35 minute read
Presidents and First Ladies
Handwritten from Paris during negotiations to end the Revolution, an incredibly rare letter from John Adams to John Hancock
6001. John Adams Autograph Letter Signed to John
Hancock - PSA NM-MT 8. Revolutionary War–dated ALS signed “John Adams,” one page, 7.25 x 9.25, May 26, 1783. Significant handwritten letter to “His Excellency John Hancock,” sent from Paris while awaiting the final signing of the Treaty of Paris. In full: “Mr. De Hogendorp, a Lieutenant in the Dutch Guards, in the Service of the Republick of Holland, is going to America in the Suite of Mr. Vanberkel the Dutch Minister and I am requested by some respectable Gentlemen to give him Letters of Introduction to some persons in America. Any civilities you may please to show him will be gratefully acknowledged.” In fine to very fine condition. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “NM-MT 8.”
John Adams traveled to the Dutch Republic and settled in Amsterdam in mid-1780, where he hoped to transform a proAmerican sentiment into a substantial loan, thereby lessening American reliance on France. However, fearing reprisal from the British, the Dutch government refused to even meet with him for more than eight months. In spite of these political difficulties, Adams never relented. When news of America’s triumph at Yorktown reached Europe, Adams petitioned at The Hague for official recognition of American independence, and continued to badger them for a loan. As a result of these efforts, on April 19, 1782, the Netherlands became the second nation in Europe, after France, to recognize the sovereignty of the United States. Adams was then able to negotiate a loan of five million guilders, a treaty of amity and commerce, and establish the first American embassy on foreign soil. On March 4, 1783, Dutch politician Pieter Johan van Berckel was made the first minister plenipotentiary to the United States of America. Adams pledged to acquaint him and his envoys with certain American dignitaries. With this letter, he introduces Gijsbert Karel van Hogendorp, a member of van Berckel’s delegation, to his old friend, Governor John Hancock. During his travels in America, van Hogendorp would befriend Thomas Jefferson and spend time in the company of the Washingtons at Mount Vernon. Van Hogendorp would return to the Netherlands and hold several offices as an influential liberal statesman.
At the same time he was connecting his Dutch friends to their American counterparts, Adams was hard at work negotiating the Treaty of Paris as part of a delegation that included Benjamin Franklin and John Jay. The treaty to officially end the Revolutionary War was drafted on November 30, 1782, and finally signed at the Hôtel d’York in Paris on September 3, 1783, by Adams, Franklin, Jay, and British negotiator David Hartley.
Autograph letters from Adams to Hancock are exceedingly rare: in 1987, R. A. Ryerson, editor of the Adams Papers, identified this as one of only 13 extant letters of Adams to Hancock. Nine of these are in the Adams Papers, three are owned by other institutions, and only one other item—an account statement—remained in private hands at that date. Starting Bid $1000
6002. James Madison Signed Free Frank.
Free franked address panel, 5.25 x 3, addressed by Madison to “Richard Cutts, Esq., Washington,” and franked in the upper right, “Free, James Madison.” In fine condition, with trimmed edges. Cutts was the brother-in-law of Dolley Madison who served in the House of Representatives from 1801 to 1813. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6003. James Madison Signed Free Frank.
Free franked address panel, 5 x 3.25, addressed by Madison to “Judge Todd, Washington,” and franked in the upper right, “Free, James Madison.” In fine condition, with a few small stains. The recipient was presumably Thomas Todd, who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1807 until his death in 1826. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6004. James Madison Signature as Presi-
dent. Ink signature as president, “Affectionate respects, James Madison, Apl. 29, 1813,” on an off-white 3.75 x 2 sheet. In fine condition, with light staining to the right edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/ DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6005. James Monroe Autograph Letter Signed. ALS
signed “Jas. Monroe,” one page both sides, 7 x 9, Richmond, July 28, 1802. Handwritten letter to an unidentified gentleman, in full: “I did not answer yr very friendly letter relative to the accommodation you w’d give me in May sooner, because it was previously necessary to confer with the person for whom I intended it, to ascertain whether he co’d wait that term. I have had the conference and find that he will cheerfully wait the time desired. I shall therefore accept with pleasure this testimony of your friendship. The subject of amendments was a delicate one, with a view to the ultimate success of any proposition from this State. Propositions of amendment were carried in the H. of Delegates, and finally postponed for present in the Senate, on the idea that the delay might contribute more to the advancement of the object that their adoption immediately. I will forward you a copy of the amendments as soon as I can get them copied.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/ DNA authentication holder.
The enactment of Article V, or the ‘convention clause,’ allowed states to take an active role in proposing amendments to the US Constitution. Monroe’s mentioning of “amendments” and “proposition” likely refers to the eight proposed amendments by John Wayles Eppes and the Virginia General Assembly in early February of 1802. Although the Senate postponed the hearing until sufficient time was allotted-and was ultimately never revisited-Eppes’s fascinating revisions included bills that would ‘prohibit the president from serving two consecutive fouryear terms’ and ‘to consider the common law of England as separate from the law of the United States.’ Starting Bid $300
6006. John Quincy Adams Autograph Letter Signed as Secretary of State. ALS, one page, 7.5 x 5.5, January
25, 1823. Handwritten letter as Secretary of State, in full: “I send you herewith a copy of the pamphlet lately published by me, of which I request your acceptance—I should apologize for having left your Letter of the 6th inst. so long unanswered. With my affectionate regards to my niece, and best respects to your mother. I remain Dear Sir, your friend and faithful Serv’t.” In fine condition, with scattered stains, a small edge chip, and light show-through from old mounting remnants on the back corners. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6008. John Quincy Adams Signed Free Frank - PSA
NM-MT 8. Free franked mailing panel, 5.5 x 3, addressed in another hand to “Mr. Elisha Hale, Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio,” and franked in the upper right by John Quincy Adams as Secretary of State, “J. Q. Adams.” In fine condition, with light soiling and toning. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “NM-MT 8.” Starting Bid $200
6009. John Quincy Adams Signed
Free Frank. Hand-addressed and freefranked mailing panel, 5.5 x 3.25, addressed by John Quincy Adams to “Mesrs. B. F. Presbury, W. A. Gordon, and Theodore Dean, or either of them Taunton,” and franked in the upper right, “J. Q. Adams.” In fine condition, with some light creasing and soiling. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Adams aids in apprehending a man “charged with having committed Piracy and Murder on board a vessel fitted out at Baltimore”
6007. John Quincy Adams Letter Signed - PSA NM 7. LS, one page both sides, 7.75 x 9.5, February 4, 1819. Letter to Jonathan Fisk, US Attorney for the District of New York, enclosing “the original Deposition of Joseph Almeda in the case of George Clark and Joseph Moon who are charged with having committed Piracy and Murder on board a vessel fitted out at Baltimore—You will see from the letter of Mr. Glenn, the Attorney, that a warrant was issued against these men upon the facts disclosed by this Deposition and that Clark evaded the service of it by his sudden departure from Baltimore for New York in the sloop Hiram, Captain Luther Evans, but that Moon was taken, and is now under arrest, and in prison in Baltimore. Under these circumstances, it is the President’s wish that you lose no time in setting on foot the necessary judicial prosecutions.” In fine condition. Encapsulated and graded by a PSA/DNA as “NM 7.” Starting Bid $200
6010. John Quincy Adams Signed Free Frank -
PSA NM-MT 8. Hand-addressed and free-franked mailing panel, 4.5 x 3, addressed by John Quincy Adams to his son, “Charles F. Adams Esq., Court Street, Boston,” and franked in the upper right, “J. Q. Adams.” In very good to fine condition, with light stains, and a small hole in the right blank area. Born in 1807, Charles Francis Adams studied law with Daniel Webster and went into practice in Boston; he went on to serve in the House of Representatives and as envoy to the United Kingdom. A desirable father-and-son political association. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/ DNA as “NM-MT 8.” Starting Bid $200
6011. Andrew Jackson Signature.
Bold ink signature, “Andrew Jackson,” on an off-white 4 x 2 sheet affixed to a slightly larger card. In fine condition, with light show-through from writing on the reverse. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6012. Martin Van Buren Signed
Check. The Bank of Kinderhook check, 6 x 2.5, filled out and signed by Martin Van Buren, “M. Van Buren,” payable to A. Berringer & Co. for $18, March 22, 1856. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
1828 letter of recommendation from William Henry Harrison for a U.S. Navy midshipman
6013. William Henry Harrison Document Signed.
Manuscript DS, signed “W. H. Harrison,” one page both sides, 8 x 10, January 14, 1828. A letter of recommendation addressed to Secretary of the Navy Samuel L. Southard, in full: “We recommend to you favorable notice Midshipman James Noble for the appointment of purser in the U.S. Navy. Believing him to be in every respect qualified, and his talents and integrity well known to you, we solicit his appointment, which would be gratifying to us and his friends generally. We have no doubt that he will if appointed faithfully discharge the duties enjoined. If out of your power to appoint him purser, we recommend him for a lieutenancy in the Marine Corps.” Signed at the conclusion by Harrison, and countersigned by several others, including: Richard M. Johnson, Thomas Hart Benton, Jesse B. Thomas, William Hendricks, Benjamin Ruggles, William Marks, Walter Lowrie, Oliver H. Smith, Mordecai Bartley, Thomas H. Blake, William Creighton, Jr., John C. Wright, Joseph Vance, James Clark, John Sergeant, and Andrew Stewart. In very good to fine condition, with reinforcements to the inner hinge and short fold splits. Encapsulated in a PSA/ DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6015. William Henry Harrison Document Signed. Early manuscript DS, signed “Wm. H. Harrison, Aid de Camp,” one page, 8.75 x 3.5, September 1795. Partial document regarding the use of provisions, signed boldly at the conclusion by a young William Henry Harrison. In very good to fine condition, with irregular toning, light creasing, and intersecting folds. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.Starting Bid $200
Mere days before signing the Treaty of Greenville, Harrison provides beef and flour to the “Chippawas”
6014. William Henry Harrison Autograph Document Signed. ADS signed “Wm. H. Harrison, a.d.c.,” one page, 7.5
x 2.5, July 29, 1795. Handwritten document by Harrison from his headquarters at Greenville, Ohio, directing supplies to the Chippewa Indians just prior to the Treaty of Greenville. In full: “The company will issue for the Chippawas thirty nine pounds of beef & flour.” In fine condition, with scattered faint staining. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. At this time, Harrison was just 22 years old and serving as aide-de-camp to General ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne in the Ohio Indian Wars. In August, he would be one of the signatories of the Treaty of Greenville, which ended the Northwest Indian War. In the treaty a coalition of Native American tribes, including the Ottawa, Potawatomi, Chippewa, Miami, and Shawnee, ceded a large area of midwestern land to the United States in exchange for goods valued at $20,000. Harrison would come to national fame nearly two decades later when he again fought the Native Americans, most prominently in a victorious effort over Tecumseh at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. Starting Bid $200
6016. John Tyler Signed Free Frank.
Free franked mailing panel, 4.75 x 3.25, addressed in another hand to “Duff Green Esq., Washington City,” and franked in the upper right corner, “J. Tyler, U.S.S.” In fine condition. Duff Green was an influential politician and journalist, best remembered as an ardent supporter of Andrew Jackson. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6017. James K. Polk Signature. Crisp
ink signature, “James K. Polk,” on an offwhite 4.25 x 2.25 sheet. In fine condition, with some faint staining. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6018. James K. Polk Signed Free
Frank. Hand-addressed and free franked mailing panel, 5 x 3.25, addressed in Polk’s own hand to “Col. Sam’l H. Laughlin, McMinnville, Tennessee,” and franked in the upper right corner, “Free, J. K. Polk.” Reverse retains the original red wax seal. In very good to fine condition, with scattered staining affecting only appearance. Laughlin was the founder and editor of the Nashville Union newspaper, served as a senator in the Tennessee legislature, and was a vigorous supporter of James K. Polk. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6020. Zachary Taylor Document Signed as President. Manuscript DS
as president, signed “Z. Taylor,” one page, 7 x 2.5, April 14, 1849. Order issued from the Executive Office, in full: “Let the penalty of the bond be $50,000 as above recommended.” Signed boldly at the conclusion by President Zachary Taylor. In fine condition, with lightly irregular light toning, and the sheet ostensibly trimmed from a larger document. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6019. Zachary Taylor Letter Signed as
President-Elect. Scarce LS as president-elect, signed “Z. Taylor,” one page, lightly lined, 7.5 x 7.25, January 19, 1849. From Baton Rouge, Taylor sends a letter of thanks to the editor and publisher of the Cincinnati Gazette. In part: “I avail myself of an early occasion before leaving this place to journey north, to express to you my warm acknowledgments for your courtesy and kindness in forwarding to my address for some time past, the regular number of the ‘Gazette’—I have always perused its columns with interest and pleasure.” In very good to fine condition, with faint toning, light soiling, and trimmed edges. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor ran as a member of the Whig Party in the 1848 presidential election and was victorious—much to the dismay of his wife, Margaret—becoming the first chief executive never to have held any prior office. Shortly after sending this letter, Taylor set out from Baton Rouge for Washington, D.C.—”leaving this place to journey north”—traveling mainly by waterway on a three-week trek that featured numerous ceremonies and dinners. Among the stops along the way was Cincinnati, where he sent a telegram to John Clayton formally offering the position of secretary of state. Starting Bid $200
6021. Zachary Taylor Signed Free Frank as President. Hand-addressed
and free-franked mailing panel, 5.5 x 3, addressed by Zachary Taylor to “Henry Grinnell Esq., New York City,” and franked in the upper right as president, “Free, Z. Taylor.” Retains the original red wax seal on the reverse. In fine condition. Taylor received franking privileges upon his ascent to the presidency, and passed away before his term ended. Given his short tenure in the White House, presidential autographs by Taylor are especially scarce. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6022. Zachary Taylor Signature.
Neat ink signature, “Z. Taylor,” on an offwhite 4.25 x 2.25 sheet. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Rare Brady portrait of Millard Fillmore, signed by the ex-president amidst the Civil War
6023. Millard Fillmore Signed Photograph. Rare
2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite photo of Fillmore in a full-length pose, published by E. Anthony from a negative from Mathew Brady’s National Portrait Gallery, neatly signed on the mount in ink, “Millard Fillmore, March 6, 1862.” Reverse is annotated in another hand. In fine to very fine condition. Extremely scarce in this format, this is just the fourth signed photo of Fillmore we have offered, and the only example of this handsome standing portrait that we have seen. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $500
6024. James Buchanan Autograph Letter Signed as President. ALS as
president, one page, 6.25 x 8, April 25, 1859. Handwritten letter to “Miss Hetty,” his housekeeper, Edith Parker, in full: “I am grateful to learn that you will be with us on the first of May. As this will come on Sunday next, please to inform us whither the carriage shall be sent to meet you on Saturday or on Monday. Poor Fanny had gone home to her Heavenly Father. There is every reason to believe she was prepared for the change. She suffered much with great patience. Remember me very kindly to your Sister & believe me always to be your faithful friend.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
In 1834, Buchanan hired Miss Hetty (1805-1899) to work as his housekeeper, a position she would hold for the next 34 years until Buchanan’s death. Traveling with Buchanan and his family from the townhouse on East King Street to Wheatland—and even the White House for a brief period of time—Miss Hetty became a valued family member, assuming the role of hostess, attendant, and occasional nurse. She was always present at the table during gatherings for meals, and, as Buck Henry recalled, was the only person who could scold James Buchanan without rebuke. Starting Bid $200
6025. James Buchanan Signed Free
Frank. Hand-addressed and free franked envelope panel, 4.25 x 2.25, addressed by Buchanan to “Thomas L. Hamer, Esq., Georgetown,” and franked in the upper right, “Free, James Buchanan.” Postmarked at Washington, January 20, no year. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Extremely scarce 1865 Brady portrait of President Andrew Johnson
6026. Andrew Johnson Signed Photograph. Rare
2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite photo of President Andrew Johnson in a seated pose, taken by Brady’s National Photographic Portrait Galleries of Washington, crisply signed on the mount in ink. In fine condition, with lightly trimmed borders. Johnson’s president-era signature is uncommon on its own—he frequently used a stamp due to a crippled right hand—and he is especially scarce in signed photos, this being one of a handful of cartes-de-visite we have offered. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $300
Choice Civil War-era signed portrait of Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant
War-era 2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite portrait of Grant in uniform, published by E. & H. T. Anthony from a negative by Mathew Brady, boldly signed in the lower border in dark ink, “U. S. Grant, Lt. Gen. U.S.A.” In fine condition. Grant was promoted to lieutenant general by President Lincoln in March 1864 before being elevated to general in August 1866, dating this signature to that period. An ideal example of a Grant cartede-visite from the Civil War period. Encapsulated in a PSA/ DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $300
6028. U. S. Grant Signed Check as President - PSA NM-MT 8. First
National Bank business check, 8 x 2.75, filled out and signed by Grant as president, “U. S. Grant,” payable to Benjamin DeWolff for $30, January 4, 1870. In fine condition. The recipient is most likely the New York jeweler of the same name. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder, grading the autograph as “NM-MT 8.” Starting Bid $200
6029. U. S. Grant Document Signed
as President. Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 7.75 x 10.25, September 21, 1871. President Grant authorizes and directs the Secretary of State “to affix the Seal of the United States to a Warrant for the pardon of John Wiggins.” Signed at the conclusion in ink by U. S. Grant. In fine condition, with a few small spots of foxing. Encapsulated in a PSA/ DNA authentication holder. Accompanied by a modern photo of Grant in uniform. Starting Bid $200
6030. U. S. Grant Signature. Ink signature,
“U. S. Grant,” on an off-white 3.25 x 1.75 card. In fine condition, with toning from prior display. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Brilliant portrait of the former president
6031. Rutherford B. Hayes Signed
Photograph. Exceptionally clear 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of the former president in later age sporting a bright white beard, signed in the lower border in black ink, “Rutherford B. Hayes, 1892.” Published by Theodore Endean of Cleveland, Ohio. In fine to very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. A year later, Hayes died of complications of a heart attack at his home on January 17, 1893, at the age of 70. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA. Starting Bid $200
Just after leaving the White House, Hayes presents his portrait to a future Pulitzer Prize winner
6032. Rutherford B. Hayes Signed Photograph. Vintage matte-finish 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Hayes in a nearprofile pose by Sarony, signed and inscribed on the reverse in fountain pen, “My compliments to Edward W. Bok, Rutherford B. Hayes, 26 July 1881, Fremont, O.” In fine condition. Edward W. Bok (1863–1930) was an author and journalist who served as editor of The Ladies Home Journal from 1889 to 1919, and won a Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography in 1921. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
ALS signed “R.B.H.,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, July 27, 1888. Handwritten letter with a comment on Benjamin Harrison’s presidential campaign, in part: “The affair will do no harm. But your tact will enable you to use such items without risk Names, dates, places are in the line of ‘pointers’ that identify…Gen. Harrison says so many good things that there is danger that some will be missed that ought to be kept in sight. E.g. his speech to his old soldiers, early in the canvass.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Handwritten letter by President Hayes from the Executive Mansion
6034. Rutherford B. Hayes Autograph Letter
Signed as President. ALS as president, signed “R. B. Hayes,” one page, 4.25 x 6.75, Executive Mansion letterhead, no date. Handwritten letter concerning court martial proceedings, in part: “In this case if the fact that the Court Martial unanimously recommended Capt. Riley…was called to my attention at the time I affirmed the Sentinel of the Court I do not now recall it. That fact is certainly an important one in such a case.” In very good to fine condition, with light staining along to the lower right edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6035. James A. Garfield Signature. Ink
signature, “J. A. Garfield, Hiram, Ohio,” on an off-white 4 x 2.25 card. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6036. Chester A. Arthur Signed Executive
Mansion Card. Executive Mansion card, 4 x 2.25, signed in fountain pen by Chester A. Arthur. In fine condition, with some faint soiling, and old mounting remnants to the back top corners. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6037. Grover Cleveland Signed Photograph. Appeal-
ing 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Cleveland in a near-profile pose by C. M. Bell of Washington, D.C., signed in ink, “Grover Cleveland.” In fine condition, with mounting remnants to revere. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200 6038. Grover Cleveland Signed Photograph. Desirable
4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Cleveland by B. F. Powelson of Buffalo, signed in the upper left in black ink, “Grover Cleveland, Mch. 15, 1908.” Cleveland began signing at the bottom of his jacket, which remains only slightly visible, and a newspaper article regarding his 71st birthday celebration is affixed to the reverse. In fine condition, with a superficial tear to the left border of the image (the mount unaffected), and the upper right corner of the mount trivially clipped. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6039. Benjamin Harrison Signed Photograph.
Uncommon 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of President Harrison by J. D. Merritt of Washington, D.C., nicely signed on the mount in ink, “Benj. Harrison.” In fine condition, with trivial loss to the corner tips. Harrison is scarce in this format—we have offered only one other signed photograph in the last five years. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6040. William McKinley Signed White
House Card. Uncommon ANS as president, signed “William McKinley,” on an official Executive Mansion card, 4.25 x 2.75, March 7, 1899. A handwritten presidential note, in full: “Cheerfully complying with your request, believe me, yours very truly.” In fine condition, with some light ink brushing, and old mounting remnants on the back. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6041. Theodore Roosevelt Signed Photograph
as President. Scarce, splendid matte-finish 3.5 x 5.5 Italian postcard photo of Roosevelt from circa 1897, signed in bold fountain pen as president, “Sincerely yours, Theodore Roosevelt, Sept 23d 1904.” In fine condition, with a light diagonal bend to the upper left background area. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. This portrait was originally taken by B. J. Falk in New York City, circa 1897, and depicts Roosevelt as the new Assistant Secretary of the Navy. A year later, at the onset of the Spanish–American War, he resigned and actively participated in combat as Lieutenant Colonel of the Army’s First Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, a group soon to be forever known as the ‘Rough Riders.’ Starting Bid $200
6042. Warren G. Harding Signed White
House Card. White House card, 4.25 x 2.25, signed neatly in fountain pen by Warren G. Harding. In very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Playful “royal” letter from FDR to the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York World reporter
President. TLS as president, signed “Royally Yours, Franklin D. Roosevelt,” one page, 7 x 9, White House letterhead, April 4, 1941. Humorous letter to editor and journalist Herbert Bayard Swope, in full: “Your new form of salutation and subscription is truly regal. You must have inherited it from the Chevalier Bayard who was, as I remember it, the left-handed offspring of the Calif Haround al Raschid. Whenever I get a letter from present Emperors, Kings, Grand Dukes, etc., that is just what they do. The salutation and the subscription are also written longhand. You might pass this on to Emily Post.” In the address, FDR strikes through “Hon.,” and writes “H.R.H.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Truman aims to keep the “radio free from control by newspapers”
6044. Harry S. Truman Typed Letter Signed as President.
TLS as president, one page, 7 x 8.75, White House letterhead, November 26, 1948. Letter to Congresswoman Helen Gahagan Douglas, in part: “I have been up to date pursuing the policy of trying to keep the Communications system over the radio free from control by newspapers. I haven’t had much help from Congress. It will require legislation to do the job as it ought to be done, and it certainly ought to be done.” In fine condition. An intriguing letter on media cross-ownership, a subject of continued interest today as media empires have expanded into the virtual world. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
6045. Jacqueline Kennedy Original ‘Type II’ Photograph by Cecil Stoughton. Very
rare original vintage glossy 10 x 8 photo of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and her secretary, Mary Gallagher, boarding Air Force One at Love Field in Dallas, Texas, shortly after her husband, President John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed by assassin bullets; his casket had been transferred onto the plane moments prior. This rare image was taken by official White House photographer Cecil W. Stoughton. The reverse is plain. In fine condition, with a few small creases. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic ‘Type II’ photograph. Starting Bid $200
by Cecil Stoughton. Original vintage color glossy 5 x 7 photo of President John F. Kennedy standing outside in a full-length pose at the White House on a sunny October day in 1963, taken by official White House photographer Cecil W. Stoughton. The reverse bears “A Kodak Paper” watermarks and is annotated with the negative number, “C333-10-63,” above his photographer credit stamp. In fine condition. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic ‘Type I’ photograph. Starting Bid $200
6048. Kennedy Family Original ‘Type I’ Photograph
by Cecil Stoughton. Original vintage color glossy 8 x 10 silver gelatin photo of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and their children, Caroline and John, Jr., leaving St. Edward’s Church in Palm Beach, Florida, following Easter Mass on April 14, 1963, taken by official White House photographer Cecil W. Stoughton. The reverse bears “A Kodak Paper” watermarks. In fine condition, with adhesive remnants on reverse. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic ‘Type I’ photograph. Starting Bid $200
Program page signed by the brass of the 1959 Democratic Party—JFK, Truman, and Roosevelt
6047. John F. Kennedy and Harry S. Truman Signed
Program Cover. Title page from the seating list for the Advisory Council of the Democratic National Committee Diamond Jubilee Dinner honoring Eleanor Roosevelt at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on December 7, 1959, 8.5 x 9, signed on the cover sheet in blue ballpoint by John F. Kennedy, Harry S. Truman, and Eleanor Roosevelt, plus 10 other Democratic leaders in ink and ballpoint: Adlai Stevenson, Hubert H. Humphrey, Earl Brown, Paul M. Butler, Mike Monroney, Mike Mansfield, Carl Albert, John McCormack, Stuart Symington, and Robert Meyner. In very good to fine condition, with staple holes and a paperclip impression to the upper left corner, light toning, and a rough bottom edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Technically an evening feting the former first lady, an Associated Press news story instead dubbed the evening a ‘beauty contest’ of 1960 presidential hopefuls from the Democratic Party. Led by Truman, the night’s ‘honorary chairman,’ the article cited Stevenson, the event’s official chairman, as the leading candidate and the Democrats’ best chance to secure the White House. A notable absence was Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, who, out of his fear of rejection, scheduled a minor event in its place—an episode detailed in Robert Caro’s biography The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Vol. IV. Fascinating in historical context, the eventual winner of the 1960 election—Bay State Senator John F. Kennedy—was mentioned last after New Jersey Governor Robert Meyner. Three weeks after this event, on January 2, 1960, Kennedy announced his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. A unique and marvelous ensemble of presidential possibilities. Starting Bid $300
6049. Lyndon B. Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy Original ‘Type II’ Photograph by
Cecil Stoughton. Original vintage glossy 10 x 8 photo of Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of office aboard Air Force One following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, taken by official White House photographer Cecil W. Stoughton. The most notable figures in the image are Judge Sarah T. Hughes, administering the oath in the lower left; the new first lady, Lady Bird Johnson; the new president, Lyndon B. Johnson, with his right hand raised during the swearing-in ceremony; and the mourning former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy. The photo is annotated on the reverse in red pencil, “14.” In fine condition. A most historic image captured amidst tragedy in Dallas. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic ‘Type II’ photograph. Starting Bid $200
Handwritten note from Reagan a month into his presidency
6050. Ronald Reagan Autograph Note Signed
as President. ANS as president, signed “RR,” penned at the top of a typed letter from Dorothy Donnan, who inquires about the fate of a doll presented to Nancy Reagan on the birth of their second child, 5.75 x 7.75, dated February 28, 1981. Reagan’s handwritten note, in full: “Nice letter to her—tell her doll was given after our children grew up to a dear friend when was having her 1st baby.” In fine condition, with small stains at the top. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Starting Bid $200
Sought-after White House engraving signed by Barack Obama
6051. Barack Obama Signed White House Engraving - PSA MINT 9. Rare off-white 8 x 5.5 engraving of
the south face of the White House by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, signed nicely in black felt tip by Barack Obama. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder, grading the autograph as “MINT 9.”
The White House Reconstruction, also known as the Truman Reconstruction, was a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House between 1949 and 1952. One of the more controversial changes was the Truman Balcony, a second-floor balcony overlooking the south lawn, which Truman asserted would provide shade for the lower portico and add balance to the otherwise vertical appearance created by the columns—President and First Lady Obama cited the Truman Balcony as their favorite spot in the White House. Starting Bid $300
6052. Chester A. Arthur Signature as President.
Starting Bid $200
6053. James Buchanan Signed Free Frank.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6055. Grace Coolidge Signed Free Frank.
Starting Bid $100
6056. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed Envelope.
Starting Bid $200
6057. Mamie Doud Eisenhower Signed Check - PSA NM 7.
Starting Bid $100
6058. Millard Fillmore Signed Free Frank.
Starting Bid $200
6059. Millard Fillmore Signed Free Frank.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6061. James A. Garfield Signed Free Frank.
Starting Bid $200
6062. Warren G. Harding Signed Photograph.
Starting Bid $200
6063. Benjamin Harrison Signature.
Starting Bid $200
6064. Benjamin Harrison Signed Check - PSA NM-MT 8.
Starting Bid $200
6067. Herbert Hoover Signed Photograph.
Starting Bid $200
6065. Rutherford B. Hayes Signed Executive Mansion Card.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6068. Herbert Hoover Signature.
Starting Bid $100
6069. Lyndon B. Johnson Signature - PSA MINT 9.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6077. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson Original ‘Type I’ Photograph by Cecil Stoughton.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6078. Kennedy Assassination: Jacqueline Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson Original ‘Type III’ Wire Photograph.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $100
Starting Bid $200
6085. James Monroe Signature.
Starting Bid $200
6083. John F. Kennedy, Johnson, and Cooper Original ‘Type I’ Photograph by Cecil Stoughton.
Starting Bid $200
Starting Bid $200
6086. James Monroe Autograph Letter Signed.
Starting Bid $200
6087. Edith Roosevelt Signed Mailing Envelope - PSA NM-MT 8.
Starting Bid $100
6088. Helen Taft Signed Free Frank - PSA MINT 9.
Starting Bid $100
6089. Harry S. Truman Typed Letter Signed as President.
Starting Bid $200
6093. Martin Van Buren Autograph Letter Signed.
Starting Bid $200
6091. John Tyler Handwritten Endorsement.
Starting Bid $200
6090. John Tyler Signature.
Starting Bid $200
6092. Martin Van Buren Signature as President.
Starting Bid $200
6094. Martin Van Buren Signed Free Frank - PSA NM 7.
Starting Bid $200
6095. Woodrow Wilson Signed Photograph.
Starting Bid $200
