66 minute read
Presidents and First Ladies
As the war nears its end, Washington, still wary of the British, heeds concerns of the construction of a magazine at West Point
1. George Washington Letter
Signed. Important war-dated LS, signed “Go: Washington,” one page, 7.25 x 11.5, Newburgh, New York, August 6, 1782. Letter to Major Villefranche concerning plans for the French officer to construct a powder magazine at West Point. In full, “I was informed by the Genl. Paterson, that the place assigned by Majr. Genl. Knox & others for erecting the Magazine, was in your opinion very unfit for the purpose; if this is the case, I wish you to point out some other place on West Point, and give your reasons in writing, as soon as possible, why you prefer it to the place first mentioned.” In fine condition, with trimmed edges and light toning from prior display.
On July 4, 1782, the Board of War ordered that West Point become an official repository for gunpowder and authorized the construction of a magazine. Washington, in consultation with Henry Knox, selected a location and began construction. Villefranche’s case for why the location should have been moved is unrecorded in Washington’s papers, but his case must have been persuasive. The site of the magazine was evidently moved to Constitution Island, which lay directly across the Hudson from West Point. On August 12, construction began there on a magazine that would hold 1,000 barrels of powder. Washington was impressed enough with Villefranche to recommend his promotion to Congress in 1783, and in May 1783, he was made a lieutenant colonel. A fine content war-dated letter written in the closing days of the Revolutionary War with peace negotiations ongoing in Paris. Starting Bid $2500
2. James Madison Signed Free Frank. Full free frank,
measuring 9.75 x 8 unfolded with a central panel of 5 x 3.25, addressed in Madison’s hand to “Judge Todd, Washington,” and franked in the upper right, “Free, James Madison.” Docketed in another hand, “1824, Mr. Madison, Feb’y 15th.” In very good to fine condition, with small stains to the center, and two small tape stains to the top edge. Starting Bid $200
Scarce autograph letter as president by James Monroe
3. James Monroe Autograph Letter Signed as President. Choice ALS as
president, one page, 8 x 9.75, December 1, 1818. Handwritten letter to a gentleman regarding several financial matters, in full: “I enclose you an order on the bank of Columbia for the amount of Mr. Bibb’s draft on me, which I will thank you to present three or four days hence, if not inconvenient to you. On the claim of Lindsay & Hill of Alex’a, I will give you an answer in a day or two. I did not suppose that I owed them any thing, and shall write to morrow for information respecting their account, which the pressures of business heretofore prevented my doing.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $300
Check made payable by Monroe to “my servant Peter”—the only slave he ever freed
4. James Monroe Signed Check. Rare Bank of the Metropolis check, 6.25 x 2.25, filled out and signed by Monroe, “Jas. Monroe,” payable to “my servant Peter” for $150, May 27, 1816. In fine condition. Peter Marks (sometimes spelled Marx) was one of the hundreds of people that James Monroe enslaved throughout his lifetime—and he was the only one he ever freed. Based on census data, household records, and contemporary reporting, it is believed that Marks served in the White House during Monroe’s presidency. Monroe made a ‘dying request’ to have Marks freed, a fact known to historians because of a letter of recommendation written by Monroe’s friend Tench Ringgold: ‘The bearer hearof Peter Marks a coloured man late the property of James Monroe deceased, late President of the United States, has been liberated & set free by at Mr. Monroe’s dying request by his executor Samuel L. Gouverneur of the City of New York & by Mrs. E. K. Hay one of Mr. Monroes daughters to whom he was a slave. Peter is honest, and capable, he is an excellent dining room servant, and a good coachman, has been brought up in the family of Mr. Monroe from his infancy…I can recommend him to any person who may want a waiter or coachman, as I have long known him.’ Starting Bid $300
5. James Monroe Autograph Document Signed.
ADS signed “Jas. Monroe,” one page, 7.75 x 2.75, January 7, 1815. Boldly penned handwritten financial document, in full: “Mr. Smith will be so good as to send me one hundred doll’s by the bearer.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Governor Monroe grants a plot of 200 acres near Cripple Creek
6. James Monroe Document Signed. Partly-printed vellum DS,
signed “Jas. Monroe,” one page, 15 x 11.75, July 14, 1801. As governor of Virginia, Monroe grants unto Alexandra Smyth, the assignee of John Thompson Sayers, a “certain Tract or Parcel of Land, containing Two hundred Acres…on the north side of a Tract of Land on Cripple Creek.” Neatly signed at the conclusion by Governor Monroe. The seal affixed to the lower left remains intact. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Press copy of a letter from Adams following his successful negotiations in the Treaty of Ghent
7. John Quincy Adams Press Copy Letter. ALS, one
page, 7.5 x 9, February 15, 1815. Original press copy of a letter from Paris to Under Secretary of State Henry Goulburn, referencing his departure from Ghent, where he had just negotiated the treaty that ended the War of 1812. In part: “Your obliging favour of 23d ulto. reached Ghent, some days after my departure from that place....Mr. Hughes was detained so long in descending the Garonne from Bordeaux, that Mr. Baker has probably arrived before him. I hope they are both ere this safely landed in the United States. Until we hear of the arrival of one of them, my own anxious wish has been and will be to hear no news from America. At least no news of military operations. For in the present interval, all such news would be bad, and the Fortune of War itself could only vary the causes of regret.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered small areas of paper loss due to ink erosion. Christopher Hughes and Anthony St. John Baker were American and British secretaries to their respective legations during the Treaty of Ghent peace negotiations. Starting Bid $300
President Adams neatly endorses a $2,000 check
8. John Quincy Adams Endorsed Check as President. Bank of the United States check, 7 x 3.25, filled out in another hand and signed by the cashier, payable to John Quincy Adams for $2,000, November 27, 1826, endorsed on the reverse by Adams as president, “Pass the within to my credit in Bank, J. Q. Adams, 27 Nov’r 1826.” In very good to fine condition, with minor edge loss, and a single cancellation punch hole. Starting Bid $200
9. John Quincy Adams Document Signed. Partly-
printed DS, signed “J. Q. Adams,” one page, 7 x 9.75, March 9, 1822. As secretary of state, John Quincy Adams certifies that “Ezekiel Macdaniel, whose name is subscribed to the annexed Instrument of writing, was, at the time of subscribing the same and now is, a Justice of the Peace for the County of Washington in the District of Columbia, duly appointed and commissioned.” Signed boldly at the conclusion by Adams. In fine condition, with a portion of the embossed seal missing. Starting Bid $200
12. Andrew Jackson Document Signed as
President. Partly-printed vellum DS as president, one page, 15.75 x 9.75, December 8, 1830. President Jackson grants John Lowry of Edgar County, Illinois, a parcel “at Palestine, Illinois, containing Eighty acres.” Signed at the conclusion by President Jackson and countersigned by Commissioner of the General Land Office Elijah Heyward. The white paper seal affixed to the lower left remains intact. In fine condition, with a few vertical folds. Starting Bid $200
Rare presidential check by Andrew Jackson, made payable to his son: “Andrew Jackson Jr.”
10. Andrew Jackson Signed Check as President. Bank of the Metropolis check, 5.25 x 2, filled out and signed by Jackson as president,”Andrew Jackson,” payable to “Andrew Jackson Jr.” for $25, June 30, 1835. In fine condition, with a tiny hole at the center, and an old repair to the tear to the right edge. A rare example of a presidential check, effectively signed twice by the commander-in-chief. Starting Bid $200
Early letter from President Jackson sent to the Minister to the Netherlands
11. Andrew Jackson Letter Signed
as President. LS as president, one page both sides, 7.75 x 9.75, June 20, 1829. Letter to Maine judge William Pitt Preble, in part: “I take the liberty to introduce to your acquaintance & polite attention Maj. Davezac, who will hand you this. The Major during the campaign of 1814-15, before New Orleans, acted as one of my volunteer aids, & Judge advocate to the Army and it affords me pleasure to say that his chivalrous conduct on that occasion deserved & received my warmest approbation.” In fine condition, with a light stain touching the closing, and seal-related paper loss, and a split fold, to the integral address leaf. Starting Bid $200
13. Andrew Jackson Signed Free Frank.
Full free frank, measuring 12.5 x 7.75 unfolded with a central panel of 5.25 x 3.25, addressed by Jackson to “Col. Francis Preston, Abington, Virginia,” and franked in the lower left, “Mr. A. Jackson jn’r.” In very good to fine condition, with light staining to the lower left, and along the vertical fold. An unusual and early form of Jackson’s autograph—adding the “jn’r” suffix —addressed to a noteworthy Virginia politician. Francis Preston (1765–1835) was the son of the important soldier and surveyor William Preston, and served in the House of Representatives from 1793 to 1797. Starting Bid $200
Partly-printed vellum DS as president, one page, 11.5 x 14.25, June 15, 1839. Scallop-top ship’s pass issued to “the Brig Inga… Elisha G. Cudworth master or commander…To Pass with her Company, Passengers, Goods and Merchand[ize] without any hinderance, seisure, or molestation.” Signed at the conclusion by President Martin Van Buren and countersigned by Secretary of State John Forsyth. In very good condition, with soiling, staining, loss to the lower right corner, and seal absent. Starting Bid $200
of State, signed “M. Van Buren,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, November 2, 1829. Letter to Pennsylvania politician and future Vice President George M. Dallas, in full: “Your several letters respecting the difference between Mess’rs Barrozo and Porlude have been received. The course pursued by you meets the entire approbation of this Department, and you will receive, in season for the investigation to take place on Saturday next, the necessary instructions for the government of your conduct on that occasion.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
17. William Henry Harrison Signed Check.
Miami Exporting Company check, 5.75 x 2, filled out and signed by Harrison, “Will’m Henry Harrison,” payable to Wm. Dunn for $31, February 27, 1811. Professionally inlaid into a slightly larger sheet and in fine condition. The Miami Exporting Company, located in Cincinnati, was the first bank chartered by the Ohio state legislature in 1803. A well-preserved, desirable example. Starting Bid $200
Two months before the Treaty of Greenville, Harrison provides beef, flour, whiskey, and salt to the “Wabash Indians”
16. William Henry Harrison Autograph Document
Signed. ADS signed “Wm. H. Harrison,” one page, 7.75 x 4.75, June 11, 1795. Handwritten document by Harrison from his headquarters at Greenville, Ohio, directing supplies to the Wabash Indians just prior to the Treaty of Greenville. In full: “The Commissary will issue for the use of the Wabash Indians one hundred & forty four & 1/2 pounds of beef, one hundred & sixty seven pounds of flour, five & three fourth gallons of whiskey, & twenty two pounds of salt.”. In very good to fine condition, with somewhat irregular toning, repairs to two small areas of paper loss, and small areas of ink erosion reinforced by complete silking to the reverse. Starting Bid $200
18. James K. Polk Document Signed as President.
Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 7.5 x 9.5, July 6, 1846. President Polk directs the “Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to the remission granted to Arthur Hawkins, Master of the British Ship Arabian.” Signed boldly at the conclusion by Polk. Handsomely double-matted and framed with a portrait and engraved plaque to an overall size of 23.5 x 22.75. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200 19. James K. Polk Document Signed. Partly-printed
DS, one page, 12 x 15, May 1, 1840. As governor of Tennessee, Polk grants unto William Austin “a certain Tract or Parcel of Land, containing Thirty acres” in Dickson County. Boldly signed at the conclusion by Governor Polk and countersigned by John S. Young as secretary of state. In very good to fine condition, with light toning and staining, splitting to the ends of the intersecting folds, and trivial areas of paper loss along the folds. Starting Bid $200
Scarce presidential appointment by Zachary Taylor, who served for just 16 months
20. Zachary Taylor Document Signed as President. Choice DS as
president, signed “Z. Taylor,” one page, 14 x 10, May 12, 1849. President Taylor appoints George W. P. Smith as “Surveyor and Inspector of the Revenue for the Port of Snow Hill, in the State of Maryland.” Boldly signed at the conclusion by President Taylor and countersigned by Secretary of the Treasury William M. Meredith. The white seal affixed to the lower left remains intact. Handsomely double-matted and framed with a portrait and plaque to an overall size of 28.75 x 18.75. In very fine condition. Given his short 16-month tenure in the White House, presidential autographs by Taylor are especially scarce. Starting Bid $300
21. Zachary Taylor Signature. Desirable ink
signature from his military days, “Z. Taylor, Bt. Br. Genl., U.S.A. Comdg.,” on an off-white 3.5 x 1.25 slip. Affixed to a slightly larger black card and in fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Exceptional, lengthy autograph letter written to his former White House secretary
22. Franklin Pierce Autograph Letter Signed. ALS, twelve pages on three sets of adjoining sheets, 5.25 x 8.25, June 25, 1858. Letter to Sidney Webster, his former private White House secretary, written from Lisbon, Portugal. Pierce discusses his past and future travels throughout Europe, and makes reference to several notable figures of the day, including writer Nathaniel Hawthorne, Jefferson Davis, columnist John L. O’Sullivan, and naval officer Charles Stewart McCauley. In part: “After leaving Gibraltar we shall proceed almost directly to Vevey and remain there perhaps till October. I believe that [Nathaniel] Hawthorne is to pass the summer at Pisa and hence we shall probably not meet until he returns to Rome next winter. I think there is little doubt that we shall meet Gov. Fish an family somewhere this summer. I received a letter from Genl. Davis three weeks since but it was dated in April & in the hand of his wife. It was a warm, interesting letter and altho’ written by another hand than his own could have been dictated by nobody else.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $500
24. James Buchanan Autograph Document
Signed. ADS, one page, 8 x 4, May 10, 1852. Handwritten promissory note by James Buchanan, in part: “Sixty days after date I promise to pay to the order of Benjamin Parke Esquire, at the Lancaster Bank, seven hundred & fifty dollars.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Sought-after handwritten receipt for legal fees by ‘Prairie Lawyer’ Lincoln
26. Abraham Lincoln Autograph Document Signed. ADS signed “A. Lincoln,” one page, 7.75 x 1.5, April 16, 1845. Handwritten receipt for a payment, in full: “Rec’d April 16th 1845 of John Reavis all fees due by him to me up to this day.” Attractively matted and framed with a portrait to an overall size of 16 x 21. In fine condition, with three vertical folds, and possibly repaired unobtrusive tears to the left edge. Starting Bid $500
27. U. S. Grant Signed Check as
President. Desirable First National Bank check, 8 x 2.75, filled out and signed by Grant as president, “U. S. Grant,” payable to Mr. Taber for $119.20, December 7, 1869. In fine condition, with minor edge loss. Starting Bid $200
28. U. S. Grant Signature. Ideal ink signa-
ture, “U. S. Grant, July 28th 1881,” on an offwhite 5 x 3 card. In fine condition. A large and bold autograph from the Civil War hero and 18th president of the United States. Starting Bid $200
29. U. S. Grant Signed Free Frank as President.
Rare hand-addressed and free-franked Executive Mansion envelope, 6 x 3.5, addressed by Grant to “Hon. A. E. Boris, No. 1025 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, Pa,” and franked in the upper right as president, “U. S. Grant.” In very good to fine condition, with light soiling and scattered staining. Free franks from President Grant are decidedly scarce, with this being one of only a handful we have offered. Starting Bid $200
30. Rutherford B. Hayes Autograph Endorsement
Signed as President. Autograph endorsement as president, signed “R. B. Hayes,” one page, 3 x 4.5, stamped “Department of Justice, Jul. 30, 1878.” In full: “The Attorney Gen’l will please appoint Mr. Noyes, if proper.” Nicely matted alongside an engraved portrait (which features a facsimile signature) to an overall size of 14 x 11.5. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Scarce postal commission signed by President Garfield, which predates his inauguration by two weeks
Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 17 x 14, February 16, 1881. President Garfield appoints Charles A. Spencer as “Postmaster at Sheboygan Falls…State of Wisconsin.” Signed neatly at the conclusion by James A. Garfield, and countersigned by Postmaster General Thomas L. James. Lower left retains the original gold foil seal with red ribbons. In fine condition, with a slight tear to foil seal. Given his brief time in office, presidential documents issued by Garfield are quite rare, with this particular example all the more unusual in that it was ostensibly filled out in advance, some 16 days before Garfield assumed the presidency. As this commission was essentially waiting for the president, it’s not unfair to suppose that this may have been one of the first documents Garfield signed in the White House. Starting Bid $500
32. James A. Garfield Autograph Letter Signed. ALS signed “J. A.
Garfield,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, House of Representatives, Committee of Ways and Means letterhead, May 1, 1866. Handwritten letter to C. H. Carter, in part: “I have laid there before the Committee of Ways and Means for their consideration. You will see that we have done a great deal to relieve you in the Int. Rev. bill lately introduced into the House. We have undertaken to avoid the duplication of taxes and have generally taken off the tax on raw materials and on the primary processes of manufacturers.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
33. James A. Garfield Letter Signed and Charles Guiteau Signature Display. Desirable pairing of an American
president and his assassin—an LS as an Ohio congressman, signed “J. A. Garfield,” one page, 4.75 x 6.5, January 30, 1877, in part: “I enclose…of my speech—If you have room I would like to have you add the enclosed as a motto on the title page—I hear there are to be pamphlet copies called for”; and an ink signature, “Charles Guiteau, Dec. 31–1881,” penned while incarcerated for the murder of Garfield on an off-white 3.5 x 2 card. Double-matted and framed together with cabinet portraits and engraved plaques to an overall size of 26.5 x 16.5. In overall fine condition, with slight brushing to Garfield’s signature. Starting Bid $200
34. Warren G. Harding Signed Check. The Marion Star business check, 8 x 3.25, filled out in another hand and signed by Harding, “W. G. Harding,” payable to the Huber Estate for $4115.80, September 1, 1908. In fine condition. Harding bought the Ohio daily newspaper The Marion Daily Star in 1884, and held ownership of the paper until mid-1923. Although Harding’s editorial department slanted toward the Republican platform, the daily paper remained somewhat neutral due to its position as the newspaper of record for Marion County, Ohio. However, the Star’s weekly publication served as the partisan arm of Harding’s newspaper empire. Starting Bid $200
35. Herbert Hoover and White House Staff Signed
Congressional Directory. Signed book: Congressional Directory: 71st Congress, 2d Session, December 1929. First edition. Washington, D.C.: The Joint Committee on Printing, 1929. Hardcover, 6.25 x 9.25, 670 pages. Signed on the “Executive, The White House” page in fountain pen by President Herbert Hoover, as well as by six members of his personal White House staff: George Akerson, Lawrence Richey, Walter Hughes Newton, French Strother, Rudolph Forster, and Maurice C. Latta. The front cover bears Strother’s ownership stamp. Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG/None, with a cracked front hinge, minor fraying at spine ends, and an “Autographed Copy” notation to front board. Starting Bid $200
Rare FDR letter on the “one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, inspired by the bombardment of Fort McHenry”
36. Franklin D. Roosevelt Typed Letter Signed as President on Star Spangled Banner. Important TLS as
president, one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, May 16, 1939. Letter to W. Tilghman Hemsley, chairman of the executive committee of the Star Spangled Banner Regatta. In full: “Please accept my thanks for your kind letter of May twelfth inviting me to attend the celebration of the one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, inspired by the bombardment of Fort McHenry. I regret exceedingly that circumstances make it impossible to accept this invitation to participate in person. I hope, however, the celebration will be a successful one and one that will inspire all who participate with a new sense of appreciation of the stirring events it commemorates.” In fine condition, with light edge toning. Accompanied by photocopies of associated correspondence (Hemsley’s letter inviting him to the event, an internal White House memo, and their retained copy of this reply), provided to the consignor by the FDR Presidential Library & Museum. According to the consignor’s research, this is the only presidential letter on White House stationery mentioning the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ever to come up for auction. A remarkable and patriotic piece. Starting Bid $500
Unique triple-signed Warm Springs Foundation promissory note for $750 “in gold coin of the United States”
37. Franklin D. Roosevelt Document Signed. DS, signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt,” one page, 8.5 x 3.25, February 1, 1927. Typed promissory note, in part: “On February 1st, 1937, at the Bank of America, New York City, Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, Inc….promises, for value received, to pay to the order of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the sum of Seven hundred and fifty dollars in gold coin of the United States of America.” Signed at the conclusion by Franklin D. Roosevelt as the foundation’s president, and countersigned by D. Basil O’Connor as its treasurer; also marked “Paid, April 20, 1927” by Roosevelt and initialed, “FDR.” Also endorsed on the reverse by Franklin D. Roosevelt. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
38. Franklin D. Roosevelt Signed Check. Guaranty Trust Company of New York check, 6.5 x 2.75, filled out in another hand and signed by Roosevelt, “Franklin D. Roosevelt,” payable to Dauber & Pine for $2.13, February 12, 1932. In fine condition. Situated on New York City’s celebrated ‘Book Row,’ the Dauber & Pine Bookshop was a classic used book store known for its disordered, towering stacks and overflowing shelves. Starting Bid $200
Truman on the vice presidency—“As I have told you time and time again I am not a candidate and don’t expect to be”
World War II-dated TLS as president, one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, November 24, 1942. Letter to Theodore L. Cogswell, accepting his resignation as Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, in part: “I note with interest that your thirty years in service there have been interrupted only for the two-year period you served as an officer in the American Expeditionary Forces in the first World War...I can well understand your desire to return to active military duty when the ideals for which we fought then are again challenged.” In fine condition, with small pieces of archival tape on the back of the blank integral leaf. Starting Bid $200
TLS signed “Harry,” one page, 8 x 10.5, United States Senate, Committee on Military Affairs letterhead, May 22, 1944. Letter to longtime friend Edward McKim, in part: “My Key West trip was rather a hectic affair. I held a hearing in Seattle for two days, one in San Francisco for a day, and then a three-day hearing in Los Angeles, after which I went to Salt Lake City and Ogden and made political speeches. I went to Phoenix and made another one, and finally wound up in Lubbock with a fourth one, and from there I drove to Amarillo and through to Kansas City. I appreciated Hayden’s mention of me for Vice President, but as I have told you time and time again I am not a candidate and don’t expect to be. It would absolutely ruin me from the standpoint of the Senate and throw away nine years of the hardest sort of work.” Truman adds a handwritten postscript. In fine condition, with two file holes to the top edge. Starting Bid $200
President Truman’s love letter to America’s “five individual cities”—New Orleans, Boston, Charleston, San Francisco, and Santa Fe
40. Harry S. Truman Autograph Letter Signed as
President. Fantastic ALS as president, three pages on two adjoining sheets, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, August 4, 1948. Handwritten letter to Myldred (Bobbye) Landry in New Orleans, the daughter of Robert B. Landry, USAF aide to President Truman. In part: “Yes I’ve been in New Orleans on a number of occasions...I’ve been to every point of interest in your great city—Rue Royal, Antoine’s, the Cabildo, the cemeteries, Jackson Park, the Mississippi River trip, etc. You know of course that New Orleans is one of the five individual cities of the United States. I’ll name them for you.
Boston, its Common, Harvard, its narrow streets, Bean Hill (no hill at all). Charleston, So. Carolina, still British and Colonial. In a graveyard in the center of town is a tombstone on which there is an epitaph which says ‘here lies so & so. He came to Charleston at the age of two—he died at ninety-two—for a stranger he was a good citizen and well thought of’!! Beat that if you can.
San Francisco our greatest west coast port and one of the few great natural harbors. There’s only one San Francisco. I hope you can see it some day if you haven’t seen it. Santa Fe, N. Mex., our real Spanish City. It is so old it makes Boston, Charlestown, New Orleans, and all our cities look new. See the Governor’s Palace some day. New Orleans, Spanish, French, Spanish, Andrew Jackson, Spoon Butler, Hughie Long—and still New Orleans itself. I hope some day, Bobbye, I may see the Mardi Gras.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original White House mailing envelope, addressed in Truman’s hand. A sought-after autograph letter signed as president, boasting excellent content on America’s great cities.Starting Bid $2500
42. Harry S. Truman Typed Letter Signed. Desirable TLS, two pages, 7.25 x 10.5, personal letterhead, October 5, 1960. Letter to California Congressman John E. Moss, in part: “This is an urgent plea that you do everything you possibly can to help the Democratic ticket and the Honorable John F. Kennedy and the Honorable Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democratic nominees for President and Vice-President. Now, as never before, it seems to me, there is a need for us to submerge whatever differences may exist among us within our own Party and fight for a Democratic victory, National, State and Local. I simply do not believe that the United States can stand four more years of another Republican President in the White House...From my viewpoint, there is much to be gained and nothing to be lost by working together and doing our best for the whole ticket. I will be campaigning, just as I have done in times passed, not because I want anything for myself, but because the country needs a leader in the White House and leaders in the Congress. I ask you to join in all-out support of the Democratic ticket.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
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Harvard archive highlighted by an amazing hand-edited manuscript for JFK’s senior thesis on ‘Appeasement at Munich’: “The persecution of the Jews aroused more animosity than the march at the Rhineland”
44. John F. Kennedy Hand-Corrected Thesis Draft, Harvard Yearbook, and Signed Letter. Important
archive with John F. Kennedy’s original working manuscript introduction for his Harvard University senior thesis, the Harvard Class Album 1940 yearbook, and a 1945 typed letter signed by Kennedy to his Harvard Class of 1940. Includes:
Kennedy’s remarkable hand-corrected typed manuscript with a lengthy handwritten passage at the conclusion, ten pages, 7.75 x 11, no date. John F. Kennedy’s 1940 Harvard thesis, entitled ‘Appeasement at Munich: The Inevitable Result of the slowness of conversion of the British Democracy to a Rearmament Policy,’ formed the basis for his first book, Why England Slept, published with the encouragement of his father. The book examines the years leading up to World War II and the measures taken—or not taken—by England to extinguish the German threat before it developed into world war. Unlike most, he did not criticize Great Britain’s policy of appeasement toward Germany; the first example of German aggression came in March 1936 with their “march at the Rhineland,” an act that violated the Treaty of Versailles. Kennedy also alludes to the Abyssinia Crisis and Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935-36, and the Munich Agreement in 1938 by which England permitted the German annexation of the Sudetenland. This is a major JFK artifact of historical significance, which became the foundation for his early bestseller.
The long handwritten portion, penned on both sides of the final page, in part (spelling and grammar retained): “Democ can’t change its ideas overnight unless severely shocked— not shocked as Germany did not do anything that England did not regard as something that while unfortunate in name was allright in principle. The persecution of the Jews aroused more animosity than the march at the Rhineland…Frequent articles showing Ger[many] could not win any war etc & victory in World War gave feeling of confidence. Took time to change—Abyssinia same—not ready till Munich. Up to 1936—good but have & reassured. Now they were converted but only to the need for it. Not willing to make sacrifices until 1938. This 1/2 attitude spelt disaster as…would take 3 years. What’s the solution—acknowledge I dictator in changing P.O. & also in putting his energies and effort to work. How can you have democ complete. Looks as though you cant. They have not had our natural resources made them willing to accept it. Maybe in the future we will have England too rich & well off to accept the hardships in 1936.”
Unsigned hardcover issue of the Harvard Class Album for 1940, 11 x 13.75, 260 pages. Kennedy’s senior photo appears on page 204 and is captioned by personal information that includes his address, campus residence, and such activities as the Smoker Committee, Catholic Club, football, swimming, the “Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770,” and more. He is also depicted as a member of the Crimson staff, as an officer of the permanent class committee, and as a member of the yacht club. The cover bears the gilt-stamped name of JFK’s classmate Robert Blomen Wood.
Form letter signed “Jack,” in black ink, one page, 8.5 x 11, Harvard Class of 1940 letterhead, December 27, 1945. Fundraising letter signed by war hero “Jack,” showing off his wit and humor. In part: “As the Class Secretary, Pete Pratt, is entangled with the U.S. Army, he has asked me to write you about the Class Report. The Class Report is ordinarily published at the time of our First Reunion, in our case, 1943. Due to circumstances beyond any of our controls, we have been unable to hold any semblance of a reunion. Now, however, our time has come and in June of this year we shall meet in Cambridge. You will be informed of that later…There is, as usual, the question of money. Our Class Fund has to its credit about $1300, invested in war bonds which our canny Treasurer, Donald MacDonald Dickinson Thurber, thinks is the best buy since Ponzi. McThurber, who we understand votes Republican in the Michigan elections, feels we should hold them until maturity. There are those who say that the money should be used to buy real estate in Nevada suitable for building a large underground cellar capable of holding 972 men of Harvard. That will be voted on in June.”
In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $2500
First edition of Why England Slept signed by the young “Jack Kennedy,” plus two college-era letters contemplating future plans
45. John F. Kennedy (3) Signed Items: First Edition of Why England Slept, ALS, and TLS. Unique and ultra-
rare collection of three important early items signed by JFK:
Signed book: Why England Slept by John F. Kennedy, with introduction by Henry R. Luce. First edition. NY: Wilfred Funk, Inc., 1940. Hardcover with dust jacket, 5.75 x 8.5, 252 pages. Boldly signed and inscribed on the first free end page in fountain pen to stockbroker Arthur Goldsmith, “To a very old friend of the Kennedys, with warmest regards—Jack Kennedy.” Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG/VG, with sunned backstrip, head of spine fraying, some mottling to top edges, and a short closed tear to the bottom of one page; dust jacket exhibits minimal wear with a few shallow creases at spine head and front panel, and a couple of short closed tears at top edge. Based on his Harvard thesis, Kennedy’s first book examines the years leading up to World War II and the measures taken—or not taken—by England to extinguish the German threat before it developed into world war. The recipient, Goldsmith, was the friend and Harvard classmate of Joseph P. Kennedy. He went on to become a Wall Street stockbroker and maintained a close relationship with the Kennedy family.
Scarce ALS signed “Jack K.,” one page both sides, 7 x 10.5, Stanford University letterhead, no date but circa 1940. Letter to Arthur Goldsmith, in full: “Thank you very much for sending me the issue of Foreign Policy Bulletin. I appreciate your interest very much. Hope to see you down South this winter as I expect to get back for Christmas.” In fine condition, with a few stray marks, a chip to one corner, and a trimmed left edge. After graduating and unsure of his next move, Kennedy enrolled in the politically conservative Stanford Graduate School of Business in the fall—rather than Yale Law, as he had expressed to William Gavin in the next letter. He soon left the school and decided to join the Navy in 1941, making letters from his time at Stanford quite scarce.
TLS signed “Jack Kennedy,” one page, 7.25 x 10.25, August 27, 1940. To William Gavin of the Boston Herald, with reference to Why England Slept. In full: “Thank you very much for your letter and your kind comment on my book. I would be delighted to speak at the Book Fair but I would appreciate it very much if you would suggest the type of talk usually given, whether about the book, how it came to be written, or what it is about, or whether I should speak on some related topic. I plan to attend Yale Law School this fall so it should be quite easy for me to get up there.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $2500
Script for Navy Log’s “PT 109,” inscribed by Kennedy to the radioman actor
46. John F. Kennedy Signed ‘Navy Log: PT 109’
Shooting Script. Original brad-bound shooting script for the “PT 109” episode of the television series Navy Log, June 26, 1957, prod. no. 6701, 8.5 x 11, 50 pages, signed and inscribed on the front cover in blue ballpoint to one of the show’s actors, “To Peter Miller, John Kennedy, US Senator, Mass.” Miller played the role of ‘McQuire’ in this episode (for real-life radioman John McQuire), and his lines are circled throughout the script. In fine condition, with light edgewear and toning. The CBS television series Navy Log related the greatest survival war stories in the history of the United States Navy, running for three seasons 1955–1958; this episode told the story of the destruction of PT-109 and John F. Kennedy’s valiant leadership in its aftermath. A rare script associated with Kennedy’s PT-109 heroics, signed during his time in the Senate. Starting Bid $1000
Kennedy pranks his Hollywood brother-in-law Peter Lawford in a rare, humorous autograph letter as president: “Read & be prepared for revisions at 8:30 AM—Louis B. Mayer”
47. John F. Kennedy Autograph Letter Signed as President (as “Louis B. Mayer”) to Peter Lawford. Humorous
autograph letter signed by John F. Kennedy as president, “Louis B. Mayer,” one page, 5 x 8, White House letterhead, no date but circa 1961. Kennedy writes to his brother-in-law Peter Lawford as a joke: “Read & be prepared for revisions at 8:30 AM—Louis B. Mayer.” Prior to this letter, JFK had received an early script for the eventual movie PT-109 which would star Cliff Robertson as Lt. Kennedy. Peter Lawford, his brother-in-law at this time, was a veteran actor with much experience around Hollywood. Kennedy naturally wanted Lawford’s opinion and advice on the draft, and so invited Lawford and his sister to spend a weekend at the White House.
That first evening after his arrival JFK and Lawford eventually went upstairs and over drinks JFK told Lawford that the MGM studio was behind the project. Unbeknownst to JFK, Lawford was then at odds and having contract difficulties with MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer, who Lawford detested. Lawford got really upset and told the president he wanted nothing to do to help MGM, who he was at war with and was making his life miserable. The following morning JFK left early for some meeting but before he did he left this incredible letter in Lawford’s breakfast tray along with the draft screenplay. What a way to get a rise out of Lawford! Lawford jumped up, spilling his coffee and leaving a stain on the letter. This unique and unpublished letter is one of only a handful of known Kennedy handwritten letters as president on White House stationery. Another amazing artifact shining once again on the brilliant wit and great sense of humor and playfulness of JFK. In very good to fine condition. Accompanied by a glossy 10 x 8 photograph of Kennedy and Lawford together in a car.
Provenance: Patricia Seaton Lawford, Peter Lawford’s wife at the time of his death. Starting Bid $1000
Evaluating the mathematical possibility of success in a guerilla war, JFK researches T. E. Lawrence’s tactics as Vietnam heats up
48. John F. Kennedy Typed Letter Signed as
President. TLS as president, two pages, 7 x 10.25, White House letterhead, July 27, 1962. Letter to influential English soldier and military historian Captain B. H. Liddell Hart. In part: “You were most thoughtful to send me a manuscript of your article, ‘Guerrilla War—Basic Factors and Reflections.’ I found it interesting and, in many instances, aligned with my own thinking on the subject, although I am not sure that I would have come to all the same conclusions that you did. I will agree with you that ‘those who frame policy and apply it need a better understanding of the subject than has been shown in the past.’ I was interested in your statement on page 6 that ‘The ratio of space to forces is a key factor in guerrilla war. This was vividly expressed in Lawrence’s mathematical calculation about the Arab Revolt—that to hold it in check the Turks would ‘have need of a fortified post every four square miles, and a post could not be less than twenty men,’ so the requirement would be 600,000 men for the area they were trying to control, whereas they had only 100,000 available’…I would appreciate it if you could drop me a line and give me a more exact reference. I am interested in this mathematical calculation, but I haven’t been able to find it in a search through some of Lawrence’s writings. I am pleased that the Dolphin Books edition has now correctly printed your quotation.” In fine condition, with staple holes to the upper left corner.
This fascinating letter demonstrates Kennedy’s interest in military history and has an important connection to the impending war in Vietnam. Faced with the prospect of a communist threat in southeast Asia, Kennedy increased American involvement in Vietnam during this period—by the end of 1962 the US had dispatched twelve thousand military personnel to the region, a tenfold increase from the beginning of JFK’s presidency. Still, Kennedy hoped to avoid combat. In comparison to Lawrence’s fight in the Arab Revolt, the roles were reversed—he had led the insurgency against a superpower, while in this case America was the superpower. Perhaps it was Kennedy’s study of Lawrence’s success that made him hesitant to engage in guerilla warfare in Vietnam. He eventually initiated a resolution to bring home 1,000 ‘advisors’ from Vietnam by December 1963, and to remove all ‘advisors’ by 1965. It was not until JFK was out of office that Vietnam wildly escalated, and the guerilla war indeed proved disastrous. Starting Bid $500
Scathing memo from JFK to the White House curator on the faulty provenance of a 19th-century ‘Baltimore desk’
49. John F. Kennedy Typed Memo Signed as
President. Typed memo signed as president, “John Kennedy,” one page, 8 x 10.5, White House letterhead, September 6, 1962. Memo to White House curator William Elder, in which the president tersely demands answers to eight pointed questions regarding the discovery that a ‘Baltimore desk’ donated by Mrs. Maurice Noun of Iowa was not genuine, a revelation that took the White House-and Mrs. Noun-by surprise. In part: “It does not seem to me, after reading Maxine Cheshire’s article, that the White House handled the matter of the desk in a way fair to Mrs. Noun. I would like the answers to the following questions…Cheshire suggests that suspicions had arisen some months ago when we got the desk and that you yourself ‘had long been skeptical of the desk’s pedigree.’ I would like to know the date on which you first became skeptical…I would like to know the date on which the Baltimore Museum Curator ‘confided’ that there was ‘something unsatisfactory about the desk’…the Washington Post learned ‘months ago’ of the experts’ warnings to the White House. When was Mrs. Kennedy first informed?…Why, in short, was this matter first brought to the attention of Mr. Salinger and Miss Turnure by the Des Moines Register and not by the White House Curator?” Elder’s retained carbon copy of his two-page response is included. In fine condition, with some light creasing and rusty paperclip impressions to the upper left corner, and a trivial blot to the signature. The Baltimore desk, represented as dating to about 1800, was placed in the Green Room and one of the featured items in the famous broadcast of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s guided tour of the White House. In the television special, Kennedy cited Mrs. Noun by name and effusively praised her generosity, noting that the desk was the first piece of unsolicited fine furniture donated to the White House. The desk was already in place in the Green Room when Elder was hired as registrar in November 1961, and he was unsure of its authenticity from the beginning. Upon examination by more experts, enough suspicion arose that the desk was disassembled and found to be constructed of newer wood. They determined it to be a reproduction from about 1880-still old, but not a gem of early American furniture. Given the circumstances-the televised publicity and the fact that Mrs. Noun had already taken an $18,000 tax deduction-Elder and Jackie had decided to keep the piece in the White House but remove it from the Green Room and replace it with a legitimate period piece. While JFK was upset with Elder for the position Mrs. Noun was put in, Jackie was even more enraged with the press-she feared that fallout from this mishap could derail her plans for further restoration, but skillful damage control quieted it quickly. Starting Bid $300
Rare 1944 Navy Service card signed by the retiring Lt. Kennedy
50. John F. Kennedy Signed Navy Retirement Card.
Official US Navy service card, 5 x 3, partially filled out and signed by Kennedy, “John F. Kennedy,” December 26, 1944. The card reflects Kennedy’s release from active service, which began at the Submarine Chaser Training Center (SCTC), Miami, Florida on June 11, 1944, and concluded with “Retirement Board, Wash, D.C., 12/26/44.” Kennedy writes out his rank and home address at the “Hotel Bellevue, Boston.” In fine condition.
On April 24, 1943, Kennedy took command of PT-109, based in the Solomon Islands. On the night of August 1-2, 1943, he commanded PT-109 in a group of fourteen other PTs sent to block four Japanese destroyers. During the resulting engagement, the PTs failed to inflict any damage, but PT-109 was cut in half by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri. Two crew members were killed, but Kennedy and ten others survived in the wreckage and managed to swim more than three miles to a deserted island. Kennedy clenched the strap of a badly burned crew member’s life jacket between his teeth and towed him to safety. Over the next week, Kennedy or the entire crew swam to additional islands looking for food and fresh water. On one, Kennedy found packages of crackers and a fifty-gallon drum of drinkable water left by the Japanese and a small canoe, which he paddled back to his starving crew. After native scouts found the crew and took a message scratched on a coconut shell to allied authorities, another PT boat rescued them on August 8. Kennedy later received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism for his actions in saving the crew.
He returned to duty for several months in the Solomon Islands before a doctor relieved him of command because of his back injuries. He was sent back to the United States in January 1944, and was soon stationed at the Submarine Chaser Training Center in Miami. From May to December 1944, Kennedy was hospitalized at the Chelsea Naval Hospital in Massachusetts for back surgery and recuperation, then released from active duty. After more therapy at a military hospital in Arizona, Kennedy retired from the Naval Reserve on physical disability and was honorably discharged with the full rank of lieutenant. Starting Bid $500
Early address book from JFK’s Boston apartment, signed “John Kennedy, 122 Bowdoin Street, Boston”
51. John F. Kennedy’s Signed Personal 1947–52 Address Book and Initialed Invoice. John F. Kennedy’s
circa 1947–1952 personal address book used during his early days in Congress, 5.25 x 8, signed on the first page in fountain pen with his address and phone number: “John Kennedy, 122 Bowdoin Street, Boston, This number is La 3-6178.” Listed inside is contact information for a number of his close associates and advisors, including his brother Robert F. Kennedy, his father Joseph P. Kennedy, and his friend and aide Dave Powers. Also found are phone numbers for businesses he frequented, including Beacon Hill Pharmacy, Beacon Hill Market, Brooks Brothers, and Lahey Clinic. The address book offers an amazing look into JFK’s inner circle at this time in his life. Includes three items that were laid into the address book: a bill for $55.50 for cleaning Kennedy’s apartment, endorsed in the lower right corner in pencil by Kennedy, “OK—J.K, 1-25-52,”; and two letters of adoration sent to Kennedy by Greek admirers, likely resulting from his staunch support of free Greeks in their struggle against Communism during the 1940s. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Kennedy’s personal secretary Evelyn Lincoln to noted JFK collector Robert L. White, in part: “This small black ‘Address-Telephones’ book was used by John F. Kennedy in the early 1950’s, which you now have in your possession, was taken intact from a desk in John F. Kennedy’s apartment at 122 Bowdoin Street…The book finally wound up in a file cabinet in a small storage room near the Oval Office. On November 23, 1963 it was removed from that file cabinet.” In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $500
52. John F. Kennedy Typed Letter Signed on Sen. Joe McCarthy. TLS
signed “Jack,” one page, 6.25 x 9.25, United States Senate letterhead, March 12, 1954. Letter to Massachusetts lawyer Endicott Peabody, who would go on to become the state’s governor. In full: “Thanks for your letter concerning the activities of Senator McCarthy. I have received quite a volume of mail on this subject and have prepared a statement of my views. I am enclosing a copy for your information and will appreciate any comments you may care to make.”
Included is the enclosure referenced, entitled “Statement on the Conduct of Congressional Committees and Members of Congress,” in which Kennedy addresses the subject but goes to great lengths to avoid singling out McCarthy. View a partial transcription of the letter online. In fine condition, with slightly irregular light toning and a couple of paperclip impressions to top edge. Accompanied by a facsimile-signed letter dated December 15, 1953, outlining the highlights of his first year as a Senator.
The rise of Joseph R. McCarthy and his demagoguery presented an unusual challenge for Kennedy—his Irish-Catholic roots in a Protestant political system gave McCarthy and the Kennedy family a common bond, and he was a friend of patriarch Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. Three days before Kennedy wrote this letter, CBS broadcasted Edward R. Murrow’s famous special ‘A Report on Senator Joseph McCarthy,’ which exposed his poor behavior and rough tactics. McCarthy’s decline came sharply, and the Subcommittee on Investigations Army-McCarthy hearings began on March 16. These were also broadcast and discredited McCarthy even further, made most famous by the question posed to McCarthy by Boston lawyer Joseph Welch: ‘Have you no sense of decency?’ The anti-McCarthy sentiment culminated on December 2, 1954, when Senate voted to censure McCarthy by a vote of 67 to 22; Kennedy, who was hospitalized for back surgery, was the lone senator not on record, and he never officially indicated how he would have voted. Starting Bid $500
JFK-annotated papers on scheduling and the space program
Papers and Telegram. Two hand-annotated presidential papers including a letter to Senator Thomas J. Dodd and a space program memo to Secretary of the Air Force Eugene Zuckert: Typed letter draft annotated by President Kennedy, one page, 6.75 x 9, White House letterhead, August 6, 1962. To Senator Thomas J. Dodd of Connecticut, in part (JFK’s emendations in parentheses): “I was disturbed (at your statement) that you had attempted to see me, (and that) you had been unsuccessful. Senator Knowland also told me that you mentioned to him your inability to get an appointment with me. I am somewhat puzzled, however, because I have checked with Ken O’Donnell, Evelyn Lincoln and Mike Manatos, our Senate liaison, and they all advise me that no one (from your office) contacted them concerning your desire to see me. I would appreciate it if you would let me know who contacted the White House and with whom they spoke as I am always glad to see any Member of Congress (particularly those whom I know well—and who are concerned about important matters affecting our country).”
Memorandum for Secretary of the Air Force Eugene Zuckert annotated by President Kennedy, one page, 6.75 x 9, White House letterhead, August 27, 1962. In full (JFK’s emendations in parentheses): “Thank you for your memorandum to me on space. I am not so much interested in quotations from (my) previous (speeches) as I am in finding out exactly what program the Air Force is planning for (fiscal, the future). The latter I understand is under consideration and will come to me after it has been submitted to the Secretary. I notice TIME Magazine of this week, August 31st, has a quotation ascribed to you taken from a conversation between you and McNamara—’But the tone and the pace of our program are not right.’ I do not know how TIME secured this quotation, but I would be interested in having your suggestions as to how we can improve the tone and pace of our program.” Kennedy refers to a breakfast meeting between Zuckert and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara at Zuckert’s private dining room in the Pentagon. McNamara had asked Zuckert if he felt the Department of Defense was delaying essential Air Force space projects, to which Zuckert replied: ‘It’s not anything that you’re holding up, Bob. But the tone and the pace of our program are not right.’ Kennedy, concerned about the sluggish pace of the space program in 1962, is clearly annoyed that TIME managed to secure a quote from the private conversation, and is evidently warning Zuckert to be more guarded in future public comments. Outstanding content associated with one of Kennedy’s lasting legacies—the resounding success of the American space program.
Also includes a telegram from JFK to Carl Vinson, December 13, 1960, in part: “I attempted to reach you this afternoon to tell you that I was appointing Robert McNamara Secretary of Defense.” In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $500
Hersey’s ‘Survival’ signed by the hero of PT-109
from The Reader’s Digest containing a condensed version of John Hersey’s ‘Survival,’ a detailed account of how JFK battled to save the crew of PT-109 while adrift in the South Pacific, six pages, 5.5 x 7.5, signed on the first page in blue ballpoint, “John Kennedy.” Reprinted by the Massachusetts Committee for John F. Kennedy for President of the United States for his historic 1960 campaign. In fine to very fine condition. Starting Bid $500
Great Kennedy family photos from the White House years
55. John F. Kennedy (89) Color Transparencies
and Prints. Collection of 89 original vintage color 35mm transparencies of President John F. Kennedy with his family, complete with matching 5 x 7 modern prints of the images. Subjects including President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy, Jr. These remarkable images reveal President Kennedy as both a statesman and family man—meeting with dignitaries and giving speeches while still making time to play with his children. In these great family images, the kids bounce on a trampoline, dress up for Halloween, and tag along with their father as he strolls the White House grounds. Also includes thirteen vintage 5 x 7 photographic prints, mostly of John F. Kennedy, Jr. as a child. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $500
Five original photographs from JFK’s personal diary, given to biographer Gene Schoor
57. John F. Kennedy (5) Early Candid Photographs from His Personal Scrapbook. Unique collection of five
original candid photographs from the personal collection of the Kennedy family given to biographer Gene Schoor in 1961 by Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., while Schoor was preparing the book Young John Kennedy. The one-of-a-kind photos range in size from 2.5 x 2.5 to 3 x 4.75 and date to the early-to-mid 1930s during Kennedy’s high school years at Choate, all bearing typed captions affixed to the reverse.
The five photos show: a full-length image of JFK atop the roof of the Kennedy estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1935; a full-length image of JFK in his full academic regalia for his graduation from Choate in 1935; a playful image of Kennedy with his roommate Rip Horton as members of Choate’s drama club during a rehearsal; a photo of Kennedy with his father and sister ‘Kick’ on the deck of a ship (misidentified as a cousin on the label); and one of Kennedy with many of his friends at Choate, including Lem Billings and Bud Wynne.
The first three photos listed appear in Schoor’s book but the latter two do not; the image of JFK and Rip Horton was also published in LIFE Magazine’s JFK 100 Year Commemorative Edition celebrating his 100th birthday in May 2017. Also includes a typed memo on official White House letterhead, reading: “From: The personal diary of Pres. John F. Kennedy scrapbook & photo material given to Gene Schoor by [J.F.K. crossed out] Amb. Joe Kennedy at the White House, January 1961.” Accompanied by a first edition hardcover of Schoor’s book Young John Kennedy. In overall fine condition, with toned tape remnants to the top and bottom edges of one photo. An absolutely outstanding, one-of-a-kind collection of original material from Kennedy’s formative years. Starting Bid $300
56. John F. Kennedy (8) Photos and (2) Negatives from Dave Powers Collection. Group of original vin-
tage photos from the presidency of John F. Kennedy from the personal collection of his close friend and assistant Dave Powers. Includes: a matte-finish 10 x 8 photo of Kennedy inside the White House with his original Senate staff in 1961; a color glossy 5 x 7.75 photo of JFK and Jackie in front of the White House Christmas tree in December 1962; two 10 x 8 photos of JFK shaking Powers’ hand while boarding a plane at Nassau on December 21, 1962, with black-and-white negative of the image in a sleeve annotated by Powers; a glossy 10 x 8 photo of Kennedy with Cardinal Cushing in Rome on July 2, 1963, with original negative; a mounted glossy 6.75 x 8 photo of JFK with Cardinal Cushing on the same date, with folder annotated n Powers’ hand: “North American College in Rome, ‘All the Republican Cardinals have left, your Democratic friend stayed to greet you”; a color glossy 10 x 8 photo of President Kennedy with Caroline (on horseback) and JFK Jr. on September 30, 1963; and a glossy 10 x 8 photo of the whole First Family with the horse on the same date, with its matching negative and envelope captioned in Powers’ hand. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $500
58. John F. Kennedy (37) Original Photographs.
Collection of 37 original vintage first-generation photographs associated with John F. Kennedy, most from his presidency. Includes:
11 vintage glossy 8 x 10 photos printed by Transworld, with subjects including a series of close-ups of President Kennedy with his hand on his chin, John and Jacqueline Kennedy with limousines and the Marine One presidential helicopter, Jack marching in a parade, and their dogs Pushinka and Charlie sitting on the White House lawn. 17 vintage glossy 5 x 8 photos printed by Transworld, duplicating most of the above images and adding two of Caroline Kennedy with a snowman (including 4 x 5 negative for one of these shots), plus additional close-ups of JFK at a microphone.
9 vintage glossy 8 x 10 photos by Lou LaPrade of Hyannis, Massachusetts, showing JFK reading his acceptance speech at Hyannis Armory after the 1960 presidential election, JFK and Jackie at St. Francis Xavier, in a helicopter at Otis Air National Guard Base, JFK with LBJ, a meeting with Adlai Stevenson, and Rose Kennedy after Bobby’s assassination.
In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $200
59. John F. Kennedy 1960 DNC Pass and (19) Photographs. Archive of material mostly from the 1960 Democratic
National Convention held in Los Angeles in July 1960, including a framed unused pass for general admission to the nominee’s acceptance speech at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, 16 oversized photographs by John Bryson and Bill Bridges (with their photographer’s credit stamps on the reverse), and three oversized mounted photos by Ely Callaway, taken shortly before Kennedy’s death in November 1963. Photos include: Eight photos by Bill Bridges, ranging in size from 7.75 x 10 to 10.75 x 13.75, including three exceptional images of JFK delivering a speech, his head aglow; JFK on the platform with Lyndon B. Johnson; and Kennedy at the DNC podium. Eight photos by John Bryson, ranging in size from 8.75 x 13.75 to 10.75 x 13.75, including several close-up portraits of Kennedy and images of him meeting with his Democratic colleagues and party officials. Three mounted photos by Ely Callaway, 10.75 x 13.5, showing Kennedy at a dinner two weeks before his assassination, with a copy of a transmittal letter dated December 27, 1963. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $200
60. John F. Kennedy Signed Program. Program for “Florida’s Presidential Dinner,” held at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, on March 10, 1962, signed and inscribed on the front cover in blue ballpoint as president, “…all best wishes, John Kennedy.” In very good to fine condition, with soiling and staining to the covers. Starting Bid $200
Remarkable collection of 370+ original wirephotos from Kennedy’s campaign, presidency, and funeral
61. John F. Kennedy Archive of (377) Wire Photos.
Spectacular archive of over 370 original vintage wire service photos of John F. Kennedy, all from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, offering a remarkable visual chronicle of his 1960 presidential campaign, his presidency, and his funeral. Categories and approximate counts are broken down below:
Pre-1960 (16): highlighted by a photo of the marriage of John and Jacqueline Kennedy, a shot of JFK on the Harvard swim team, a portrait of PT-109 hero Lt. John Kennedy in uniform, and some Senate campaign events.
1960 (120): with photos of the Kennedy family, the 1960 Democratic National Convention, presidential campaign events and speeches around the nation, press conferences, and parades. Presidency (160): with many shots of President John F. Kennedy with the members of the First Family—Jacqueline, Caroline, and JFK Jr., Kennedy meeting with military brass, JFK’s 1962 trip to Mexico, Kennedy speaking at various official addresses and televised conferences, a meeting with Khrushchev, JFK at the Berlin Wall, meeting foreign dignitaries and royalty including Queen Elizabeth II, and other subjects
Funeral (75): with photos of the pallbearers carrying the president’s casket, the iconic image of JFK Jr. saluting his deceased father, the funeral procession and mass, the Kennedy family in mourning, the scene at Arlington National Cemetery, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s attendance at the ceremonies, and later memorial events. Starting Bid $500
Two magnificent oversized 1930s Kennedy family portraits, one from the files of renowned photographer Fabian Bachrach
62. Kennedy Family (2) Oversized
Photographs. Two remarkable oversized original 1930s portraits of the Kennedy clan: An extremely rare, striking original matte-finish 12.75 x 9.75 photo showing the Kennedy family in the living room of their home in Bronxville, New York, taken by acclaimed photographer Fabian Bachrach in 1938. This incredibly high quality formal image originates from Bachrach’s personal collection and was obtained directly from his family. A portrait of this caliber is something that few would possess, with the Kennedy’s themselves hanging a similar portrait in their own home. Shown left to right are Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.; Patricia Kennedy; John F. Kennedy; Jean Kennedy; Eunice Kennedy; Robert Kennedy; Kathleen Kennedy; Edward Kennedy; Rosemary Kennedy; Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.; and Rose Kennedy. Gilt-stamped in the lower right by Bachrach. Affixed to a slightly larger high quality contemporaneous mount. Although they are very closely associated with Boston, the Kennedy clan moved from Brookline, Massachusetts, to Bronxville in 1927, where the family lived until 1942. Bachrach was one of America’s most prominent portrait photographers of the 20th century, especially of US commanders-in-chief, and remains most well-known for JFK’s iconic 1961 presidential portrait. A stunning, crystalclear portrait of America’s greatest political dynasty from Bachrach’s own files.
An outstanding original matte-finish 13 x 10 portrait of the Kennedy family circa 1935, showing them at their family estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with JFK seen next to his brother Joe, Jr., standing behind the couch. In fine condition. An absolutely beautiful image capturing the essence of the powerful American family. In overall fine condition. Starting Bid $300
Remarkable, comprehensive White House restoration correspondence archive between Jackie Kennedy and curator William Elder: “My main work—as you know—has been the W. House—I still care about it more than anything”
63. Jacqueline Kennedy White House Restoration
Archive. As first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy’s major project was the restoration of the White House to reflect its historic past and the promotion of its importance to the American public. This is a fascinating archive of material related to her ambitious project, primarily comprised of correspondence between her and White House curator William Elder, including seven undated handwritten letters from Jackie, ten letters from Elder to Jackie with numerous annotations in her hand, and a limited edition copy of the White House guidebook with a note from Jackie affixed inside. Elder was one of her principal assistants in acquiring new pieces for the Executive Mansion, and this fabulous collection of letters illuminates the thorough, thoughtful yet intense process behind her successful mission to develop the White House as a symbol of American history and accomplishment. In this remarkable correspondence, Jackie deals with a sensitive political matter, opting not to display a plate depicting Mamie Eisenhower in the Gold Room; annotates a letter regarding furniture and stylistic preferences, suggesting that identification diagrams be made so that “future Pres[ident’s] wives will know what’s what in each room & not toss it out or to the basement”; writes a twelve-page ALS telling Elder that he is a “marvelous & devoted curator” but asks to remain intimately involved in the process: “My main work—as you know—has been the W. House…having you here instead of Lorraine—is paradise—but I do not wish to be cut off completely—as I still care about it more than anything”; describes in specific detail several different pieces of furniture and other decor she would like for the White House in a long five-page ALS; and discusses the publication of the White House guidebook. Archive is in overall very good to fine condition. Starting Bid $1000
64. John F. Kennedy: Katsumori Yamashiro (2) Signed and Annotated Books. Japanese naval officer who com-
manded the 11th Flotilla (1900–1986) and who was Senior Officer on board the destroyer Amagiri on the night of the collision with John F. Kennedy’s PT-109. English and Japanese editions of PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War II by Robert J. Donovan, both signed inside by Yamashiro, “Capt. Katsumori Yamashiro, Cmdr.,” with extensive handwritten commentary to set the record straight. He writes out a similar passage in both books, headed “The True Story of Pres. John F. Kennedy’s PT109 Collision,” and sketches a map of the area in the Japanese volume. He adds further handwritten remarks throughout the English version, often brief notes in the margins with lengthier explanations at chapter endings. Capt. Yamashiro’s story, in part: “Upon sighting the PT109, my concern was the distance was closing, and if the Amagiri would collide with the PT109, the bow of the Amagiri might burn by the explosion of the torpedo on board the PT109. I, Captain Yamashiro, ordered ‘Hart-A-Port’ which was to avoid collision. Afterward Skipper Lt. Cmdr. Hanami told a deliberate lie when he ordered ‘Hard-A-Starboard.’ The fact the Amagiri hit PT109 with her starboard propellor blade proves the starboard statement a lie. When turning starboard it is impossible that she could hit anything with her starboard propellor. If there would still be an Imperial Japanese Navy, Skipper would be reprimanded and disgraced for this outrageous lie, completely ignoring my presence on board. Unfortunately, his lie was picked up by Mr. Donovan in his version of PT109. Of course Mr. Donovan’s version reached more people but it is not the truth. My story is the truth. I was there, I was in command and my order was to avoid collision.” In overall very good to fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Payment to the IRS by Richard Nixon, ten days after taking office as president
65. Richard Nixon Signed Check as President. Per-
sonal check, 8.25 x 3, filled out in type and signed by Nixon as president, “Richard M. Nixon,” payable to Internal Revenue Service for $52.80, January 30, 1969. In fine condition. Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th president of the United States only 10 days earlier. Starting Bid $200
66. Richard Nixon Docu-
ment Signed. DS, signed “R. M. Nixon,” one page both sides, 8.5 x 11, May 31, 1978. Personal financial statement submitted to Key Biscayne Bank, filled out in type to describe his assets, liabilities, income, net worth, and other financial information. In the itemized ‘other income’ field, Nixon puts down “Writing, est.—$247,500.00,” which is notable because he published his memoirs in 1978. In fine condition. Starting Bid $200
Less than a year before reaching the White House, Ford offers “some deep-rooted thoughts about prospects for peace in the world”
67. Gerald Ford Typed Letter Signed. TLS signed “Jerry Ford,” two pages, 8 x 10.5, Congress of the United States, Office of the Minority Leader letterhead, January 5, 1973. Letter to friend and former New York Congressman Seymour Halpern, expressing his “deep-rooted thoughts about prospects for peace in the world.” Ford sees an end to warring in Vietnam and the Middle East, is “heartened by recent developments with regard to our relations with the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China,” and attests that trade “is a key to future peace.” In fine condition, with some faint stains in the left margin of the first page. Starting Bid $200
Payment for Gerald R. Ford’s congressional stationery, deposited “to the Account of Stationery Room, U. S. House of Representatives”
68. Gerald Ford Signed Check. Personal check, 6 x 2.75, filled out and signed by Dorothy E. Hessler, payable to Gerald R. Ford for $3.75, January 11, 1971, endorsed on the reverse in ink, “Gerald R. Ford.” The memo field notes, “Stationery Account,” and the reverse is stamped, “For Deposit with the United States Treasurer, to the Account of Stationery Room, U. S. House of Representatives.” In fine condition. Dorothy Hessler (later Dorothy Downton) joined Ford’s congressional staff in 1967, remaining as his personal secretary until 1980: during his time as vice president, president, and his first few post-presidential years. Starting Bid $200
Bill signing pen for Frank Sinatra: “I was honored to sign into law the legislation authorizing the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to you”
69. Bill Clinton Typed Letter Signed to Frank Sinatra.
TLS as president, one page, 6.75 x 9, White House letterhead, June 10, 1997. Letter to Frank Sinatra, in part: “I was honored to sign into law the legislation authorizing the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to you. You have touched the lives of so many people over the years, not only through your spectacular career as a performer, but also through your many humanitarian activities. I hope you’ll enjoy the enclosed commemorative copy of the legislation and the pen I used to sign it.” Includes the souvenir copy of the legislation as well as the official black ballpoint bill signing pen, bearing Clinton’s facsimile signature and the presidential seal. In very fine condition. Provenance: Lady Blue Eyes: Property of Barbara and Frank Sinatra, Sotheby’s, 2018. Starting Bid $200
Obama comments on the toxic political environment,” “tea-baggers,” and “the health care reform bill” in a rare handwritten letter
70. Barack Obama Autograph Letter Signed as President. Superb ALS as president, signed “Barack Obama,” writ-
ten on both sides of a 6.5 x 4.25 White House stationery card, no date. Handwritten letter to “Mr. Ritter,” in full: “I received your letter, and appreciate your concerns about the toxic political environment right now. I do have to challenge you, though, on the notion that any citizen that disagrees with me has been ‘targeted and ridiculed,’ or that I have ‘made fun’ of tea-baggers. I think a fair reading is that I have gone out of my way to listen to legitimate criticism, and defend strongly the rights of everyone to speak their mind—including those who routinely call me ‘socialist’ or worse. I sincerely believe that the health care reform bill was the right thing to do for the country. It certainly wasn’t the smart ‘political thing!’ And I hope that in the months to come, you will keep an open mind and evaluate it based not on the political attacks but on what it does or doesn’t do to improve people’s lives.” In very fine condition. Accompanied by the blank original White House envelope. Starting Bid $300
71. Four Presidents Signed Pho-
tograph. Uncommon color satin-finish 10 x 8 photo of Presidents Nixon through Reagan gathered in the Blue Room prior to leaving for Egypt for Anwar Sadat’s funeral, signed in the lower border in felt tip, “Richard Nixon,” “Gerald R. Ford, 8/9/74–1/20/77,” “J. Carter,” and “Ronald Reagan.” In fine condition, with a few small surface creases. A sought-after combination of presidents. Starting Bid $300
