation history, accusing Secretary Charles D. Walcott of attempting “to take from the Wright Brothers and give to Dr. Langley the credit for the scientific data on which the Wright aeroplane was based,” and suggesting that the same institutional impulse had minimized Balzer’s contribution to the Langley motor. Wright concludes memorably: “I think Balzer was treated scandalously. First he was wrecked financially through his contract with the Smithsonian and then was robbed by the Smithsonian…of the credit that was his due.” Includes several ink additions and underlinings by Wright. In fine condition, with light soiling to the bottom right corner of each page. A remarkable late-life statement by the surviving Wright brother, combining firsthand memory, engineering expertise, and lingering resentment over the Smithsonian’s 1914 tests of the rebuilt Langley Aerodrome—an episode Wright regarded as an attempt to diminish the Wright brothers’ priority at Kitty Hawk. Starting Bid $1,000
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The Duesenberg Family Archive: nearly a century of photographs, letters, and records from Fred and Augie’s racing era through the 1980 revival LOT 5069
Duesenberg Family Archive: Racing, Engineering, and Automotive History, Descended Directly Through the Family Exceptional Duesenberg family archive of photographs, correspondence, documents, artwork, advertising material, engineering drawings, and automotive memorabilia, spanning approximately 1900–1993 and descended directly through the family of automobile pioneers Frederick and August “Augie” Duesenberg. Preserved through their elder brother Henry’s son Wesley Charles Duesenberg, Wesley’s son Harlan, and later generations, the collection traces the family from its immigrant and bicycle-racing origins through its competition triumphs, legendary luxury automobiles, and later attempts to revive the Duesenberg marque. Early family material includes Augie’s 1901 Iowa naturalization papers, formally renouncing allegiance to the “Emperor of Germany”; his 1905 marriage certificates; signed automobile club, Social Security, and driver’s identification cards; his 1955 death certificate, listing him as a “retired auto manufacturer”; and the 1921 wills of Augie and Gertrude Duesenberg, executed one month before the team’s victory in the French Grand Prix. Also included are annotated photographs of the brothers’ childhood home in Germany, an original circa 1900 portrait of Fred with his racing bicycle and competition medals, and an original painting of Augie by Felix Palm. The correspondence is highlighted by a March 23, 1917, typed letter signed by Fred Duesenberg about a “battery in the Buick car being in bad shape”; a handwritten 1918 letter signed by Fred Duesenberg on Duesenberg Motors Corporation letterhead, discussing a tractor motor built for the Ordnance Department and warning his nephew Wesley about the influenza epidemic; and three telegrams from Fred. Most significant is his 1924 message announcing that “Duesenberg car number fifteen winner of todays five hundred mile race” had used the recipient’s rubber shock insulators—a direct reference to the Corum-Boyer entry that won the Indianapolis 500.
Business and manufacturing records include Fred and Conrad Duesenberg financial ledgers, a handwritten statement headed “Settlements on D. Bros. accounts,” and later family expense records. Material from the Duesenberg Model Company—the miniature racing-car venture operated by Augie and Wesley— includes a miniature dashboard plate, company letterhead, correspondence, and scarce sales literature. Advertising and promotional material is led by an early circa 1919–1920 “Duesenberg Automobile” booklet with Elizabeth, New Jersey, imprint; Model J sales brochures; an original September 1934 “He drives a Duesenberg” advertisement presented to Harlan Duesenberg by Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club historian Ray Wolff; a Pyroil advertisement featuring Augie and the Prince Nicholas of Roumania Special; embroidered “Straight 8” patches; and the original zinc printing plate and lead positive used to reproduce the winged Duesenberg emblem. A substantial portion documents Harlan and Kenneth Duesenberg’s effort to revive the marque during the 1970s and 1980s. Highlights include Ken Duesenberg’s full-scale steering-wheel and hood-ornament drawings; original dashboard-instrument films; concept renderings and press photographs; correspondence from Cord designer Gordon Buehrig; and a December 1979 check from Stutz Motor Co. to Duesenberg Brothers, Inc., for $150,000, annotated “For Duesenberg Auto Prototype.” Press releases, brochures, clippings, and Harlan’s extensive revival binder further document the ambitious project. Additional material includes a signed photograph of 1925 Indianapolis 500 winner Peter DePaolo with Harlan Duesenberg, accompanied by DePaolo’s handwritten wishes for success with the new automobile; commemorative plaques and programs; drawings and prints; belt buckles; and other family-preserved memorabilia. In overall very good to fine condition. An extraordinary multigenerational archive offering an intimate and unusually complete account of the family behind one of the most celebrated names in American automotive history. Starting Bid $1,000
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1940s “by Duesenberg” tether car from the legendary automaking family’s collection LOT 5070
Duesenberg Toy Tether Car (c. 1940s) From the Duesenberg Family Collection Vintage circa 1940s “by Duesenberg” toy tether car, measuring approximately 21˝ x 7.5˝ x 8.5˝, featuring a steel chassis, suspension, “Gardner” rubber tires on wheels fitted with Oilite bearings, and internal front-wheel driveshaft; the upholstered seat is loose within the cockpit, and the .604 “by Duesenberg” two-cycle racing engine is missing from the model. In good to very good condition, with overall tarnishing, one missing hood screw, and losses to the seat’s upholstery. Accompanied by its original sales brochure, which outlines the “Victories ‘by Duesenberg’ from 1912 to 1940 and describes the specifications of the toy vehicle. The promotional text begins: “It is not surprising that this rakish, low-slung, perfectly
streamlined, scale model miniature racing car ‘by Duesenberg’ should be a fitting echo to 30 years of leadership in building famous racing cars which have established speed records all over the world. Perfect harmony of design and speed is exemplified in every inch of this miniature track scorcher by the beautiful lines which flow smoothly back from the radiator. This beautiful scale model racing car is designed and manufactured to definite specifications and tolerances under the personal supervision of A. S. Duesenberg, who for 30 years has been designing world famous racing cars. Precise workmanship and ‘know how’ engineering is everywhere in evidence.” Provenance: The Duesenberg Family Collection, believed to have been originally owned by Augie or Wesley, or gifted by them to Harlan. Starting Bid $500
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Archive of over 100 early engineering schematics, factory documents, and service materials for Nutting Associates and Midway arcade classics including Wimbledon, Space Invaders, Sea Wolf, Gun Fight, Gorf, Wizard of Wor, and more LOT 5071
Nutting Associates and Midway Early Engineering Archive of (100+) Schematics and Factory Documents for Wimbledon, Space Invaders, Sea Wolf, Gun Fight,Wizard of Wor, and More Archive of early Nutting Associates and Midway engineering documentation from the formative years of the coin-operated video game industry, containing more than 100 oversized engineering schematics, factory service manuals, operator instructions, wiring diagrams, printed circuit board layouts, service bulletins, technical reference documents, and promotional materials pertaining to some of the most influential arcade games of the 1970s and early 1980s. The archive encompasses documentation for Nutting Associates’ advanced color Pong variant Wimbledon, together with Midway classics including Gun Fight, Sea Wolf, Space Invaders, Gorf, Wizard of Wor, and Omega Race, dating from approximately 1971 through 1981. The oversized engineering schematics range in size from 22 x 17 to 40 x 18. The earliest material centers on Nutting Associates, whose Computer Space (1971), designed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, was the world’s first commercially sold video arcade game. This archive includes a rare Computer Space Postcard dating to 1971, making it one of the earliest pieces of video game literature. The accompanying promotional literature is joined by an extensive group of ‘lost’ engineering documents for Nutting Associates’ Wimbledon (1973), the very first Pong variant in color. Nutting Associates produced only 100 Wimbledon cabinets, making it one of the company’s lowestproduction games. The documentation includes an operator instruction booklet, maintenance manual, service manual, Sync Board, Paddle Board, and Single-Play/Color Modification blue-line schematics. These large Wimbledon engineering blue-line schematics are currently the only ones known to exist. The Wimbledon “Single-Play” schematic is of a single player mode for Wimbledon that never happened. The lost Nutting Wimbledon schematics in this archive will fill a lost gap in Video/Arcade game history. These schematics also include the only signatures known to exist of Miel Domis, the Nutting engineer responsible for creating the color version of Pong for Nutting. No pictures or information have been shared online of these schematics, making the owner of these schematics the only one to possess their information. Midway’s earliest represented title is Gun Fight (1975), whose archive includes original promotional material together with logic motherboard schematics documenting the circuitry behind the first commercially successful microprocessor-based arcade game in North America, a technological breakthrough that took video games from complex TTL hardware to software.
The Sea Wolf documentation is especially extensive, encompassing original Midway service bulletins, chip location charts, motherboard layouts, sound system schematics, sound generator drawings, wiring diagrams, connector references, and game board documentation, offering an unusually comprehensive record of the engineering behind one of Midway’s earliest blockbuster arcade successes. The archive continues through Midway’s most influential period with substantial documentation for Space Invaders, including motherboard wiring schematics for both upright and cocktail cabinets, factory service bulletins, DIP switch configuration sheets, troubleshooting notices, and factory engineering updates issued between 1979 and 1980. Together, these documents chronicle the continual refinement of one of the most commercially successful arcade games ever produced, preserving the factory-issued technical guidance used to maintain, troubleshoot, and update machines during the height of the Space Invaders phenomenon. The archive is further complemented by engineering drawings and board layouts for Gorf, Wizard of Wor, and Omega Race, including motherboard, daughter board, ROM/RAM board, power supply, wiring, and commercial card rack schematics. Many retain complete Midway engineering title blocks, revision histories, production release notations, and internal engineers’ markings such as “Not for Mass Reproduction,” emphasizing their role as working factory engineering documents during the development and manufacture of Midway’s early-1980s arcade hardware. In overall fine condition, with expected folds and scattered light wear. Beyond its remarkable breadth, the archive preserves virtually every stage of Midway’s engineering process. Rather than representing isolated service manuals or operator literature, the collection follows arcade hardware from initial circuit and printed circuit board design through production revisions, field-service modifications, troubleshooting bulletins, and operator support, documenting the continual evolution of many of the company’s most historically significant games. Beginning with Nutting Associates, the company that introduced commercial video gaming to the public through Computer Space, and continuing through Midway’s rise as one of the defining manufacturers of the Golden Age of arcade gaming, the archive documents nearly a decade of rapid technological advancement. Together, these original factory engineering records provide a remarkable behind-the-scenes look at the design, manufacture, maintenance, and continual refinement of the machines that established the modern coin-operated video game industry. Starting Bid $5,000
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The ‘holy grail’ of all modern Apple products—a factory-sealed 4GB original iPhone LOT 5072
Apple iPhone - Rare 4GB Model (First Generation, Sealed) Exceptionally desirable unopened firstgeneration, first release original Apple iPhone, Model A1203, Part No. MA501LL/A (4GB), Serial No. 7R729HWZVR0. The box features a life-size image of the iPhone with twelve icons on the screen, indicating that it is from the earliest production (2007); a 13th icon, for iTunes, came later in the year. The 4GB iPhone is the rarest of all original iPhones, as it was discontinued by Apple on September 5, 2007, just over two months after the pioneering product’s debut. Priced at $499, the 4GB iPhone model encountered lackluster sales as most consumers opted for the $100 upgrade to double its storage capacity to 8GB. In brand new, factory-sealed condition, with a short split to the shrinkwrap at the upper rear corner. Original sealed Apple products have seen a dramatic surge in collector interest in recent years, with iPhones consistently setting new record prices. Chief among them are rare factory-sealed 4GB iPhones, widely regarded as the holy grail of modern Apple collectibles. ‘iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone,’ Steve Jobs said during his keynote speech that introduced the innovative product. He was right. Developed in secrecy, the original iPhone is the smartphone that transformed the industry, revolutionizing cellphone design as one of the first ‘slate’ form factor phones. The iPhone removed nearly all physical controls in favor of an easy-to-use capacitive touchscreen interface. It put the internet into our pockets with the first full-featured mobile web browser, and essentially launched the market for apps with the introduction of the App Store, making third-party applications easy to access and download. The iPhone ushered in the modern age of the smartphone and catapulted Apple to the top of the charts as one of the world’s most valuable companies. Starting Bid $5,000 110 |
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New-in-box, factory-sealed example of the first-generation iPhone LOT 5073
Apple iPhone (First Generation, Sealed - 8GB) Unopened first-generation original Apple iPhone, Model A1203, Part No. MA712LL/A (8GB), Serial No. 7T7299P1WH8. The box features a life-size image of the iPhone with twelve icons on the screen, indicating that it is from the earliest production (2007); a 13th icon, for iTunes, came later in the year. In brand new, factory-sealed condition. ‘iPhone is a revolutionary and magical product that is literally five years ahead of any other mobile phone,’ Steve Jobs said during his keynote speech that introduced the innovative product. He was right. Developed in secrecy, the original iPhone is the smartphone that transformed the industry, revolutionizing cellphone design as one of the first ‘slate’ form factor phones. The iPhone removed nearly all physical controls in favor of an easy-to-use capacitive touchscreen interface. It put the internet into our pockets with the first full-featured mobile web browser, and essentially launched the market for apps with the introduction of the App Store, making third-party applications easy to access and download. The iPhone ushered in the modern age of the smartphone and catapulted Apple to the top of the charts as one of the world’s most valuable companies. Starting Bid $1,000
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Picasso’s iconic bull, boldly drawn and twice signed at Notre-Dame-de-Vie in Mougins LOT 5074
Pablo Picasso Twice-Signed Sketch Bull in Profile (1962) Magnificent twice-signed large ballpoint sketch of a bull in profile, accomplished by Pablo Picasso on an off-white 9.5 x 11.25 guest book page, signed and dated at the top, “Picasso, le 11.8.62,” and signed again below, “Picasso—Notre Dame de Vie, Mougins, A.M.” The boldly executed drawing presents the animal in Picasso’s unmistakably economical late style, reducing the bull to swift, fluid lines: sweeping horns, a forceful head and muzzle, and a loose, sinuous body form. The reverse bears several unknown guest book signatures. In very good to fine condition, with uniform fading, light overall creasing, and a small repaired tear to the upper right corner tip. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the Comité Picasso.
Dating to August 11, 1962, the sketch was drawn at NotreDame-de-Vie, Picasso’s final residence in Mougins in the Alpes-Maritimes, where he spent the last twelve years of his life in extraordinary creative production. The bull was one of Picasso’s most enduring and personal motifs—at once a symbol of Spain, virility, spectacle, sacrifice, and artistic force—and it recurred throughout his career in drawings, prints, ceramics, and his celebrated bullfight imagery. This large, freely handled example is especially desirable for its direct connection to Picasso’s Mougins years and its scarce double signature, with the artist both dating the drawing and locating it at his storied final home. Starting Bid $5,000
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Picasso inscribes Boeck’s landmark monograph with a lively original sketch
LOT 5075
Pablo Picasso Signed Book with Sketch Picasso by Wilhelm Boeck Signed book: Pablo Picasso by Wilhelm Boeck. First edition. Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer, 1955. Hardcover with dust jacket, 8.5 x 12, 524 pages. Signed on the title page in green crayon, “Pour Gottfried Dierdorf, Picasso, le 3.4.62.” Picasso adds a playful sketch of flower/sun-like figure with anthropomorphic features, in his loose, spontaneous hand. Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG+/VG, with a bit of creasing to the dust jacket’s edges, and a crease to the
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front flap. Published in 1955, Boeck’s substantial monograph was among the major postwar studies to present Picasso’s career in full, from the Blue and Rose periods through Cubism, neoclassicism, and his later graphic and sculptural work. The present copy is made especially desirable by Picasso’s vivid green-crayon inscription and exuberant drawing, transforming the title page into a personal presentation piece with the same immediacy and wit that animate his drawings, prints, and ceramics of the period. Starting Bid $1,000
“Stanley, with bone”— original artwork by David Hockney, portraying his beloved dachshund
LOT 5076
David Hockney Signed Sketch in Book David Hockney’s Dog Days Signed book: David Hockney’s Dog Days. First edition. London: Thames and Hudson, 1998. Hardcover with dust jacket, 9.5 x 8.25, 80 pages. Signed and inscribed on the half-title page in black felt tip, “For Jason, much love, David H.,” adding a wonderful, detailed sketch of one of his dogs: “Stanley, with bone.” He also sketches cards around the inscription and signature, adding an artistic depth to his autograph. In fine condition.
Hockney’s beloved dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie, became among the most recognizable subjects of his late-20th-century work, inspiring a warm and intimate series of drawings and paintings that celebrated the quiet companionship of domestic life. This charming presentation copy is especially desirable for Hockney’s highly personal added sketch: rather than a quick flourish, he transforms the half-title into an original illustrated dedication, complete with affectionate inscriptions, playful graphic framing, and a named portrait of “Stanley, with bone.” A delightful association of book, subject, and original art by one of Britain’s most important artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Starting Bid $1,000
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“There is a coming and a going / A parting and often no – reunion”— the earliest known piece of Franz Kafka’s creative writing, penned at age 14 in the autograph album of his closest school friend, Hugo Bergmann LOT 5077
Franz Kafka Autograph Quotation Signed (1897) - His Earliest Known Piece of Creative Writing, Penned at Age 14 AQS in German by a 14-year-old Franz Kafka, containing what is recognized as his earliest known piece of creative writing, handwritten in fountain pen within a 5.5 x 3.5 autograph album belonging to his school friend, Hugo Bergmann, dated “Prag, den 20. November [1897].” Penned in his early teens, Kafka contributes a brief verse foreshadowing the themes of separation and loss that would later permeate his literary work. In full (translated): “There is a coming and a going / A parting and often no – reunion.” The album’s original owner, Bergmann, was Kafka’s closest school friend, who later became the founding director of the Jewish National and University Library in Jerusalem and served as rector of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In fine condition. Penned on November 20, 1897, the inscription predates all of Kafka’s known literary manuscripts and offers a remarkable glimpse into the formative imagination of one of the twentieth century’s most influential writers. Though composed by an adolescent, its meditation on arrival, departure, and irrevocable separation already possesses the concise, unsettling quality that would become synonymous with Kafka’s mature work. Bergmann later recalled that it was in his family home that Kafka
first announced his intention to become a writer. Reflecting on this very inscription on his ninetieth birthday, Bergmann wrote: ‘When Kafka wrote these words at Barmitzvah age, did Kafka have in mind the deep meaning that we attach to his words today? – I don’t know…we can probably interpret these lines as a warning to his generation.’ Bergmann emigrated to Palestine in 1920, preserving his childhood autograph album in Jerusalem while much of Kafka’s surviving personal archive was later lost or destroyed. When Kafka died of tuberculosis in 1924 at the age of forty, he instructed his literary executor, Max Brod, to destroy his unpublished manuscripts, notebooks, and letters. Brod famously refused, preserving and publishing works including The Trial and The Castle, thereby establishing Kafka’s posthumous reputation as one of the defining literary voices of the modern age. Against that history, this album inscription assumes extraordinary significance: composed decades before Kafka wrote the works that made his name, it survives not because Kafka preserved it, but because his closest childhood friend carried it safely into a new life. It stands among the most significant surviving artifacts of Kafka’s adolescence, capturing the earliest known creative expression of a writer whose vision would profoundly shape modern literature. Starting Bid $10,000
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On March 23, 1965, three months after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Martin Luther King, Jr. signs a Cleveland “Nobel Peace Prize Dinner” program during a brief departure from the Selma-to-Montgomery march LOT 5078
Martin Luther King, Jr. Signed ‘Nobel Peace Prize Dinner’ Program, Issued During the Selma-to-Montgomery March (March 23, 1965) Program for a “Nobel Peace Prize Dinner” held in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Sheraton Cleveland Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio, on March 23, 1965, signed and inscribed in black ballpoint, “To the Liggins, With Best Wishes, Martin Luther King Jr.” Sponsored by the Cleveland Civic Committee, the program identifies King as the “1964 Nobel Awardee,” having received the Nobel Peace Prize just three months earlier in Oslo, Norway, in recognition of his ‘nonviolent struggle for civil rights for the Afro-American population.’ Archivally doublematted and framed with a photograph of King at the March on Washington to an overall size of 22 x 16. In fine condition, with trivial soiling to the left side. The inscription may have been intended for the Rev. Dr. Wendell T. Liggins (1914-1991) and his wife, Louise. A prominent Denver pastor and early civil rights activist, Liggins served for
more than five decades at Zion Baptist Church and led local marches and protests for racial justice and expanded opportunity from the 1940s through the 1960s. He also maintained relationships with leading national civil rights figures, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on October 14, 1964, King traveled to Oslo that December to accept the honor, becoming, at age 35, the youngest recipient in the award’s history at the time. Just three months later, he was honored at this Cleveland dinner under extraordinary circumstances: on March 23, 1965, King briefly departed the historic Selma-to-Montgomery march, then in its third day, to fly to Cleveland for the fundraising event, with proceeds benefiting the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, before returning to Alabama to rejoin the march. Signed during one of the defining weeks of King’s career, the program unites his Nobel recognition with his leadership of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. Starting Bid $500
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‘The typewriter is holy’— Allen Ginsberg’s personally-owned Smith-Corona Electra XT LOT 5079
Allen Ginsberg’s Personally-Owned Smith-Corona Electra XT Typewriter Allen Ginsberg’s personally-owned circa late 1970s/early 1980s Smith-Corona Electra XT typewriter, serial no. 3LRU110563, featuring an electric-powered typing mechanism with full-size QWERTY keyboard, dual-spool ribbon operation, and a durable housing in aqua-colored plastic. The compact typewriter measures 16˝ x 12.5˝ x 4˝, and includes manual margin setters, variable line spacing options, and a paper release lever. In fine cosmetic condition, with some sunning to the plastic housing. The typewriter held a near-sacramental place in Ginsberg’s creative practice and in Beat mythology more broadly. In his 1955 “Footnote to Howl,” Ginsberg extended his incantatory refrain of “Holy!” to the tools and rituals of composition itself: “The typewriter is holy the poem is holy the voice is holy the hearers are holy the ecstasy is holy!” For Ginsberg, the typewriter was not merely a means of transcription but an instrument bound up with the spontaneous, breath-driven composition that defined his poetics—the machine through which the immediacy of thought was rendered permanent on the page. Accompanied by a photocopy of the original letter of provenance from Baird Jones, a noted New York City nightclub
party promoter, photographer, curator, art critic, collector, and gossip reporter. Jones had assembled a collection of six typewriters belonging to American literary luminaries. He writes, in part: “For decades I’ve promoted New York City nightlife parties, and over a million persons have gone free to parties I’ve hosted. I have staged public exhibitions in all of the city’s premier nightclubs and have (so far) invested more than $1 million in my collection of Celebrity Art. This collection of typewriters was assembled with the intention of placing them on display at the famed Limelight nightclub, in the area of the club known as The Library. The show was to be titled ‘Literary Types.’ Unfortunately, the owner of Limelight became embroiled with insurmountable legal battles and was stripped of his operating licenses before I could formally launch the exhibition.” Describing the acquisition of the Ginsberg typewriter, he notes: “Allen was a regular in the party scene, and a wonderful person. He was teaching at a college in Colorado when I asked him if he had a typewriter of his own he could let me display. As it turned out, Allen had loaned a typewriter to an NYU undergraduate who brought it to me in person.” Also includes four original passes to parties promoted by Jones. Starting Bid $500
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Hunter S. Thompson’s personally-owned IBM Selectric II—the seminal typewriter that fueled Gonzo journalism LOT 5080
Hunter S. Thompson’s Personally-Owned IBM Correcting Selectric II Typewriter Hunter S. Thompson’s personally-owned IBM Correcting Selectric II typewriter, the iconic electric writing machine favored by many journalists and authors throughout the 1970s. Featuring IBM’s interchangeable spherical typing element and built-in correction system, the Selectric II offered exceptional speed and precision—qualities particularly well suited to Thompson’s urgent, improvisational style of composition. The large typewriter measures 22˝ x 15˝ x 7˝, and features a blue metal housing and full-size QWERTY keyboard. In very good cosmetic condition, with the “CLR/SET” key on the left side of the keyboard detached but present. Hunter S. Thompson wrote almost exclusively on an IBM Selectric, favoring its rapid mechanical rhythm and sturdy construction for his intense, all-night writing sessions. Famously hard on his equipment, he pounded the keys with such force that he reportedly wore out multiple machines over the course of his career. Even as personal computers became commonplace, Thompson remained loyal to the Selectric, which became less a piece of office equipment than an extension of his combative, high-velocity approach to Gonzo journalism. Accompanied by the original letter of provenance signed by Baird Jones, a noted New York City nightclub party promoter, photographer, curator, art critic, collector, and gossip reporter. Jones had assembled a collection of six typewriters belonging to American literary luminaries. He writes, in part: “For decades I’ve promoted New York City nightlife parties, and over a million persons have gone free to parties I’ve hosted. I have staged public exhibitions in all of the city’s premier nightclubs and have (so far) invested more than $1 million in my collection of Celebrity Art.
This collection of typewriters was assembled with the intention of placing them on display at the famed Limelight nightclub, in the area of the club known as The Library. The show was to be titled ‘Literary Types.’ Unfortunately, the owner of Limelight became embroiled with insurmountable legal battles and was stripped of his operating licenses before I could formally launch the exhibition.” Describing the acquisition of the Thompson typewriter, he notes: “I never met Hunter Thompson, but when I was discussing my exhibition plan with Bill Burroughs, he suggested that I get in touch with him. I wrote to Thompson at his home out west, told him of Bill’s recommendation, but I didn’t hear a word in response and assumed it was a dead end. Three or four months later, a large parcel arrived unannounced at my home and inside were two IBM brand typewriters, one bright red and one bright blue. I sent Thompson a letter of appreciation but, once again, there was no reply.” Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from JSA for Jones’s letter. An interesting historical connection further links Jones to Thompson: although Baird Jones notes that he never personally met the author, his father, Cranston Jones—co-founder of People magazine and a noted collector of Hollywood memorabilia—had employed a young Hunter S. Thompson as a copyboy while serving as a senior editor at Time magazine. The connection adds an intriguing footnote to the typewriter’s provenance, linking Thompson and the Jones family decades before the author unexpectedly sent Baird Jones the two IBM typewriters for his planned “Literary Types” exhibition. Starting Bid $1,000
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Jonathan Swift rails against bad writers, commenting on “careless incorrect and improper Style, which they contract by reading the Scribblers from England” LOT 5081
Jonathan Swift Autograph Letter Signed, Complaining About “Scribblers from England” and Their Corruption of Style ALS signed “Jonath: Swift,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.75 x 7.25, December 12, 1734. Handwritten letter to “The Reverend Doctor Clerk at His Chambers in Trinity College, Dublin,” in part: “I have read over the Discourse you sent me concerning the present condition of your College. The Writer seems to be a modest Man of good Understanding. I think there is a good deal in what he cautiously wishes, that what he calls the Powers of Bachelors and Sophisters were restored. But, I believe the disposition of the Kingdom at present will not turn to give them any Corrective Civil Power over the Persons of the Scholars. Your University is now I think near 150 years old; But the Complaint of Ryote, is chiefly since the Reign of the present Governor; How he will acquit himself, I neither know, nor much regard. He is charged with some personal Irregularities, but even those are light in comparison to the Spirit of Party, under the Influence of which he is said to dispose of all Employments, particularly fellowships very often to the least deserving. There is no Headship in either of the English Universities, attended with so many Advantages of Dignity, Profit and Power as that of your Governor. But it is universally agreed by all Parties, that your Discipline is most infamously relaxed in every Particular. I had the Honor to be for some years a Student at Oxford, where I took my Master’s Degree, and I know what your Author says, to be true. For the Vice Chancellor hath more Power than the Mayor, and indeed the University governs the City, although the latter in my time was often disposed to be turbulent. I mentioned to three L’d Lieutenants my wish that your Governor were otherwise provided for; and they all pretended to wish the same, but never went further…I have
more than once heard at a meeting…very open complaints against the Conduct of your ——, although they were of those Principles to which he hath entirely devoted himself. I quarrell at your Author as I do with all your writers and many of your Preachers, for their careless incorrect and improper Style, which they contract by reading the Scribblers from England, where an abominable Tast[e] is every day prevayling. It is your business, who are coming into the World to put a stop to these Corruptions; and recover that simplicity which in every thing of value ought chiefly to be followed.” In a postscript, Swift notes: “Your writer should have sometimes Styled your College a University.” Addressed on the integral leaf in Swift’s own hand. In fine condition, with light scattered soiling. Accompanied by a custom-made quarter-morocco slipcase. Published in The Correspondence of Jonathan Swift, Vol. IV, ed. H. Williams, 1965, pp. 273-4. Provenance: Collection of Arthur A. Houghton, Jr., Christie’s, June 12, 1980; Estate of John F. Fleming, Christie’s, November 18, 1988. By 1734, Swift was in his mid-sixties and had long since established himself as Ireland’s most formidable satirist and its most outspoken defender against English encroachment, writing from his position as Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. This letter finds him turning his attention to his own alma mater, Trinity College, weighing in on the perennial complaints against its governance and discipline with the same unsparing wit that had animated A Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels—and taking care, characteristically, to blame Ireland’s cultural and literary shortcomings on the corrupting influence of England. Starting Bid $1,000
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Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s important working manuscript for Poems Before Congress, revealing her creative process LOT 5082
Elizabeth Barrett Browning Important Autograph Manuscript Draft of Poems Before Congress, with Extensive Revisions Important autograph manuscript by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, comprising heavily revised working drafts of the eight poems published in her final lifetime collection, Poems Before Congress. The manuscript consists of 54 pages, 5 x 7.25, no place, circa 1860, written primarily in ink with seven pages in pencil, and is bound together with a first edition of Poems Before Congress (London: Chapman and Hall, 1860) in full red morocco gilt by Riviere & Son. Each manuscript leaf is tipped to a stub. A later manuscript title identifies the volume and notes the possible presence of “drafts of other poems which may be unpublished.” The manuscript contains drafts of all eight poems appearing in Poems Before Congress: “Napoleon III in Italy,” “A Tale of Villafranca,” “Italy and the World,” “A Court Lady,” “Christmas Gifts,” “An August Voice,” “The Dance,” and “A Curse for a Nation.” Throughout, Browning extensively revises, deletes, and rewrites her verse, preserving a remarkable record of her compositional process as the poems moved toward publication. Of particular interest are substantial textual differences between the manuscript and the published edition: the present text captures a work in progress. Browning’s handwriting here is rapid and often difficult, dense with cancellations, interlinear insertions, and reworked stanzas, and the draft shows meaningful variation from the poems as ultimately published—a comparison of the manuscript text of “A Court Lady” against
the printed version, for instance, shows Browning still shaping both language and meter at this stage. Each draft is titled in pencil at the head in an unknown hand. Published in 1860, Poems Before Congress was Browning’s final book issued during her lifetime and one of her most politically charged works. Seven of the eight poems address the struggle for Italian independence and contemporary European politics, while “A Curse for a Nation” condemns American slavery. The collection proved controversial for both its political positions and Browning’s unapologetic engagement with public affairs, but it stands today as a major expression of her political and moral convictions. In overall fine condition: the volume exhibits light marginal soiling and spotting to the manuscript leaves; the red morocco binding exhibits some rubbing and light edgewear. Provenance: Property from the Library of the Col. Richard Gimbel Family, Sotheby’s New York, June 18, 1987; the manuscript likely originates from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Notebooks (see Kelley & Coley D1423) sold as part of the Browning Collections, lot 140, Sotheby’s May 2nd, 1914, purchased by London book dealer Francis Edwards, and hence broken and assembled as here. An exceptionally important working manuscript from one of the foremost poets of the Victorian era, offering unusually direct insight into Browning’s creative process and the composition of her last book. Starting Bid $10,000
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Poe delays the launch of The Penn Magazine: “Owing to the severe and continued illness of Mr. Poe the issue of the first number of this journal is postponed” LOT 5083
Edgar Allan Poe Autograph Letter Signed, Delaying His Literary Dream: “Owing to the severe and continued illness of Mr. Poe the issue of the first number of this journal is postponed” ALS signed “Edgar A. Poe,” one page, 7.5 x 9, Philadelphia, December 30, 1840. Handwritten letter to poet Lewis J. Cist, in full: “Your letter of the 7th found me labouring under a severe illness, which has confined me to bed for the last month, and from which I am now only slowly recovering. The worst result of this illness is that I am forced to postpone the issue of the first number of the Mag. until the first of March next, when it will certainly appear, and I trust under the best auspices. ‘Bachelor Philosophy,’ I am sorry to say, cannot appear until the second number, as at the time of its reception, all the poetry for the first number was already in type. Would you be kind enough to mention the delay in the issue to your friend Mr. Boyd, and if possible to procure me the insertion of this announcement in some one of your city papers. ‘The Penn Magazine’ owing to the severe and continued illness of Mr. Poe the issue of the first number of this journal is postponed until the first of March next.” In fine condition, with intersecting folds. Poe announced in June 1840 that he would begin publication of his new Penn Magazine in January 1841. Launching his own literary magazine was Poe’s dream from 1840 until his death in 1849. This letter from the outset of that effort represents those hopes and dreams which would be dashed again and again over the 1840s. In this letter to banker-poet Lewis Jacob Cist of Cincinnati, Poe explains the unexpected delay in publication, reporting on a “severe illness” which may have been related to the effects of drink. Despite Poe’s assertion to Snodgrass on April 1, 1841, that he hadn’t drunk since his days editing the Southern Literary Messenger (other than a single instance of drinking cider), publisher Charles Alexander says that Poe was drinking during the Burton’s period just before Poe edited Graham’s. At different times in his life, Poe was also diagnosed with heart and brain problems. Heavy drinking likely led to his death at age forty in 1849. Cist had submitted a poem for the first issue
of the Penn Magazine, but Poe reports that its inclusion must be delayed. This was only the first of the postponements that plagued Poe’s publishing project, which he called ‘the one great purpose of my literary life.’ By mid-January, Poe was fully recovered from his illness, but the February bank crisis forced another delay of the new journal. Then George Graham persuaded Poe to become editor of his new magazine, Graham’s Monthly, beginning in February 1841. Poe left Graham’s in April 1842 and tried to revive Penn again, hoping to publish the first issue in January 1843. Again, nothing came of this attempt, and February 1843 found Poe sounding out support for the project under a new name, The Stylus. The change in title did not improve Poe’s fortunes. Up until his death in 1849, he still vainly sought funds and contributors for his long-planned periodical, which never appeared in print. Poe wrote about Cist in the December 1841 issue of Graham’s in ‘A Chapter on Autography,’ observing: ‘Mr. L. J. Cist, of Cincinnati, has not written much prose, and is known especially by his poetical compositions, many of which have been very popular, although they are at times disfigured by false metaphor, and by a meretricious straining after effect. This latter foible makes itself clearly apparent in his chirography, which abounds in ornamental flourishes, not illy executed, to be sure, but in very bad taste.’ Cist’s ‘Bachelor Philosophy’ appeared in the Saturday Evening Post in 1841 without the poet’s permission after Poe transferred Cist’s manuscript, along with many others, to another editor before obtaining the contributors’ consent. When the poem was published with the false claim that it had been ‘written for The Post,’ Poe wrote Cist a long letter of apology, accepting responsibility for his neglect while blaming the unauthorized publication on editor Charles J. Peterson. The two continued to correspond for several years, and in 1845 Poe favorably noticed Cist’s volume Trifles in Verse in the Broadway Journal. Although Cist never achieved lasting fame as a poet, he became one of America’s leading manuscript collectors, leaving at his death a collection of more than 11,000 items, including this letter. Provenance: Lewis J. Cist, Bangs & Co., 5-8 October 1886, lot 160; H. Bradley Martin, Sotheby’s, New York, 30-31 January 1990, lot 2223. Starting Bid $10,000
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Arthur Conan Doyle’s handwritten psychical casebook on spirits, séances, and the supernatural LOT 5084
Arthur Conan Doyle Handwritten Spiritualism Casebook - 40+ Pages on Mediums, Seances, and Automatic Writing Arthur Conan Doyle’s handwritten spiritualism casebook, totaling 47 handwritten pages by Doyle, 6.5 x 8, circa 1921, bound in limp red cardstock wrappers, annotated on the front by Doyle, “Spiritual III.” For many of his later years, Doyle intensely pursued his interest in paranormal phenomena, and by the end of World War I he identified himself as a Spiritualist, believing in a spirit world and the ability to communicate with those beyond the grave. He established the specialized Psychic Bookshop in 1925, devoted entirely to the sale of spiritualistic and psychic books; he later formed a small museum in the basement, showcasing various objects relevant to ghosts and the spirit world. In this extensive manuscript, Doyle documents various experiences with spirits and séances, and pens excerpts and summaries from various contemporary and historical works on those subjects. Doyle’s notebook begins with a description of an episode involving British trance medium Gladys Osborne Leonard: “Curnow in his automatic writing at home at the various messages headed ‘Diana,’ ‘Minerva’ and ‘Crescent’—when he asked the reason for this the answer was Bacon could tell you. Shortly after he came across a book Baconiana which said ‘the Crescent moon, together with Diana & Minerca who are associated with it, have been the symbols for the high powers of religion among Arabs, Egyptians, Indians, &c. Mrs. Leonard says that in all her experience (2 cases a day for 12 years) she has seen no case of obsession. Curnow slept in a haunted house at Sidney. A woman appeared: ‘I’m Mary Ellis. What are you doing in my home, you mongrel. This is my home.’ It was shown that she was the former drunken wife of a coalman of that name.” He continues with observations on ancient civilizations and lost cities: “Le Plongeon ‘Sacred Mysteries of the Mayas’ shows that the Yucatan temples show the same symbols as Egypt and India. In India as in Yucatan the red hand is printed. The hats in the temple carvings are the same as the hat of Lower Egypt. The snake appears as a royal emblem in each… They have an account of Atlantis. Atlantians were black. As Yucatan is only 70 feet above the sea it is strange it was not
submerged….Le P claims that the alphabet is the same as the hieratic alphabet of Egypt. Marvellous!” Later, he writes out an “Account of ‘The Spirit World,’ Dr. Eugene Crowell,” beginning: “The medium was Chas Kenney—the control was mainly Dale Powen, who was acquainted with Kenney and who promised the author that he would come back & describe things. The author says that much. which was characteristic & individual was mixed up with it. No such creatures as fairies (!). Necessity of opening a window in a death room. Spirit is born naked but is instantly clothed. The nearest sphere about 500 miles from Earth. The spirit world is as noted, fixed as the Solar System.” He goes on to reference psychic medium Ada Besinnet, stage illusionist Howard Thurston, physicist Edmund Edward Fournier d’Albe, Icelandic spiritualist medium Indridi Indridason, and Theosophical Society co-founder Madame Blavatsky. On the latter, he writes: “I defy anyone who reads Hodgson’s report in Vol. III of the SPR records, and also ‘A Modern Priestess of Isis’ by Solovyoff (Longman Green & Co.) to doubt that Madame B was one of the great Imposters of History. It is a strange fact that a foul spring may sometimes produce a pure stream, and even if this old woman was diabolical in her methods she did turn the attention of Europe, partly by her bogus miracles & Mahatma letters, to the old wisdom of the East, which has since then influenced the lives of thousands of excellent men & women…She was, I think, the greatest liar of whom we have any record.” The last three pages, penned upside down, carry some of Doyle’s handwritten botanical notes: “The violets and primroses are out and the warm weather just really beginning…Hyacinths are out in great profusion…The fields are full of a purple labiate flower with a pyramidal shape. This is certainly bugle.” In overall very good to fine condition, with creasing to the wrappers, the first several notebook leaves neatly removed (apparently by Doyle himself), and minor corner loss to several pages. Provenance: Lot 456, Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., June 30, 1982. Starting Bid $500
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“Can a man write worse prose than this?”—Hemingway savages a proposed edition of his works, with commentary on A Farewell to Arms, Death in the Afternoon, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea LOT 5085
Ernest Hemingway Hand-Annotated Anthology Manuscript (60+ Pages), Carrying His Commentary on A Farewell to Arms, Death in the Afternoon, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea Remarkable circa 1952 typescript for a proposed collected edition of Ernest Hemingway’s writings, prepared by Syracuse University professor Leonard Brown and extensively annotated by Hemingway in his own hand, totaling 63 pages, 8.5 x 11, comprising an introduction, biographical note, and prefaces to A Farewell to Arms, Death in the Afternoon, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, among other works. Hemingway adds handwritten annotations and corrections in blue ink to 17 pages, with many of his remarks initialed “E.H.” An extraordinary unpublished working document in which Hemingway forcefully challenges an academic interpretation of his life and work, correcting Brown’s readings line by line and repeatedly reasserting his own intentions as an author. Leonard Brown, an early academic advocate of Hemingway and a professor at Syracuse University, prepared the typescript for a proposed collected edition commissioned by Charles Scribner’s Sons. Intended to supersede Malcolm Cowley’s earlier Hemingway anthology, the project included introductory material, a biographical sketch, and interpretive prefaces to several of Hemingway’s major works. Hemingway’s response was characteristically direct. Confronted with Brown’s suggestion that the title “A Farewell to Arms” was “a noble pun” referring both to the weapons of war and to Catherine’s embrace, Hemingway writes: “Untrue. I had no such intention ever in the title. This truly must be removed,” adding his initials twice. Brown’s interpretation of To Have and Have Not draws another correction, this time addressed directly to Scribner editor Wallace Meyer: “Dear Wallace: In this title I thought the title meant:
To have happiness, or the possibility of it and yet not be able to attain it. This was never an economical title.” He is equally emphatic when Brown identifies the setting of a pivotal execution scene in *For Whom the Bell Tolls* as Avila: “Who ever said it was Avila?…There is no cliff beyond the plaza in Avila.” Beyond matters of interpretation, Hemingway attacks Brown’s prose with unmistakable vigor. Among his marginal comments are: “Can a man write worse prose than this?”; “Really Wallace no man should write ‘clinging tenaciously’”; “This is a very bad sentence”; and, regarding another passage, “This last paragraph is, to me, stale phrasing—could not be worse.” Even Brown’s concluding tribute receives Hemingway’s editorial hand. The phrase “a service for which we should be grateful” is struck through and reduced to the cleaner, more characteristically Hemingway formulation: “something we should thank him for.” The proposed edition was never published. When The Hemingway Reader appeared in 1953, it was edited by Charles Poore rather than Leonard Brown. Hemingway’s extensive and often scathing revisions to the present manuscript offer a compelling explanation for the project’s abandonment. In overall fine condition, with rusty paperclip marks to the upper corners. A superb Hemingway manuscript revealing the author not merely correcting copy, but actively policing his literary reputation—rejecting imposed meanings, clarifying the intentions behind his titles and scenes, and reshaping the language used to define his career. An unusually vivid document of Hemingway’s editorial temperament and his determination to control how his work would be read. Starting Bid $5,000
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“Don’t you know what they can do to us”— a page from Ayn Rand’s working manuscript for Atlas Shrugged LOT 5086
Ayn Rand Handwritten Manuscript Page from a Working Draft of Atlas Shrugged Handwritten manuscript by Ayn Rand, one page, 8.5 x 11, being page 173 of a working manuscript for her novel, Atlas Shrugged. The manuscript is essentially identical to the published text, with but a few words differing between the two, leading us to believe that this leaf was from the final manuscript handwritten by Rand. The text, which bears many excisions and additions, is from the latter part of the novel, and describes a conversation between Dagny Taggart and one of her adversaries. In full: “see that they’ve got us hogtied? Don’t you see that they’re holding us by the throat? Don’t you know what they can do to us—through this Railroad Poll, or through the Unification Board, or through the moratorium on our bonds?’ ‘I knew that two years ago.’ He was shaking; there was some formless, desperate, almost superstitious quality in his terror, out of proportion to the dangers he named. She felt curiously
certain that it came from something deeper than his fear of the bureaucrats’ reprisal, that the reprisal was the only identification of it which he would permit himself to know, a reassuring identification which hid him from the truth.” In fine condition. Published in 1957, Atlas Shrugged became Ayn Rand’s most famous novel and the defining statement of her philosophy of Objectivism. Its defense of individual achievement, free enterprise, and resistance to government control gave the book an influence far beyond literature, particularly in American political and economic thought. This manuscript page offers a direct connection to the creation of that influential work. The passage comes from the latter part of the novel, where Rand was developing one of its central themes: the growing power of the state over private enterprise and the fear it creates among those caught within the system. Rand’s twenty or so additions and deletions also give the reader an indication of the author’s train of thought and writing technique as she composed her most famous novel. Starting Bid $5,000
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From Chopin’s early Paris years, an autograph musical manuscript of two Polish folk-inspired piano works, meticulously handwritten across five systems of two staves and bearing four autograph “Ch.” initials LOT 5087
Frédéric Chopin Autograph Musical Manuscript of Two Polish Folk Tune Transcriptions, Bearing Four Initialed Signatures (Circa 1832–1833) Extraordinary autograph musical manuscript by Frédéric Chopin containing two short piano works inspired by Polish folk music, one page, 11.25 x 9, meticulously handwritten in ink on five systems of two staves, comprising ‘All[egre] tto’ (24 bars, in contrasting A major and A minor sections) and ‘Mazur’ (14 bars in D minor), each concluding with two examples of Chopin’s abbreviated ‘Ch.’ initials, for a total of four autograph initials across the manuscript. Undated but attributable to circa 1832–1833, the manuscript is additionally annotated in a 19th-century hand, ‘copié par Chopin.’ Housed in a gilt-stamped custom red morocco presentation folder, 12 x 9.75, also containing cut signatures of celebrated Chopin interpreters Arthur Rubinstein and Vladimir Horowitz. In fine condition, with scattered faint staining and foxing. Rather than original compositions, these two concise piano works have long been regarded by scholars as probable transcriptions of Polish folk melodies. Dating to circa 1832–1833, the manuscript belongs to Chopin’s first years in Paris after his departure from Poland, a formative period in which his homeland remained a constant source of artistic inspiration. In her authoritative thematic catalogue of Chopin’s works, Krystyna Kobylanska concluded that, although both pieces
bear Chopin’s distinctive ‘Ch.’ initials, their musical character is too simple to represent original compositions, instead classifying them as likely arrangements of traditional Polish tunes. If so, the manuscript offers a rare glimpse of Chopin preserving the folk music of his homeland decades before the systematic collecting of folk melodies by composers such as Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály. Carefully written in Chopin’s characteristically elegant hand and personally endorsed with his abbreviated ‘Ch.’ initials at the conclusion of each work, the manuscript is an extraordinary testament to his lifelong connection to Polish musical traditions. The manuscript boasts distinguished provenance, having belonged to the celebrated French actor, playwright, and filmmaker Sacha Guitry (1885–1957), before appearing in his Paris sale at Drouot on November 21, 1974 (lot 15). It was later acquired by Canadian chemist and physician Frederick Lewis Maitland Pattison (1923–2010), whose bookplate remains affixed inside the presentation folder. First published by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger in 1975 and subsequently discussed in the Journal of the American Liszt Society and included in both Kobylanska’s thematic catalogue and the Katalog dzieł Fryderyka Chopina, this remarkable manuscript has been recognized for decades as one of the few surviving autograph examples documenting Chopin’s engagement with Polish folk melodies. Starting Bid $10,000
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Bob Dylan and Ellen Bernstein’s whimsical ‘soldier in ballerina slippers’ drawing from the Blood on the Tracks sessions LOT 5088
Bob Dylan and Ellen Bernstein Collaborative Drawing - Made During the Blood on the Tracks Sessions Original collaborative drawing by Bob Dylan and Ellen Bernstein, accomplished in ink on a lined 6 x 9 notebook sheet during downtime at the Blood on the Tracks recording sessions at A&R Studios in New York. Created as a folded-paper drawing game, the whimsical figure was assembled in stages without either participant seeing the preceding section: Bernstein drew the head, Dylan added the decorated military torso, Bernstein continued the legs to the knees, and Dylan completed the image with elaborately laced ballerina slippers. The resulting drawing combines the rigid formality of a bemedaled soldier with the comic incongruity of ballet footwear, offering a playful glimpse of Dylan away from the intensity of the recording process. Bernstein recalled that she and Dylan made the drawing while waiting through studio breaks and playbacks during the rapid New York sessions, in which Dylan moved from song to song with remarkable focus. Consigned directly by Ellen Bernstein Ziffren, who met Dylan in 1974 and worked closely with him while he composed and recorded Blood on the Tracks. Bernstein occupies a singular place in the album’s history as the woman who inspired “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.” Details from her life and time with Dylan entered the song directly: she was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, was preparing to travel to Honolulu, and had identified Queen Anne’s lace for him during a walk near his Minnesota farm. A charming and highly personal artifact from one of Dylan’s most celebrated recording sessions, capturing the artist loose, amused, and enjoying a moment of private, collaborative creativity between takes. Starting Bid $200
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“Blues in E (for Ellen)”—Dylan sketches the subject of ‘You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go’ LOT 5089
Bob Dylan Original Drawing and Lyric Fragment: “Blues in E (for Ellen)” Original drawing and handwritten lyric fragment, entitled “Blues in E (for Ellen),” accomplished by Bob Dylan in black and blue ink on a lined 6 x 9 notebook sheet. The playful composition depicts Ellen Bernstein seated beneath or beside a hair dryer, with Dylan surrounding the scene with speech balloons and a brief blues lyric beginning, “I’m a smoked salmon, baby,” and ending with the absurdist phrase, “Vasoline feels like glue.” Several words and phrases are crossed out and replaced in blue ink, offering a charming miniature example of Dylan’s instinctive habit of revising even the most casual lines. In fine condition. The drawing dates to Dylan’s relationship with Bernstein during the creation of Blood on the Tracks. Bernstein—then Columbia Records’ West Coast director of A&R—recalled that Dylan sketched her while she sat drying her hair, without her realizing that he was drawing. He then added the brief “Blues in E (for Ellen)” lyric above the image. She later observed that, even in this lighthearted personal sketch, Dylan could not resist editing and refining the words as he wrote them. The image is at once intimate and whimsical: Bernstein appears in profile, seated in a chair, while Dylan transforms the domestic scene into a loose, dreamlike cartoon filled with shaded forms and comic annotations. The combination of private humor and spontaneous songwriting provides a rare glimpse of Dylan at ease during one of the most creatively fertile periods of his career. Consigned directly by Ellen Bernstein Ziffren, who met Dylan in 1974 and worked closely with him while he composed and recorded Blood on the Tracks. Bernstein occupies a singular place in the album’s history as the woman who inspired “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.” Details from her life and time with Dylan entered the song directly: she was born in Ashtabula, Ohio, was preparing to travel to Honolulu, and had identified Queen Anne’s lace for him during a walk near his Minnesota farm. Her presence in the lyric gives this affectionate drawing added resonance as a rare visual portrait of the song’s subject, made by Dylan during the same intensely creative period. Starting Bid $500
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The heart and fury of Blood on the Tracks: Dylan’s working lyrics for “Idiot Wind” and “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” LOT 5090
Bob Dylan Handwritten Working Lyrics for Blood on the Tracks - Idiot Wind and You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Goo An extraordinary two-part archive documenting the creation of Blood on the Tracks, widely regarded as Bob Dylan’s masterpiece: a single sheet in Dylan’s hand bearing working lyrics for two of the album’s defining songs—the searing “Idiot Wind” on one side and the tender “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” on the other—accompanied by a notebook leaf on which Ellen Bernstein, the woman who inspired the latter song, transcribed its lyrics in her own hand the day Dylan first played it for her. On the large double-sided sheet, 12 x 9, Dylan has written out both songs in a more deliberate and legible hand than the famously cramped, almost illegible script that fills his three Blood on the Tracks notebooks (two held by the Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, the third at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York). One side contains working lyrics for “Idiot Wind,” opening with an early version of the song’s famous accusatory opening lines: “Someone’s got it in for me, they’re planting stories in the press / I sure wish they’d cut it out but when they will, I can only guess.” Dylan continues with lines closely related to the released recording—“They say I shot a man named Gray, took his wife to Italy / She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me”—before moving into passages that reveal the song still in active development: “People see me all the time and they just don’t know how to act / Their minds are filled with wrong ideas, images and recorded facts.” The manuscript vividly captures “Idiot Wind” in transition, with lines that combine familiar ideas with language that was ultimately abandoned or substantially reshaped. The reverse contains a nearly complete working draft of “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” written in the same broad, deliberate hand, preserving the song’s working title, “You’re Gonna Make Me Miss You When You Go,” also found in the Morgan Library notebook, before Dylan settled on “Lonesome.” The draft begins with a variant the famous opening lines: “I’ve seen love go by my door / but I’ve never been this close before, it’s never been so easy & so slow.” At the bottom of the page, he develops another sequence: “You gonna make me wonder what I’m doin’ / Livin’ this way without you / You gonna make me wonder what I’m sayin’ / You gonna make me give myself a good talkin’ to.” The text includes an extra verse not present in the released recording (“Ain’t no lines, ain’t no jive / you woke me up when you arrived”), along with a revealing false start and cancellation in what would become the final verse (“But I’m gonna have to change my gears or else you gonna have to come back here” struck through and replaced with “I’ll see you in the
sky above, in the tall grass and in ones I love”). Music historian and archivist Jeff Gold, who co-appraised The Bob Dylan Archive (which included 6,000+ manuscript pages) on behalf of Dylan’s management and personally examined two of the Blood on the Tracks notebooks in the process, has stated that prior to encountering this sheet, he had never seen a single contemporaneous Blood on the Tracks lyric manuscript in private hands or on the market. In his words: “To have two of these songs on one sheet, on one page—maybe the most heartfelt song, and on the other side certainly the angriest song, from an album that a lot of people think is Dylan’s greatest—was just extraordinary.” Accompanying the Dylan manuscript is Bernstein’s own two-sided handwritten transcription of “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” accomplished in blue ballpoint on a 3 x 5 leaf torn from one of Dylan’s own Blood on the Tracks notebooks. She recalls that on the day he first played her the song, she asked to see the words, and he handed her the notebook itself; she tore out a blank leaf and copied the lyrics down for her own keeping. The transcription is thus not a later copy but a page with direct physical origin in one of the three legendary notebooks, executed in the room, in real time, as the song was being written. Her transcription preserves fragments of meaningful lines—“I’ll look 4 U in Hon., SF + Ash”—and continues through early readings of the refrain and several verses, including the unreleased verse, “Ain’t no lines, ain’t no jive / U woke me up when U arrived.” Consigned directly by Ellen Ziffren, who was known to Dylan in 1974 as Ellen Bernstein, then Director of West Coast A&R for Columbia Records in San Francisco. Bernstein met Dylan early that year and later visited his Minnesota farm, where she witnessed him composing and revising the songs that became Blood on the Tracks. According to Bernstein, “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” was inspired by her—not a breakup—and references her hometown of Ashtabula, Ohio, her planned trip to Honolulu, and Queen Anne’s lace she identified during a walk with Dylan. Her brother also purchased, at Dylan’s request, the notebooks used to write the album, including the one from which the transcription leaf was torn. In overall very good to fine condition, with intersecting folds, scattered creasing and handling wear (heavier to Bernstein’s notebook leaf), and light staining. A singular manuscript from the creation of Blood on the Tracks, placing one of Dylan’s angriest and most emotionally charged songs opposite one of his tenderest, and accompanied by an intimate, contemporaneous transcription made by the woman whose life and travels directly entered the lyric. Starting Bid $10,000
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September 24, 2026
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Remarkable 1964 British Beatles Ltd. program signed 11 times by the Beatles, highlighted by an uninscribed full-band portrait
LOT 5091
issued for the American market. In very good to fine condition, with cover creasing, general handling wear, and occasional small staple-related rust stains. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks.
Highly desirable original British “Beatles Ltd.” tour program from 1964, 12 x 12, signed a remarkable 11 times in ballpoint by the Beatles. The first page features a wonderful full band image that is signed in ballpoint over their respective likenesses by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, while additional individual portrait pages are signed separately by Lennon three times, Starr twice, Harrison, and McCartney, with none of the individual signatures appearing back-to-back on the same leaf; Lennon signs one page twice. Produced by Beatles Ltd. and identified on its colophon as “First published in Great Britain 1964,” this British publication differs from the separately titled Beatles (U.S.A.) Ltd. edition
Produced for the British market and first published in Great Britain in 1964, the Beatles Ltd. program documents the group’s emergence at the height of Beatlemania. Distinct from the separately titled Beatles (U.S.A.) Ltd. edition issued for the American market, this exceptional example bears a complete set of Beatles signatures together with seven additional autographs, making it an extraordinary surviving signed Beatles program from the earliest years of the band’s international success.
Beatles Multi-Signed 1964 British ‘Beatles Ltd.’ Tour Program Featuring a Total of (11) Signatures
Starting Bid $5,000
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September 24, 2026
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“Guitarist and vocalist forming R. & B. band... Must be keen to rehearse. Plenty of interesting work available”—incredibly rare collection of 11 issues of Jazz News and Jazz News & Review documenting the earliest history of the Rolling Stones, from Brian Jones’s landmark recruitment advertisement to the band’s first concert announcement and emergence on London’s R&B circuit (1962–1963) LOT 5092
Rolling Stones Collection of (11) Jazz News and Jazz News & Review Issues Documenting the Band’s Earliest Months (1962–1963) Remarkable run of 11 issues of Jazz News and Jazz News & Review dating from May 2, 1962, to January 9, 1963, chronicling the earliest documented history of the Rolling Stones in real time. The cornerstone of the collection is the May 2, 1962 issue, containing Brian Jones’s now-famous classified advertisement seeking musicians to form a new rhythm-andblues band, a notice widely regarded as documenting the genesis of the Rolling Stones: ‘Rhythm and Blues / Guitarist and vocalist forming R. & B. band, require harmonica and/or tenor sax, piano, bass, and drums. Must be keen to rehearse. Plenty of interesting work available. Box No. 1277.’ The remaining issues trace the band’s remarkable emergence over the following eight months, beginning with an exceptionally
early printed mention of Mick Jagger in connection with Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, followed by the first announcement of the newly formed Rolling Stones and an advertisement for their debut performance at the Marquee Club on July 12, 1962. Subsequent issues document the group’s earliest club engagements at the Ealing Jazz Club, regular appearances in the magazine’s rhythm-and-blues coverage, contemporary club listings, and Marquee advertisements, culminating in the January 9, 1963 issue, which contains four separate references to the band as it became a leading force in London’s burgeoning R&B scene. In overall very good to fine condition, with expected age toning, light to moderate edgewear, occasional staining, and a few pencil notations to the covers; several covers are nearly detached. The May 2, 1962 issue has a detached front cover (present), and the January 9, 1963 issue has one detached interior page (present). Starting Bid $500
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September 24, 2026
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“I still can’t paint—but still do, if you see what I mean”—John Lennon writes to Liverpool College of Art friend Jonathan Hague during the whirlwind summer of 1965, signing twice while providing his new Kenwood address and adding a sketch of Jesus Christ—“This is guess who?” LOT 5093
Beatles: John Lennon Twice-Signed Autograph Letter to Art School Friend Jonathan Hague, with Original ‘Jesus Christ’ Sketch, “This is guess who?” ALS signed twice, “J. Lennon” and “John. a band. – this is a word. (Lennon) this is my surname,” one page, 8.5 x 13.25, ca. July 1965. Penned on the reverse of a July 25, 1965, letter from Lennon’s old friend Jonathan Hague, who wrote from “The Hague” in Holland, Lennon responds with a characteristically humorous illustrated letter. His handwritten reply, headed “This is a letter,” reads in full: “Hello John the Hague / So there you are in Holland with all those clogs eh? Glad you are now A FAMOUS PAINTER – just like Arthur Ballard said you would be! The catalogue looked good, seems you’ve forgotten all about Brabby! I still can’t paint – but still do, if you see what I mean, ANYWAY – I’m pleased to hear from you my address is not so special – but here it is: J. Lennon / Kenwood, St. Georges Hill / Cavendish Rd. / Weybridge / Surrey. If you write – try and use a similar type of envelope to the one you sent – you know BROWN. – or your letter might get lost in the happy fan mail. See or hear you soon. Good heavens.” Lennon concludes by playfully identifying his signature, writing, “This is my Christian name. – John. a band. – this is a word. (Lennon) this is my surname,” and adds a sketch of Jesus Christ on the cross with the caption, “This is guess who?” The reverse, annotated by Lennon at the top, “This is your letter – don’t read it for me.,” contains Hague’s original letter, which reads: “Dear John / I promised to write when you were in Llandudno. However, I lost the special address in Hoylake that you gave me, I only recently saw this one. Pity you cannot see this show, anyway I thought you would be interested to see the catalogue. I’ve had a lot of luck! Regards to Paul and George and Cynthia and my congratulations.” Hague adds a postscript: “Please send special address (stamped addressed enclosed!!!!!!).” In very good to fine condition,
with creasing, handling wear, heavy intersecting folds, and a short tear to the top edge. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks. Jonathan Hague was a longtime friend of Lennon from their days together at Liverpool College of Art, where both studied under painting instructor Arthur Ballard. According to Hague, Lennon once invited him to join his skiffle group, the Quarrymen, as drummer, only for Hague to protest that he had neither drums nor musical talent, prompting Lennon to quip, “None of us do.” Their friendship endured long after the Beatles’ rise to fame: Hague visited Lennon while the band was performing in Llandudno in 1963, and by 1965 had established himself as a promising artist with a solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, the exhibition that prompted the correspondence offered here. Lennon enthusiastically congratulates his old friend on his success, recalling Ballard’s prediction that Hague would become “A FAMOUS PAINTER.” Their friendship continued for years afterward, culminating in Lennon’s sponsorship and opening of Hague’s one-man exhibition at London’s Royal Institute Galleries in December 1967, alongside fellow sponsor Paul McCartney. Lennon’s reply falls within a remarkably eventful period for the Beatles. Hague’s original letter is dated July 25, 1965, the same day the band began rehearsals at London’s Saville Theatre for its upcoming North American tour. The exchange came just days after the release of the ‘Help!’ single on July 23 and immediately preceded the royal premiere of Help! on July 29, the release of the chart-topping Help! album on August 6, and the Beatles’ historic, record-breaking concert at Shea Stadium on August 15. Lennon was also writing only six weeks after the June 12, 1965, announcement that all four Beatles had been appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBEs), an unprecedented honor for a pop group. Amid this whirlwind of activity, Lennon still found time to write warmly to an old friend from his art school days, congratulating him on his artistic success abroad. Starting Bid $2,500
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September 24, 2026
| REMARKABLE RARITIES
“eternity is a hell of a long time”— whimsical letter from John Lennon dated to “no time at all in april .75,” during one of the last active periods before his five-year retirement from music LOT 5094
John Lennon Typed Letter Signed with Self-Portrait Sketch - “no time at all in april .75” TLS, one page, 8.5 x 11, Lennon Music letterhead, April 1975 [“no time at all in april .75”]. Letter to Charles Shaar Murray, the influential English journalist and broadcaster for New Musical Express (NME), which reads: “dear c.s.and m.of n.m.e. / tanx for a most heart warning cyble of an extraordinary depth charge man. i was bifurcated to realism by your insight left. and remember, eternity is a hell of a long time. your foreign body, dr.winston o’boogie. a.k.a.b.i.l.k.” Lennon signs at the conclusion in felt tip, and adds a small self-portrait sketch. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light staining and small pin holes. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo. This letter, playfully dated “no time at all in april .75,” was written during one of the last active periods of Lennon’s recording career before his five-year retirement from music. His covers album, Rock ‘n’ Roll, had been released that February, its single ‘Stand by Me’ becoming his last chart hit until 1980; he had also recently completed backing vocals and guitar for David Bowie’s ‘Fame,’ released that July as Bowie’s first U.S. number-one single.
On April 8, 1975, Lennon sat for a lengthy interview with Tom Snyder on NBC’s The Tomorrow Show, his last major television interview before withdrawing from public life, in which immigration attorney Leon Wildes joined him to discuss the ongoing deportation proceedings stemming from Lennon’s 1968 London drug conviction. Although a New York State Supreme Court judge had recently reversed a pending deportation order, the case remained unresolved; the decisive ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals would not come until October 1975. Ten days later, on April 18th, Lennon gave what proved to be his final live public performance, appearing at the Waldorf Astoria during ‘A Salute to Sir Lew Grade’ backed by a masked band parodying Grade’s reputation for duplicity. Written within this same remarkable ten-day span, the letter’s surreal wordplay and the persona of ‘Dr. Winston O’Boogie’ reflect the literary style Lennon had cultivated since In His Own Write (1964), just months before he stepped away from the music industry to devote himself to raising his newborn son, Sean. From the Mark Erbach Collection. Starting Bid $500
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September 24, 2026
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John Lennon and Neil Aspinall sign the 1968 performance rights agreement for the Beatles’ White Album song ‘Cry Baby Cry’ LOT 5095
John Lennon and Neil Aspinall Signed Performance Rights Agreement for ‘Cry Baby Cry’ DS, one page, 8 x 10, October 15, 1968. Agreement between publisher Northern Songs Ltd. and the Performing Right Society regarding the division of performance fees for the Beatles song ‘Cry Baby Cry,’ providing that 6/12ths (the composer’s share) be paid to Maclen (Music) Ltd. and the remaining 6/12ths (the publisher’s share) to Northern Songs Ltd. Signed boldly in black felt tip by John Lennon as composer and in ballpoint by Neil Aspinall on behalf of Northern Songs Ltd. as director. Paul McCartney’s name is typed beneath the blank author signature line, but he did not sign. In fine condition, with a tastefully trimmed bottom edge. Neil Aspinall, one of the central figures of the Beatles’ inner circle known as the ‘Liverpool Mafia,’ began as the band’s road manager before serving as their longtime personal assistant, managing director of Apple Corps, and head of Apple Films. The document concerns ‘Cry Baby Cry,’ a Lennon composition written in early 1968 while the Beatles were in Rishikesh, India, studying with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Lennon later told biographer Hunter Davies that he drew the song’s opening line from a television advertising jingle, ‘Cry baby cry, make your mother buy,’ and built the remainder loosely around the nursery rhyme ‘Sing a Song of Sixpence,’ recasting its king, queen, and courtiers into a stranger, more unsettling domestic scene. The Beatles demoed the song at George Harrison’s Esher home that May before recording it at Abbey Road in July 1968, sessions notable for engineer Geoff Emerick’s departure from the White Album project; he walked out during the July 16th session for this very track, worn down by the band’s escalating tensions, and would not fully return to work with the group until the following year. Discographical records place the song’s final stereo and mono mixing session at Abbey Road on October 15, 1968, the same date as this agreement, suggesting the rights paperwork followed closely on the heels of the recording’s completion. Lennon would later dismiss the song in a 1980 interview, calling it ‘a piece of rubbish,’ despite being its sole credited composer and, as this document itself confirms, the recipient of its full composer’s share. From the Mark Erbach Collection. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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The house guitar at the center of Richard Perry’s legendary late-night jam sessions, played by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Elton John, and other musical legends LOT 5096
1960 Martin 00-18G Acoustic Guitar Played by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, and Other Musical Friends From the personal collection of legendary music producer Richard Perry, his 1960 Martin 00-18G acoustic guitar, serial no. 176737, reportedly played by his circle of musical friends during intimate late-night gatherings at his Los Angeles home, including Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, Harry Dean Stanton, and others. As the evening stretched on, the guitar was often played in dialogue with the piano, frequently with Elton John or Herbie Hancock at the keys, creating spontaneous collaborations among some of the most influential musicians of the modern era. The guitar exhibits extensive playwear throughout, including scattered scratches, dings, finish wear, and handling marks commensurate with decades of use. Accompanied by a hardshell carrying case and an Abell Certificate of Authenticity documenting its provenance. Richard Perry ranks among the most accomplished record producers of the rock era, helping shape the careers and recordings of an extraordinary range of artists from the late 1960s onward. Working across rock, pop, soul, and singer-
songwriter genres, he produced landmark albums and hit records for Harry Nilsson, Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, Art Garfunkel, the Pointer Sisters, Leo Sayer, and many others. Admired for his musical instincts and collaborative approach, Perry forged enduring friendships with many of the artists he worked alongside, becoming one of the music industry’s most trusted and influential creative partners. Those friendships extended well beyond the recording studio, making Perry’s West Hollywood home a celebrated gathering place throughout the 1970s and beyond. As Rod Stewart later recalled, it was ‘the scene of much late-night skulduggery…a place you knew you could always fall into at the end of an evening for a full-blown knees-up with drink and music and dancing.’ It was within this creative atmosphere that many of rock’s greatest musicians informally gathered, socialized, and made music together, giving this Martin guitar an exceptional provenance rooted in one of popular music’s most remarkable circles of friendship and collaboration. Provenance: Abell Auction Company, Hit Maker: The Estate of Legendary Music Producer Richard Perry, May 2026. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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Obtained at Plymouth Guild Hall on March 3, 1974, five days before Queen II reached record shops— a fully signed, uninscribed handbill from Queen’s first headlining UK tour LOT 5097
Queen Signed ‘Queen II’ Handbill from Their First Headlining UK Tour (1974) Double-sided 8.25 x 11.75 handbill promoting Queen’s UK spring tour of 1974, their first as a headliner, which supported their forthcoming Queen II album, signed nicely in blue ink, “Best wishes, Freddie Mercury,” “Brian May,” “Roger Taylor,” and “John Deacon.” The handbill lists March tour dates and depicts the band as pictured on the gatefold of their 1974 album, Queen II, and the reverse features the now iconic album cover photograph. The consignor notes that the autographs were obtained at the Guildhall in Plymouth, England, on March 3, 1974. In fine condition, with a light fold and some light creasing to the bottom. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks and a statement of provenance from the original recipient. Queen II, released on March 8, 1974, was the band’s first commercial and critical breakthrough: though contemporary reviews were largely hostile — Melody Maker and Record Mirror both dismissed it, and Sounds reported it had been ‘universally panned’ by critics — the album still climbed to number five on the UK charts and went on to achieve Gold
status, helped by the surprise success of ‘Seven Seas of Rhye.’ That single had been rushed to release in February 1974 after Queen was offered a last-minute slot on Top of the Pops when David Bowie canceled, and it became the band’s first UK hit, reaching number ten and reportedly convincing Freddie Mercury to commit to Queen as a full-time career rather than a side project. The spring 1974 tour promoting Queen II was Queen’s first headlining UK tour, beginning barely six weeks after their previous engagement supporting Mott the Hoople had ended, an unusually quick turnaround that reflected the band’s growing momentum. This March 3, 1974, performance at Plymouth Guildhall was only the tour’s third stop, meaning these autographs were obtained five days before Queen II reached record shops. Although the tour was ultimately cut short when Brian May was hospitalized with hepatitis during Queen’s first U.S. tour that May, it marked the beginning of the band’s ascent from promising newcomers to major international stars. Featuring the iconic Mick Rock photograph later echoed in the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ music video, this signed handbill captures Queen at the threshold of their breakthrough. Starting Bid $1,000
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September 24, 2026
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Original inner sleeve artwork conceived for Fleetwood Mac’s ambitious double album Tusk, including Jayme Odgers’s surreal ‘floating collage,’ which was photographed over five separate sessions after the band refused to pose together LOT 5098
Fleetwood Mac (2) Original ‘Tusk’ Inner Sleeve Production Photographic Collages by Jayme Odgers Two original photographic collages created by acclaimed artist, photographer, and graphic designer Jayme Odgers for Fleetwood Mac’s landmark 1979 double album, Tusk. The first, 16 x 20, depicts the surreal interior setting created for Odgers’s celebrated ‘floating collage,’ while the second, 17 x 17, presents the completed gravity-defying composition featuring all five members of Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, and John McVie). Both are exhibition-quality chromogenic prints with extensive hand retouching and are mounted to their original art boards; the ‘floating collage’ retains its original presentation folder, 18.5 x 24, with brown protective cover sheet annotated in felt tip, “Fleetwood Back,” while the companion band collage is matted to an overall size of 21.5 x 22. Each is signed in the lower border in felt tip by Odgers with the inscription, “Original Album Art.” In overall fine condition. Accompanied by an original first pressing of Tusk on vinyl with inner sleeves reproducing both images, each also signed by Odgers, and a detailed letter of authenticity from Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca and a former executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros. Records. Commissioned by art director Larry Vigon in the wake of Rumours’ unprecedented success, Jayme Odgers was recruited as the project’s fine-art photographer and given unusual creative freedom to develop imagery unlike anything previously associated with Fleetwood Mac. After years of postponed sessions and abandoned location scouting, Odg-
ers ultimately elected to photograph the band in the grand living room of his Los Angeles home, where he conceived a surreal gravity-defying interior that would become one of Tusk’s defining visual motifs. Working in his characteristic style of combining separately photographed elements into seamless compositions, he transformed the room into an upside-down environment by inverting furniture and décor before integrating individually photographed band members into the finished collage. The production proved every bit as unconventional as the finished artwork. Odgers later recalled that the band ‘hated the idea’ and refused to be photographed together, requiring five separate sessions over time as each member reluctantly posed alone. Ironically, their refusal to cooperate became the very quality that made the composition possible, as Odgers observed that had the group worked together, ‘the image never would have looked like it does.’ Even after the collages were completed, the band nearly rejected them, with Mick Fleetwood later recounting that the artwork sparked hours of debate before ultimately being included because it provoked such strong reactions. In Fleetwood Mac FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Iconic Rock Survivors, author Ryan Reed describes the resulting ‘floating collage’ as ‘Tusk’s true visual centerpiece.’ Its lasting significance was reaffirmed in 2016, when Rhino Records selected a black-and-white version of the composition for the cover of Alternate Tusk. Preserved directly from Jayme Odgers’s archive, these original production collages offer a rare record of the creative process behind one of Tusk’s most memorable images. Starting Bid $500
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“These polaroids were exhibited in the museum exhibition David Bowie Is”—three original Polaroids of David Bowie taken by Grammy Award-winning art director Mick Haggerty in preparation for the artwork of Bowie’s 1984 album Tonight LOT 5099
David Bowie (3) Original Polaroids by Mick Haggerty for Bowie’s Tonight Album Three original color glossy 3.5 x 4.25 Polaroid photographs of David Bowie, taken in his suite at New York City’s Carlyle Hotel in 1984 by Grammy Award-winning art director Mick Haggerty in preparation for the artwork of Bowie’s album Tonight. The images depict the shirtless singer in a head-and-shoulders portrait wearing a cross necklace and staring into the camera, and in two half-length poses looking away from the camera: one with his arms folded across his chest, and the other with his arms extended as he gazes into the distance. Each is signed on the reverse in black ink by Haggerty. In overall fine condition, with some light soiling to the arms folded image. Accompanied by two signed letters of authenticity, one from Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca and a former executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros. Records, and one from Haggerty, who writes: “This letter is to authenticate three reference polaroid photographs of David Bowie that I took in his room at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City in 1984, in preparation for creating the album cover for Bowie’s album Tonight. I art directed and designed the artwork for David’s albums Let’s Dance, Tonight, and Never Let Me Down, as well as the singles from those albums. These polaroids were exhibited in the museum exhibition David Bowie Is.” Grammy Award-winning art director Mick Haggerty collaborated closely with David Bowie during one of the most commercially successful periods of the musician’s career, creating the artwork for Let’s Dance (1983), Tonight (1984), and Never Let Me Down (1987). To develop the cover for Tonight, Haggerty photographed Bowie in his suite at New York City’s Carlyle Hotel, taking 29 original Polaroid reference photographs from which he ultimately selected one as the basis for the finished portrait used on the album cover. The three Polaroids offered here are unused reference photographs from that session, retained by Haggerty and later exhibited in the landmark David Bowie Is museum exhibition, organized by London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Starting Bid $500 158 |
September 24, 2026
| REMARKABLE RARITIES
One of only two known prototype glass holograms created for Prince’s groundbreaking Diamonds and Pearls album cover, recognized as the first mass-produced hologram incorporated into commercial album packaging, with provenance from the album’s art director LOT 5100
Prince Original Prototype Glass Hologram for the ‘Diamonds and Pearls’ Album Cover, with Provenance Letter from the Project’s Art Director Prototype glass plate hologram created during the production of the holographic cover artwork for Prince’s acclaimed 13th studio album, Diamonds and Pearls, 8.75 x 8.75, which depicts Prince alongside dancers Lori Werner and Robia LaMorte – better known as Diamond and Pearl. The prototype consists of two pieces of glass sandwiched together; the bottom piece features a silvered border around the hologram image, and a black sheet of cardstock has been laid over the top piece, with a window excised to reveal the image below. In very good to fine condition, with scattered marks and pitting to the silvered surface, the latter likely due to the production process. Accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Jeff Gold, the owner of Recordmecca and a former executive vice president/general manager of Warner Bros. Records, who worked closely with Prince during the 1990s and served as art director for numerous album covers, including Diamonds & Pearls, Love Symbol, and The Hits/The B-Sides. The letter reads: “This glass plate prototype hologram, likely one of two produced, was made during the production of the hologram used on the Diamonds and Pearls CD cover…Prior to the manufacture of millions of holograms for the album cover, I received an identical glass plate hologram for my and Prince’s approval. This second prototype, the only other one known to exist, was sold to a Los Angeles area record store, undoubtedly by an employee of the company that produced the holograms. It is exactly the same as the prototype Prince approved for me at Larrabee Studios in West Hollywood (Prince was astounded by the hologram, later writing me a rare thank you note for the ‘cool cover’).” Released on October 1, 1991, Diamonds and Pearls marked Prince’s first album with the New Power Generation and became one of the greatest commercial successes of his career, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and producing the No. 1 hit single ‘Cream,’ along with such enduring favorites as ‘Gett Off’ and the title track. Its innovative cover featured what is widely recognized as the first mass-produced hologram incorporated into commercial album packaging, a groundbreaking achievement in music and graphic design. Created during the development of that cover and accompanied by provenance from the project’s own art director, this original glass prototype represents an exceptionally rare production artifact from one of Prince’s most celebrated albums and one of the most innovative packaging designs of the CD era. Starting Bid $500 www.RRAuction.com | 159
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September 24, 2026
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Drummer Dave Grohl makes his Nirvana debut at Olympia’s North Shore Surf Club on October 11, 1990—the performance that marked the birth of the classic Nirvana lineup LOT 5101
Nirvana Rare Original Concert Mini-Poster for Dave Grohl’s First Show with the Band (North Shore Surf Club in Olympia, Washington, on October 11, 1990) Exceedingly rare original 14 x 8.5 concert mini-poster for Nirvana’s performance with Witchipoo at the North Shore Surf Club in Olympia, Washington, on Thursday, October 11, 1990. Printed in bold, hand-drawn black lettering, the minimalist poster reads: “NIRVANA, + Witchipoo, North Shore Surf Club, 116 E. 5th, Olympia, Thurs. Oct. 11, 1990, 8:30, $5.00.” The poster was designed by Calvin Johnson, founder of K Records, frontman of Beat Happening, and one of the central architects of Olympia’s independent music scene. In very fine condition. Accompanied by a signed provenance letter from Olympia music archivist and Rainy Day Records co-owner James Maeda, who writes: “This flyer is Nirvana at the North Shore Surf Club. It took place on 10/11/90. It was a key show for Nirvana because it was Dave Grohl’s first show with Nirvana. It was also the first show at that venue.” Maeda further notes that the posters “hung up for less than a week because this was a last-minute show. I imagine most were destroyed by
the rain!” and states that he acquired the poster “from a friend of mine who originally promoted the show.” This sought-after concert mini-poster advertises one of the most important performances in Nirvana’s history: the band’s first show with drummer Dave Grohl, who had joined the group only weeks earlier after relocating from Washington, D.C. Grohl’s arrival completed the classic Nirvana lineup of Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, and Dave Grohl, the trio that would soon record Nevermind and transform alternative rock. Held at Olympia’s North Shore Surf Club on October 11, 1990, the performance marked the public debut of the lineup that would propel Nirvana to international fame within a year. The concert itself proved equally memorable. Repeated power outages interrupted the performance, forcing the band to abandon ‘Molly’s Lips’ and ‘D-7’ mid-song and briefly halting ‘Blew’ before electricity was restored. Despite the technical setbacks, the show featured the live debuts of ‘Son of a Gun,’ ‘D-7,’ and ‘Turnaround,’ alongside future Nirvana staples including ‘In Bloom,’ ‘Breed,’ ‘About a Girl,’ ‘Love Buzz,’ ‘Sliver,’ and ‘School.’ Starting Bid $1,000
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Broadway debut and theatrical milestone collection of 40 tickets and ticket stubs, highlighted by legends like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, and Lin-Manuel Miranda LOT 5102
productions, and historic public lectures. Each item has been individually encapsulated and graded by PSA. The tickets are represented by the following figures:
Collection of 40 tickets and ticket stubs documenting historic Broadway debuts, opening-night performances, preview engagements, and other milestone theatrical appearances by celebrated figures from the worlds of stage, screen, music, architecture, and science. The collection includes iconic Hollywood actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Charlton Heston, and Nicole Kidman; legendary Broadway stars such as Julie Andrews, Yul Brynner, Robert Preston, Laurette Taylor, and Barbra Streisand; acclaimed modern performers including Hugh Jackman, Jeremy Strong, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bryan Cranston, and Carrie Coon; as well as renowned cultural figures Stephen Hawking and Frank Lloyd Wright. The collection ranges from Broadway debuts and opening-night productions to preview performances, early Broadway appearances, final Broadway roles, replacement performances, landmark off-Broadway and regional
Julie Andrews, Alan Bennett, Marlon Brando, Yul Brynner, Bryan Cranston, Carrie Coon, Peter Cook, James Dean, Robert De Niro, Diana Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Richard Burton, Ralph Fiennes, James Gandolfini, Gene Hackman, Stephen Hawking, Charlton Heston, Hugh Jackman, Nick Jonas, Nicole Kidman, Frank Lloyd Wright, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jonathan Miller, Dudley Moore, Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Robert Preston, Robert Redford, Christopher Reeve, William Shatner, Ben Stiller, Barbra Streisand, Jeremy Strong, Laurette Taylor, Christopher Walken, Gene Wilder, Montgomery Clift, Madonna, Ralph Macchio, Burt Young, and Ken MacKenna.
Actors and Entertainers Collection of (40) Stage Milestone Tickets and Ticket Stubs
A complete, detailed list of the tickets, performances, PSA grades, and encapsulation details can be found on our website. Starting Bid $1,000
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James Dean’s Hollywood haven— the sofa from his rented garage apartment LOT 5103
James Dean’s Hollywood Hills Apartment Sofa Large green-striped three-cushion sofa used by James Dean in his rented Hollywood Hills residence in the early 1950s. Measuring approximately 93″ wide, 38″ deep, and 34″ high, the sofa features a gently curved back, rolled arms, three loose seat cushions, a pleated ruffled skirt, and carved wooden feet concealed beneath its fitted green slipcover. Its distinctive form and upholstery correspond to the couch visible in period photographs of Dean relaxing and playing bongos inside the apartment. Accompanied by a provenance letter from the woman whose family owned the Hollywood Hills property where Dean rented
a furnished garage apartment in the early 1950s. She notes: “This couch was one of the furnishings in James Dean’s garage apartment and there were many clear photos taken of Dean playing bongo drums, playing chess and relaxing on the couch during his time there. The garage apartment was never rented out again and this couch has remained on the premises ever since the 1950s.” In very good condition, with substantial age-related wear, including fading and discoloration, scattered soiling and small stains, wear to the skirt and piping, and a prominent tear to the upholstery at one arm. A compelling artifact of Dean’s personal environment, offering a rare window into the domestic life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons. Starting Bid $500
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Program from the 1969 National Karate Championship, signed inside by guest judge Bruce Lee LOT 5104
Bruce Lee Signed 1969 National Karate Championship Program Original program for the 1969 National Karate Championship held at the Washington D.C. Armory on May 10 and 11, 1969, 16 pages, 8.5 x 11, signed nicely inside in blue ballpoint, “Best Wishes, Bruce Lee.” Lee, as a close friend of event organizer Jhoon Rhee, acted as a guest judge for the event and is pictured several times within the program. Matted and framed to an overall size of 24 x 18, with a window in the backing for viewing the program’s covers. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the original recipient, in part: “I was working for Jhoon Rhee and I had access to the locker room. Jhoon Rhee and Bruce Lee were good friends and he was visiting from Hollywood to help pro-
mote the karate tournament. I caught him in the locker room with my copy of the tournament souvenir program in hand. Voluntarily, he took the program and autographed it with his own pen in blue ink.” During his lifetime, Bruce Lee appeared at select tournaments as a special guest, judge, or performer. Jhoon Rhee, the father of American Tae Kwon Do, first met Bruce Lee in 1964 at Ed Parker’s Long Beach International Karate Championships and, impressed with Lee’s showmanship, invited the young martial artist to collaborate on future projects and events. Lee appeared at several Jhoon Rhee national championships where he famously performed feats like his two-finger push-up and his one-inch punch and served as either a special guest or a celebrity judge. Starting Bid $1,000
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Audrey Hepburn’s woodland-flower scarf, loving letter, and signed photograph presented to an ill admirer LOT 5105
Audrey Hepburn Signed Photograph, Autograph Letter Signed, and Silk Scarf Sent to a Hospitalized Admirer Touching trio of items sent by Audrey Hepburn to a young British admirer, Linda Barnes, who was hospitalized while battling anorexia in 1963. Then just 13 years old, Barnes had written to Hepburn—her great inspiration—enclosing a rose with her card; the letter reached Hepburn through Paramount publicity representative James Wilcox, and Hepburn responded with personal warmth, sending photographs, a handwritten letter, and a scarf she had chosen herself. The group comprises: - Vintage glossy 8 x 10 photo of the Hollywood icon in a threequarter-length pose, signed and inscribed in fountain pen, “To Linda, with love, from Audrey Hepburn.” - ALS signed “Audrey,” two pages displayed in a 5.5 x 11 window, March 10, 1963, in full: “I just received your sweet card with the beautiful rose—which made me very happy. I was so delighted to hear that I am one of your favorites. As I was not sure which picture you would like best of all I am sending you several for your scrapbook. Enclosed also is a scarf which I thought you would like. I find it so pretty with all it’s woodland flowers, most of which grow up here in the
mountains and I know you find in England too. I send you my warmest wishes, and love.” - The colorful pink-and-white floral-patterned scarf sent along with the letter, folded to show off its airy wildflower meadow design, with tall blue delphinium-like blossoms, purple thistles, yellow and pink wildflowers, fine fern fronds, wispy grasses, and scattered butterflies. Impressively triple-matted and framed with non-reflective, museum quality glass, and conservation-grade matting to an overall size of 26 x 33.5. In very good to fine condition, with light creasing and gouging to the photo, and light foxing to the letter. A deeply affecting Hepburn piece, remarkable not only for its signed photograph and handwritten letter but for the survival of the very scarf she selected as a gift for a seriously ill young fan. The gesture reflects the grace and sensitivity that defined Hepburn both on and off screen: rather than sending a routine secretarial reply, she wrote in her own hand and chose a personal keepsake she thought a teenage girl would enjoy. Barnes treasured the scarf and letter for decades, and the ensemble stands as a rare, intimate record of Hepburn’s compassion at the height of her fame. Starting Bid $200
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Walt Disney recognizes a young fan’s love of “Mary Poppins” LOT 5106
Walt Disney Typed Letter Signed: “I wanted you to know how pleased I am to hear you liked our ‘Mary Poppins’ so well” TLS, signed “Walt Disney,” one page, 7.25 x 10.5, personal letterhead, August 8, 1966. Letter to Miss Betty Jane Saden, in part: “Mrs. Hill-Smith gave me your very nice note and I wanted you to know how pleased I am to hear you liked our ‘Mary Poppins’ so well. I hope you will continue to enjoy our movies and books.” In very good to fine condition, with faint show-through from red adhesive remnants on the reverse. Released in 1964, Mary Poppins became one of Walt Disney’s greatest triumphs, blending live action, animation, music, and groundbreaking visual effects into a beloved adaptation of P. L. Travers’s books. Written two years after its premiere, this warm letter reflects Disney’s personal pride in a film that earned widespread acclaim, won five Academy Awards, and stood among the defining achievements of his career. Starting Bid $500
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“We are coming out with a new TV show, starting October 3rd, called the Mickey Mouse Club Show featuring a group of kids” LOT 5107
Walt Disney Typed Letter Signed on the Creation of the “Mickey Mouse Club Show” TLS, one page, 7.25 x 9, August 31, 1955. Letter to Chester Morris, in part: “I was interested in your suggestion that we do a series of Horse Operas with kids. We are coming out with a new TV show, starting October 3rd, called the Mickey Mouse Club Show featuring a group of kids. This is a daily show, Monday through Friday from five to six o’clock. As the Mouseketeers (that’s the name given these kids) become known to the television audience, it is our plan to put them in a Western Series, such as you suggest. Every Friday the Mouseketeers appear in Western outfits for the ‘Roundup’ where they round up other kids to appear on the Show. Trying to get footage with children to meet a television budget is fairly difficult when you consider their limited working time of four hours daily—plus their parents! Frankly, the program we are now doing is $1,000,000 over the budget, so just how we’re going to come out, I don’t know. However, it is coincidental that you should write us about something we already have under way.” Affixed to a larger mount and in very good to fine condition, with light overall creasing. A fascinating behind-the-scenes letter written just weeks before the 1955 debut of The Mickey Mouse Club, Disney’s landmark entry into daily television. Walt candidly discusses the creation of the Mouseketeers, the planned Friday “Roundup” segments, and the extraordinary financial pressures of producing the ambitious new program—offering a rare glimpse of one of his most enduring franchises while it was still taking shape. Starting Bid $500 www.RRAuction.com | 171
Original nine-panel Peanuts Sunday comic strip from March 1985, hand-inked and signed twice by Charles Schulz, featuring the rare Eudora and a classic Charlie Brown baseball gag
LOT 5108
Charles Schulz Signed Original Hand-Drawn Peanuts Sunday Comic Strip (March 24, 1985) Original hand-inked nine-panel Peanuts Sunday comic strip by Charles Schulz, 22.5 x 15.25, signed and inscribed in black felt tip, “For Fran, with every best wish – Charles M. Schulz,” whose artist signature is present in the lower right corner of the last panel in black ink. In this classic Peanuts strip, Sally Brown confesses to Eudora that she lied to her teacher about being sick to avoid admitting she hadn’t done her homework. Sally admits, “Actually, I was watching TV… Now, I’ll be punished with bad luck… or somebody in our family will have bad luck…” Although Eudora dismisses her fears as mere superstition, the strip ends with Charlie Brown being 172 |
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bonked on the head by a baseball. Sitting dazed, he wonders aloud, “Has my sister been lying again?!” The third panel is dated “3-24” and bears a 1985 United Features Syndicate copyright label. The first panel bears the affixed title card with facsimile signature, “Peanuts featuring ‘Good ol’ Charlie Brown’ by Schulz.” Double-matted and framed to an overall size of 31.5 x 24. In fine condition. This strip appeared on March 24, 1985, and features an appearance of Eudora, the last major recurring character introduced to the Peanuts cast. Added by Charles Schulz in 1978 as Sally Brown’s closest friend, Eudora was named in honor of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty. The strip also concludes with one of Schulz’s classic Charlie Brown gags, as the perpetually unlucky protagonist is struck on the head by a baseball. Starting Bid $1,000
Significant “gold coin” Chicago bank interest note from 1926, twice-signed by Al Capone, his wife, and his mother
LOT 5109
Al Capone and Family Twice-Signed ‘Gold Coin’ Chicago Bank Document Sought-after partly-printed DS, signed twice by legendary Chicago Outfit gangster Al Capone, “Alphonse Capone,” and also twice-signed by his mother, “Theresa Capone,” and his wife, “Mae Capone,” one page, 8.75 x 3, November 18, 1926. An interest note for “Loan No. 6223,” in part: “Due to the order of Ourselves…$45.00 in gold coin of the United States of America of the present standard of weight and fineness, on the 18th day of May A.D. 1931 without grace, at the office of Lawndale National Bank in the City of Chicago…with interest after maturity until paid, at the rate of seven percent, per annum, being for an installment of interest on our principal and note No. 4 being of even date herewith for the sum of $1500.00.” Signed at the conclusion by Al Capone, his mother Theresa Capone, and his wife Mae Capone, and also endorsed on the reverse by all three. In fine condition. Capone rose to prominence throughout the 1920s, mak-
ing a name for himself as a leader of the Chicago underworld. This document carries an intriguing connection to Capone’s power base: Lawndale National Bank was located on West 26th Street, Chicago, just east of Cicero, where Capone established his headquarters and wielded considerable influence over local government. Among the bank’s attorneys was Cicero mayor Joseph Z. Klenha, whose notoriously corrupt administration was preserved with the aid of Capone gunmen during the violent municipal election of 1924. Increasingly implicated in the corruption of political, law enforcement, and labor officials, Capone was convicted of income tax evasion in 1931 and sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment, serving part of his sentence on Alcatraz. His autograph is scarce in any format, and this extraordinary example—a twice-signed “gold coin” Chicago bank document boasting two full-name autographs, plus the signatures of two members of the Capone crime family—would be the ‘kingpin’ of any collection of 20th-century Americana. Starting Bid $1,000
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“To educate rather than to entertain”— Pierre de Coubertin’s handwritten blueprint for the revival of the Olympic Games, January 1894 LOT 5111
Pierre de Coubertin Autograph Document Signed - His Handwritten Blueprint for the Revival of the Olympic Games, January 1894 Historically significant ADS in French, signed “Pierre de Coubertin, Sec. G’nl de l’Union des Sports Athietiques,” four pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 8 January 30, 1894, with a light blue paper “Comité International Olympique, 1894” seal affixed at the conclusion. Pierre de Coubertin outlines his notes and structured concepts for reviving the Olympic Games, preceding the formal creation of the modern Olympics and the International Olympic Committee in June 1894. The plan, headed “Proposal of an Athletic Exhibition in 1900,” reads, in full (translated): “Setting: The exhibition would be in a separate enclosure reproducing exactly the Altis of Olympia as far as the excavation and discoveries up to the day would permit. This part of the project demands to be prepared scientifically with the utmost care for exactness. This is not about an ‘almost as’ but a true and artistic reproduction of the sacred place. Displays: The exhibited objects would be divided as follows in the different buildings: I. Ancient Greece: Egypt and India Period, Rome, Champ de Mars Field and the amphitheater. II. The Middle Ages: Knighthood—The popular games. III. The Modern Epoch: German, Swiss and Swedish Gymnastics. The athletic renaissance in England. Athletics in the United States and France. IV. Fencing, Hunting and the Ice Sports (Norwegian, Russian and Canadian skating, ice-yachting, snow-shoeing, etc.) would be the object of special classifications. [Demonstrations of] War would stay out of the program, a suitable place would be found for Cycling but in a way that the cyclists don’t encroach on the display. V. Outside of the Altis, in a way not to disfigure the character, would be a reproduction of Roman Baths and of an American Athletic Club. (The Club of Chicago for example). Special: In the Gymnasium and in the Stadium could be organized Races, Games and Fights (wrestling), after the antiquity. In any way the initiators of the project don’t want anything which reminds in any way the ‘Street of Cairo’ of (the Exposition of) 1889… Goals: The goal is indeed to educate rather than to entertain the public. The public opinion in France is for an athletic renaissance. England and her empire, the United States, Germany and Sweden have preceded us in this movement which grows every day and combines itself with the national life of the people who have influenced it. But the athletic idea so closely bound to the Greek civilization has, at different epochs, disappeared; its purity has tarnished; the athlete has separated from the idea. The modern professionalism plays in this regard the same role as, in older time, the bestiality of the circus.
This is in respect to preserving athletics, to keep it on the right way, to preserve its philosophic and patriotic tendencies that the undersigned presents the present project to the General Commissioners of the 1900 Exposition. They have foremost the desire to conserve the work of athletic propaganda to which they dedicate themselves actively. They understand to act in a totally disinterested way but they want to preserve the moral direction of the project. Entry: They think that no benefit would be realized from any concessions into the Exhibit and other parts of it whose dimensions will be those of the Altis (in Olympia). As it occupies such a large space there would be room for a separate exposition of the Olympic Games of 1900 in conjunction with the Grand Exposition. Publications: A publication of the history of athletics through the Ages would be published at the same time, and would add to the interest of the exposition.” Neatly signed at the conclusion in ink by Pierre de Coubertin. In fine condition, with a couple light stains. This four-page manuscript stands among the foundational documents of the modern Olympic movement—a working blueprint, in Pierre de Coubertin’s own hand, for reviving the ancient Games nearly five months before he formally established the International Olympic Committee in June 1894. The document captures Coubertin at the precise moment his vision was crystallizing from abstract enthusiasm into an actionable plan, proposing that the revived Games debut in 1900 as part of the Paris Exposition, staged within a purpose-built recreation of Olympia’s sacred Altis. This is not a retrospective account of the Olympic idea; it is the idea itself, still being drafted, evidence of the intellectual scaffolding Coubertin was constructing before the world knew to call it “Olympism.” The content is remarkable for how fully formed Coubertin’s philosophy already was. He distinguishes sharply between education and entertainment, between the amateur ideal and the “modern professionalism” he likens to the corrupting spectacle of the Roman circus, and between authentic athletic culture and the exoticized showmanship of exhibitions like the 1889 Paris Exposition’s ‘Street of Cairo.’ His proposed taxonomy of athletic history—from ancient Greece and Rome through medieval chivalry to the German, Swedish, and Anglo-American gymnastic and sporting traditions—reveals the historical and pedagogical framework that would underpin the Olympic Charter itself: sport as a vehicle for moral and civic education, transcending national rivalry rather than serving it. Winter pursuits, fencing, and cycling all appear in embryonic form, years before their eventual place on the Olympic program was settled. Starting Bid $25,000
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Sweden’s first Olympic ice hockey gold— a 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games winner’s medal incorporating 600 million-year-old Norwegian sparagmite, accompanied by the athlete’s official 18K gold winner’s ring LOT 5112
Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics Gold Winner’s Medal with 18K Gold Medal Winner’s Ring Highly desirable winner’s medal issued for the Lillehammer 1994 Winter Olympics. Gilt silver, 82 mm, 133 gm, by Ingjerd Hanevold; manufactured by Th. Marthinsen of Tonsberg. The medal incorporates a polished circular piece of 600 millionyear-old sparagmite, collected from Lillehammer Olympic Park during construction of the Lysgardsbakkene Ski Jumping Arena. The front features the Olympic rings in gold against the case’s ice crystal design, with the inset stone engraved, “Lillehammer ‘94” and “The XVII Olympic Winter Games.” The reverse continues the ice crystal motif and features the Lillehammer Games emblem and a large pictogram of an ice hockey player, with the stone engraved with the sport, “Ice Hockey.” The rim bears the initials of the designer and mint, and the medal bears trivial scuffing. Accompanied by its original blue and maroon grosgrain ribbon that replicates the ice crystal motif. Also included is an official 18K gold medal winner’s ring, size 7.25, featuring the Swedish three crowns emblem above the Olympic rings on its circular face. The ring bears Sporrong and gold hallmarks to the interior, and is engraved with the name of the athlete, whose identity will be disclosed to the winning bidder. Complete with its original Sporrong presentation box. According to Hanevold, she designed the medals to be ‘humorous, sober, and recognizable’ and described their design as ‘Norwegian through and through.’ Her choice of sparagmite was in keeping with the guiding principles behind the Lillehammer
Games as a means of presenting Norway’s genuine natural surroundings and increasing national environmental awareness. ‘The medals symbolize the very essence of Norway, the Norwegian mountain landscape. The stone also serves a symbolic function; it reminds us of how precious our earth and nature are, and how important it is that we protect them.’ Following preliminary-round play in which both Canada and Sweden finished with identical 3-1-1 records, the two teams advanced through the medal round to meet for gold, with Canada defeating Finland 5–3 and Sweden overcoming Russia 4–3 in the semifinals. The championship game remained tightly contested throughout: Sweden opened the scoring, Canada responded with two goals to take a 2–1 lead, and Sweden’s Magnus Svensson tied the game with just 1:49 remaining in regulation. Still deadlocked at 2–2 after a scoreless overtime, the Olympic final went to a shootout, where Peter Forsberg produced one of the defining moments in Swedish hockey history, beating Canadian goaltender Corey Hirsch with an audacious onehanded move later commemorated on a Swedish postage stamp. Tommy Salo then stopped Paul Kariya to secure Sweden’s 3–2 victory and the nation’s first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey. The victory also made Swedish veterans Tomas Jonsson, Håkan Loob, and Mats Näslund the first three members of the Triple Gold Club, having each won Olympic gold, a World Championship, and the Stanley Cup. As an ice hockey winner’s medal from Sweden’s breakthrough Olympic championship, the present example is directly tied to one of the most memorable finishes in Winter Games hockey history. Starting Bid $5,000
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Two centuries of America in the headlines: from colonial newsbooks and Daniel Boone to the Gold Rush, Pony Express, Billy the Kid, and the opening of the West LOT 5113
America in the Headlines: Important Archive of (343) 18th and 19th-Century Newspapers and Magazines, Covering Colonial Affairs, Early American History, and the Old West An extraordinary and wide-ranging collection of 343 historic newspapers, newsbooks, magazines, and bound volumes, spanning more than two centuries and documenting many of the defining events, personalities, and movements of early America and the expanding American West. Rich in scarce territorial imprints and contemporary eyewitness reporting, the collection encompasses colonial America, westward expansion, Native American history, the Gold Rush, Mormon history, the Pony Express, the Transcontinental Railroad, presidential politics, exploration, and the legendary figures of the Old West. Particularly notable are substantial runs and bound volumes that preserve extended contemporary coverage of major events, rather than isolated retrospective accounts. Among the foremost pieces is a complete April 1720 issue of The Political State of Great Britain, an exceptionally early London newsbook containing a large folding map entitled A New Accurate Map of the English Plantations in America and of the Louisiana and River Mississippi. Depicting the North American interior at an extraordinarily early date—including Louisiana and the Mississippi Valley before New Orleans had become established on contemporary maps—the issue represents a fascinating conjunction of early journalism and cartography. Another remarkable early publication is the May 1700 Monthly Mercury, containing contemporary reporting on French exploration and Native American encounters in the region northwest of the upper Mississippi. Western Americana is represented at an exceptional level. A nearcomplete 360-issue bound run of the San Francisco Evening Bulletin from 1855–1856 chronicles Gold Rush-era San Francisco and the dramatic activities of the San Francisco Vigilance Committee, including the murder of editor James King of William and the subsequent executions of James Casey and Charles Cora. A 57-issue bound volume of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser of Honolulu, 1859–1860, offers extensive California and Western news, including contemporary reporting on the inauguration of the Pony Express; this is complemented by 36 issues of the Sacramento Daily Union from the summer of 1860, providing sustained coverage from the Pony Express’s western terminus.
Other major highlights include two bound volumes of the European Magazine, 1790–1791, containing the complete serialized account of Daniel Boone’s frontier adventures; a 13-issue run of the Gazette of the United States documenting St. Clair’s catastrophic 1791 defeat during the Northwest Indian War, including the first reports and extensive aftermath; and the March 9, 1864 inaugural issue of the Arizona Miner, an extremely early Arizona Territorial newspaper featuring the territorial seal and the proclamation establishing government in the newly organized territory. The collection is equally strong in iconic moments of American history. Included is a 1791 Gazette of the United States printing George Washington’s presidential address to Congress; an 1831 National Intelligencer Extra containing an exceptionally early printing of President Andrew Jackson’s State of the Union address; the July 1, 1844 Times and Seasons of Nauvoo, the Mormon newspaper carrying local coverage immediately following the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage; and an 1881 Las Vegas Gazette reporting the death of Billy the Kid at the hands of Pat Garrett Additional material chronicles the death of Crazy Horse, Jesse James, the Alamo and William Barret Travis’s celebrated “Victory or Death” appeal, the opening of the Panama Railroad, the French and Indian War, Indian Removal and the Cherokee response, the construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, Stanley’s search for Livingstone, Yosemite exploration, and the Western imagery of Frederic Remington. Taken as a whole, this is a remarkably deep documentary archive of American history as it was reported at the time, distinguished by early and territorial newspapers, significant bound runs, landmark political and military reporting, and vivid firsthand coverage of the people and events that shaped the nation. Its breadth—from rare eighteenth-century newsbooks and maps to Gold Rush journalism and legendary episodes of the American frontier—makes it an unusually compelling assemblage for collectors of historical newspapers, Americana, Western history, and primary-source material. A complete inventory is available online at RRAuction.com. Starting Bid $10,000
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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. 2.3 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 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 re-offering 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 any 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 further 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 Bid-
der’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 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 7 Sales Tax
Section 11 Conducting the Auction
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
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.
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.
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 ”do-not-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 sub-part (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 Auction, 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.
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.
(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.
Headings
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
Section 18
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 Massachusetts, 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 DECLARATORY 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 damages 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.
Since 1976
Let’s make history—together For 50 years, relationships have been the backbone of RR Auction. We have made it a priority to keep our consignors informed and involved, encouraging them to share their voices, to instill their knowledge, and to forge a partnership based on our shared passion for history. With a mutual desire to achieve greatness, these relationships are at the heart of our success.
RR Auction
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Est. 1976
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www.RRAuction.com
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(800) 937-3880
WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEKING CONSIGNMENTS FOR MANY OF OUR EXCITING SALES MARVELS OF MODERN MUSIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STEVE JOBS AND THE APPLE REVOLUTION
www.RRAuction.com
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(603) 732-4280
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Boston, Massachusetts