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RR’s second annual February Remarkable Rarities auction boasts 80 elusive and extraordinary items, representing some of the rarest and most remarkable things we’ve seen all year. Among the highlights are an important autograph letter by George Washington on his reelection as president, an Enigma machine from World War II, several important Albert Einstein autographs and materials, a Steve Jobs signed business card, a fully signed Beatles album, and rare original artwork by Jack Kerouac. RR Auction is a globally recognized and trusted auction house specializing in historical autographs and artifacts. Join us as we make history selling history in February 2025.
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Robert S. Eaton Sr. 1940–2001
President
acknowledges the Senate’s message on his reelection: “If this be an event which promises the smallest addition to the happiness of our country, as it is my duty so shall it be my study to realize the expectation”
Signed as President, Acknowledging the Senate’s Message on His Reelection. Historic ALS as president, signed “Go: Washington,” one page, 9 x 14.75, [December 10, 1793]. Handwritten letter acknowledging the United States Senate’s message upon his reelection, and referring to the Senates approbation of his neutrality proclamation. In full: “The pleasure, expressed by the Senate, on my reelection to the station, which I fill, commands my sincere and warmest acknowledgments.—If this be an event which promises the smallest addition to the happiness of our country, as it is my duty so shall it be my study to realize the expectation.
The decided approbation, which the proclamation now receives from your house, by completing the proof, that this measure is considered, as manifesting a vigilant attention to the welfare of the United States, brings with it a peculiar gratification to my mind.—The other important subjects, which have been communicated to you, will, I am confident, receive a due discussion; and the result will, I trust, prove fortunate to the United States.” In fine condition, with light toning and small repairs to partial fold splits.
On December 9th, Vice President John Adams, in his capacity as president of the United States Senate, transmitted a message to Washington to thank him for delivering a speech at the opening session of Congress, congratulating him on his reelection as president, and expressing the broad approval of his position on neutrality. Adams wrote, in part: ‘Your reelection to the Chief Magistracy of the United States gives us sincere pleasure. We
consider it as an event every way propitious to the happiness of our country, and your compliance with the call as a fresh instance of the patriotism which has so repeatedly led you to sacrifice private inclination to the public good. In the unanimity which a second time marks this important national act we trace with particular satisfaction, besides the distinguished tribute paid to the virtues and abilities which it recognizes, another proof of that just discernment and constancy of sentiments and views which have hitherto characterized the citizens of the United States.
As the European powers with whom the United States have the most extensive relations were involved in war, in which we had taken no part, it seemed necessary that the disposition of the nation for peace should be promulgated to the world, as well for the purpose of admonishing our citizens of the consequences of a contraband trade and of acts hostile to any of the belligerent parties as to obtain by a declaration of the existing legal state of things an easier admission of our right to the immunities of our situation. We therefore contemplate with pleasure the proclamation by you issued, and give it our hearty approbation. We deem it a measure well timed and wise, manifesting a watchful solicitude for the welfare of the nation and calculated to promote it.’
In this remarkable handwritten reply, President George Washington affirms his steadfast devotion to his nation and his enduring commitment to the welfare of the United States. An extraordinary rarity penned by Washington as he continued his patriotic duty as president of the United States of America. Starting Bid $5,000
732-4280
“to the National Assembly of France the peculiar sensibility of Congress to the tribute paid to the memory of Benjamin Franklin”
4002. Thomas Jefferson Document Signed as Secretary of State, Acknowledging France’s Tribute “paid to the memory of Benjamin Franklin”. DS, signed “Th: Jefferson,” one page, 9.25 x 15, March 2, 1791. Official printing of a resolution passed by the First Congress of the United States during its Third Session, in full: “Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the Unites States be requested to cause to be communicated to the National Assembly of France the peculiar sensibility of Congress to the tribute paid to the memory of Benjamin Franklin, by the enlightened and free representatives of a great nation, in their decree of the eleventh of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety.” Imprinted at the conclusion with the names of Speaker Frederick Muhlenberg, Vice President John Adams, and President George Washington, and prominently signed below in ink by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. In fine condition, with a faint block of toning from prior display.
Benjamin Franklin, widely admired at home and abroad, was especially beloved in France: during his time as ambassador to the nation (1776–1785), his charm, wit, and diplomatic skills won him celebrity status in Parisian society. Franklin capitalized on his fame to further the cause of freedom, successfully negotiating for the French financial and military support that was crucial for America’s victory against Britain. The Founding Father died at his home in Philadelphia on April 17, 1790,
News of his death reached Paris on June 11, 1790, prompting a period of national mourning. Speaking before the National Assembly, Mirabeau eulogized the great man: ‘Franklin is dead! The genius, that freed America and poured a flood of light over Europe, has returned to the bosom of the Divinity. The sage whom two worlds claim as their own, the man for whom the history of science and the history of empires contend with each other, held, without doubt, a high rank in the human race. Too long have political cabinets taken formal note of the death of those who were great only in their funeral panegyrics. Too long has the etiquette of courts prescribed hypocritical mourning. Nations should wear mourning only for their benefactors. The representatives of nations should recommend to their homage none but the heroes of humanity.
The Congress has ordained, throughout the United States, a mourning of one month for the death of Franklin; and, at this mo-
ment, America is paying this tribute of veneration and gratitude to one of the fathers of her Constitution. Would it not become as, Gentlemen, to join in this religious act, to bear a part in this homage, rendered, in the face of the world, both to the rights of man, and to the philosopher who has most contributed to extend their sway over the whole earth? Antiquity would have raised altars to this mighty genius, who, to the advantage of mankind, compassing in his mind the heavens and the earth, was able to restrain alike thunderbolts and tyrants. Europe, enlightened and free, owes at least a token of remembrance and regret to one of the greatest men who have ever been engaged in the service of philosophy and of liberty. I propose that it be decreed, that the National Assembly, during, three days, shall wear mourning for Benjamin Franklin.’
In a subsequent letter to President George Washington, Abbé Sieyès remarked: ‘Great men are the fathers of universal humanity; their loss ought to be felt, as a common misfortune, by all the tribes of the great human family; and it belongs without doubt to a nation still affected by all the sentiments, which accompany the achievement of their liberty, and which owes its enfranchisement essentially to the progress of the public reason, to be the first to give the example of the filial gratitude of the people towards their true benefactors…The name of Benjamin Franklin will be immortal in the records of freedom and philosophy; but it is more particularly dear to a country, where, conducted by the most sublime mission, this venerable man knew how very soon to acquire an infinite number of friends and admirers, as well by the simplicity and sweetness of his manners, as by the purity of his principles, the extent of his knowledge, and the charms of his mind.’
Washington forwarded the letter of condolence and esteem to Congress, prompting this resolution by which the House and Senate asked him to formally reply. Washington wrote: ‘So peculiar and so signal an expression of the esteem of that respectable body for a citizen of the United States, whose eminent and patriotic services are indelibly engraved on the minds of his countrymen, cannot fail to be appreciated by them as it ought to be. On my part, I assure you, Sir, that I am sensible of all its value.’
For more on France’s reaction to Franklin’s death, see ‘France Pays Tribute to Benjamin Franklin’ by Bob Ruppert, published in the Journal of the American Revolution. Starting Bid $1,000
“A large number of our colored soldiers, with their white officers, were, by the rebel force, massacred after they had surrendered”
4003. Abraham Lincoln Letter Signed as President on Fort Pillow Massacre of Black Soldiers by Rebels. Civil War-dated LS as president, signed “Yours truly, A. Lincoln,” one page, 8 x 10, Executive Mansion letterhead, May 3, 1864. Letter addressed in Lincoln’s hand to “Hon. Secretary of the Navy,” Gideon Welles, regarding the devastating massacre of Union soldiers (many of them part of the United States Colored Troops) at Fort Pillow on April 12, 1864. In full: “It is now quite certain that a large number of our colored soldiers, with their white officers, were, by the rebel force, massacred after they had surrendered, at the recent capture of Fort Pillow. So much is known, though the evidence is not yet quite ready to be laid before me.—Meanwhile I will thank you to prepare, and give me in writing, your opinion as to what course, the government should take in the case.” In fine condition, with a very light, uniform block of toning.
On April 12, 1864, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest—an expert cavalryman and future founder of the Ku Klux Klan—led a raid on Fort Pillow, an outpost in west Tennessee that had been held by federal troops for about two years. The Union garrison there numbered about 600 men, divided almost evenly between black and white troops. Forrest’s troops outnumbered them three-to-one, and had the fort surrounded. After several hours of sharpshooters’ repartee—which took the life of the fort’s commander, Major Lionel F. Booth—Forrest sent a note demanding surrender. The ultimatum was delivered to Maj. William F. Bradford, who asked for an hour to decide. Forrest ceded only 20 minutes, and Bradford replied: ‘I will not surrender.’
Forrest then launched a brutal assault on the fort, quickly overwhelming the Union forces. Most of the garrison tried to surrender, throwing down their arms and begging for mercy—only to be fired upon and bayoneted by the attacking rebels. President Lincoln first addressed the Fort Pillow incident during a speech at the Baltimore Sanitary Fair on April 18th, pledging that these deaths would not be in vain: ‘A painful rumor, true I fear, has reached us of the massacre by the rebel forces at Fort Pillow, in the west end of Tennessee on the Mississippi river of some three hundred colored soldiers and white officers who had just been overpowered by their assailants...Having determined to use the negro as a soldier, there is no way but to give him all the protection given to any other soldier.… We are having the Fort Pillow affair thoroughly investigated.…If there has been the massacre of three hundred there, or even the tenth part of three hundred, it will be conclusively proved; and being so proved, the retribution shall as surely come. It will be a matter of grave consideration in what exact course to apply the retribution; but in the supposed case, it must come.’
The Battle of Fort Pillow became the subject of an inquiry by the Congressional Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, as well
as the subject of numerous reports in the press. Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly and Harper’s Weekly were among the nationally circulated periodicals that publicized the horrors of the massacre. Lincoln struggled to find an appropriate response as the truth about the massacre emerged, turning to the members of his cabinet for counsel. As documented in the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Volume 7 (ed. Basler), Lincoln sent this text to all members of his cabinet, asking for their advice regarding the government’s course of action following the Fort Pillow events.
On May 6th, President Lincoln held a cabinet meeting to review the various options that had been suggested. Gideon Welles played a principal role in the affair, and provides an overview of the discussion in his diary entry for that date: ‘Between Mr. Bates and Mr. Blair a suggestion came out that met my views better than anything that had previously been offered. It is that the President should by proclamation declare the officers who had command at the massacre outlaws, and require any of our officers who may capture them, to detain them in custody and not exchange them, but hold them to punishment…In a conversation that followed the reading of our papers, I expressed myself favorable to this new suggestion, which relieved the subject of much of the difficulty. It avoids communication with the Rebel authorities. Takes the matter in our own hands. We get rid of the barbarity of retaliation.’All feared that eye-for-an-eye retaliation—the execution of a like number of rebel soldiers and officers—would cascade into an even more vicious war. In 1885, Frederick Douglass recalled his August 1864 audience with President Lincoln to urge retaliation against the South for its brutality against black Union soldiers: ‘I shall never forget the benignant expression of his face, the tearful look of his eye, and quiver in his voice when he deprecated a resort to retaliatory measures. ‘Once begun,’ said he, ‘I do not know where such a measure would stop.’ He said he could not take men out and kill them in cold blood for what was done by others. If he could get hold of the persons who were guilty of killing the colored prisoners in cold blood, the case would be different, but he could not kill the innocent for the guilty.’
Ultimately, Abraham Lincoln chose to take no action on the issue, and it was soon surpassed in the public mind by the successes of General U. S. Grant’s Wilderness Campaign. Nevertheless, ‘Remember Fort Pillow’ became a rallying cry for the Union’s black soldiers, and the tragic events may well have influenced President Lincoln’s implementation of a more radical abolition policy. His letter to his cabinet members reveals just one of the heavy subjects weighing on his mind as he fought to preserve the Union, his trust in his devoted ‘team of rivals’ cabinet, and the innate sense of justice that informed his decision making. A remarkable and historically significant letter signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Starting Bid $5,000
the creation of an Exports
“The free play of trade will not be arbitrarily interfered with”
4004. Woodrow Wilson Typed Statement Signed as President, Declaring Economic Warfare on Germany at the Outset of World War I. Typed statement signed as president, “Woodrow Wilson,” three pages, 5.25 x 8, June 25, 1917. An official typescript of President Wilson’s public declaration of economic warfare against Germany, headed: “Statement of the President with regard to the Policy of Export Control.” In part: “It is important that the country should understand just what is intended in the control of exports which is about to be undertaken, and since the power is vested by the Congress in the President I can speak with authority concerning it. The Exports Council will be merely advisory to the President.
There will, of course, be no prohibition of exports. The normal course of trade will be interfered with as little as possible, and, so far as possible, only its abnormal course directed. The whole object will be to direct exports in such as way that they will go first and by preference where they are most needed and most immediately needed, and temporarily to withhold them, if necessary, where they can best be spared. Our primary duty in the matter of foodstuffs and like necessaries is to see to it that the peoples associated with us in the war get as generous a proportion as possible of [our] surplus; [which we can spare;] but it will also be our wish and purpose to supply the neutral nations whose peoples depend upon us for such supplies as nearly in proportion to their need as the amount to be divided permits.
There will, thus, be little check put upon the volumes of exports and the prices obtained for them will not be affected by this regulation. This policy will be carried out, not by prohibitive regulations, therefore, but by a system of licensing exports which will be as to constitute no impediment to the normal flow of commerce. In brief, the free play of trade will not be arbitrarily interfered with: it will only be intelligently and systematically directed in the light of full information with regard to needs and market conditions throughout the world and the necessities of our people at home and our armies and the armies of our associates abroad.
The government is taking, or has taken, steps to ascertain, for example, just what the remaining available present supply of wheat and corn is remaining from the crops of last year; to learn from each of the countries exported these foodstuffs from the United States what their purchases in this country now are, and where they are stored; and what their needs are, in order that we
may adjust things so far as possible to our own needs and free stocks; and this information is in course of being rapidly supplied.
The case of wheat and corn will serve as an illustration of all the rest, of supplies of all kinds. Our trade can be successfully and profitably conducted now, the war pushed to a victorious issue, and the needs of our own people and of the other peoples with whom we are still free to trade efficiently met only by systematic direction; and that is what will be attempted.”
Includes President Wilson’s cover letter to news reporter Ames Brown: a TLS as president, signed “Woodrow Wilson,” one page, 5.25 x 8, White House letterhead, June 25, 1917, in full: “Here is a statement which I hope you will supply to all the press, to accompany the announcement of the creation of an Exports Council for to-morrow morning’s papers. You will notice that it is a signed statement.” In fine condition, with a rusty paperclip impression to the transmittal letter.
In June 1917, President Woodrow Wilson declared economic warfare on Germany during World War I by implementing export controls to deprive Germany of critical supplies needed to sustain its war efforts. The Exports Council, created under Wilson’s executive order, controlled U.S. exports, ensuring that American and Allied needs were met while enforcing an embargo on goods that could indirectly reach Germany through neutral nations. This strategy, combined with the British blockade, intensified the economic strain on Germany, which was already facing severe shortages of food, coal, and essential materials, leading to riots, strikes, and widespread unrest.
The U.S. quickly mobilized its economic and military power, with Congress passing laws such as the Selective Service Act to draft soldiers and legislation to enforce export controls. Wilson’s measures included embargoing key resources like corn, meat, iron, and gasoline, while granting limited export licenses to neutral countries to prevent hardship. To manage public perception, Wilson established a Committee on Public Information, which issued official updates to the press, explaining the rationale behind these policies; the department’s news releases were handled by newsman Ames Brown. These economic actions, combined with military involvement, significantly weakened Germany’s economy and contributed to the eventual Allied victory in 1918. Starting Bid $500
“For Major General Max Taylor –Brilliant and gallant battle leader in World War II. With best wishes and lasting regard to him and Diddy from their devoted friend, Mamie and Ike Eisenhower”
4005. Dwight D. Eisenhower Signed Ltd. First Edition of Crusade in Europe, Presented to His Future Army Chief of Staff, Maxwell D. Taylor. Signed book: Crusade in Europe. First edition, limited issue, numbered 1397/1426. NY: Doubleday, 1948. Hardcover, 7 x 10, 559 pages. Signed and inscribed on the colophon in fountain pen to noted senior United States Army officer Maxwell D. Taylor, “For Major General Max Taylor – Brilliant and gallant battle leader in World War II. With best wishes and lasting regard to him and Diddy from their devoted friend, Mamie and Ike Eisenhower,” who signed on behalf of his wife. Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG/None, with the special D-Day prefatory page excised from the volume, a small stain to the front board, and rubbing to the title on the spine.
A hugely desirable signed copy of Eisenhower’s wartime memoirs, which he has affectionately dedicated to a man for whom he held the utmost respect and admiration. Maxwell Taylor served with distinction throughout World War II. As commander of the 82nd Airborne Division Artillery, he took part in combat in Sicily and
Italy, and in the late summer of 1943, during the planning for the Allied invasion of Italy, he was tasked with a secret mission to Rome to coordinate an 82nd airdrop with Italian forces. General Eisenhower, then the Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, later said that ‘the risks he ran were greater than I asked any other agent or emissary to take during the war.’
In May 1944, Taylor received temporary promotion to major general and was assigned as commander of the 101st Airborne Division, nicknamed ‘The Screaming Eagles.’ Taylor took part in the division’s parachute jump into Normandy on June 6, 1944, and consequently became the first Allied general officer to land in France on D-Day. Following the war, Maj. Gen. Taylor was hired as the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. He left that post in 1949 and, in 1955, was made Chief of Staff of the Army by his good friend and comrade, President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Starting Bid $300
“Mr.
an extremely
4006. Ronald Reagan Signed Photograph and Berlin Wall Relic: “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall!”. Color satin-finish 6 x 4 photo of President Ronald Reagan giving his historic address at the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, signed in the lower border in black felt tip, “Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall! Ronald Reagan.” Handsomely cloth-matted and framed in a shadowbox with a plaque, presidential patch, and a large relic attributed to the fallen wall (approximately 4˝ x 3˝ x 2˝) to an overall size of 14˝ x 29.5˝. In very fine condition. Accompanied by a photocopy of a letter by attorney Kevin J. Lipson, explaining: “My client, a former senior White House official, was authorized by the President to distribute an extremely limited number of these
photographs, as inscribed, to the supporters and participants in the Germany trip.”
President Ronald Reagan delivered his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin on June 12, 1987, imploring Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to dismantle the Berlin Wall, a powerful symbol of Cold War division. The speech underscored Reagan’s commitment to freedom and was seen as a bold call for the end of communist oppression in Eastern Europe. The historic speech was elevated to iconic status after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, representing the end of the Cold War and the start of a new era of human liberty. Starting Bid $1,000
As president of Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin orders a payment to supply “firewood for the Pennsylvania guards and Oil for the Lamp kept in the guard room”
4007. Benjamin Franklin Document Signed for “firewood for the Pennsylvania guards”. Manuscript DS signed “B. Franklin,” one page, 7.75 x 6.5, June 13, 1787. Pay order issued to Treasurer David Rittenhouse, in part: “Pay to John Nicholson Esquire or order the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds for defraying the contingent Expences of the Comptroller General’s Office including expences for firewood for the Pennsylvania guards and Oil for the Lamp kept in the guard room.” Prominently signed at the conclusion by Franklin and endorsed several times by Nicholson on the reverse. In fine condition, with a thin old mounting strip along the left edge, and
partial fold separations repaired on the reverse. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Franklin signed this as president of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, a position analogous to the modern position of governor. The resolution approving this pay order is documented in the Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, published by the state. A superb and interesting piece signed by Franklin in the course of his important governmental work. Starting Bid $1,000
4008. Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Image shown larger than actual size.
Signature - One of the Rarest Declaration Signers. Signer of the Declaration of Independence from South Carolina (1749–1779); his father had served in the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1776 but had to return home due to illness. Thomas Lynch, Jr., was chosen to take his father’s place in Congress, where he voted for and signed the Declaration. In 1779, he sailed to St. Eustatius in the West Indies, but his ship was lost at sea and never found. Exceedingly rare ink signature, “Lynch,” on an off-white 1.5 x .5 slip, expertly mounted within a custom-made 8.75 x 11 full morocco presentation folder along with engravings of Lynch and the signing of the Declaration of Independence, gilt-stamped on the front cover: “Thomas Lynch, Jr., One of the Rarest Signers of the Declaration of Independence.” In fine condition.
With the rise of autograph collecting in nineteenth-century America, one of the first areas of specialization was Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Apart from the Signers’ central role in American history and the unusual significance of their autographs—after all, writing their names is what ensured their immortality—obtaining all 56 represented a goal that, with a little determination, could be achieved by a resourceful collector. It quickly became evident, however, that there were two notorious ‘stoppers’ among the Signers: Button Gwinnett and Thomas Lynch, Jr. It is not entirely clear who is rarer—while Gwinnett was generally thought to be the rarest of all signers, recent studies have proclaimed Lynch as the scarcer of the two. In either case, Lynch is certainly of the utmost rarity and is far and away one of the most desirable early American autographs. Starting Bid $2,500
autograph album from the mid-to-late 19th century, highlighted by Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, five other presidents, Thomas Edison, Sam Houston, heroes of the Civil War, and a wealth of stage stars
4009. 19th Century Notables Autograph Collection (250+ Signatures) with Six Presidents (Lincoln and Cabinet, Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, and Cleveland), Thomas Edison, and Sam Houston. Impressive mid-to-late 19th century hardcover autograph book, 12 x 8.5, containing more than 225 affixed signatures of notable presidents, politicians, military figures, entertainers, and other celebrities of the era. The first page boasts a remarkable selection of six presidential autographs: Abraham Lincoln, U. S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, and Grover Cleveland. Subsequently affixed within the book are a number of Lincoln-associated autographs, including his son, Robert Todd Lincoln; cabinet members, including Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, Secretary of War Simon Cameron, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, Postmaster General Montgomery Blair, Attorney General Edward Bates, Secretary of State William Seward (and his son, Assistant Secretary Frederick W. Seward), Private Secretary John G. Nicolay, and several of his military commanders, including William T. Sherman, Winfield Scott, John Dix, Winfield S. Hancock, George McClellan, Nathaniel P. Banks, John C. Fremont, and Charles Wilkes.
Other especially notable political signatures within the book include Garfield assassin Charles Guiteau, Garfield’s attending physician Doctor Willard Bliss, Aaron Burr, Reverdy Johnson, Charles Sumner, James G. Blaine, John A. Logan, Hamilton Fish, Jefferson Davis, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Thomas A. Hendricks.
The first section, principally devoted to politics and military men, contains some 75 signatures; it is followed by several blank pages, then entertainment section begins, with about 150 autographs, including: P. T. Barnum, Lotta Crabtree, Maggie Mitchell, Lillie Langtry, Richard Mansfield, William H. Crane, Sol Smith Russell, Helena Modjeska, Adelaide Ristori, Henry Irving, Ellen Terry, Fanny Davenport, Otis Skinner, E. H. Sothern, Frederick Hobson Leslie, and Digby Bell.
At rear is a small section of devoted to noted lecturers and writers, including agnostic orator R. G. Ingersoll, ASPCA founder Henry Bergh, journalist Charles Anderson Dana, poet Matthew Arnold, poet James Russell Lowell, poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., playwright Bartley Campbell, theatrical producer David Belasco, author Alexandre Dumas fils, and novelist Wilkie Collins.
Also loosely accompanying the album are are choice autographs of Thomas Edison (an early, ideal example of his classic ‘umbrella’ signature), Statue of Liberty sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and Texas statesman Sam Houston, plus various clipped signatures of the likes of Fitzhugh Lee, John J. Crittenden, Edward Everett, Peter Cooper, Charles Sumner, and others. Additionally includes a handful of letters signed by various notables, highlighted by Rudyard Kipling and James G. Blaine. In all, the collection consists of over 250 autographs.
In overall very good to fine condition, with heavy wear to the album’s spine and covers, and varying degrees of light mounting stains to the majority of signatures. A remarkable, diligently assembled compendium of 19th-century notables. Starting Bid $1,000
“This is the Memorable Day when Civil War commences between The Kings Troops and the North Americans”—the secret diary pages of one of Rhode Island’s original state senators, offering a historical eyewitness testimony at the dawn of the Battle of Lexington and Concord
4010. Theodore Foster’s (6) Revolution-Era Almanacs with Secret Handwritten Diary Entries Detailing the State of the New England Colonies and the Impending War with Great Britain. Historical collection of six Revolution-era almanacs published in Newport and Providence, Rhode Island between 1769 and 1791, originating from the personal collection of Theodore Foster, an educator, lawyer, and politician who served as one of the two original state senators of Rhode Island. Bound within these early publications are Foster’s secret diary entries, containing roughly 40 handwritten pages discussing daily events both quotidian and consequential to the political climate of the New England Colonies. Of chief importance and interest is a rare 1773 printing of John Anderson’s ‘Anderson Improved: Being an Almanack, and Ephemeris,’ which features Foster’s firsthand account of a trip to Boston, Massachusetts, on the eve of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. On the front leaf, Foster has written vertically in the left margin and then along the top: “April 19th 1775. This is the Memorable Day when Civil War commences between The Kings Troops and the North Americans” and “All things are uncertain to us.”
On April 15, 1775, he wrote: “This Morning Just after I was up I was informed by Mr Bracket that a large number of the Kings Troops had march’d Just before Into the Common…I set away From his House about 2’o clock PM and arrived at Concord about an hour and an half before sunset. I came to Concord to see my Father who I supposed was attending the Provincial Congress but found that he had gone away the Tuesday before as a Delegate to the Assembly of the Colony of Connecticutt to know what they intend to do at this Alarming Period.”
The almanacs included with this collection are as follows (chronological):
1769 – Abraham Weatherwise’s [Benjamin West] The NewEngland Town and Country Almanack…for the Year of our Lord
1769. Providence, Rhode Island: Sarah Goddard and John Carter, [1768], 44 pages, 4.25 x 6.5, also contains almanac pages for 1768. Includes a woodcut engraving of British radical journalist and defender of American liberties John Wilkes.
1771 – Benjamin West’s The New-England Almanack…for the Year of our Lord Christ 1771. Providence, Rhode Island. John Carter, 1770, 16 pages, 4.75 x 7, with 46 interleaved manuscript pages, 20 of which are blank.
1773 – John Anderson’s Anderson Improved…For the Year of Our Lord 1773. Newport, Rhode Island: Solomon Southwick, 1772, 38 pages, 4.75 x 7, with 10 interleaved manuscript pages discussing historical events of 1775.
1778 – Benjamin West’s The New-England Almanack…for the Year of our Lord Christ 1778. Providence, Rhode Island: John Carter, 1777, 12 pages, 4.25 x 7.25, with Foster’s handwritten notes inner margins, which read, in part: “Aug. 6. 1778 General Varnum and Glover with their Brigade…Two and Three thousand Men march out of Providence on the Expedition against the Enemy on Rhode Island about 6 o’Clock in the Morning.”
1784 - Unidentified almanac sans covers, [Rhode Island] 24 pages, 4.25 x 7, which includes the poems, ‘On Happiness,’ ‘The Curse of Avarice,’ and ‘On Time,’ above monthly calendars. Also includes ‘To Peace,’ ‘For a Watch,’ ‘Anecdote of Philip II of Spain,’ ‘Thoughts on Several Subjects,’ and other pieces.
1791 – William Lilly Stover’s The Columbian Almanack…For the Year of Our Lord [1791]. Newport, Rhode Island: P. Edes, 1790, eight pages (incomplete, February to April only), 4.5 x 7, with four interleaved manuscript pages (now loose).
Interested parties are strongly encouraged to view our more detailed online description. Starting Bid $5,000
“I am sure I can be of more help to the country now where I am than as P.M.”— Chamberlain writes four days after his resignation
4011. Neville Chamberlain WWII-Dated Typed Letter Signed, On His Resignation as Prime Minister: “I am sure I can be of more help to the country now where I am than as P.M.” British politician (1869–1940) who served as prime minister from 1937 to 1940, and is remembered for his foreign policy of appeasement toward Nazi Germany; by signing the Munich Agreement in 1938, he allowed Hitler to annex Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland in what is now recognized as one of the major early steps toward World War II. World War II–dated TLS, signed “Yours ever, Neville Chamberlain,” one page, 7.5 x 9.5, Privy Council Office letterhead, May 14, 1940. Letter to Captain Sir William Brass, addressed in Chamberlain’s hand as “My dear Willie,” in full: “Many thanks for your letter. The attitude of some of our friends on the other side is not very pleasant, but that is a small thing compared with the tasks ahead. I am grateful to you for the things you say and for your good wishes, and above all
for your long support and loyalty.” Chamberlain finishes the letter in his own hand: “I am sure I can be of more help to the country now where I am than as P.M.” In fine condition, with small rust stains to the left edge.
Chamberlain had just resigned from his position as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on May 10th, following the ‘Norway Debate’ in the House of Commons. After the failure of Allied forces to prevent the German invasion of Norway, a no-confidence motion was held amidst widespread criticism of Chamberlain’s conduct in the war. Accepting that a national government supported by all the main parties was essential, Chamberlain resigned from the premiership but remained leader of the Conservative Party—a position in which he believed, as he expresses here, that he could “be of more help to the country.” Starting Bid $1,000
“Never before in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few”
4012. Winston Churchill Signed Calligraphic Quotation: “Never before in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few”. Beautiful calligraphic quotation executed in black and blue on an off-white 14.25 x 11 sheet, signed below in fountain pen, “Winston S. Churchill.” The quotation is taken from Churchill’s enduring wartime speech in which he praised the brave efforts of the Royal Air Force and other Allied aircrew who were fighting in the Battle of Britain. The quote, in full: “Never before in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few.” The decorative ‘drop cap’ “N” features a background dotted with airplanes soaring through the clouds. In fine condition, with light toning from prior display.
Winston Churchill delivered a stirring tribute to the Royal Air Force before the House of Commons on August 20, 1940, as they bravely took to the skies to defend Britain against the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. Remembered for the iconic line as commonly paraphrased—’Never was so much owed by so many to so few’—Churchill praised the extraordinary courage and dedication of the pilots and crews actively engaged in battle, describing their efforts as pivotal in preventing a German invasion. The speech was both a morale booster for the British people and an acknowledgment of the RAF’s critical role in World War II, recognizing the valor and sacrifice of those who fought in the skies to secure Britain’s survival. Starting Bid $1,000
De Gaulle prepares to lead the French resistance while exiled in London:
“I hope for France’s sake and for your sake, General, that you will be able to escape disaster, reach overseas France and continue the war. At the moment, there is no armistice that would be honourable”
4013. Charles de Gaulle WWII-Dated Autograph Letter Signed to Gen. Weygand, from Exile in London on June 20, 1940: “I shall join any French resistance movement that may be organised”. World War II–dated ALS in French, signed “C. de Gaulle,” four pages on two sheets, 9 x 12.5, June 20, 1940. Handwritten letter to French General Maxime Weygand, penned just after de Gaulle arrived in London as he began to organize what would be the Free French. Weygand was the newly appointed Minister of National Defence in what would become the Vichy government in July 1940. Weygand, cleverly using de Gaulle’s old classmate General Pierre Lelong as an intermediary, had sent de Gaulle a message saying he must return to Paris or otherwise be considered a treasonous deserter from the (Vichy) French army.
In his reply, de Gaulle writes that he will gladly return to Paris on the condition that the French government continue its fight against Nazi tyranny. Should the Petain government surrender, de Gaulle threatens to continue to fight the Germans from exile. The timing is highly significant: de Gaulle had given his ‘Appeal of 18 June’ two days earlier, marking the beginning of the French Resistance, and here he lays out his philosophy for what would become the Free French movement. With this letter, de Gaulle is also effectively signing his own death warrant with the Petain government: Vichy tried de Gaulle in absentia and sentenced him to death for treason on August 2, 1940.
In full (translated): “General Lelong has informed me of your order to return to France. I have therefore enquired of him how to do so, as I have, of course, no other resolution than that of serving
in combat. I therefore intend to come and present myself to you within 24 hours if, by then, the capitulation has not been signed.
In the event that it is, I shall join any French resistance movement that may be organised. In London in particular, there are military elements, and no doubt others will come who are determined to fight, whatever happens in France. I feel I must tell you very simply that I hope for France’s sake and for your sake, General, that you will be able to escape disaster, reach overseas France and continue the war. At the moment, there is no armistice that would be honourable.
I would add that my personal relations with the British government, and in particular with Mr. Churchill, could enable me to be useful to you and to any other high French personality who would like to put himself at the head of the continued French resistance. Please accept, General, the expression of my most respectful and devoted feelings.” In fine condition, with light creasing, and some small edge tears and chips.
De Gaulle would make good on his threat. The Petain government surrendered in the Armistice of 22 June 1940, and de Gaulle remained in England to establish a government-in-exile while supporting the resistance in Nazi-occupied France. De Gaulle’s Free French Forces joined the Allied nations in their fight against the Axis powers, serving in essentially every major campaign from North Africa to Indochina and making substantial contributions to the liberation of France, and, ultimately, the victory of the Allies in World War II. Starting Bid $1,000
4014. King Henry VIII Letter Signed on Thomas Cranmer, the ‘Father of the English Church’. LS in French, signed “V[ot]re bon amy, Henry R,” one page, 17 x 12.25, October 1, 1532. Important letter to the “trescher et tresgrand amy Le seig[eu]r de Granvele premier maistre des Requestes et Conseill[e]r de L’emperor,” the master of requests for the Emperor, thanking him for welcoming his earlier ambassadors and agents and for helping to maintain good relations between England and the Empire. He announces that he is sending Nicholas Hawkins, Archdeacon of Ely, as ambassador in place of Thomas Cranmer. King Henry VIII thanks him affectionately and asks him to give credence to everything that Dr. Hawkins would say on Henry’s behalf. Addressed on the reverse, which retains its papered seal embossed with royal arms. In fine condition, with a faint stain touching the signature.
Thomas Cranmer, called ‘the Father of the English Church,’ was to return to England to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, installed on December 3, 1533. In that role, he was a leader of the English Reformation and helped build the case for the annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which was one of the causes of the separation of the English Church from union with the Holy See. Along with Thomas Cromwell, he supported the principle of royal supremacy, in which the king was considered sovereign over the Church within his realm. Cranmer put the English Bible in parish churches, drew up the Book of Common Prayer, and composed a litany that remains in use today. Denounced for promoting Protestantism by the Catholic Mary I, he was convicted of heresy and burned at the stake in 1556. Provenance: Sotheby’s, December 14, 1989. Starting Bid $2,500
4015. Marie Antoinette Document Signed, Acknowledging Extravagant Royal Household Expenditures. Vellum manuscript DS in French, signed “Marie-Antoinette,” one page, 15 x 10.25, November 20, 1789. A debt acknowledgment related to expenses from six years prior, in part (translated): “Marc Antoine Francois Marie de la Tour, administrator of the Royal Treasury, in charge of our household expenditures has paid for the year 1783 the amount of 32,000 livres to our lady-in-waiting for our tissues and clothes.” Marie Antoinette certifies below with three autograph lines: “Receipt of the amount of thirty two thousand livres given to us in our hands during the year seventeen eighty three. Marie-Antoinette.” Countersigned by her secretary Beaugeard. A scarce paper seal depicting Marie Antoinette’s coat of arms is present to the lower left. Affixed to a same-size sheet and in very good to fine condition, with rippling and toning (primarily to the edges) and a tear to the left blank area.
In 1788, the spending of the Royal Household alone made up 13% of total state expenses. By 1789, the country’s finances were in disarray and the impoverished people were in uproar over the king’s absolute power and frivolous lifestyle. On October 5, 1789, an angry mob marched on the Palace of Versailles and attempted to kill Queen Marie Antoinette. After the situation was defused by the Marquis de Lafayette, Marie Antoinette and the royal family were forced to return to Paris from Versailles and placed under house arrest in Tuileries Palace.
This document, dating to mere weeks after their arrival at Tuileries, documents the reality of Marie Antoinette’s ostentatious lifestyle, with the 32,000 livres paid for “tissues and clothes”—equivalent to about $300,000—reinforcing the legend of the queen’s extravagant spending. Documents boasting multiple lines of Marie Antoinette’s handwriting are quite scarce, and her autograph is always desirable. Starting Bid $1,000
4016. Sigmund Freud Signed Book - Short Writings on Sexual Theory and Dream Theory. Rare signed book: Kleine Schriften zur Sexualtheorie und zur Traumlehre [Short Writings on Sexual Theory and Dream Theory]. First edition. Vienna: Internationaler Psychoanalytischer Verlag, 1931. Hardcover with dust jacket, 5.25 x 8, 381 pages. Crisply signed on the first free end page in fountain pen, “Sigm. Freud, 1937.”
Autographic condition: fine to very fine. Book condition: VG/P, with sunning to extremities of the boards and heavy wear to the jacket, including losses, splits, tears, and stains; the binding is tight and the textblock is clean, and the signed page presents beautifully.
Kleine Schriften zur Sexualtheorie und zur Traumlehre, which translated to Short Writings on Sexual Theory and Dream Theory, published in 1931, is a collection of Sigmund Freud’s essays on sexual theory and dream interpretation. This work consolidates some of Freud’s most influential ideas, providing insights into the unconscious mind and the development of human sexuality—a testament to Freud’s profound impact on psychology and his exploration of the human psyche. Starting Bid $1,000
“Free, D. Crockett”—rare hand-addressed and free franked panel by Crockett, addressing the publishers of his popular autobiography
4017. David Crockett Rare Signed Free Frank. Rare hand-addressed and free-franked envelope panel, 5.5 x 2.5, addressed by Crockett to his publisher, “Messrs. E. L. Cary & A. Hart, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” and franked in the upper right, “Free, D. Crockett.” Affixed to a slightly larger sheet and in very good to fine condition, with light soiling, and three tiny areas of paper loss. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Carey & Hart were the publishers of A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, which was released in 1834. The ‘autobiography’—colorfully describing his exploits as a bear hunter, Indian fighter, and frontier politician—did much to cement his status as a folk hero. A year after its release he would lose his place in Congress and turn to Texas, where he would fall at the Alamo in 1836. Starting Bid $1,000
Masterson
advice to an Old West ally for his Dodge City
am indeed sorry that the book doesn’t sell more readily than it does for it really is a meritorious volume”
4018. Bat Masterson Typed Letter Signed to an Old West Ally, Tendering Publicity Advice for an Autobiography on Dodge City. Rare TLS signed “W. B. Masterson,” one page, 8.5 x 11, The Morning Telegraph letterhead, February 4, 1914. Letter to friend, author, and Old West pioneer Robert M. Wright, regarding the publication of his 1913 autobiography, Dodge City, The Cowboy Capital, in full: “I got your letter yesterday and hasten to reply for fear I’ll forget it as I find it is quite easy for me to forget things now. I am indeed sorry that the book doesn’t sell more readily than it does for it really is a meritorious volume. I will call Mr. Price’s attention to what you say regarding his writing from time to time stories from the book and believe as you do that it will help its sale immensely. What is required to stimulate the sale of a book is advertising and unless that is done there is little demand for a book no matter how interesting it is. I know of no way to help out in the matter here although it might be worth while to place some of them on sale in one of the book stores. I have talked the book up among friends and one of them told me the other day he intended sending for a number of books to present to some personal friends. I loaned mine to him to read and he was greatly interested in it. I hope for better results with the book.” In fine condition, with slight minor chipping. Accompanied by three typed manuscript pages from Wright’s book, which detail the murder of Masterson’s brother, Ed (1852-1878).
Masterson first arrived in Dodge City in 1877 as a deputy sheriff alongside Wyatt Earp. The next year he was elected Sheriff of Fort County, Kansas, and would later wear a badge in both Colorado and New York. In 1878, Bat’s brother Ed Masterson, then Marshal of Dodge City, was murdered by an outlaw as described in the
pages of Wright’s manuscript. At the turn of the 20th century, Masterson moved to New York and was appointed deputy marshal by President Theodore Roosevelt, although his principal vocation for the rest of his life became journalism. Masterson began writing for the Morning Telegraph in 1902. His columns, entitled ‘Masterson’s Views on Timely Topics,’ were churned out three times a week for the next 18 years and revealed his opinions on war, crime, politics, and societal changes.
Robert Marr Wright (1840-1915), considered one of the founders of Dodge City, was first appointed by then-General Ulysses S. Grant to be a port trader at the Fort Dodge military outpost. He then went on to serve in various political offices between the mid-1870s and early 1880s, holding the positions of mayor of Dodge City, treasurer of Ford County, as well as the state’s forestry commissioner.
After an impressive climb to success, Wright was later hit with financial difficulties in his final years. Battling morphine addiction and struggling to support his family, Wright began pulling together his recollections and historical sources for an autobiographical work on the frontier town. It ultimately bore the lengthy title Dodge City, the Cowboy Capital, and the Great Southwest in the Days of the Wild Indian, the Buffalo, the Cowboy, Dance Halls, Gambling Halls, and Bad Men. Despite the interest expressed by Masterson and his associates, sales of the book were not strong. Most copies of the first printing were destroyed by the printers, leaving Wright to die penniless in 1915; the actual publication is a rare find today. Starting Bid $2,500
note from 1926, twice-signed by Al Capone, his wife, and his mother
4020. Al Capone Rare 1926 Twice-Signed ‘Gold Coin’ Chicago Bank Document. Rare partly-printed DS, signed twice by legendary Chicago Outfit gangster Al Capone, “Alphonse Capone,” and also twice-signed by his mother, “Theresa Capone,” and his wife, “Mae Capone,” one page, 8.75 x 3, November 18, 1926. An interest note for “Loan No. 6223,” in part: “Due to the order of Ourselves…$45.00 in gold coin of the United States of America of the present standard of weight and fineness, on the 18th day of November A.D. 1930 without grace, at the office of Lawndale National Bank in the City of Chicago…with interest after maturity until paid, at the rate of seven percent, per annum, being for an installment of interest on our principal and note No. 6 being of even date herewith for the sum of $1500.00.” Signed at the conclusion by Al Capone, his mother Theresa Capone, and his wife Mae Capone, and also endorsed on the reverse by all three. In
fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Capone rose to prominence throughout the 1920s, making a name for himself as a leader of the Chicago underworld. Increasingly implicated in the corruption of political, law enforcement, and labor officials, he was convicted of income tax evasion in 1931 and sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment, serving part of his sentence on Alcatraz. His autograph is scarce in any format, and this extraordinary example—a twice-signed “gold coin” Chicago bank document boasting two full-name autographs, plus the signatures of two members of the Capone crime family—stands out as one of the best Capone documents we have ever offered. It is one of just a handful of these Al Capone bank documents to come to market in the past twenty years, and would be the ‘kingpin’ of any collection of 20th-century Americana. Starting Bid $1,000
The reflections of a former Black Panther— rare, content-rich trio of Eldridge Cleaver’s journal notebooks with over 160 pages of revealing handwritten ideas and ponderings made by the influential Civil Rights activist
4021. Eldridge Cleaver’s (3) Notebook Journals with Over (160) Pages of Handwritten Notes. Eldridge Cleaver’s set of three journal notebooks from circa 1985-1987, containing over 160 pages of sundry handwritten notes and musings by the influential writer and political activist. These notebooks illustrate Cleaver’s life and views in the 1980s, a mindset far removed from his days as a Black Panther revolutionary of the 1960s. Among the various subjects found therein, Cleaver tries developing ideas for a screenplay, makes notes about books he wants to read, lists the names of people he plans to contact, and begins a daily diary, starting with the date he received divorce papers from his wife of 20 years.
The lot includes: a circa 1987 hardcover notebook, 8 x 9.75, 300 pages (64 with Cleaver’s handwriting), the first page filled out in black felt tip by Cleaver with his ownership signature, “Eldridge Cleaver,” and contact information; a circa 1985 leather-bound hardcover notebook, 7.5 x 10, 166 pages (38 with Cleaver’s handwriting), label to inside front cover annotated in another hand; and a leather-bound notebook, 6 x 9, 148 pages (59 with Cleaver’s handwriting). The 1987 notebook
was used as a partial diary and offers unique insight into Cleaver’s mind during this period:
- March 15, 1987: “Everything starts from a little point, from a tiny seed. The seed, in fact, is a very highly organized mechanism containing a life-force and a potential we can’t begin to comprehend. One thing that strikes me: These things—seeds—are themselves composed of even tinier units that themselves are a recapitulation of a previous stage of development and complexity—intricate complexity. It is God’s technology. Since we seem to have to go deeper and deeper to get to the source, is it not logical to infer that at the lowest level of breakdown of matter we should discover the source of it all? Would it then not make more sense for us to look inward for God, instead of looking out into the sky. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God lies within.” In overall fine condition.
Interested parties are strongly encouraged to read our more detailed online description. Starting Bid $1,000
Impressive and meticulous archive honoring
Manfred von Richthofen, highlighted by three rare crash relics and a lock of Red Baron hair
4022. Manfred von Richthofen: Red Baron Archive Highlighted by (3) Crash Relics and His Lock of Hair – Immense Lifetime Collection of Photographs (300+), Letters, and Historical Ephemera. Marvelous and diverse archive of relics, letters, ephemera, and photographs related to the legendary World War I career of German ace fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, known the world over as the ‘Red Baron,’ deriving from the personal collection of Connecticut veteran Alvin H. Thibault, who began assembling the archive while serving with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II.
This extensive archive is highlighted by three crash relics recovered from the Red Baron’s body and plane on April 21, 1918, a Red Baron hair relic certified by noted autograph dealer Charles Hamilton, and a map used in the headquarters of Australian General John Monash, who commanded the sector where Richthofen crashed. Additionally, the archive features seven volumes of scrapbooks and photo albums containing approximately 330 photographs, several broadsides and comics, more than a dozen prints of World War I aircraft, 124 pages of correspondence from collector Charles Donald, and copious pages of articles and newspaper stories clipped from various English-language and German-language periodicals, most of which are filled with photographs and artwork.
The historic Red Baron relics are as follows:
- Original swatch of fabric, 3.75˝ x .75˝, removed from Richthofen’s Fokker triplane after he was shot down on April 21, 1918. Procured by F. R. Rawlinson, No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps.
- Original plywood fragment, 3˝ x 3˝, removed from Richthofen’s
Fokker triplane after his crash. A faded inscription on the plywood reads, “Part of Baron Richthofen’s Triplane brought down by our battery on 21-4-18 France. He claimed 80 victories.” Procured by R. L. C. Hunt, 53rd Battery, Australian Imperial Force.
- Original swatch of coveralls, 1.5˝ x 1˝, removed from Richthofen’s Fokker triplane after his crash. Procured by F. R. Rawlinson, No. 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps.
- Original lock of Richthofen’s hair, displayed in an oval frame next to an image of a locket presented to a family member by the fighter ace. Includes a certificate signed by Charles Hamilton, which states: “I certify that the crewcut lock of hair attached herewith was removed by me from a locket, of which a photograph accompanies, and is an original lock of hair of German World War I ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen presented by him to a cousin.”
- Original field map used in General John Monash’s Headquarters on April 21, 1918, when telegrams were arriving regarding the death of Baron Manfred von Richthofen. The map includes a small iron cross showing the original burial place of Richthofen, which was originally procured by Lt. Jack Willats of the Australian Signal Corps.
The balance of the collection boasts a staggering amount of ephemera, photographs, and collection correspondence detailing both Richthofen’s achievements and the background of how this archive came to fruition. In overall fine condition.
A more detailed description of the archive can be found on our website. Starting Bid $10,000
“Mein Führer,”
Defense Minster von Blomberg blackmails Hitler to honor his pact, demanding recognition of his military power
4023. Werner von Blomberg Typed ‘Blackmail’ Letter Signed to Adolf Hitler, Addressing Him as “Mein Fuhrer” (1934). Important TLS in German, signed “v. Blomberg,” one page, 8.25 x 10.5, “Der Reichswherminister [Defense Minister]” letterhead, August 9, 1934. Historically significant ‘blackmail’ letter to Adolf Hitler, addressing him as “Mein Führer!” In full (translated): “I would like to remind you of the promised disposition of the Wehrmacht [Armed Forces].” In fine condition. The significance of this letter is twofold: first, it is an early example of Hitler being addressed as “Mein Führer,” which Blomberg would mandate of all German soldiers in a decree issued the next day, August 10th; second, it represents a reminder to Hitler that that the Army stood back during the ‘Night of the Long Knives’ on condition that they would be the senior military authority in Nazi Germany, and so recognized by its leader.
The events of the summer of 1934 in Germany were destined to be momentous ones for the history of the twentieth century. In fact they spawned the catalyst for Hitler’s quest for world domination.
In February 1934, the chief of the Sturmabteilung (SA), Ernst Roehm, put forward a plan to co-ordinate all the armed forces under a single ministry with himself as the head. This understandably angered von Blomberg who, as Minister of War, saw his own power about to be usurped. This apart he held strong views on the subject of army organization and the privileged position of the Defense Ministry in the state. Although the proposal was quickly killed off by President Hindenburg the generals had recognized the serious threat that it still represented.
On April 12th, von Blomberg and Hitler, whilst on board the pocket battleship Deutschland entered into a secret pact, later termed ‘The Pact of the Deutschland.’ In essence von Blomberg pledged his own support to Hitler for the presidency and promised to use his influence with the armed forces to obtain theirs as well. In return Hitler would guarantee the continued domination of the Ministry of Defense in all military matters. The first step would be to remove the threat posed by Ernst Roehm and the S.A.
On May 1st, von Blomberg incorporated the swastika motif into the uniforms of the armed services. This was the beginning of his determination to honor the pact he had made, confidently believing that his personal interests were inexorably linked with those of the armed services. Von Blomberg knew that Hitler could not gain the presidency without the support of the Army. Von Blomberg effectively controlled the Army and Hitler as president would need the Army on two counts: one to get him in and the second to keep him there.
On June 21st von Blomberg informed Hitler that unless measures were taken to maintain internal peace in Germany, Hindenburg would
declare martial law and order the Army to restore order. Hindenburg confirmed that this was the case.
On June 30th, Hitler launched a ferocious attack on the high command of the S.A. and other leading ‘dissidents.’ This outbreak of wholesale murder by the S.S. lasted for 48 hours and became known as the ‘Blood Purge’ or ‘The Night of the Long Knives.’ The Army and its leaders took no actions against the excesses of the S.S. and on July 1st the Order of the Day issued by von Blomberg spoke of the ‘Fuhrer’s soldierly decision and exemplary courage’ in wiping out ‘mutineers and traitors.’ On August 2nd, Hindenburg died and Hitler assumed the position of President and Chancellor of Germany. In this role he also became the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Von Blomberg immediately had every officer in the armed forces swear a new oath of allegiance to Hitler personally rather than to the office of the presidency or to the State.
At Hindenburg’s funeral on August 7th, von Blomberg went even further and suggested to Hitler that the Armed Forces should cease to address him as ‘Herr Hitler’ and substitute ‘Mein Fuhrer’ in its place. Hitler agreed.
However, despite von Blomberg’s apparent unwavering support for Hitler, he had not forgotten Hitler’s pledge to eulogize the Armed Forces. After all it was the price that Hitler had to pay for ultimate power. Just two days later, on August 9, 1934, von Blomberg wrote this letter to Hitler, reminding him of his unpaid debt in a short, succinct, single sentence. His salutation, ‘Mein Fuhrer’ was one of the earliest, if not the first, uses of this form of address. Its use, by the man who devised it and ordered its implementation is of particular historic interest.More importantly the content of this succinct but polite enquiry is of tremendous historic importance in that it is requesting, from Hitler, the honoring of a pledge without which Hitler would not have been able to gain political and military supremacy. Just five years later, that supremacy would enable him to throw the world into a state of war.
In the meantime, Hitler was considering the publication of Hindenburg’s testament, which he published on August 15th. Apart from extolling the virtues of the Hitler and the Nazi government it additionally stressed the importance of the Defense Ministry as a supporting member of the State: ‘The guardian of the State, the Defense Ministry, must be the symbol of and firm support for this superstructure.’In a further show of gratitude to von Blomberg, Hitler acknowledged the loyalty demonstrated by the Armed Forces in the unusual form of a letter: ‘After the completed confirmation of the Law of 2 August, I wish to express my thanks to you, and through you, to the Wehrmacht, for the oath of loyalty which has been sworn to me.’ Hitler had repaid his debt to von Blomberg and the world was on the path to war. Starting Bid $5,000
“We would much prefer not to license any infringing machines to fly in America, except in the Gordon Bennett”
4024. Orville Wright Typed Letter Signed on Stolen Aircraft Designs and Air Races: “We would much prefer not to license any infringing machines to fly in America, except in the Gordon Bennett”. TLS, one page, 8.5 x 11, The Wright Company letterhead, February 24, 1912. Fascinating letter to aviator W. R. Cross, outlining requirements for holding air races using patent-infringing aircraft. In full: “Your letter of February 15th addressed to Wilbur, has been received. Wilbur has been away from the office for several weeks on legal matters. I shall, therefore, try to answer your letter for him.
We would much prefer not to license any infringing machines to fly in America, except in the Gordon Bennett. However, if it is desired to hold such a race open to infringing machines, as well as licensed machines, we will consent to a license on our usual basis of 20% of the gross sum paid to the aviators for all purposes whatsoever, such as appearance money, expenses, prize money, etc. This license could be granted only on condition that no city, where a meet has already been held, against which
we have made claims for damages for infringement, is included in the circuit, until satisfactory settlement has been made with us for these past offenses.” In fine condition.
The Wright brothers engaged in a series of patent battles to protect their 1906 patent for their flying machine. They filed lawsuits against competitors, including Glenn Curtiss, who challenged their claims by developing similar aircraft. In this letter, the Wright Brothers, embroiled in legal battles to protect their invention, make some concessions to support the furtherance of aviation by allowing patent-infringing aircraft to participate in American air race competitions. However, for fear of some legal maneuvering by the defendants in pending cases, the Wrights restrict such races only to cities where they have no legal case in progress. The disputes, which lasted years, hindered collaboration and innovation in early aviation. Ultimately, the U.S. government intervened during World War I, urging companies to form a patent pool to resolve the conflicts and focus on aircraft production for the war effort. Starting Bid $1,000
“It seems unfortunate that it has not been possible to reach an agreement that would insure to France a long continuance of that leadership in the aeronautical world which she has held since the great discovery of the Montgolfiers”
4025. Wilbur and Orville Wright Typed Letter Signed on Negotiations for a Wright Flyer Contract “that would insure to France a long continuance of that leadership in the aeronautical world which she has held since the great discovery of the Montgolfiers”.
TLS, signed “Wilbur Wright” and “Orville Wright,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, Wright Cycle Company letterhead, April 6, 1906. Letter to Commandant Bonel, acting agent for the French Minister of War in negotiations for a Wright Flyer, at the Hotel Beckel, Dayton, Ohio. In part: “Notwithstanding the failure to reach an agreement at our final conference last evening, we shall always remain very friendly to you and your country. The evident good faith of the French Minister of War has been shown both by depositing the 25,000 francs according to the terms of the option dated December 30, 1905, and also by officially delegating you to confer with us. The sincerity of your purpose in these negotiations and of Mr. Fordyce in the negotiations of last December have also been quite evident to us. Therefore it seems unfortunate that it has not been possible to reach an agreement that would insure to France a long continuance of that leadership in the aeronautical world which she has held since the great discovery of the Montgolfiers.
For these reasons we beg to state that we are not disposed to demand the payment of the 25,000 francs forfeit until we feel certain that there is no possible ground of agreement. If it should meet the approval of the Minister of War, we would be disposed to give favorable consideration to a proposition to ratify the last
form of agreement submitted with one amendment making the exclusive period of one year, provided the United States government be excepted entirely, and another waiving the forfeiture of the 25,000 francs. If on your return to France this suggestion is not favorably received, we will then collect the forfeit and consider the present negotiation closed.” In very good to fine condition, with some light creasing. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope.
On February 7, 1906, the Wright Brothers announced to the Aero Club of America: ‘We have received word that the French were much pleased with the contract for the use of our flyer for government purposes, and that the contract has been confirmed.’ As seen in the present letter, their celebratory announcement was premature, and negotiations continued for several more months. Here, they attempt to revive the deal by appealing to French national pride—citing their leadership in aeronautical activities since the Montgolfiers’ development of the hot air balloon—and by conceding to the last proposed contract, so long as their exclusive right to the invention was reduced to a period of one year, and that the government of the United States as exempted from that provision. Although they still did not secure the deal, the brothers’ persistence would pay off. In 1908, Wilbur Wright traveled to France and conducted a series of spectacular public demonstrations at Le Mans and other locations, silencing skeptics and finally securing lucrative contracts with the French government and private firms. Starting Bid $1,000
4026. Charles Lindbergh Signed Photograph of the ‘Spirit of St. Louis’. Glossy 10 x 8 full-length photo of Lindbergh posing outdoors with his record-setting monoplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, signed and inscribed in black felt tip, “To George A. Rylance, with best wishes, Charles A. Lindbergh, Mexico City, March 10, 1972.” The reverse bears caption text. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light creasing. Lindberg traveled to Mexico on a conservation trip in March 1972. While there he interviewed with local journalists and met with several Mexican officials and politicians to discuss measures to protect the gray whale of the Baja California peninsula. A printed copy of Lindbergh’s Mexican itinerary for March 10, 1972, is included.
The recipient of this photo was George A. Rylance, who worked with the U.S. Foreign Service for over 20 years and served as public affairs counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City from 1969 to 1973. Starting Bid $200
“Model N.Y.P.”—a plane
famously known as the ‘Spirit of St. Louis’
4027. Charles Lindbergh: Donald Albert Hall’s Working Design Drawing for the Spirit of St. Louis. Pioneering aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer (1898–1968) most famous as the designer of the Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh’s high-wing monoplane that made the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight. Original working drawing by aircraft designer Donald Albert Hall of the Spirit of St. Louis’s fuselage, executed in pencil on oversized 43 x 17.75 drafting vellum, captioned and signed in the lower right in pencil, “Model N.Y.P., March 1927, Designed by D. A. Hall.” Hall’s drawing demonstrates some of the modifications made to the design of the Spirit of St. Louis, formally known as the Ryan NYP (for ‘New York to Paris’), which was loosely based on the Ryan M-2 mailplane. In order to accommodate the fuel necessary for a transatlantic flight, the NYP carried five fuel tanks; at Lindbergh’s request, the large main and forward fuel tanks were placed in the forward section, in front of the pilot, with the oil tank acting as a firewall. In very good to fine condition, with some scattered staining (heaviest to right side), tears, creases, and pinholes to corners.
Donald A. Hall was the chief engineer who designed the Spirit of St. Louis, the custom-built aircraft that Charles Lindbergh piloted during his historic 1927 transatlantic flight. Hall, working for Ryan Airlines in San Diego, California, created the aircraft in just 60 days. His design emphasized simplicity, efficiency, and long-range capability, with a focus on reducing weight and maximizing fuel capacity. The result was a single-engine monoplane featuring innovative elements like a heavily modified fuselage and wing design to accommodate extra fuel tanks, enabling the groundbreaking 3,600-mile journey. Starting Bid $1,000
Three months before landing on the moon, Neil Armstrong elaborates on preparedness for alien encounters:
“As to your question of whether we will be prepared to communicate and/or defend ourselves when we land on the moon, my answer is basically no”
4028. Neil Armstrong Typed Letter Signed on Preparedness for Extraterrestrial Encounters: “As to your question of whether we will be prepared to communicate and/or defend ourselves when we land on the moon, my answer is basically no”. TLS, one page, 8 x 10.5, NASA letterhead, April 28, 1969. Letter to Richard G. Robinson of Annandale, Virginia, responding to an inquiry about preparations made for a potential encounter with extraterrestrial life on the moon. In part: “As to your question of whether we will be prepared to communicate and/or defend ourselves when we land on the moon, my answer is basically no. However, we will observe the lunar surface from the security of our spacecraft for a number of hours prior to any extra-vehicular activity.” In fine condition, with some light creasing. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope.
While NASA scientists did not expect to find advanced alien life on the moon, Apollo 11 demonstrated humanity’s growing curiosity about extraterrestrial life and some precautions were indeed taken relative to interplanetary contamination, both in terms of protecting the Earth from potential ‘alien’ microorganisms and ensuring the integrity of the moon’s environment. When astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins returned to Earth on July 24, 1969, they were placed in quarantine at the Lunar Receiving Laboratory for a period of 21 days. There, the Apollo 11 spacecraft, lunar samples, and astronauts’ personal items were decontaminated and analyzed for the presence of any potentially harmful toxins or microorganisms—neither of which were discovered. Starting Bid $300
4029. Elon Musk Signed SpaceX Replica Helmet. Full-size 3D-printed replica of a SpaceX helmet, 12” x 10.25” x 9”, signed on the clear visor in blue felt tip by Elon Musk. The helmet features an articulating upper half and the backside bears a red “SpaceX” decal. In fine condition, with a Beckett label affixed to the visor’s left corner. Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from Beckett Authentication Services and PSA/DNA.
As the founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, Elon Musk has become one of the leading figures of future space exploration. In 2012, his company became the first private organization to ship cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). Among SpaceX’s many accomplishments is its development of a self-landing version of their Falcon 9 rocket, a heavy-lift rocket called the Falcon Heavy, and the Crew Dragon, a crewed spaceship that became the first private, crewed spacecraft to reach the ISS in 2020. A highly displayable helmet signed by one of Earth’s most influential entrepreneurs, a man who has reexamined and reenergized the concept of space travel for future generations. Starting Bid $200
card from circa 1983, perfectly graded as GEM MT 10
4030. Steve Jobs Signed Apple Business Card (c. 1983) - PSA GEM MT 10. Highly coveted circa 1983 Apple Computer business card of Steve Jobs, which is signed neatly in black ink, “steve jobs.” The off-white card, 3.5 x 2, features the iconic ‘rainbow’ version of the Apple ‘byte’ logo and reads: “Steven Jobs, Chairman Board of Directors,” with the company’s address and contact information listed below: “10260 Bandley Drive, Cupertino, California 95014, (408) 996-1010.” In fine condition, with light soiling and staple holes to upper section, none of which affect the bold signature. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “GEM MT 10.”
Steve Jobs’s Apple Computer business cards from the 1983 period remain elusive and in high demand for serious collectors of tech and computer history; of the 15 total Jobs business cards that RR Auction has offered, just four have dated to this timeframe, and only one was signed. This lot represents our second signed 1983 example and exists as one of a mere handful of Jobs-signed Apple Computer business cards—from any period—that has successfully passed PSA/DNA authentication. A centerpiece Jobs-signed artifact and an opportunity not to be missed or soon replicated. Starting Bid $5,000
4032. Frederic Auguste Bartholdi Signed Sketch of the Statue of Liberty. Eminent French sculptor (1834–1904) best known for designing the Statue of Liberty. Amazing original ink sketch of the Statue of Liberty accomplished by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi on an off-white 5.5 x 8 sheet, signed and inscribed above in French (translated): “The Hotel des Bergues was for me an old childhood memory and I felt great pleasure in finding in its excellent location all the charm of the past. Geneva, September 12, 1892, Bartholdi.” He also signs the remarkable landscape drawing of the Statue of Liberty—towering over in New York Harbor, torch held high, symbolizing liberty to all observers—with a shortened
monogram version of his signature. In fine condition.
The Statue of Liberty was conceived by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi as a symbol of freedom and democracy, gifted to the United States to commemorate their shared values and friendship. Constructed with an iron framework by Gustave Eiffel and clad in copper, the colossal statue was completed in France and then shipped to New York Harbor. Dedicated on October 28, 1886, the statue stands as an enduring beacon of hope and liberty, welcoming immigrants and visitors from around the world. Starting Bid $1,000
4033. Pablo Picasso Original Sketch in Twice-Signed Gallery Catalog. Original art exhibition catalog for ‘Picasso: Peintures, Dessins, Gravures rares’ at Galerie 65 in Cannes, printed in Paris by Mourot Freres, Paris, in July 1956, 4.25 x 6.5, signed on the front cover in blue and red crayon, “Picasso, 56,” and signed and inscribed on the halftitle page in black ballpoint, “Pour Michele, Picasso, Cannes le 15.4.60,” with a fabulous original ‘Tête d’homme [Head of a man]’ sketch filling the page. The playful original artwork shows a bearded king in an ornamented crown, brilliantly executed in Piccaso’s typical simplified line-drawing style. In fine condition. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the Comité Picasso, signed by Paloma Ruiz-Picasso and Diana Widmaier-Ruiz-Picasso. Starting Bid $2,500
Original bullfight drawing by Pablo Picasso, sketched in the margin of a limited edition ‘Les Banderilles’ lithograph
4034. Pablo Picasso Original Bullfight Sketch on Twice-Signed Lithograph - ‘Les Banderilles’ (Ltd. Ed. #20/50). Extraordinary limited edition 25.5 x 19.5 lithograph entitled ‘Les Banderilles’ (1949), numbered 20/50, lightly signed in the lower right corner in multi-colored crayon, “Picasso,” and signed and inscribed in the left border in blue crayon to a French poet and film director, “Pour Gilbert Prouteau, Picasso, Cannes, le 22.10.1957,” with the delightful addition of an original drawing of a bullfighting scene above. Affixed to a slightly larger backing sheet, rolled, and in fine condition, with uniform toning from prior display. A marvelous limited edition Picasso lithograph, wonderfully enhanced by the addition of an original drawing.
Born in Malaga, Spain, Pablo Picasso was taken to the Malaga bullring from an early age, where he developed a lifelong fascination with bullfighting and its deep cultural roots. The spectacle of the bullfight became a recurring theme throughout his oeuvre, with bulls, matadors, and the drama of the bullring coming to symbolize the themes of strength, passion, and mortality. Picasso’s friend and biographer Roland Penrose has written that, apart from his enjoyment of the action, ‘the main involvement for Picasso was not so much with the parade and the skill of the participants but with the ancient ceremony of the precarious triumph of man over beast…The man, his obedient ally the horse, and the bull were all victims of an inextricable cycle of life and death.’ Starting Bid $1,000
‘Old Angel Midnight’—original artwork by Jack Kerouac inspired by his Catholic faith, Mark Twain, and the sounds of the Lower East Side of Manhattan
4035. Jack Kerouac’s Original Artwork for ‘Old Angel Midnight’ - Vibrant Depiction of the Title Character from Kerouac’s Experimental Epic of Spontaneous Poetry. Original artwork by influential novelist and Beat poet Jack Kerouac, entitled ‘Old Angel Midnight,’ the eponymous title of his long narrative poem and a book of the same name published posthumously in 1973. Accomplished in mixed media (ink and pastel) on an 11 x 15 sheet of illustration board, the scene depicts the title character in white hovering against a night sky with a large crescent moon. Below the angel looms an illuminated clocktower with hands at midnight, two tenement buildings with yellow-lit windows, shared clotheslines with flapping white sheets and garments, and a rickety brown fence. Included with the artwork is the original protective art sleeve, which is marked in black felt tip, “Jack Kerouac, Old Angel Midnight.” Both are mounted and framed together to an overall size of 30.75 x 23.25. In fine condition.
Accompanied by a CD of the 1997 spoken word tribute album Kerouac: Kicks Joy Darkness, the booklet of which pictures ‘Old Angel Midnight’ on page 25, and a letter of authenticity from John Shen-Sampas, the executor of the estate of Jack Kerouac, who affirms: “This letter of authentication is to certify that the painting depicted hereon, entitled ‘Old Angel Midnight,’ is an original painting done by Jack Kerouac and comes directly from the private collection of the Estate of Jack Kerouac.”
The artwork was displayed at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City. Also, it appeared on the front cover of the Fall 1998 issue of the Kerouac fanzine Dharma Beat, which notes that Kerouac offered the artwork to be used for his book’s cover, but the publisher ultimately thought otherwise.
First published as a pirated edition in 1973, the book Old Angel Midnight offers a treasure trove of Kerouac’s experiments with automatic writing and spontaneous composition and is comprised of sixty-seven short sections unified by the poet’s unwavering dedication to sounds, the subconscious, and verbal ingenuity. ‘A masterpiece of the mind freed to fly,’ the work directly inspired Kerouac to create this offered artwork, a piece widely considered to be his best. The angel pictured herein can be intrinsically linked to Kerouac’s childhood and his lifelong Catholic faith; the writer’s fascination and adherence to spirituality and angels is most famously found in the title of his 1965 novel Desolation Angels.
Originally titled ‘Lucien Midnight,’ a name inspired by friend and Beat poet Lucien Carr, ‘Old Angel Midnight’ is a long narrative poem culled from five notebooks spanning from 1956 to 1959, while Kerouac was immersed in his studies of Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy. Written strictly in pencil by candlelight, Kerouac’s notes on Lucien Midnight were ‘scribbled out in a strictly intuitional discipline at breakneck speed,” commencing during a stay with poet Gary Snyder and continuing on his return to the Lower East Side. The title change came when Carr objected to the use of his first name, with Kerouac finding his title in December 1958 while listening to a morning talk show that referred to a phrase from Mark Twain’s journal. Twain wrote: ‘I never felt so happy in my life, sir — never since I was born, sir. Loved that hoary, venerable old angel as if he was my father, sir.’ Starting Bid $1,000
In his breakthrough year of 1903, Jack London makes a list of his current bibliography, including “Call of the Wild,”
“The Son of the Wolf,” and his first novel, “The Cruise of the Dazzler”
4036. Jack London Autograph Letter Signed (1903) with Rare Handwritten References to The Call of the Wild and His First Published Novel. ALS, two pages, 9.25 x 6, postmarked September 4, 1903 (Oakland, California). Handwritten letter to author and journalist Russell Arden Bankson, in full: “First story I ever wrote was published in Overland Monthly, Jan. 1899, and is called ‘To the Man on Trail.’ First book ‘The Son of the Wolf,’ published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. I send you bibliography on next page.” On the second page, London has added a list of his publications next to their respective publisher, which includes his short story collections, “The Son of the Wolf – Houghton, Mifflin & Co.,” “The God of his Fathers – McClure, Phillips & Co.,” “The Children of the Frost – Macmillan Co.,” his novels, “The Cruise of the Dazzler – Century Co.,” “A Daughter of the Snows – Lippincott Co.,” “Kempton-Wace Letters,” and “Call of the Wild,” and his non-fiction work, “People of the Abyss.” London has added ditto marks next to the final three publications, identifying Macmillan as their respective publisher. In fine condition. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope addressed in London’s own hand.
Russell Arden Bankson (1889–1975) was a journalist who worked as city and assistant managing editor for the Spokane Daily Chronicle in Spokane, Washington. He was also the author of numerous short stories, articles, and books, mostly in the Western genre.
A quintessential letter from the 27-year-old author written one month after the release of his breakthrough novel, The Call of the Wild. After appearing in five installments in The Saturday Evening Post in the summer of 1903, the work was sold to Macmillan and was quickly published in book format to great acclaim and popularity; the first printing of 10,000 copies sold out immediately. Named by Modern Library as one of the 100 greatest novels of the 20th century, The Call of the Wild is recognized as ‘one of the first American novels to examine the quest of the pioneering individual who breaks away from the sheltered environment of civilization and is romantically compelled to find freedom in nature. In the early part of the century this was considered the American dream’ (Parker, 16).
Holographic references made by London to his most famous work are exceedingly rare, with this beautifully penned example made all the more unique and desirable by London’s generous addition of his then full major bibliography. Mentions by London to his first story collection, Son of the Wolf (1900), to his first novel, The Cruise of the Dazzler (1902), or to The People of the Abyss (1903), his first-hand account of living in the slums of East End of London, are universally uncommon. An exciting opportunity to own a definitive Jack London letter from a most important literary period. Starting Bid $500
4037. Robert Louis Stevenson Signed Photograph. Exemplary 4.25 x 6.5 cabinet photo of Robert Louis Stevenson in a three-quarter-length pose by W. J. Hawker of Bournemouth, neatly signed on the mount in ink, “Robert Louis Stevenson.” In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. Just the fourth signed photograph of Stevenson that we have offered, this marvelous portrait dates to circa 1886, when Stevenson was living in coastal Bournemouth, England, and writing the tale of Jekyll and Hyde. A superlative literary piece. Starting Bid $300
4038. Johannes Brahms Signed Photograph. Exceptional and uncommon mounted 5 x 7.5 head-and-shoulders photo of Johannes Brahms, boldly signed on the mount in ink, and dated at Vienna. In fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. A large, boldly signed, crystal-clear image of the legendary composer. Starting Bid $500
Wagner’s original draft for “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung”
4039. Richard Wagner Handwritten Draft for “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung”. Autograph manuscript prose draft of Richard Wagner’s program introduction to his arrangement for the concert performance of Götterdämmerung, 8.25 x 13.75, eight pages on four sheets, headed: “Three fragments from ‘Götterdämmerung,’ third evening of the stage festival: The Ring of the Nibelung.”
The draft begins (translated): “I. Prelude. (For the purpose of communicating the orchestral-symphonic part of this dramatic prelude, it was necessary to make abbreviations that corresponded to the intention of omitting the performance of the vocal parts, which would not be possible without a staged performance. Since the listener’s imagination had to be called upon to supplement the staged event, which has only been indicated here, the following attempts to provide an explanatory program for the fragments to be performed, which is intended to present this event in the form of a pantomime.)
Night scene on a rocky hill. The three Norns weave and throw the rope of fate: it breaks; the Norns entwine themselves with the ends of it and sink. Dawn. Daybreak. With the sunrise, Siegfried and Brünnhilde appear: Siegfried in the arms of the Valkyrie, who, as he sets out on new deeds, also gives him her horse. Fiery vows; oaths of loyalty: a heroic farewell. Siegfried leads his horse down the rocky slope: Brünnhilde calls after him, exultant, until he suddenly disappears from her sight, as if behind a rocky outcrop, and she only hears his horn call from the depths; then she sees him again, as he vigorously moves away in the distance; overwhelmed, she waves to him once more. Through the fire surrounding the rock, whose flames seem to dance around him with bright sounds, he now moves away, vigorously blowing his horn, until he reaches the Rhine, where Ahn (the Rhinemaidens) welcome him as their hero and savior for the rest of his journey. They accompany him to where his destiny is to be fulfilled at the court of the Gibichungs through Hagen, the heir to the Nibelung Ring.”
The draft then sets the stage for “Siegfried’s Tod [Siegfried’s Death]”: “He dies.—A long silence of deepest shock. The men then raise the corpse on the shield and slowly escort it away in a solemn funeral procession over the rocky heights. The orchestra accompanies this last scenic event in the manner of a funeral choir, which simultaneously celebrates and laments the origin, the glory and the fate of the hero praised as divine.”
The work is completed with “Schlus-Scene des Letzten Aktes [Final Scene of the Last Act],” setting the stage for the heroic immolation scene: “This fragment also begins in the middle of a violent action. Hagen has just killed Gunther in a fight over the Nibelung Ring and
now, shouting: “Give me the ring!”, he grabs the dead Siegfried’s hand, which clenches and raises up threateningly. There is general horror and a loud outcry, while Brünnhilde, from the background, strides firmly and solemnly towards the foreground.” Wagner’s draft contains the text of Brunhilde’s songs, with the famous lines “Schweigt eures Jammers jauchzenden Schwall! [Silence the jubilant torrent of your lamentation]” and “Fliegt heim, ihr Raben! [Fly home, you ravens!].”
After a final eulogy to the dead hero, Brünnhilde, willing to be reunited with her love, mounts her horse Grane and as a valkyrie rides into the flames, joining Siegfried in death: “She has stormily swung herself onto the horse and hurled it into the burning pile of wood. The fire immediately rises high, so that the fire fills the entire space in front of the hall and seems to be already engulfing the hall itself. Suddenly the fire collapses, so that only a dark cloud of glowing flames hovers over the place; this rises and completely disperses, while the Rhine has swelled mightily from the bank and its flood rolls over the burning place to the threshold of the hall. Three Rhine maidens have swum up on the waves; Hagen is extremely frightened at the sight of them; and rushes, shouting: ‘Back from the ring!,’ as if madly into the flood. Woglinde and Wellgunde wrap their arms around his neck and, swimming back, pull him into the depths, while Flosshilde, in front of them, holds the ring up in jubilation. At the same time, a glow similar to the northern lights breaks out from the sky from afar: in it one sees, with increasing clarity, the sky of Valhalla, with the gods in it as if in court: as a huge flame suddenly envelops the picture completely, the curtain fills.” Wagner’s draft is bound in full brown calf and in fine condition, with some minor edge splitting to folds.
Complete with several printed proof versions of the text, some with corrections and commentary in Wagner’s hand: three are annotated and initialed by him on the front, “R.W.,” and one includes its accompanying annotated and initialed envelope. Additionally includes an ALS signed “R. Wagner,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, no date, sent to music publisher “C. Giessel, Bayreuth.”
Richard Wagner’s magnum opus, The Ring of the Nibelung, was first performed in its complete four-opera cycle at the 1876 Bayreuth Festival. These operas, consisting of Das Rheingold (The Rhinegold), Die Walküre (The Valkyrie), Siegfried, and Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), remain some of Wagner’s most famous works. The Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) is the final opera in Wagner’s epic cycle and brings the monumental tale of gods, heroes, and the cursed ring to a dramatic conclusion. The opera follows the tragic downfall of Siegfried and Brünnhilde, culminating in the destruction of Valhalla and the end of the gods’ reign. Featuring Wagner’s signature leitmotifs and richly orchestrated music, Götterdämmerung is a powerful exploration of love, betrayal, and redemption. Starting Bid $2,500
4040. Allman Brothers Signed Debut Album - The Allman Brothers Band. The Allman Brothers Band self-titled debut album signed and inscribed on the inner gatefold in ballpoint by the group’s founding brothers, “You, Duane Allman” and “Gregory L. Allman,” plus bassist Berry Oakley (“B.O.”), drummer Butch Trucks (“Butch Trucks”), and drummer Jaimoe (“1-2-70, C & C, Sure hope you enjoy this record, Love, Jai Johanny”). Additionally signed by three crew members, including roadies Kim Payne and Red Dog, both of whom authored memoirs about their travels with the band. In fine condition, with light edge wear. The record and inner sleeve included. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from REAL.
The Allman Brothers Band released their self-titled debut studio album in November 1969, showcasing a groundbreaking blend of Southern rock, blues, jazz, and country. Featuring classic originals like ‘Whipping Post’ plus re-worked covers of ‘Trouble No More’ and ‘Don’t Want You No More,’ the album highlights the band’s signature dual-guitar harmonies and soulful improvisation. While not an immediate commercial success, it laid the foundation for their influential role in shaping the Southern rock genre.
Signed examples of the album are exceedingly rare, owing to the early, tragic deaths of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley. Allman, known for his inventive improvisational licks on the slide guitar, died in a motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971, at just 24 years old. Oakley, remembered for his long melodic bass runs, also died in a motorcycle accident—a mere three blocks from the site of Duane’s fatal crash—on November 11, 1972, also aged 24. The autographs of two of the Allman Brothers Band’s legendary roadies, plus Gregg Allman’s formal signature, add further interest to the remarkable piece. Starting Bid $1,000
4042. Beatles (3) Signed Checks - with Lennon/ McCartney, Harrison, and Starr. Exceptional collection of three 1970s National Westminster Bank Limited checks signed by the Beatles:
- National Westminster Bank Limited (Maclen Music) check, 7.75 x 3.5, filled out in another hand and signed by John Lennon (“John Lennon”) and Paul McCartney (“P. McCartney”), payable to solicitors Frere Cholmeley & Co. for £334.80, February 15, 1977.
- National Westminster Bank Limited (Apple Records, Inc.) check, 7.75 x 3.5, filled out in another hand and signed by George Harrison (“George Harrison”), payable to Budgen & Company for £114.43, May 20, 1971.
- National Westminster Bank Limited (Apple Corps, Ltd.) check, 7.75 x 3.5, filled out in another hand and signed by Ringo Starr (“R. Starkey”), payable to Highrush Limited for £4789, July 26, 1972.
In overall fine condition. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks. Starting Bid $1,000
4041. Beatles Rare Signed Album - With the Beatles - Signed for the Empire Liverpool Stage Manager in 1963. Fantastic Parlophone UK mono pressing of the Beatles’ second album, With the Beatles, beautifully signed and inscribed on the back cover in blue ballpoint, “To Barbara, love, John Lennon, xxx,” “Love, Paul McCartney, xxx,” “George Harrison, xxx,” and “Ringo Starr, xxx.” In fine condition, with some mild toning and soiling. The record is included. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the original recipient, in part: “Signed in Dec. 1963. I was stage manager at the Empire Liverpool when Juke Box Jury was recorded followed by ‘It’s the Beatles.’ I had the LP signed while they were in the dressing room prior to the show. With a dedication to my then girlfriend—Barbara. When she arrived at the show (with tickets I had provided) she brought another boyfriend! So she never received the L.P.” The inner sleeve bears an inscription from the stage manager to Barbara.
Also includes letters of authenticity from Tracks and Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo, in part: “The signatures were obtained on December 7, 1963, by the stage manager of the Empire Theatre in Liverpool. On this day, The Beatles were at the location to film a BBC television show called ‘It’s The Beatles’…A stamp in the
upper right hand corner ‘Allen Bros.’ refers to the local record store in Liverpool where the album was purchased. This is a magnificent example of a ‘With The Beatles’ signed LP, and there are very few in existence which have been signed as nicely, or are in the condition this one is in.”
On December 7, 1963, the Beatles appeared at Liverpool’s Empire Theater to tape a special edition of the BBC show Juke Box Jury—starring John, Paul, George, and Ringo as the program’s star judges—and then gave a special Northern area fan club convention live concert. Both events were taped and broadcast by the BBC later that evening. In the concert, the Beatles played a short version of ‘From Me To You,’ followed by ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ ‘All My Loving,’ ‘Roll Over Beethoven,’ ‘Boys,’ ‘Till There Was You,’ ‘She Loves You,’ ‘This Boy,’ ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand,’ ‘Money (That’s What I Want),’ ‘Twist And Shout,’ and another version of ‘From Me To You.’
Only 15-20 band-signed With the Beatles albums are estimated to exist; this one, featuring bold autographs and superb provenance, is a superior example. Starting Bid $5,000
4043. Beatles Signed Promo Card from Their ‘Going-Away’ Cavern Club Show (April 5, 1962).
Extremely rare, early vintage glossy 5.75 x 4 promo card from the Beatles’ Cavern Club ‘going away’ performance on April 5, 1962, signed and inscribed on the reverse in ballpoint, “Love to Margaret, John Lennon, xxx,” “Love to Margaret, from Paul McCartney, xxx xxx,” “Love from George Harrison, xxxx,” and twice, “Love to Margaret, from Pete Best, xxx.” Also signed in fountain pen by manager Brian Epstein, “Brian, x, Manager.” The front features a portrait of the band (with Pete Best as drummer) taken by Albert Marion on December 17, 1961, during the band’s first professional photo shoot organized by Brian Epstein. The reverse is imprinted: “With Best Wishes from Paul, Pete, John, George, The Beatles, April 5th 1962.” In very good to fine condition, with
creasing and light soiling, and some minor surface loss not affecting any of the signatures.
The April 5th show was organized by The Beatles Fan Club and dubbed ‘the Beatles for their fans,’ as a special ‘going away’ show before they traveled to Hamburg. The group played the first part of the special show in their black leather outfits, then changed into their new Beno Dorn suits and ties for the second part. Rare and highly sought even in unsigned examples, this is an absolutely remarkable, ultra-early Beatles promo card. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Fab Four Memorabilia Ltd, noting: “The addition of Brian Epstein on the card makes this example one of if not the best promotional cards from the night in existence.” Starting Bid $1,000
“He was a shining person”—an exceptionally rare full-length ‘couple’ sketch by John Lennon, presented to a Buddhist monk in the summer of 1979 during his final trip to Japan
4044. Beatles: John Lennon and Yoko Ono Signed Book with Exceedingly Rare Full-Length ‘Couple’ Sketch by Lennon - Presented to a Buddhist Monk in Japan (Summer 1979). Signed book: An Atlas of Anatomy for Artists by Fritz Schider. Third American edition. NY: Dover Publications, 1957. Hardcover, 8 x 11, 189 plates with preface, introduction, and bibliography. Signed on the blank page opposite Plate 97 in black felt tip, “John Lennon, 77” and “Yoko Ono,” with the former adding a wonderful full-length sketch of the couple and the latter writing her husband’s name in Japanese characters to the right side. In fine condition. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo, who writes: “While facial caricatures of the Lennons drawn by John from this period are fairly common –full body caricatures are not. The scarcity of full-length caricatures of John and Yoko from any period cannot be understated, and as this is one of very few, it is extremely desirable.”
Also accompanying the book is a laminated copy of an article from the December 8, 1983, issue of the Japanese newspaper, the Kyoto Shimbun, which contains an image of the book and its internal sketch being held by its original recipient, a young Buddhist monk named Shuji Okumura. The article features provenance of the signed sketch and reads. Read the partial translation online at www.RRAuction.com.
In return, Okumura, a graduate of Bukkyo University who enjoys painting, gave Lennon a wood-block print of the Buddha that he drew himself as well as a commemorative red-ink stamp. Just before the third anniversary of Lennon’s death, Okumura, in his traditional monk’s robe, honored the memory of Lennon’s character: ‘As I recall, the couple visited sometime in May or June. Mr. Lennon seemed to be a gentle person and very much devoted to Yoko. I see many celebrities visit this place, but he was a shining person among them.’”
Starting Bid $2,500
4045. Beatles: John Lennon Signed ‘Bed in for Peace’ Contract, Granting Filming Rights for a ‘Bag Event’ at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel. Extraordinary DS, one page, 8.5 x 10.75, Amsterdam Hilton Hotel letterhead, March 30, 1969. Original contract between John Lennon Productions and filmmaker Peter Goessens regarding usage rights for film footage of the ‘Bag Event.’ The document reads: “This is an agreement between John Lennon Productions and Peter Goessens. Concerning the film which Peter Coessens makes on the 29th, 30th and 31st of March and the 1st of April 1969 of the ‘BAG-EVENT’: Peter Goessens has full rights for the Territory of Holland alone. The complete world-rights belong to John Lennon Productions. If John Lennon uses the film or parts of the film he will give credit to Peter Goessens and his crew. Lennon Productions will pay traveland hotel- expenses of Peter Goessens and his crew to Vienna and London.” Signed prominently at the conclusion in bold black felt tip by John Lennon and countersigned by Goessens. Includes four original glossy promotional photos from this period, likely gifted to Goessens by Lennon, two of which depict Lennon and Yoko Ono, with the reverse marked: “Love + Peace = Bagism.” In fine condition. Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from Tracks and noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo.
Lennon and Ono were at the Amsterdam Hilton during this period conducting their famous ‘Bed-In for Peace’ following their marriage in Gibraltar on March 20, 1969. The couple had originally planned to wed in Paris, although as non-residents they did not qualify under French law. Knowing their marriage would be a huge press event, Lennon and Ono decided to use the publicity to promote world peace. They famously spent their honeymoon in the Presidential Suite, Room 702, at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel for a week between March 25 and 31, while inviting the world’s press into their hotel room every day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Following their seven-day Bed-In event at the Amsterdam Hilton, the couple flew to Vienna for a short trip where Lennon and Ono held a press conference in Vienna’s Hotel Sacher. Like the ‘Bed-In for Peace’ in Amsterdam, the Vienna event received worldwide press coverage, as the couple spoke from within a large white bag, leaving reporters unable to see them. This is referred to in Lennon’s agreement, as the ‘BAG-EVENT,’ also known as, ‘Bagism.’ These historic events would be immortalized by the Beatles in their final UK No. 1 Single ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko,’ which contains the lyrics: ‘Drove from Paris to the Amsterdam Hilton / Talking in our beds for a week / The newspapers said, ‘Say what you doing in bed?’ / I said, ‘We’re only trying to get us some peace.’
The footage captured by Goessens in Amsterdam and Vienna resulted in a 40-minute color film entitled, ‘Mr. & Mrs. Lennon’s Honeymoon.’ On September 10, 1969, just two weeks prior to the release of the Beatles album Abbey Road, Lennon and Ono hosted a screening of the film at the New Cinema Club at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Billed under the title of ‘John & Yoko Honeymoon,’ the film was directed by Goessens and shown courtesy of Apple Films and Bag Productions.
Lennon-signed items directly linked to the ‘Bed-In for Peace’ are quite rare and highly desirable. This was a monumental event in the life of John Lennon, occurring while he was still in the Beatles and during a short break from the Abbey Road recording sessions. Furthermore, signed contractual agreements by Lennon are scarce and desirable, making this particularly unique as it was drawn up by Lennon himself with direct ties to the historic Amsterdam ‘Bed-In for Peace.’ A fabulous John Lennon signed contract, with great content and superb signature that dates to an important and desirable period in Beatles history. Starting Bid $2,500
4046. Beatles: Paul McCartney Oversized Original Set Design Concept Sketches for Brian Epstein’s Saville Theatre (c. 1966). Fantastic original set design concept drawings by Paul McCartney, accomplished in ink and colored marker on an off-white 19.5 x 13 sheet, featuring twelve hand-drawn and annotated images conceived for use as set designs at Brian Epstein’s Saville Theatre, London, England. One of these was used for the first-ever UK performances of the Four Tops, which took place in two sets (6 PM and 8:30 PM) at the venue on November 13, 1966. In preparation for these performances, Brian Epstein needed appropriate back drops for the Saville and commissioned none other than Paul McCartney to come up with ideas. Paul presented the stage designs to Brian Epstein and John Lyndon, a NEMS employee and Director of Productions at the Saville. Included is an original issue of the UK music paper New Musical Express from November 11, 1966, with a blurb documenting the event: “Beatle Paul, Designer… The back cloth for the Four Tops concerts at London’s Saville Theatre on Sunday night is from a drawing by Paul McCartney.”
The twelve drawings, with McCartney’s annotations, are as follows:
- An elaborate design featuring a mirrored wall with entrance to the stage, annotated: “entrance” and “12 mirrors in which the audience catch a glimpse of themselves.”
- An upside down house with the annotation “this way up.”
- A mechanical rotating backdrop with the annotation “slow moving machinery.”
- A detailed hinged design with numerous annotations: “red curtains behind here,” “backed with silver,” “hinges,” and “this piece of the set falls on the stage, revealing red curtains through which
performers emerge, smiling.”
- A colorful design with the annotations “Festival set” and “entrance.”
- A psychedelic design with the annotations “silver,” “gold,” and “entrance hole.”
- A “plain comedy set” featuring mustaches and glasses, noting: “comedian enters through mouth, not smiling, crawling.”
- A take on the American flag with the annotation “American set, British group”—as used for the Four Tops performance.
- A stage backdrop of “3 black ducks” flying between clouds.
- A drawing of the woman’s head and body, marked “set for female vocalist or male, as the case may be.”
- A set featuring flowers and lights, with annotation “23 lights hang against background of silver, reflecting, and flickering.”
- An unnumbered diagram, showing the “side view” of the above, featuring three lines and the letters “a, b, c.”
The sheet is archivally matted and framed to an overall size of 29.5 x 23.5. In fine condition, with some small stains and minor paper loss to the right edge.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from John Lyndon, in part: “This set of stage designs was given to me by Brian Epstein in the mid-sixties when I was Director of Productions for NEMS Enterprises. It hung on my office wall at the Theatre. The bottom left image of stars and wavy lines was used as a stage curtain for the Four Tops at their Saville Theatre concert December 1966.”
Also includes an original program from the Four Tops’ UK tour, a photograph of the band on stage in front of the McCartneydesigned backdrop, and a certificate of authenticity from Fab Four Memorabilia Ltd. Notably, these drawings were exhibited at the Liverpool Beatles Museum in 2023. Starting Bid $2,500
Three days before tragedy, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper play the Duluth Armory in front of a 17-year-old
part of their 1959 Winter
4047. The Day the Music Died: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and Big Bopper Signatures from the Bob Dylan-Attended Duluth Concert on January 31, 1959. Remarkable vintage autograph album, 6 x 4.75, containing ballpoint signatures of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. Richardson, ‘The Big Bopper,’ all of which date to January 31, 1959, when Holly’s 1959 Winter Dance Party Tour performed in Duluth, Minnesota, at the National Guard Armory, three days before all three men, together with pilot Roger Peterson, were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. The three musicians sign on adjacent pages: “Buddy Holly,” “Ritchie Valens,” and “Big Bopper,” with the latter two signing on the same page; singer Frankie Sardo has also signed on the Valens and Richardson page. The album also features signatures of three other musicians related to that tour: country legend Waylon Jennings, who adds “Crickets” below his name; and Carlo Mastrangelo and Fred Milano of vocal group Dion and the Belmonts. Other signatures in the album include period musicians and singers Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Johnny Paris, Carl Dobkins, Jr., Nicky DeMatteo, and Harold Dorman.
The album also contains a handwritten remembrance of the Holly concert by its original owner, Sandra Salo, a student from Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota, who writes: “Shirley Kerssen and I had a marvelous time tonight. All the singers are wonderful, especially Richie Valen. He was so nice & though not cute in looks he had his own ways…Buddy Holly was also good. Though his glasses were thick he is real cute.” In fine condition.
Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from REAL and PSA/ DNA, postcards of the Duluth Armory, reprinted pages from Hibbing High School yearbook picturing Salo and her friend, Shirley Kerssen, and an extra-large black t-shirt from ‘A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Holly’ benefit event for the Duluth Armory, which features an image of Holly from his famed Duluth performance.
Of further significance, the Duluth stop of the Winter Dance Party Tour was famously attended by a 17-year-old Bob Dylan, who credited Holly and his performance at the Armory as being a defining moment in his young life. Dylan reflected on the Duluth show and Holly’s impact when he gave his Nobel Prize acceptance speech in June 2017: ‘If I was to go back to the dawning of it all, I guess I’d have to start with Buddy Holly. Buddy died when I was about 18 and he was 22. From the moment I first heard him, I felt akin. I felt related like he was an older brother. I even thought I resembled him. Buddy played the music that I loved, the music I grew up on—country western, rock and roll, and rhythm and
blues. Three separate strands of music that he intertwined and infused into one genre. One brand. And Buddy wrote songs, songs that had beautiful melodies and imaginative verses. And he sang great, sang in more than a few voices. He was the archetype, everything I wasn’t and wanted to be. I saw him only but once, and that was a few days before he was gone. I had to travel a hundred miles to get to see him play, and I wasn’t disappointed.
‘He was powerful and electrifying and had a commanding presence. I was only six feet away. He was mesmerizing. I watched his face, his hands, the way he tapped his foot, his big black glasses, the eyes behind the glasses, the way he held his guitar, the way he stood, his neat suit. Everything about him. He looked older than 22. Something about him seemed permanent, and he filled me with conviction. Then, out of the blue, the most uncanny thing happened. He looked me right straight dead in the eye, and he transmitted something. Something I didn’t know what. And it gave me the chills.’ Dylan held on to Holly and his earlier influences—Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker, and others—and released his debut, Bob Dylan, in 1962. Throughout his career, Dylan has also covered several of Holly’s songs, including ‘Gotta Travel On,’ ‘Not Fade Away,’ ‘Heartbeat,’ and more.
A month after leaving the Crickets, Holly made plans to move to New York with his pregnant wife to further his fast-rising musical career. Short on funds, he signed on with General Artist Corporation and organized a 24-day tour barnstorming the Midwest during one of the region’s worst winters on record. After opening night on January 23rd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the caravan zigzagged wearily across state lines before stopping in Clear Lake, Iowa—350 miles from the previous day’s concert in Green Bay—where the tour’s 10th show was arranged on the fly.
Fed up with freezing on the tour bus, Holly chartered a plane, a four-seater Beechcraft Bonanza, for his band to leave that night after the Surf Ballroom show and head to Fargo, North Dakota, the closest city to their next stop in Moorhead, Minnesota. With takeoff imminent, the seating plan needed to be set: Holly was in, as was the flu-ridden Richardson (bassist Waylon Jennings offered up his seat); the third seat was taken by Valens, who won it on a coin flip with guitarist Tommy Allsup. Shortly after embarking from the Mason City Municipal Airport just shy of 1 a.m., the Bonanza disappeared, its wreckage and the bodies of its passengers found the next morning less than six miles from the airstrip. Starting Bid $300
4048. Queen Signed Album - The Works - One of Ten Signed for BBC Radio One. The Works album signed on the front cover in black felt tip, “Freddie Mercury,” “Brian May,” “OK. Yah! Roger Taylor, Queen ‘84,” and “Well Done, John Deacon, ‘84.” In fine condition. The record is included. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks and a letter of provenance from the original recipient, in part: “This album is one of only 10 that were given to BBC Radio One for a competition that was on The Mike Smith Show, who sadly is no longer with us. I have enclosed the Compliment Slip that came with the album when I received it. No-one was more surprised than me to win a competition let alone win the new album of my absolute idols. Queen!…. and with all 4 signatures!!
I already had my copy of The Works on the day it was released, so I knew this was going to be my ‘pride and joy’ and it has never
been played, never been out of the insert, only kept in a protective cover and in a safe storage place for the past 40 years!
As I used to visit the Fan Club offices at 46 Pembridge Road in Notting Hill W11, (I always had to take the choccie biscuits!) I got to know the guys who worked there and was actually there the first day that Jacky started and who went on to do the most amazing job of running the Fan Club!…I told Jacky that I had won the album and how proud I was and she told me the funny little story about the guys being called into the offices urgently to sign the albums as they had to be with the BBC Radio One for the competition on that day! She said they all came rushing in and signed them and then the albums were then rushed, by motor cycle courier, straight to BBC Radio…she said it was crazy but they made it!… that made it even more special!” Starting Bid $1,000
4049. Charles Schulz Huge Oversized Original
Signed Sketch of Lucy van Pelt. Massive original sketch of iconic Peanuts character Lucy van Pelt standing beside a massive first-place trophy, accomplished in black artist’s crayon by Charles Schulz on a large brown 30.25 x 32.5 sheet, signed in the lower border by the legendary cartoonist, “Schulz.” In very good condition, with overall creasing and a few short edge tears. An absolutely enormous original drawing by the adored Peanuts creator, easily ranking as the largest original Schulz sketch we have ever offered.
Charles Schulz’s iconic Peanuts comic strip debuted in 1950 and became a beloved staple of American popular culture. Lucy van Pelt, one of the series’ central characters, is known for her bossy, opinionated nature, famously earning her the title of ‘World’s Number 1 Fussbudget’—a designation alluded to by the huge “1” trophy which she stands beside in this marvelous, exceptionally large sketch. Starting Bid $1,000
“Lara
4050. Maurice Jarre Autograph Musical Manuscript
Signed - ‘Lara’s Theme’ from Doctor Zhivago. Autograph musical manuscript, signed twice, “M. Jarre” and “Maurice Jarre,” one page, 10.75 x 14.25, being a fragment from ‘Lara’s Theme’ from Doctor Zhivago (1965), headed: “Lara says goodbye to Dr. Zhivago.” Fabulously executed in brown felt tip on 28-stave musically lined paper, the page from Jarre’s handwritten score is annotated in various colors in the left margin to denote instrumentation. In fine condition. Accompanied by a glossy 9.75 x 6.75 photo of Jarre, signed in thick blue felt tip.
Maurice Jarre’s score for Doctor Zhivago is a masterful blend of sweeping romance and emotional depth, perfectly capturing the film’s epic scope and intimate human drama. Anchored by the unforgettable ‘Lara’s Theme’—one of cinema’s most iconic melodies—the music weaves together lush orchestrations and Russian-inspired motifs to evoke the turbulent backdrop of the Russian Revolution. The score earned Jarre an Academy Award for Best Original Score and solidified his reputation as one of the greatest film composers of all time. Starting Bid $500
“It’s a pleasure to work with you and know you, Marilyn Monroe”—beautiful
Powolny portrait of the iconic blonde starlet
4068. Marilyn Monroe Signed Oversized Photograph - “It’s a pleasure to work with you”. Vintage matte-finish 11 x 14 photo of Monroe taken during a Frank Powolny glamour shoot in 1952, showing the actress wearing a low-cut dress and diamond jewelry, flashing a lovely smile as she reclines on a pillow circa 1953, signed and inscribed in blue ballpoint, “To Bob, It’s a pleasure to work with you and know you, Marilyn Monroe.” In fine condition, with trivial wear to corners that could be easily matted out if so desired. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA.
Monroe and Powolny most famously teamed up in 1953 for a series of stunning, artfully framed publicity stills for the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Immortalized for his classic World War II pinup of Betty Grable, Powolny remained a trusted photographer for Monroe throughout her career and is noted as taking the last known still photographs of the starlet during the production of Something’s Got to Give, one week before she died in 1962. Starting Bid $1,000
Extraordinary, content-rich handwritten letter from Connie Mack, discussing the effects of the Spanish flu on Philadelphia, the heroic efforts of American troops during WW1, and the results of the shortened baseball season: “Boston won in our league and beat the Cubs in the World Series”
Signed - “Boston won in our league and beat the Cubs in the World Series”. Historically important World War I-dated ALS, one page both sides, 8.5 x 11, pictorial American Base Ball Club of Philadelphia letterhead with a superb image of Shibe Park, October 30, 1918. Boldly penned handwritten letter to a friend named Frank, in full (with grammar and spelling retained): “Yours received some time ago and surposed I had replied to same but found your letter among some papers that I had filed but noticed that no date was made on letter so knew I had not answered. Am certainly please to hear from you and to know that things are going well with you. Our baseball season was not a success Boston won in our league and beat the Cubs in the World Series. We closed our season on Labor day and then the prize series started right after and went up to September 10th, none of the clubs made any money and as the players were being called into services it meant that the interest was lost while Boston lost a great many players they had the pitching staff intact which ment everything. We have had a lot of sickness and it was necessary for the state to close up the schools, theatres & churchs all were closed for three weeks and was only opened on Sunday last. Many of our prominent people were taken away but the worst is now over. Ray is at Boston and will most likely remain there, would not but for his speech be a little effected. As you know this has hurt him in coming to the front he don’t know thousand would not want him to as he is pretty sensitive. Earl is still at Bristol in the yards they are expecting a young Earl now any day which will be their first. The last couple of days make me think that the end is near, don’t see how Germany can go on much longer, it has been a wonderful battle all through and the English & French deserve a great deal of credit for sticking by so long and which has enabled us to get into the fight in good form. It surely makes one feel good to read of all the good thing
that is now being said about our boys, we may have been a little late in coming in but no one can say now that we should have stayed out and we have made it possible to rid the world of the Kaiser and his crowd for all time. Very little football this fall is being played – in fact sports of all kinds are at a stand still. Mrs. Mack has been quite ill, now improving. All the kidies are fine, Mary & Connie are going to school and Connie who has always played with his sisters say the boys are rough but I have noticed that he is commencing to slam his sisters as boys usually do at his age. Hope this will find you in great shape and that you will soon see American.” In fine condition.
A unique, detailed war-dated handwritten letter from Mack during his legendary run as skipper for the Philadelphia Athletics. Mack’s letter touches on several important topics of the period, including family, sports, the effect of the Spanish flu on the city of Philadelphia (approximately 12,000 people died from the pandemic, which hit Philadelphia at a time when about 75% of the city’s hospital physicians and nurses were serving overseas in the war), and the war abroad, which finally concluded after four years of struggle with the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
When the U.S. government issued a ‘work or fight’ mandate that required men to enlist or take war-related jobs by July 1, 1918, MLB owners resisted the draft, arguing that baseball was an essential industry. Their resistance was futile, of course, as hundreds of current and future MLB players served during WWI, including Hall of Famers Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Shoeless Joe Jackson. As such, the 1918 season was shortened from 154 games to 128 and the World Series was played entirely in September. In the 1918 World Series, the Red Sox, led by Babe Ruth, beat the Chicago Cubs in six games, their last before an 86-year drought. Starting Bid $500
“I did realize that future opportunities for Negroes would be effected by my performance and success”
4070. Jackie Robinson Typed Letter Signed on Breaking Baseball’s Color Barrier: “I did realize that future opportunities for Negroes would be effected by my performance and success”. TLS, one page, 8.5 x 10.5, Brooklyn National League Baseball Club letterhead, May 15, 1949. Letter to John Washington of Brooklyn, New York, in part: “I have read with interest your kind letter of April 19, and wanted to sincerely thank you for your support. It means a great deal to me when I hear from young people facing the same problems which I have faced. To answer your question, yes, I did feel a great deal of pressure. And I did realize that future opportunities for Negroes would be effected by my performance and success. I am thankful that I was given this opportunity by Mr. Rickey, and I am proud to be a part of such a fine ballclub. I am sorry that I did not have time to speak with you on the day you mentioned. I am hoping this letter will make it up to you. Thank you again for
supporting me, and the Dodgers.” In very good to fine condition, with light toning and fading from prior display, and the signature several shades light.
Jackie Robinson made history in 1947 when he became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball, joining Branch Rickey’s Brooklyn Dodgers. His debut ended decades of racial segregation in professional baseball, which had confined Black players to the Negro Leagues. Robinson faced relentless racism from fans, opponents, and even teammates, but persevered with courage and exceptional talent—in 1949, he took home the National League’s MVP honors after leading the league in batting average (.342) and stolen bases (37). His trailblazing success not only changed baseball forever but also became pivotal in the progress of the American civil rights movement. Starting Bid $1,000
“The demonstration of its operation will make you grasp the mechanism of wireless telegraphy”—
Branly’s communication to the Academy of Sciences, explaining the principles of his important invention
4082. Edouard Branly Autograph Manuscript Signed - Draft of His Communication to the Academy of Sciences Exposing the Principles of Wireless Telegraphy. French inventor (1844–1940) primarily known for his involvement in wireless telegraphy. Important AMS by Edouard Branly on wireless telegraphy, ten pages, 5.5 x 8.5, no date, signed and inscribed on the first page in bold ink, “A Madame Paganon, Hommage et souvenir de collaboration, E. Branly.” Handsomely custom-bound by R. Aussourd in olive morocco decorated on the covers with straight and curved gilt fillets, spine with decorated ribs, with the bookplate of Michel de Bry affixed to the front pastedown.
Branly’s draft of his communication to the Academy of Sciences exposing the principles of wireless telegraphy. A brilliant and relentless scientist, Edouard Branly conducted his research in a small, very modest physics laboratory set up at the Catholic Institute of Paris to which he was attached. On November 24, 1890, Edouard Branly presented to the Academy of Sciences his invention of a spark-sensitive switch, or “coherer,” the best-known form of which is the metal filing tube, which is the main organ of wireless telegraphy receiving devices.
The manuscript, written in the first person, contains numerous revisions, additions and corrections. After an introduction on electric telegraphy, Branly develops his invention (translated): “It was in 1890 that I discovered and studied in a complete way the switch sensitive to the spark…the demonstration of its operation will make you grasp the mechanism of wireless telegraphy.” This switch, with its metal filing tube, obeys the spark at a distance of a few meters but also allows transmissions of 500 kilometers. He continues his explanation: “The radiation of the spark makes the filing conductive, which gives the filing tube the name of radioconductor.”
Branly immediately thought of remote control and military applications and concluded that wireless telegraphy was superior, “which would be able to replace any other telegraphy.” Branly did not worry about finding an industrial or commercial application for his invention and others knew how to take advantage of it. His findings were subsequently improved and practically applied by Oliver Lodge and Guglielmo Marconi, which resulted ten years later in the first successful transatlantic communications. In fine condition, with worn joints to the binding. Starting Bid $5,000
Curie writes to a fellow Nobel Prize-winning physicist, claiming priority for her explanation of radiation: “I pointed out those phenomena were probably the results of chemical transformations”
4083. Marie Curie Typed Letter Signed, Claiming Priority for Her Explanation of Radiation. TLS in French, signed “M. Curie,” one page, 8.25 x 10.5, Faculté des Sciences de Paris, Institut du Radium letterhead, February 27, 1923. Letter to fellow physicist Jean Perrin, in part (translated): “Thank you for sending me the notice on your scientific work. I had great pleasure in reviewing in detail the history of your beautiful activity.” She disputes his claim that before his work “the chemical explanation for the fluorescence phenomenon was unknown, and that no explanation for the thermoluminescence phenomenon had been given…In this respect you are wrong.” Curie goes on to affirm that in her 1910 Treatise on Radioactivity, “I had expounded upon the phenomenon of phosphorescence produced by radium rays as well as the phenomenon of thermoluminescence related to those same rays, and I pointed out those phenomena were probably the results of chemical transformations.” Curie here references specific pages of her book in support of her claim.
Curie concludes in more fully developing her view of radiation and chemical action: “It is certain that, as regards radium rays, the chemical action is not always the result of electromagnetic radiation. I therefore think that a chemical reaction can be provoked either by an electromagnetic radiation or by a corpuscular radiation whose effect can be referred to as a shock. Depending on the nature of the reaction, one or the other of these two processes is more efficient, and it is probable that, in some cases, only one of them can take place. It seems to me that the reaction of ions in solution does not necessarily pertain to the first category.” Perrin has penned an autograph note alongside this paragraph, stating that he himself has said as much since 1921. In very good to fine condition, with some light creasing, and a slight soiling along the intersecting folds.
Madame Curie was both the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only woman to win the Nobel Prize twice. She was awarded the 1903 prize in physics for her discovery of radioactivity, and was further awarded the 1911 prize in chemistry for her researches into radium and polonium—the publication of the very book referenced here, her 1910 Treatise on Radioactivity, being one of the direct causes for the award. The recipient, Jean Perrin, was a highly accomplished scientist who worked in many areas of physics—from thermodynamics and radiation to molecular chemistry and mass-energy equivalence—and he was himself awarded the 1926 Nobel Prize in Physics for empirically proving the existence of atoms. Starting Bid $2,500
4084. Charles Darwin Signed Photograph - One of His Favorite Portraits - PSA NM-MT 8. Outstanding 2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite photo of the great evolutionary thinker seated in a near-profile pose, boldly signed on the mount in ink in full, “Charles Darwin.” Although the carte-de-visite has a plain back, this is a known Darwin portrait by Oscar Rejlander. In very good to fine condition, with a small tear to the bottom edge of the image, and light soiling and small stains to the mount. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “NM-MT 8.”
This exceptional portrait was taken circa 1871 by Victorian art
photographer Oscar Rejlander, who served as a collaborator on The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)— Charles Darwin’s third major work of evolutionary theory, which provided visual evidence to support his theories on the universality and evolution of emotional expressions across different species. Rejlander became Darwin’s chief advisor on photography as well as his favorite portraitist. Responding to an editor’s request for a picture in the early 1870s, Darwin wrote: ‘The best photographs of me have been taken by Mr. Rejlander’ (see: Darwin Correspondence Project, Letter No. 8003). A scarce and supremely desirable format for the great naturalist’s autograph. Starting Bid $1,000
“I am a little deaf today”— Thomas Edison’s handwritten laboratory notebook, used to document experimental recordings of oboes, drums, and the ‘Ave Maria’
4085. Thomas Edison’s Handwritten “Musical Instruments No. 3” Phonograph Experiment Notebook - “I am a little deaf today”. Extraordinary original handwritten laboratory notebook by Thomas Edison, containing 22 handwritten pages in pencil on phonograph experiments (entirely in Edison’s hand, a few with additional notes on the reverse), 5.5 x 8.75, circa June 1923, documenting various experiments related to the recording of musical instruments. Labeled on the front cover in pencil, “Edison’s Experiments, Musical Instruments, No. 3”; with the possible exception of “Edison’s Experiments,” the front cover label also matches Edison’s handwriting of the period.
The first page, dated June 14, 1923, begins: “Kettle Drum: Center line & 2 side line—all jumped out, no recognizable record of a drum—may be something wrong with recorder—We tried piano & found recorder is OK—Kettle drums are probably impossible in orchestra for phono recording.”
The second page, headed “Oboe, Ave Maria,” begins with a comment on his hearing that day: “I am a little deaf today from wax—4th or 20ft is about commercial limit on center line—it sounds like a thin clarionette. I like the sound.”
The third page, headed “English Horn,” provides similar remarks: “Little deaf today, wax—1st Center Line—Its large oboe sounds like it, it’s OK at 5 10 15 20 & 25, loud enough at 25—say 50% louder than oboe at 25.”
Edison continues to make similar observations, often prefacing his notes with remarks on his hearing with lines like “I’m deaf” and “Poor hearing today.” Throughout his life, Edison suffered from hearing loss. While theories on Edison’s hearing loss from different events in his younger years abound, the most likely cause was hereditary. The irony that the record industry was launched by a person who was hard of hearing is clearly portrayed in this surviving notebook of Edison’s experiments, in which he makes notes concerning the recording of various instruments at different distances.
Edison’s hearing loss was progressive, and by the time of these experiments in 1923, Edison was 76 years old. In spite of his progressively severe deafness, Edison’s unstoppable work ethic and persistent drive for improvement—a trait that many associate with his immense success—is clearly shown in this notebook, in Edison’s words and hand.
In addition to the above instruments, Edison documents recordings of a bass clarinet (“very steady instrument…possibly it might be loud enough at 20 ft. but doubtful”), flute (“very loud…some very uneven
high notes”), piccolo (“very weak & some of high notes can’t hear at 5 or any other ft”), viola (“10 ft is best…very weak instrument”), snare drum (“unnecessarily loud on 25”), triangle (“Can’t get anything recorded, not sharp enough I guess”), and cymbal (“noise too loud at 25 ft. by ear I hear clash followed by musical sounds”).
On June 17th, he makes observations of a recording session with soprano Elizabeth Spencer: “Experiments with voice of Elizabeth Spencer & Betsey Lane Shepard. Eliz. Spencer scale at 10 ft—loud enough—Low is weak high strong—has a slight scrape sound in all notes—has tremolo all through…B. L. Shepard…scale at 10 ft on same record, very little tremolo, some scrape—more powerful than Spencer…will make further trials on position…I notice that tremolo is not prominent in Ave Maria as it is in scales.” In fine condition, with expected handling wear, and the first three pages detached but present. Accompanied by a tag that once identified a studio recording horn, marked: “Original Recording Horn used by Mr. Edison at Edison Laboratory, Orange, N.J.”
In 1877, when Edison invented the phonograph, the first device for recording and playing back sound, he thought that its main use would be to record speech in business settings, which could then be played back and transcribed. Edison moved on from the phonograph in 1878 to conquer electric lighting but quickly returned to it less than a decade later, the second time making efforts to bring affordable music to the homes of all. In the 1880s, Edison pioneered the use of wax cylinders as a means of sound recording and reproduction and his phonograph would be adopted primarily for entertainment purposes, bringing music into millions of American households. A holder of over 1,000 patents, Edison considered the phonograph to be his favorite invention.
As was true with many of Thomas Edison’s inventions, he continually experimented with improving the quality and performance of the records and phonographs produced at the Edison Phonograph Works. Rival companies would find greater success in hiring famous and desirable talent to record for their labels. At the same time, Edison focused on achieving the best recording quality while ignoring the demand from the public for top-name performers. Edison’s short-sightedness for the business side of inventing is evinced here—he focuses on making meticulous, minute improvements in quality, while failing to grasp the big picture of the matured record industry that he founded.
This notebook is one of the few official laboratory notebooks outside the few institutions with such holdings. Few objects of Edisonia connect the reader so intimately with Edison’s day-to-day work on such an important and groundbreaking invention. Starting Bid $2,500
first Roentgen
lamp in the world” as part of a report on his pioneering
4086. Thomas Edison Handwritten Manuscript on X-Ray Experiments with Sketch of “the first Roentgen Ray lamp in the world”. Handwritten manuscript on X-ray experiments by Thomas A. Edison, accomplished in pencil in his unmistakable hand and incorporating his surname twice, totaling eight pages plus a hand-drawn diagram and an original photograph, 6 x 9, circa 1896. Edison drafts a contribution to an article that would appear in the May 1896 issue of The Century Magazine, entitled ‘Photographing the Unseen: A Symposium on the Roentgen Rays.’ Edison begins by outlining the purpose of his work: “[E]dison’s experiments with the Roentgen Ray have been almost entirely devoted to understanding the phenomenon with a view of obtaining the most practicable and powerful form of apparatus—especially the fluorescent lamp—the photographic plates and the best form of electric oscillation to energize the lamp. Having all the appliances for working with Incandescent lamp vacuo he has been enabled to try a large number of experiments with the end in view. He has not as yet attempted to take pictures [o]ther than a standard figure [o]f a number of bars of metal…[H] e is now fitting up a [c]omplete apparatus and [e]xpects soon to conduct a number of accurate experiments in the photography of animals & inanimate objects, from the rough experiments recorded in Edison’s note book I ‘brief’ the following.”
The next five pages record his observations of these experiments, in part: “1st. The ray proceeds from all parts of the glass illuminated by fluorescence. 2nd. With same degree of fluorescence it is independent of the size or position of electrodes. 3d. Under same conditions as to distance of lamps from plate the distortion increases with increase in size of lamp bulb. 4th. Records taken every 3 inches up to 36 inches show that the photographic effect of the ray diminishes at the square of the distance as stated by Roentgen—5th. Commercial dry plates vary much in their sensitiveness to the ray—the most rapid plates for light are the slowest for the ray. 6th. As near as can be ascertained at present the power of the ray to photograph varies as to the square of the illuminating power of the fluorescence. 7th. The phosphoresce of the lamp after current is stopped does not photograph—powerful after phosphoresce of a lamp is no indication of its value for photographic work.” He concludes by noting: “A good lamp should give [a] clear photograph of thin metallic strips through 8 inches
of Georgia pine in 15 minutes.”
Additionally includes Edison’s hand-drawn diagram of the lamp, accomplished on the reverse of a color illustration of New York, captioned in pencil in another hand: “Sketch of the first Roentgen Ray lamp in the world. Drawn by Edison’s own hand at his laboratory for George H. Guy.” The sketch closely corresponds with the official diagram that Edison submitted for his ‘Fluorescent Electric Lamp’ patent, filed May 19, 1896. Guy’s New York address is stamped in the upper right corner; Guy was manager of the Bureau of Scientific and Electrical Information, and a technical newspaper columnist/editor for several notable newspapers of the day, including the New York Times. Also accompanying is a rare contemporary 6 x 8.5 mounted albumen portrait of Edison, captioned on the mount in pencil: “Edison under his Fluorescent Lamp, May 29/96.”
Browned, brittle, and in good to very good condition, with varying degrees of chipping, splitting, tears, and losses affecting some of Edison’s writing; the original photograph is heavily worn, with splits to the mount repaired on the reverse with tape. Accompanied by a photocopy of the piece as it appeared in The Century Magazine.
German engineer and physicist Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895, and scientists and inventors around the world clamored to investigate the newfound phenomenon. Edison was principal among them, and—as he notes here, already having developed apparatus for testing the electric incandescent light—made fast progress. He quickly developed a fluorescent lamp which used X-rays, or “Roentgen Rays,” to excite the phosphor, which he used to conduct experiments in X-ray imaging. He soon set to work on an early fluoroscope, but abandoned the project upon realizing the dangers of radiation: Edison nearly lost his sight, and his laboratory assistant Clarence Dally became an early victim of radiation dermatitis and subsequent medical complications, eventually losing his left arm and right hand due to radiation exposure, and dying of mediastinal cancer. These unfortunate events led Edison to famously announce: ‘Don’t talk to me about X-rays; I am afraid of them.’ Starting Bid $1,000
4087. Werner Heisenberg Archive of (9) Autograph Letters Signed on Cosmic Radiation. Archive of nine ALSs in German, all signed “W. Heisenberg,” totaling sixteen pages on nine sheets (including eight on letterhead of the Institut fur theoretische Physik, Leipzig, and one on a postcard), dated from November 18, 1931 to May 9, 1932. Heisenberg writes to fellow physicist Bruno Rossi concerning Rossi’s experimental work on cosmic rays. This important suite of scientific letters evidences Heisenberg in the process of conceiving a new science of cosmic radiation, and his contributions to Rossi’s work; notably, two letters feature sketched diagrams of Rossi’s experimental devices. Additionally includes three ALSs from Rossi to Heisenberg, dated 1930 and 1932.
Written while Bruno Rossi was performing his pioneering research into cosmic rays, these highly technical letters offer a contemporaneous reporting—and high-level running commentary—on the emerging results and implications of Rossi’s experiment. Prior to Rossi’s experiment almost nothing was known about cosmic radiation; but using a new mode of tracking device (“coincidence detector”) of his own invention, Rossi was able to determine the velocity, strength, and composition of cosmic rays for the first time. And very significantly and unexpectedly, Rossi discovered that the collision of high-energy cosmic rays could trigger a cascade (“shower”) of subatomic particles when they collided with matter in earth’s atmosphere—a discovery of the greatest import for the development of modern physics.
Heisenberg opens the correspondence by saying that he has been “doing some calculations concerning cosmic radiation recently” and asking Rossi if he would look at his “little manuscript.” Soon thereafter, Heisenberg indicates interest in seeing Rossi’s own manuscript about the experiment; and a number of subsequent letters communicate Heisenberg’s critique of Rossi’s document, with Heisenberg writing: “Many thanks for your interesting manuscript; I learned a lot from it. I now understand very well, what difficulties stand in the way of the j-ray hypothesis. I still want to think over all the implications of the fact, that adjustment of the Bothe-Kolhörster experiment (4% difference) can explain [its results] very well with electrons alone (without j-rays); this was quite clear to me, and I’m in complete agreement with this part of your manuscript.”
In the critical central letter of the series (January 9, 1932), Heisenberg indicates that he has discussed cosmic rays with Neils Bohr and states that “we’re both now completely convinced, like you, either that the radiation is “corpuscular” (i.e. electron) and that Störmer’s theory fails for some reason, or that the primary radiation is absorbed much more quickly than one would expect from a reasonable theory. The Klein-Nishina formula would have to be wrong by a factor of about 10.”
In one of the final letters, Heisenberg indicates that he has just completed “a longish piece on all the theory about the problem of cosmic radiation”—undoubtedly a reference to his own field-defining 1932 article “Theoretical Reflections on Cosmic Rays,” the foundational work for the new science of cosmic radiation.
Heisenberg was actively involved in cosmic ray research throughout the 1930s, and he approached the field from a wide range of perspectives over the decade. At this early date of his work with cosmic rays, Heisenberg’s interest in the subject was strongly motivated by recent developments in relativistic quantum theory; and most specifically, by Dirac’s theoretical prediction of the reality of antimatter. Insofar as cosmic rays afforded the only then-available means to observe and test the behavior of high-energy quanta, Heisenberg thought that the study of high-energy cosmic rays could materially aid the discovery of antimatter’s existence. And indeed it was only a few short months after these letters were written that the existence of antimatter (in the form of a ‘positive electron,’ i.e. positron) was empirically discovered in the cascading particle showers caused by cosmic ray collisions.
Heisenberg’s work with cosmic rays essentially defined the future direction of his scientific efforts. Rossi’s discovery of collision-based particle showers ushered in a ‘golden age’ of particle discovery and prompted the necessity to unify the diverse ‘particle zoo’ revealed by collision techniques. Rising to the challenge, Heisenberg formulated S-Matrix theory, a critical tool for constructing a unified theory of matter. Somewhat similar in concept to the revolutionary matrix techniques Heisenberg introduced into Quantum Mechanics in 1925 (for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize), S-Matrix theory provides a mathematical framework for characterizing the quantum states of particles and for describing the probability of their interaction and scattering. Extensively used to test hypotheses about the nature of matter and to study the properties of subatomic particles (including mass, spin, and charge), S-Matrix theory has found widespread application throughout physics, ranging from the study of condensed matter to quantum gravity.
This exceptional suite of letters chronicles one of the most significant experiments of the 20th century. Heisenberg’s letters evidence the significant—and apparently little-known—role Heisenberg played in both the theoretical and practical aspects of the experiment (including his diagrammatic suggestions for modifying Rossi’s coincidence detector). Heisenberg’s work with Rossi and cosmic rays ultimately paid big dividends for physics: Heisenberg’s S-Matrix theory was designed to replace local quantum field theory as a basis for elementary particle physics; and the theory was highly influential in the 1960s, aiding the development of an organized view of the structure of matter and laying the foundation for String Theory. In overall fine condition, with some light creasing and short edge tears. Starting Bid $5,000
Elusive handwritten receipt from the brilliant James Clerk Maxwell, confirming attainment of a volume from the
“Harvard College Observatory”— the first Maxwell we have ever offered
4088. James Clerk Maxwell Autograph Document Signed - Extremely Rare Handwritten Receipt from the Revered Physicist. Scottish physicist and mathematician (1831-1879) who was responsible for the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation, which was the first theory to describe electricity, magnetism, and light as different manifestations of the same phenomenon. Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetism achieved the second great unification in physics, whereas the first had been realized by Isaac Newton. Exceptionally rare ADS, one page, 7 x 4.5, October 16, 1878. Addressed from the legendary Cavendish Laboratory of Physics in Cambridge, a boldly penned handwritten receipt: “Received this day of the Harvard College Observatory Vol IX of its Annals.” Signed below with his rare full signature, “James Clerk Maxwell,” who has added to the left, “(From Leipzig.” The reverse is docketed by an unknown hand and not a signature. In fine condition.
While fellow revolutionary minds Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton are rare and desirable in their own right, autographic material from Maxwell remains virtually unobtainable, especially those bearing
any scientific relation or academic associations. Our example, the first in our long history, links the iconic institutions of Cambridge and Harvard and is dated a year before Maxwell’s untimely death at the age of 48.
Maxwell’s discoveries helped usher in the era of modern physics, laying the foundation for special relativity and quantum mechanics. Many physicists regard Maxwell as the 19th-century scientist to have had the greatest influence on 20th-century physics, and his contributions to science are considered by many to be of the same magnitude as those of Newton and Einstein.
In 1922, when Einstein was told by his host at Cambridge University that he had achieved greatness because he stood on the shoulders of Newton, Einstein replied: ‘No I don’t. I stand on the shoulders of Maxwell.’ Maxwell was Einstein’s personal scientific hero and was said to have kept a portrait of him on his study wall alongside pictures of Michael Faraday and Isaac Newton. Maxwell’s work served as a direct inspiration to Einstein and his Theory of Relativity. Starting Bid $500
“Presuming you mean the Electromagnetic recording Telegraph, I reply that being the inventor of it, I must of necessity be the first operator”
4089. Samuel F. B. Morse Autograph Letter Signed, Affirming His Status as the Inventor of the “Electromagnetic recording Telegraph”. Civil War-dated ALS signed “Sam’l F. B. Morse,” one page, 5 x 7.75, November 11, 1861. Addressed from New York, a handwritten letter to A. T. Goodman, discussing his legal troubles in attempting to prove primacy in the invention of the telegraph, in full: “A letter dated Oct’r 18th from you has just reached me inquiring, if I lay claim to the first operator in Telegraphs, and when the first line was used. Presuming you mean the Electromagnetic recording Telegraph, I reply that being the inventor of it, I must of necessity be the first operator. The first line constructed between two commercial points was the experimental line, ordered by the Government in 1843 and completed in May 1844 between Washington and Baltimore. An experimental line of short circuit was operated by me in New York as early as the autumn of 1835.” The letter has been professionally inlaid into a slightly larger sheet. Framed under UV Plexiglas and matted with an engraved portrait bearing a facsimile signature to an overall size of 18 x 15.5. In fine condition.
The idea for the telegraph was born from a tragic moment in the life of Samuel Morse. While in Washington to paint a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, Morse received a letter from his father informing him that his wife, Lucretia, had fallen gravely ill after the birth of their third child. Morse immediately packed up his paint and headed home to New Haven. But by the time he arrived, he was too late; Lucretia had died and her body had already been buried for several days. After his wife’s death, Morse vowed to find a way to expedite the delivery of life-or-death messages.
Goodman’s letter seems to reveal an ongoing source of frustration for the inventor, who often found himself, some 25 years after he developed the “Electromagnetic recording Telegraph,” queried on whether he was truly the machine’s inventor. Morse was, of course, the inventor, but there was a race between two sets of researchers to see who could design the system first: the English team of Sir William Cooke (1806-79) and Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-75), and the American team of Morse, Leonard Gale (180083) and Alfred Vail (1807-59).
In the 1830s, British researchers Cooke and Wheatstone developed a telegraph system with five magnetic needles that could be pointed around a panel of letters and numbers by using an electric current (their system was soon being used for railroad signaling in Britain), while Yale-educated Morse worked to develop an electric telegraph of his own. In collaboration with Gale and Vail, Morse eventually produced a single-circuit telegraph. Notable moments came in 1842, when Morse strung ‘wires between two committee rooms in the Capitol and sent messages back and forth’ to demonstrate his telegraph system, and in 1844, when he telegraphed a Bible quote from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore: ‘What hath God wrought?’ This climatic moment was met with both great celebration and, unfortunately, nonstop lawsuits. The first patent battle Morse was involved with revolved around whether or not he was the actual inventor of the telegraph. Morse swore to the originality of his invention, but the burden of proof fell on Morse as he did not apply for an American patent in a timely manner. Therefore he had to rely on the testimony of various colleagues and friends to determine when Morse had a working model of his telegraph (which was determined to be around 1835). The following series of lawsuits set the pace for Patent law which continues today. As a result, Samuel Morse is not just known for his invention of the telegraph but also known to have set the precedent for future patent litigation. Starting Bid $1,000
4090. Isaac Newton Document Signed as Warden of the Royal Mint, Making a Case Against a Notorious Coin Counterfeiter. Vellum manuscript DS, signed “Is. Newton,” one page, 12.25 x 3, January 25, 1698/9. Recognizance bond issued by Isaac Newton as Warden of the Royal Mint to ensure the future appearance of Nathaniel Peck as a witness against Newton’s nemesis, the counterfeiter William Chaloner. In part: “Nathanl Peck de Black Fryars London…Thos Worley de St Sepulchres London Glover…Symon Cross de east Aurifaber…Upon Condition the said Peck do personally appear at the next Genll Sessions of the peace …in St John str for the County aforesaid Then and there to answer…objected agt him touching his packing away Counterfeit money for advantage.” Removably corner-mounted and matted with a portrait of Newton to an overall size of 18 x 17. In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing and speckled staining.
Recommended by his friend Charles Montagu, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Isaac Newton was appointed Warden of the Mint in 1696. The following year he undertook the office of Master of the Mint, a position that he would hold for the last 30 years of his life. Newton made the position a high priority, and though he
continued to write and publish scientific works, he retired from his Cambridge duties in 1701 to focus on the position. As Master, he reformed the currency and punished counterfeiters to his fullest extent of the law—as evidenced by Chaloner’s fate.
On the same day Newton signed this bond, he took the ‘Information’ of Nathaniel Peck. Peck told Newton that seven years earlier, Chaloner had brought him two pieces of iron to be turned. Chaloner was using the pieces as stamps to make French coins called pistoles. Peck also purchased counterfeit pistoles from Chaloner for 8 shillings each and sold them for 11 shillings. A few months later, Chaloner provided Peck with two counterfeit guineas, which Peck also put into circulation before Chaloner turned to Thomas Holloway as his preferred distributor.
By early 1699, Newton had assembled 44 collected against Chaloner, who had been arrested in November 1698 for forging lottery tickets. Although charges regarding the lottery tickets were dropped, Newton brought three indictments against Chaloner, and he was convicted of high treason on March 3, 1699. Chaloner was hanged at Tyburn on March 22, 1699. Starting Bid $2,500
“Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?”—
4091. Louis Pasteur Handwritten Manuscript on Rabies Experiments: “Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?”
Significant handwritten manuscript in French by Louis Pasteur, unsigned, one page both sides, 6.25 x 8.25, Arbois, October 1884. Remarkable manuscript penned during his rabies research, dating to eight months before the first successful human vaccination. Headed, “Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?,” the manuscript reads, in part (translated): “I have often read that rabies does not exist in Constantinople. However, several people I have consulted, most notably Dr. Fauvel, who have lived there for a long time, confirmed to me that they have definitely seen rabid dogs and people with rabies who have been bitten by those dogs in Constantinople. Although it is very rare, you can live a long time in Turkey without ever having seen a rabid dog or even heard of its existence.
It is understandable how the rumor was spread that rabid dogs do not exist. Nobody denies the existence of rabies in either Africa or Egypt. In 1884, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Sergent, a French public health doctor who has been living in Beirut for the past 27 years. He assured me that he had never seen a single case of rabies, either in dogs or in humans. These facts force me to ask the question which is the subject of this note. To resolve these queries experimentally, I asked Doctor Sergent to kindly send me some dogs from Beirut so that I could once and for all prove their immunity against rabies.” He goes on to discuss his experiment, in which the dogs from Beirut did indeed succumb to rabies. Pasteur concludes: “If rabies has never been observed in Beirut by Dr. Sergent, and if it does not seem to exist in Syria, it is because no one has ever brought it there. The dogs of these countries are ostensibly as susceptible as ours. So, our answer to the initial question we asked is NO. We have here a strong argument in favor of the opinion that rabies is never spontaneous.” In fine condition. Starting Bid $1,000
“Very often, I also found the sign of the swastika, which is a symbol of good wishes according to Burnouf’s Lexicon of the Sanskrit language”
4092. Heinrich Schliemann Autograph Letter Signed on Ancient Troy and the Origin of the Swastika. Pioneering archaeologist (1822–1890) best known for his excavations at the ancient sites of Troy and Mycenae. ALS in German, signed “H. Schliemann,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5 x 7.75, January 27, 1872. An exceptionally early letter written shortly after Schliemann had finished his first season of digging at Troy, the most famous archeological excavation of all time. Schliemann here writes the amateur philologist George Petrus Heller, who had recently made a public statement (in a German newspaper) claiming that one of the inscriptions Schliemann found was in fact the Greek name for Troy—Ilion—written in Phoenician characters. Schliemann begins his letter by acknowledging Heller’s sensationalistic claim (translated): “Your translation of the inscription I found in Troy…pleased the whole educated world, and especially me.” And though he immediately goes on to say that French scholars “could not decipher any letter of it [the inscription] and they firmly declared that there was no resemblance to Phoenician writing,” Schliemann nonetheless affirms that he personally was convinced by some of Heller’s arguments.
After mentioning his discovery of “wonderful prehistoric vases and beakers with the face, breasts and navel of a woman,” Schliemann proceeds to give Heller details about the various signs and symbols that he discovered in the course of his digging, drawing Heller’s especial attention to two of them: “I do not fail to draw your attention to the fact that I found the cross, which was a religious symbol of great importance…Very often, I also found the sign of the swastika, which is a symbol of good wishes according to Burnouf’s Lexicon of the Sanskrit language.” In fine condition. Accompanied by Heller’s retained copies of a letter to Schliemann, his article from the Augsburg Allgemeine Zeitung about Schliemann’s work (January 17, 1872), and related clippings.
Schliemann’s 1871 discovery of the swastika symbol in the ruins of Troy was in fact an event of great historical consequence, directly linked to the Nazi appropriation of the symbol. Schliemann was himself personally fascinated with the swastika, and he believed it to have been a religious symbol of the ancient German people. Emile Burnouf, the scholar whom Schliemann here references, is considered ‘the father of European Aryanism,’ and it was Schliemann himself who convinced Burnouf that the discovery of the swastika at Troy proved the Aryan origins of the ancient Trojans and, most notably, their German descendants. Schliemann motivated Burnouf to academically study the swastika, and Burnouf’s treatises about the swastika and its Aryan connection directly influenced the Nazi choice of the swastika for their Party symbol.
Archeological letters of such outstanding content and resonance are of the greatest rarity in commerce. The discovery of Troy is deemed the greatest archeological achievement of all time, and Schliemann is now recognized as ‘the father of pre-Hellenistic archeology.’ The present letter is of exceptionally early date, and we do not find record of a comparable Schliemann letter being offered at auction.
Full of detail about Schliemann’s first season at Troy, this exceptional letter touches Schliemann’s very essence. Though it is now clearly understood that Heller misinterpreted the archeological record, it is nonetheless the fact that Heller’s sensationalistic claim made Schliemann a world-class celebrity. The present is the only letter Schliemann ever wrote to Heller, and the letter is accompanied by an important archive of contemporary documents relating to Heller’s newspaper statement about the Trojan inscription. Written three months before any public announcement Schliemann made about his discovery of the swastika, this letter places us at the very origin of the swastika’s rise to European prominence. Starting Bid $1,000
4093. WWII German Enigma I Cipher Machine (c. 1943). Sought-after World War II-era three-rotor Enigma I electromechanical cipher machine built for the German military by Heimsoeth and Rinke in Berlin in 1943. Based on the chassis of the commercial Enigma D, the Enigma I machine was the standard Enigma machine used by the German military throughout the war. It features an ebonite Steckerbrett [plugboard] on the front, which was exclusive to the German armed forces and exponentially increased the complexity of the code. This version of the Enigma is sometimes referred to as the Heeres [Army] Enigma, Wehrmacht Enigma, or Luftwaffe Enigma due to its military-specific application.
The Enigma machine is housed in an original oak Enigma case with hinged lid and hinged front panel, with serial number plate “A16878/ jla/43” on the keyboard. The three included rotors—marked “I,” “II,” and “III”—carry matching serial numbers matching that of the machine, “A16878,” as does the reflector, indicating that all were issued together in 1943. Stored inside the lid are two spare Stecker cables, ten spare light bulbs, a replica contrast screen, and replica “Zur Beachtung” instructions for cleaning, use, and troubleshooting. The inner front panel is stamped “Klappe Schliessen [Keep Closed]” and boasts the iconic oval-shaped “Enigma” brand. The case also retains its brown leather carrying handle on the rear. This Enigma machine has an unusual history: it was discovered in an old wood shed in Antwerp, Belgium in 2017. Upon discovery, the machine was missing the plugboard, the wooden transport case, and the plug cables. Extensive restoration was undertaken, which included disassembly and cleaning, lubrication, testing, and repairs with both original and replica parts. An original Steckerbrett plugboard was sourced from a damaged, corroded ‘donor’ Enigma, and rewired using c. 1960s coated wire; the machine’s original plugboard wiring had been intentionally severed, perhaps by German troops to disable the device while under threat of capture. Since no original batteries have survived, this machine has also been modified to accept two modern C batteries. Thanks to this restoration, the Enigma machine operates at about 75% functionality—occasional key pushes fail to result in a lighted indicator. Once restored, the Enigma I was installed within an original oak Enigma case (though not original to this machine), which was acquired from the family of a United States soldier who served in Europe during World War II. The soldier had sent the empty case—filled with items he had acquired during his time in Europe—back home to his address in Keyser, West Virginia, which is inscribed on the top of the lid, along with the soldier’s return address. The transport case remains in exceptional condition, exhibiting appropriate patina for its age and history. The three rotors included are especially desirable as they are original to the machine, with matching numbers: mismatches are typical of field-used machines, as the interchangeable rotors were often swapped out at German outposts. These rotors demonstrate a progression in design, which evolved as resources became scarce over the course of the war. The earliest rotors featured an all-metal
construction, while later examples had Bakelite thumbwheels and ratchet wheels; these Bakelite examples are representative of the redesign. Each rotor can display one of its 26 numerals through the three windows in the machine’s cover. They have spring-loaded brass contacts on the sides corresponding to each of the 26 numbers, and they may be arranged in any order on the internal shaft. The specific settings of the rotors and plugboard were determined on a daily basis via a secret codebook that allowed the German forces to synchronize their Enigma machines. The Enigma machine has a standard German “QWERTZ” keyboard with 26 white-on-black keys, with matching “QWERTZ” lighted display. When a key is pressed, the corresponding encoded letter—as determined by the specific arrangement of the rotor wheels and plugboard—is illuminated. The rightmost rotor steps once each time a key is pressed. At an adjustable point it triggers the middle rotor to step, and so on. Through this mechanism, an easily crackable simple substitution cipher is avoided—letters are not encoded the same way twice. An encoded message would be written down and transmitted, usually via radio telegraph (a standard World War II-era German Wehrmacht Baumuster T1 telegraph key is included with this machine). In order to decode a message, the Enigma machine on the receiving end would have to be set up with the plugboard and rotor wheels in the same pattern as the sending Enigma: when the encoded message was typed in, the decoded letters would light up, revealing the secret message one character at a time.Includes a modern reprint of the Enigma operator manual in German and a photocopy of the soldier’s enlistment record, showing that he served in campaigns at Normandy, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe.First patented in 1918 by Arthur Scherbius, the Enigma machine was developed for use in the transmission of confidential information: in addition to its obvious military and diplomatic applications, the machine found commercial use for the encryption of sensitive financial data. The German military adopted the Enigma as its primary cipher in 1926, after learning that the British had intercepted and interpreted coded German naval messages during World War I. Amidst the subsequent buildup of German forces, Poland felt particularly vulnerable—having been ceded disputed border territories by the Treaty of Versailles—and sought to crack the Enigma. Genius Polish codebreakers—led by Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Rozycki, and Henryk Zygalski—developed techniques for the decryption of Enigma code, and turned over their research to Allied counterparts after Germany’s 1939 invasion of Poland. Alan Turing and the other brilliant codebreakers at Bletchley Park continued their important work, speeding up the time it took to decode Enigma messages. The code breaking efforts at Bletchley Park led to the development of the world’s first computers as technology was pushed to defeat German cipher machines. Historians agree that these decoded messages shortened World War II by about two years, perhaps denying Nazi Germany the time needed to develop nuclear weapons. As a functional, war-dated example of the German military’s Enigma machine with a unique story, this piece is truly a marvel of technological and military history. Starting Bid $5,000
Letters from Einstein, recently emigrated from Europe and safe in America, offering words of caution regarding the rise of Nazi Germany:
“We may still hope that at least a part of the world remains protected from such a downfall”
4094. Albert Einstein Collection of (5) Typed Letters Signed, Dating to His Princeton Arrival After Leaving Nazi Germany. Collection of five TLSs in German from Albert Einstein, each signed “A. Einstein,” all one page, 8 x 10 and 8.5 x 11, dated between November 1933 and January 1936, four directed to Theodore F. Menzel and another serving as a letter of recommendation for Menzel, a German national and American resident who initiated a correspondence with the theoretical physicist in late November 1933. Einstein’s letters are as follows (translated):
November 24, 1933: “Your noble and refined words have given me unusual pleasure. You are entirely correct that the people in Germany are not as bad as the behavior of the state and of the leading voices makes it appear. However, there is a great danger that the better elements will be destroyed, suppressed, or even corrupted. For the time being, we may still hope that at least a part of the world remains protected from such a downfall.”
July 23, 1934: “It may well be quite inconvenient for you to visit me here in Watch Hill. I will be happy to also answer your questions in writing, as far as I can.”
July 27, 1934: “Your letter indicates that you prefer to pose your questions to me orally. This can certainly be done some morning by prior arrangement. P.S. My wife is in Europe.”
January 6, 1936: “I remember our conversation very well and am happy to recommend you. In view of my isolated situation, however, I am not in a position to identify the individuals whom you might approach. For this reason, I am sending you the enclosed recommendation written in general terms.”
Letter of recommendation (same date as above): “I have had the opportunity on multiple occasions to converse with Mr. Theodor Menzel about certain observations that he has made in recent years. On these occasions, I have seen that he is a cultured, capable, and intelligent man. He will certainly show himself to be useful and reliable in a business career, as Mr. Menzel’s references’ also demonstrate. I would be greatly pleased if Mr. Menzel were to find employment matching his capabilities.”
Includes an ALS from Elsa Einstein and seven letters from Menzel. In overall very good to fine condition, with soiling, toning, and file holes, none of which affects any of Einstein’s signatures. Accompanied by English translations for each letter. Starting Bid $2,500
Field Equations],”
4095. Albert Einstein Unpublished Autograph Manuscript on Unified Field Theory - ‘The Field Equations’. Handwritten manuscript by Albert Einstein for an unpublished scientific work, one page, 8.5 x 11, no date but circa early 1940s. Marked “(12)” in the upper right corner, the page is headed “Die Feldgleichungen [The Field Equations]” and boasts a number of autograph equations with prose text in German. In fine condition.
Einstein quietly pioneered a new approach to Unified Field Theory while World War II was raging. Intending his new Unified Field Theory to be ‘a generalization of the relativistic theory of gravitation,’ Einstein thought such a theory needed to be written in a new mathematical formalism capable of supporting both complex numbers and an asymmetric composition of the metric tensor.
Representing Einstein’s final approach to Unified Field Theory, Einstein worked on such mathematical considerations for the last 15 years of his life. The present manuscript positions us at the beginning of Einstein’s search for such a UFT extension of General Relativity, and it precedes any published statement of his new approach. In this early effort, Einstein attempts to determine the most natural form of algebraic expression for the 16 complex components of a Hermitian metric tensor—seeking an equation capable of yielding the known conservation law for momentum and energy in the limit case of real coordinates.
Tilman Sauer describes Einstein’s final UFT papers as ‘highly abstract and esoteric theoretical investigations…exploring consequences of a generalized mathematics very much like venturing into an uncharted terrain,’ and Einstein himself said that these papers were ‘hard work…for which [even] a true mathematician would not muster the courage.’ Starting Bid $5,000
“Do you really believe that the
big nations will submit to the decisions of a court whose purpose is the execution of their chosen politicians?”
4096. Albert Einstein Typed Letter Signed on a World Court: “Do you believe that such an allpowerful institution would be free of corruption and partiality?”. TLS signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.5 x 11, blindstamped personal Princeton letterhead, June 22, 1954. Letter to Reuben Pearl of Philadelphia, offering a pointed critique of his proposal for a world court. In part: “Do you really believe that the big nations will submit to the decisions of a court whose purpose is the execution of their chosen politicians? And do you believe that such an allpowerful institution would be free of corruption and partiality? Do you believe that a code for such a court could be agreed upon and that the judgements of such a court would be carried out? I must confess that I
cannot believe in the practicality of such propositions and I am unable to spare the time to spend on your manuscript.” In very good condition, with overall creasing, and a light stain touching the signature.
The consignor notes that her grandfather, Reuben Pearl, had authored a manuscript pertaining the the state of Israel, international politics, and ethics, and submitted it to Albert Einstein for review. In his response, Einstein declines to spend his time with the manuscript, utilizing the Socratic method to question the logic of his arguments. Offering a window into Einstein’s thoughts on world politics and his method of argumentation, this is a fascinating and insightful letter. Starting Bid $1,000
“Albert Einstein, 1933”—significant signed ‘Type I’ portrait of Einstein pictured as the guest of honor at Caltech when he first met Robert Oppenheimer
4097. Albert Einstein Signed ‘Type I’ Photograph, Pictured During His First Visit to the California Institute of Technology. Vintage glossy 10 x 8 silver gelatin photo of Albert Einstein in a handsome threequarter-length pose, an image captured during his visit to the California Institute of Technology physics department in early 1931, signed neatly at a later date in black ink, “Albert Einstein, 1933.” In fine condition, with tiny tack holes to the corners, and some light silvering to darker areas of the image. Encapsulated by PSA as an authentic ‘Type I’ photograph.
Einstein served as a researcher and visiting professor at the California Institute of Technology for three winter terms in 1931, 1932, and 1933, the year the offered photograph is dated. This picture of Einstein, however, was taken during his first visit to Caltech in 1931, a trip marked by his formal introduction to a brilliant 27-year-old physicist named Robert Oppenheimer. This is confirmed by Lot 4111, a group photograph of Einstein pictured with numerous Caltech graduate students and faculty, including Oppenheimer and Robert A. Millikan. Einstein is shown wearing the exact same attire of matching striped suit, dark tie, and wing-tipped shirt collar; his tousled hair and visage are likewise identical. Although pictured in 1931, it’s believed that Einstein signed this photograph in 1933 during his final visit to the campus. It was also in 1933 when Einstein decided to escape Europe and settle permanently in the United States, where he assumed a position at Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study. Read more online at www.RRAuction.com. Starting Bid $1,000
4111. Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer Original Photograph. Original vintage glossy 10 x 8 silver gelatin photograph of Albert Einstein seated with the faculty and graduate students of the physics department at the California Institute of Technology, an image taken on the occasion of Einsetin’s visit to Pasadena in October 1931. Of considerable interest is the presence of theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer, who is pictured front row to the far left. Pictured in the front row (left to right): Oppenheimer, Harry Bateman, R. D. Tolman, William V. Houston, Robert A. Millikan, Einstein, Paul Epstein, Fritz Zwicky, and Earnest Watson. In fine condition, with tack impression to the bottom edge. Accompanied by its original Hartsook photography studio folder. Read more online at www.RRAuction. com. Starting Bid $200
Lots 4098 to 4110 come from the collection of sculptor, thinker, and KFC ‘To-Go’ innovator Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Col. Harland Sanders. She held a longstanding fascination Albert Einstein and his work, sparked by an interest in the correlation of science and religion.
As she wrote to Einstein on December 17, 1953: “Dr. Einstein, because of intuition and the inspiration of all your written works which I had devoured with a hungry mind, I set out from my home in Florida with twenty-five dollars in my purse to establish myself near the Library of Congress where I could get more of your works and hope that one day I might even meet you in person...I have sculpted a head of Mrs. J. Edgar Lillienfeld and learned that she and her husband, Dr. Lillienfeld, were personal friends of yours and they have generously added to my storehouse of knowledge of you...Now, comes Dr. Otto Nathan into my experience, who saw me reading your books at the Library of Congress and made himself known to me. He has been so kind as to offer to bring my letter to you in person.”
After that chance encounter at the Library of Congress, Margaret became a close friend of Otto Nathan, a former Princeton economist and the future executor of Einstein’s estate. She documents her longstanding interest in Albert Einstein, her creation of Einstein’s bust, her friendship with Otto Nathan, and his delivery of her ‘open letter’ to Einstein in her memoir, The Colonel’s Secret: Eleven Herbs and a Spicy Daughter (pp. 186–239), published in 1996.
Top: working with her father, Col. Sanders. Bottom: presenting a bronze Einstein bust to Otto Nathan.
Unfortunately, Einstein passed away before Sanders could sit with him in person. Still determined to create a bust of the genius, she used photos provided by Nathan as reference material for the project. Sanders writes: “Although I had never sculpted from photographs, I decided I would give it a try for Otto’s sake since I had promised to do a head of Einstein for him. He had given me many pictures of Einstein and now was as good a time as any to accepted this as a new challenge!...I put some clay on the armature and started building it to life size in order to save time. I had been at this perhaps an hour when the mailman ran in excitedly. ‘Oh, you’re doing a head of Einstein,’ he exclaimed... A short time later, three children toting schoolbooks under their arms stopped outside the store standing three abreast across the double-door entrance. As they stared intently I saw one of them nudge his buddy. I could scarcely believe his words, ‘She’s doing a head of Albert Einstein.’ That did it! I got up to walk across the room to see for myself. When I looked back, sure enough there was a head of Einstein on my table.”
his
executor
4098. Albert Einstein Signed Photograph to Economist and Executor Otto Nathan. Vintage mattefinish 6.75 x 8.25 photo of Albert Einstein hard at work in his study, with bookshelves in the background and papers spread across his desk, signed and inscribed in the lower border in fountain pen, “Der lieben Otto Nathan [To dear Otto Nathan], A. Einstein, 50.” In very good to fine condition, with two faint vertical bends, a tiny corner crease, and a longer diagonal crease to the blank right side of the bottom border. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
Like Einstein, economist Otto Nathan fled Nazi Germany and took a position on the faculty at Princeton University, where his friendship with the genius began. Nathan would serve as the sole executor of Einstein’s estate after the scientist’s death in April 1955, and was designated by Einstein as co-trustee of his literary estate (along with Einstein’s secretary Helen Dukas). After Einstein’s death, Nathan and Dukas spent 25
years organizing his papers and collecting supplementary material from around the world. They planned for all of Einstein’s papers—personal and scientific—to eventually be published, and in 1971 Princeton University Press undertook the massive publishing effort.
The photographer of this portrait was likely Hermann Landshoff, also a German-Jewish émigré who settled in the United States in the 1930s. He visited Einstein several times in the 1940s and early 1950s, capturing several images of the genius in quiet moments at his home or Princeton study.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein.
Starting Bid $1,000
“This gesture applies only to the rest of the world. Yours, A. Einstein” —an original print of one of the 20th century’s enduring photographs, signed by its iconic subject
4099. Albert Einstein Iconic Signed ‘Tongue’ Photograph: “This gesture applies only to the rest of the world”. Iconic vintage glossy 5 x 7 photo of Albert Einstein famously sticking his tongue out on his 72nd birthday, signed in the thin upper border in fountain pen in German (translated): “This gesture applies only to the rest of the world. Yours, A. Einstein 51.” Reverse bears an International News Photos credit stamp: “Int’l News Photos, 235 East 45th St., New York.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing, including a thin vertical crease descending to his forehead, visible at an angle. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
This iconic photo of Einstein was taken on his 72nd birthday, March 14, 1951, by United Press International photographer Arthur Sasse. After a birthday celebration at the Princeton Club, Einstein was mobbed by photographers and reporters as he made his way into a friend’s car to go return home. Sasse held back until he could get closer, then yelled to get his attention, ‘Ya, Professor, shmile for your birthday picture, ya?’ Tired of smiling for the cameras all day long, Einstein turned around and stuck out his tongue. Luckily, Sasse was quick enough to capture the moment and create what became one of the most well-known photographs of the 20th century. The original photo shows Einstein in between Dr. Frank Aydelotte, the former head of the Institute for Advanced Study, and his wife. After seeing it in the newspaper, Einstein sent a letter to International News Photos to request nine prints to give to his friends, and asked that the image be cropped to show his face
only. This is one of those examples—an original International News Photos print, cropped per Einstein’s specifications and given to him to distribute to close friends.
The owner of this particular example was Otto Nathan, an economist who fled Nazi Germany and took a position on the faculty at Princeton University, where his friendship with the genius began. Nathan would serve as the sole executor of Einstein’s estate after the scientist’s death in April 1955, and was designated by Einstein as co-trustee of his literary estate (along with Einstein’s secretary Helen Dukas).
Interestingly, Otto Nathan presented the photo as a gift to Margaret Sanders, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders, and it has descended through the family. Margaret’s close relationship with Otto Nathan, and her interest in Einstein’s work, are well documented in her memoir, The Colonel’s Secret: Eleven Herbs and a Spicy Daughter (pp. 186–239), published in 1996. This signed photograph might have been presented as a ‘thank-you’ for her gift of a bust of Einstein (see lots 4101 and 4102); she had also received several photographs of Einstein from Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of the bust.
Signed examples of Arthur Sasse’s famous photograph of Einstein are exceedingly scarce; we have offered just one example—over a decade ago—and it achieved $125,000 at auction. Starting Bid $5,000
“Through no fault of mine (I hope) I have become in the minds of some people a legendary figure, something like Santa Claus, who has accomplished more or less impossible things and is able to perform more of them. The sober truth is quite different”
4100. Albert Einstein Typed Letter Signed: “I have become in the minds of some people a legendary figure, something like Santa Claus”. TLS signed “A. Einstein,” one page, 8.5 x 11, blindstamped personal Princeton letterhead, January 5, 1954. Letter to Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders, replying to a five-page letter in which she prompts him with a litany of philosophical questions and ideas about science, religion, peace, and universal brotherhood; she makes mention of her work in sculpture and notes that Otto Nathan saw her “reading [Einstein’s] books at the Library of Congress and made himself known to me. He has been so kind as to offer to bring my letter in person.”
The essential question she poses to Einstein is thus: “You said that your Unified Field Theory would enable mankind to explain the multiferous phenomena of nature in terms of a single edifice of cosmic law. Is not this a mathematical structure that the religieux calls by the name ‘GOD’? The scientist builds it through mathematics to prove the absolute. The religieux accepts it on faith and starts from there.”
Einstein replies, in full: “I feel somewhat unhappy reading your kind letter of December 17th. Through no fault of mine (I hope) I have become in the minds of some people a legendary figure, something like Santa Claus, who has accomplished more or less impossible things and is able to perform more of them. The sober truth is quite different.
Continued on next page.
Continued from previous page.
“Most of the physicists of today do not believe that my way is hopeful or even reasonable”
Concerning my last theory which took me many years to bring into conviction: I have to say the following: it is a system of equations, simple from the logical point of view, established in the hope that it may be the general field law. But due to mathematical difficulties which seem, for the time being, insurmountable, I have not the slightest guilt to assert that this system will fulfill this expectation. Nor will this probably be known in a possible future, I regret, therefore, very strongly the fact that the press, always hungry for news made a big noise about it. Most of the physicists of today do not believe that my way is hopeful or even reasonable.
All this being so, as I have truly said it, any attempt of mine to teach the people what they should believe or do, would be out of place, even ridiculous. The truth is that I feel not so absolutely sure that I know the right answers to those all-important questions. The only thing I feel sure of is that the actions and even the judgements of men are more determined by their wishes and instincts than by rational thought—a fact to which we have to bow in resignation.” In fine condition.
Accompanied by the original mailing envelope, a copy of Adams’s original letter to Einstein, a copy of her proposed reply, and two ALSs by Otto Nathan concerning their correspondence. In the first, dated January 11, 1954, he writes: “I
thought Professor E’s letter to you was very interesting and very characteristic of him and his way of thinking. And while it is not exactly what you desired, it is an answer to the question which you had asked.” In the second, dated April 25, 1954, he mentions visiting Einstein and recommends that she not send a new letter: “I talked with him at length about his works and the present stage of his deliberations. I have become quite convinced in my own mind to suggest to you not to mail your new letter for the time being. I am sure he would add nothing to his previous letter to you (of January 5, 54).”
Also includes a copy of Margaret Sanders Adams’s memoir, The Colonel’s Secret: Eleven Herbs and a Spicy Daughter, in which she relates the conception, creation, and delivery (by Otto Nathan) of her letter to Einstein. She notes: “From the very beginning I had only dared to hope to someday have what I wrote published as an ‘open letter’ to Dr. Einstein, but far beyond all imaginable expectations, here before me stood Einstein’s personal friend, willing to act as my courier, to take him a personal letter from me! I spent that night putting my hypothesis into a personal letter. Dr. Nathan delivered it and in a short time, I had an answer in the mail from Einstein himself. I have kept the two letters in my lock box since 1953 for safe keeping, and they shall remain there until I am shown the propitious time to publish them.” Starting Bid $1,000
4101. Albert Einstein Plaster Bust by Margaret Sanders Adams. Fantastic circa 1956 plaster bust of Albert Einstein created by Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders, inscribed on the back of the base: “Margaret Sanders Adams.” The plaster head measures approximately 5.5˝ x 6.75˝ x 5.75˝, and has an inherent plaster base bringing it to an overall height of 9.5˝, with a total weight of 5.85 lbs. In fine condition, with a few chips to the off-white painted finish.
From the estate of the sculptor, Margaret Sanders Adams, who presented a bust to Einstein’s friend and executor Otto Nathan. On seeing initial photographs of the work, Nathan wrote: ‘I think you’ve done an excellent job with the Einstein bust. There are several busts existing—the most famous ones by Epstein and Davidson, which I personally find unsatisfactory. Perhaps it’s because they both originated in a much earlier time of his life. As far as I can judge from the photos you’ve sent me, yours is better.’ Starting Bid $200
4102. Albert Einstein Bronze Bust by Margaret Sanders Adams. Wonderful circa 1956 bronze bust of Albert Einstein created by Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders, inscribed on the back of the neck: “Sanders Adams, 1956.” The bronze head measures approximately 5.5˝ x 6.75˝ x 5.75˝, and is set upon a black-and-green marble base to an overall height of 12.75˝, with a total weight of 16.25 lbs. In fine condition, with a few scratches to the base.
From the estate of the sculptor, Margaret Sanders Adams, who presented a bust to Einstein’s friend and executor Otto Nathan. On seeing initial photographs of the work, Nathan wrote: ‘I think you’ve done an excellent job with the Einstein bust. There are several busts existing—the most famous ones by Epstein and Davidson, which I personally find unsatisfactory. Perhaps it’s because they both originated in a much earlier time of his life. As far as I can judge from the photos you’ve sent me, yours is better.’ Starting Bid $200
4103. Albert Einstein Original Photograph by Trude Fleischmann. Original vintage semi-glossy 7 x 9 silver gelatin photograph of Albert Einstein, pipe in hand, taken by Trude Fleischmann circa 1946, showing the genius in a handsome halflength pose, holding his beloved smoking pipe in his right hand. Displayed in its original 10 x 12.75 mat, signed on the mount in fountain pen by the photographer, “Trude Fleischmann,” with Fleischmann’s credit stamp on the backing. In fine condition. The photographer, Trude Fleischmann, had a studio in Vienna before moving to the United States—also under pressure from world affairs—to open a studio in New York City. Her work spanned celebrity portraits and fashion photography (most notably for Vogue).
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
4104. Albert Einstein (3) Original Vintage Contact Sheet Photographs by Philippe Halsman. Three original vintage glossy 4 x 5 silver gelatin ‘outtake’ contact print photographs of Albert Einstein from Philippe Halsman’s iconic 1947 photo shoot with the genius, showing him looking left and downward. All bear “Copyright by Philippe Halsman” stamps on the reverse. In overall fine condition.
These are little-seen outtakes from the session that bore one of the most enduring photographs of Einstein: Halsman’s portrait of the genius looking directly into the camera has been widely published, used as the image on a 1966 8¢ postage stamp and on the cover of Time Magazine’s issue honoring Einstein as ‘Person of the Century.’
In his book Philippe Halsman: A Retrospective, the photographer explains the circumstances of the photo shoot: ‘I admired Albert Einstein more than anyone I ever photographed, not only as the genius who single-handedly had changed the foundation of modern physics but even more as a rare and idealistic human being.
Personally, I owed him an immense debt of gratitude. After the fall of France, it was through his personal intervention that my name was added to the list of artists and scientists who, in danger of being captured by the Nazis, were given emergency visas to the United States.
After my miraculous rescue I went to Princeton to thank Einstein, and I remember vividly my first impression. Instead of a frail scientist I saw a deep-chested man with a resonant voice and a hearty laugh…The question of how to capture the essence of such a man in a portrait filled me with apprehension. Finally, in 1947, I had the courage to bring on one of my visits my Halsman camera and a few floodlights. After tea, I asked for permission to set up my lights in Einstein’s study. The professor sat down and started peace fully working on his mathematical calculations. I took a few pictures. Ordinarily, Einstein did not like photographers, whom he called Lichtaffen (light monkeys). But he cooperated because I was his guest and, after all, he had helped save me.’
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
4105. Albert Einstein (2) Original Contact Sheet
Photographs with Otto Nathan, Helen Dukas, and Margot Einstein. Two original vintage glossy 8 x 10 silver gelatin contact print photographs of Albert Einstein at ease with his friends and family: one features eight images, seven of which show the genius, showing him smoking his pipe on a porch with his close friend Otto Nathan; the other features twelve images, six showing Einstein, along with his stepdaughter, Margot Einstein, and his secretary, Helen Dukas. Both
sheets include excellent portraits of Albert Einstein, showing him in wonderful half-length and full-length poses. In overall fine condition.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Interestingly, Margot Einstein was also sculptor, having studied the craft at Columbia University. Starting Bid $200
4106. Albert Einstein Original Photograph - Smoking a Pipe with Otto Nathan. Sharp original vintage semi-glossy
7.75 x 9.75 silver gelatin photograph of Albert Einstein in a great profile pose, smoking a long pipe while standing beside his close friend, economist Otto Nathan. In fine condition, with a bit of tape residue to the top edge and a light vertical bend.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein.
Starting Bid $200
4107. Albert Einstein (3) Original Photographs - Walking and at Princeton. Outstanding grouping of three original vintage glossy silver gelatin photographs: a 10 x 8 photo of Albert Einstein walking down a long park pathway in winter, wearing a long coat and winter cap (marked “From Otto Nathan” on the reverse); a 3.75 x 4.75 photograph of Einstein walking in a garden with Otto Nathan; and a 3.5 x 5.5 photo of Einstein in his Princeton study with his secretary, Helen Dukas, taken in October 1940, with a “Copyright by L. Aigner, New York” stamp on the reverse. In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing and a tiny edge tear to the larger photo, and a horizontal crease to the lower part of the Princeton office photo.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
4108. Albert Einstein (3) Original Vintage Press Photographs. Three original vintage glossy press photos of Albert Einstein:
- an 8.5 x 6.5 photo of Einstein in a pensive, close-up pose, with a typed caption affixed on the reverse: “Conscious of the disaster which would inevitably follow if Nazi Germany should be the first to succeed in releasing atomic energy, Dr. Albert Einstein, in this scene from the March of Time film, ‘Atomic Power!’ is shown as he decided to write his historic personal letter of President Franklin D, Roosevelt, urging that the U S. step up its program of atomic research.”
- an 8.5 x 6.5 photo of Einstein with fellow physicist Leo Szilard during a re-enactment of their meeting for the film Atomic Power (1946), during which Einstein signed Szilard’s letter to FDR encouraging him to pursue a nuclear program.
- a 9 x 7 United Press International photo of Einstein during his 1950 appearance on the NBC program ‘Today with Mrs. Roosevelt,’ speaking out against the development of the hydrogen bomb. Reverse bears a UPI credit stamp, affixed “Rotocopy, Inc.” label, and is annotated in ink: “Albert Einstein warns against arms race, 2/15/50.”
In overall very good to fine condition.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
4109. Albert Einstein Original Photograph - Standing in Winter Coat. Original vintage semi-glossy 4.75 x 7 silver gelatin photograph of Albert Einstein standing in his winter coat, his leonine mane tamed by a woolen cap, papers neatly tucked under an arm. In fine condition, with one tiny edge tear and minor edge rippling.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
4110. Albert Einstein Original Photograph - Close-Up Portrait. Original vintage matte-finish 3.75 x 5.5 silver gelatin photograph of Albert Einstein smiling in a close-up pose, with windswept hair and a striped scarf wrapped around his neck. In fine condition.
From the estate of Margaret Sanders Adams, the daughter of KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders; notably, she received several photographs from Einstein’s executor Otto Nathan to use as reference material for her creation of a bust of Einstein. Starting Bid $200
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2.2 Bidding privileges may be revoked without notice, for any reason, at the sole discretion of RR Auction .
Section 3
3.1 The Bidder acknowledges and agrees that a 25% buyer’s premium will be added to the hammer price on all individual lots sold in timed and live Auctions. . For payment other than by cash, delivery will not be made unless and until full payment has been received by RR Auction, i.e., check or wired funds have fully cleared. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, signed by RR Auction, payment in full is due within thirteen (13) calendar days of the Auction or within twelve (12) calendar days of the invoice date, whichever is earlier. Bidder’s failure to pay any payment in full when due required shall constitute a material breach, and in addition to other damages available under contract or law, at RR Auction’s election, RR Auction may cancel the sale and require full premium still be due along with interest at 1.5% per month from the date of breach, or at the maximum legally allowable rate.
Section 4
Bidding
4.1 Each Bidder’s determination of its bid should be based upon its own examination of the item(s) and independent investigation, rather than the any reliance as to what is represented in the Catalog, online or elsewhere. Bidder affirms that it regards any statements made by RR Auction concerning the item as solely opinion and that Bidder is making its own inspection and independent evaluation of the goods, and is not relying upon any description or statements by RR Auction (including as to quality, authenticity, provenance, ownership, liens existing, on goods legality, or value) in making its determination to bid on or purchase an item. In any purchase or sale, the value of the item(s) is determined by the price. THE BIDDER HEREBY ASSUMES ALL RISKS CONCERNING ANY AND ALL PURCHASES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
4.2 RR AUCTION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ERRORS IN BIDDING. A Bidder should make certain to bid on the correct lot and that the bid is the maximum (plus the Buyer’s Premium) that the Bidder is willing and able to pay. Since other Bidders (by mail, facsimile, online, and in person) will be present, and since a re-offering could damage the momentum of the sale, once the hammer has fallen and RR Auction has announced the winning Bidder, such Bidder is unconditionally bound to pay for the lot,
even if the Bidder has made a mistake.
4.3 All prospective Bidders who examine lots in person prior to the sale shall personally assume all responsibility for any damage they cause in so doing. RR Auction shall have sole discretion in determining the value of the damage caused, which shall be promptly paid by the prospective Bidder.
4.4 Title to any lot remains with Consignor, any secured party of the Consignor, or assignee of Consignor, as the case may be, until the lot is paid for in full by Bidder and Bidder has fully satisfied any outstanding financial obligations to RR Auction (including as it concerns aby other lots). RR Auction reserves the right to require payment in full before delivering any lot to the successful Bidder.
4.5 It is the Bidder’s responsibility and obligation to have the lots fully insured while in their possession. Bidder assumes any and all risk of loss upon the earlier of shipment to Bidder or in Bidder’s possession.
4.6 Bidder grants to RR Auction or its assigns the right to offset any sums due, or found to be due by RR Auction, and to make such offset from any past, subsequent or future consignment, or items acquired by Bidder in possession or control of RR Auction or from any sums due to Bidder by RR Auction. Bidder further grants RR Auction a lien consisting of a senior security interest (or purchase money security interest to the extent applicable) in such sums or items to the fullest extent applicable, authorizes RR Auction to file documents concerning the interest, and Bidder agrees to execute any further documents as may be reasonably necessary to grant RR Auction such security interest. Bidder agrees that RR Auction and its assigns shall be a secured party with respect to items bought by Bidder and in the possession of RR Auction, to the extent of the maximum indebtedness, plus all accrued fees and expenses, until the indebtedness is paid.
4.7 By bidding in this sale, Bidder personally and unconditionally guarantees payment. The authorized representative of any corporate Bidder who is present at the sale shall provide RR Auction or its agent, prior to the commencement of the bidding (or at the time of registration), with a statement signed by a principal, director or officer that they he or she personally and unconditionally guarantees any payment due RR Auction.
4.8 RR Auction may at its sole and absolute discretion, make loans or advances to Consignors and/or prospective Bidders.
Section 5
Bidding Options
5.1 Non-Internet bids (including but not limited to in-person, facsimile, phone and mail bids) are treated similarly to floor bids in that they must be on-increment. Any in-person, facsimile, phone, or mail bids that do not conform to a full increment will be rounded up or down to the nearest full increment and this revised amount will be considered Bidder’s high bid.
5.2 When identical bids are submitted, preference is given to the first received. To ensure the greatest accuracy, written bids should be entered on the standard printed bid sheet and be received at RR Auction’s place of business at least twenty-four (24) hours before the Auction start. RR Auction is not responsible for executing mail bids or facsimile bids received on or after the day the first lot is sold, nor Internet bids submitted after the published closing time; nor is RR Auction responsible for proper execution of bids submitted by telephone, mail, facsimile, e-mail, Internet, or in person once the Auction begins.
5.3 In all Auctions, bids on an item must raise the current high bid by at least 10%, or as specified on a per-Auction basis. Bids will be accepted in whole dollar amounts only. No “buy” or “unlimited” bids will be accepted. In a live sale, bids on an item can change at the discretion of RR Auction.
5.4 RR Auction reserves the right to accept or decline any bid. Bids must be for an entire lot and each lot constitutes a separate sale. All bids are per lot unless otherwise announced. Live auction lots will be sold in their numbered sequence unless RR Auction directs otherwise. It is unlawful and illegal for Bidders to collude, pool, or agree with another Bidder to pay less than the fair value for lot(s). For live auctions, RR Auction will have final discretion in the event that any dispute should arise between Bidders. RR Auction will determine the successful Bidder, cancel the sale,
or re-offer and resell the lot or lots in dispute. RR Auction will have final discretion to resolve any disputes arising after the sale and in online auctions. If any dispute arises, RR Auction’s sale record is conclusive.
6.1 Subject to fulfillment of all of the Conditions of Sale set forth herein, upon the sooner of (1) the passing of title to the offered lot pursuant to these Conditions of Sale, or (2) possession of the offered lot by the Bidder, Bidder thereupon (a) assumes full risk and responsibility (including without limitation, liability for or damage to frames or glass covering prints, paintings, photos, or other works), and (b) will immediately pay the full purchase price or such part as RR Auction may require. In addition to other remedies available to RR Auction by law, RR Auction reserves the right to impose from the date of sale a late charge of 1.5% per month of the total purchase price if payment is not made in accordance with the conditions set forth herein. All property must be removed from RR Auction’s premises by the Bidder at his/her expense not later than sixty (60) business days following its sale and, if it is not so removed, RR Auction may send the purchased property to a public warehouse for the account, at the risk and expense of the Bidder.
6.2 Payment is due upon closing of the Auction session, or upon presentment of an invoice. RR Auction reserves the right to void an invoice if payment in full is not received within thirteen (13) calendar days of the Auction or within twelve (12) calendar days of the invoice date. In cases of nonpayment, RR Auction’s election to void a sale does not relieve the Bidder from their obligation to pay RR Auction its fees (seller’s and Buyer’s Premium) on the lot and any other damages pertaining to the lot.
6.3 All sales for total invoices greater than $1,000 are strictly for cash in United States dollars (including U.S. currency, bank wire, cashier checks, eChecks, and bank money orders), and are subject to all reporting requirements.
6.4 All deliveries are subject to good funds; funds being received in RR Auction’s account before delivery of the Purchases; and all payments are subject to a clearing period. RR Auction reserves the right to determine if a check constitutes “good funds”: checks drawn on a U.S. bank are subject to a ten (10) calendar day hold, and ten (10) business days when drawn on an international bank. Clients with pre-arranged credit status may receive immediate credit for payments via e-Check, personal or corporate checks.
6.5 In the event that a Bidder’s payment is dishonored upon presentment(s), Bidder shall pay the maximum statutory processing fee set by applicable state law. If Bidder attempts to pay via check and the financial institution denies the transfer from Bidder’s bank account, or the payment cannot be completed using the selected funding source, Bidder agrees to complete payment.
6.7 If RR Auction refers any unpaid invoice to an attorney for collection, the Bidder agrees to pay and shall be liable for RR Auction’s attorney’s fees, court costs, and other collection costs incurred by RR Auction in addition to the invoice amount and interest the greater of 1.5% per month or at the maximum legally allowable rate from date of invoice to collection. If RR Auction assigns collection to its house counsel, such attorney’s time expended on the matter shall be compensated at a rate comparable to the hourly rate of independent attorneys.
6.8 RR Auction shall have a lien against the merchandise purchased by the Bidder (as well as to the extent it is a consignor any other monies owed or due to Bidder) to secure payment of the Auction invoice. RR Auction is further granted a lien and the right to retain possession of any other property of the Bidder then held by RR Auction or its affiliates to secure payment of any Auction invoice or any other amounts due RR Auction or affiliates from the Bidder. With respect to these lien rights, RR Auction shall have all the rights of a secured creditor, including but not limited to the right of sale. In addition, with respect to payment of the Auction invoice(s), the Bidder waives any and all rights of offset he might otherwise have against RR Auction and the consignor of the merchandise included on the invoice (the Consignor”). If a Bidder owes RR Auction or its affiliates on any account, RR Auction and its affiliates shall have the right to offset such unpaid account by any credit balance due Bidder, and it may secure by possessory lien any unpaid amount by any of the Bid-
der’s property in their possession.
6.9 All checks, cashiers checks, bank checks, or money orders are payable to R&R Auction Company of Massachusetts, LLC. RR Auction clients with an invoice totaling $1,000 or under will have the option to pay by VISA, Mastercard, Discover or Paypal. All Paypal payments must be sent to FinanceDepartment@rrauction.com. Authorize.net, a third-party service provider contracted by RR Auction for processing on-line payments, charges a nonrefundable service fee of 3%, which will be added to your final invoice should you pay by credit/debit card.
Section 7 Sales Tax
RR Auction is a remote seller and we are now required to collect Sales/ Use Tax from our bidders. The states that we have nexus in we will be required to collect and remit sales tax on your behalf. Each state has different requirements to meet nexus. When RR Auction has achieved a certain monetary and/or invoice threshold in each state we will apply sales tax to your total invoice. The states that are affected are: ARIZONA, ARKANSAS, CALIFORNIA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KANSAS, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NEVADA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, OKLAHOMA, PENNSYLVANIA,RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, UTAH, VIRGINIA, WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN
If we have not achieved nexus in a particular state it is still your responsibility to pay sales tax on your purchases.
The sales tax rate is determined by the State, Country, and City where purchases are shipped to. If you decide to pick up your purchases at our New Hampshire location you will not be required to pay sales tax. The State of New Hampshire does not have a general sales and use tax. All purchases picked up at our Massachusetts location will be taxed at the current rate of 6.25%.
If you have a resale number please email Sue@RRAuction.com or fax to (603) 732-4288 a copy of your state resale certificate and you will be exempt from paying sales tax.
Section 8
Bidder is liable for shipping and handling and providing accurate information as to shipping or delivery locations and arranging for such. RR Auction is unable to combine purchases from other auctions or affiliates into one package for shipping purposes. Lots won will be shipped in a commercially reasonable time after payment in good funds for the merchandise and the shipping fees is received or credit extended, except when third-party shipment occurs. Bidder agrees that service and handling charges related to shipping items which are not pre-paid may be charged to a credit card on file with RR Auction.
Successful international Bidders shall provide written shipping instructions, including specified Customs declarations, to RR Auction for any lots to be delivered outside of the United States. NOTE: Declaration value shall be the item’(s) hammer price and RR Auction shall use the correct harmonized code for the lot. Domestic Bidders on lots designated for third-party shipment must designate the common carrier, accept risk of loss, and prepay shipping costs.
All duties, customs, and any other import charges are the responsibility of the bidder.
Section 9
Title
Title shall not pass to the successful Bidder until all invoices of Bidder (including those pertaining to the item(s) at issue) and amounts owed to RR Auction are paid in full. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to provide adequate insurance coverage for the items once they have been delivered to a common carrier or third-party shipper.
Section 10
Rights Reserved
RR Auction reserves the right, at any time before, during or after an auction has ended to: withdraw any lot before or at the time of the Auction, cancel any bid, and/or to postpone the Auction of all or any lots or parts thereof, for any reason. RR Auction shall not be liable to any Bidder in the event of such withdrawal, cancellation, or postponement under any circumstances. RR Auction reserves the right to refuse to accept bids from anyone at any time.
Section 11
Conducting the Auction
11.1 RR Auction reserves the right to postpone the Auction or any session thereof for a reasonable period of time for any reason whatsoever, and no Bidder or prospective Bidder shall have any claim as a result thereof, including consequential damages.
11.2 RR Auction’s Discretion: RR Auction shall determine opening bids and bidding increments. RR Auction has the right in its absolute discretion to reject any bid in the event of dispute between Bidders or if RR Auction has doubt as to the validity of any bid, to advance the bidding at its absolute discretion and to determine the successful Bidder in the event of a dispute between Bidders, to continue the bidding or to reoffer and resell the lot in question. In the event of a dispute after the sale, RR Auctions record of final sale shall be conclusive. RR Auction also may reject any bid if RR Auction decides either that any bid is below the reserve of the lot or article or that an advance is insufficient. Unless otherwise announced by RR Auction at the time of sale, no lots may be divided for the purpose of sale.
Lots may be subject to a reserve which is the confidential minimum price below which the lot will not be sold. Consignors may not bid on their own lots or property. RR Auction may, from time to time, bid on items that it does not own. RR Auction may execute bids consecutively or otherwise up to one bid increment below the reserve.
Bidding by telephone, facsimile, online, or absentee bidding (advance written bids submitted by mail) are offered solely as a convenience and permitted subject to advance arrangements, availability, and RR Auction’s approval which shall be exercised at RR Auction’s sole discretion. Neither RR Auction nor its agents or employees shall be held liable for the failure to execute bids or for errors relating to any transmission or execution thereof. In order to be considered for off-site bidding in any manner, Bidders must comply with all of these Conditions of Sale and the terms contained on the Registration Form.
11.5 Estimate Prices:
In addition to descriptive information, each item in the Catalog sometimes includes a price range which reflects opinion as to the price expected at auction (the “Estimate Prices”). In other instances, Estimate Prices can be obtained by calling RR Auction at (603) 732-4280. The Estimate Prices are based upon various factors including prices recently paid at auction for comparable property, condition, rarity, quality, history and provenance. Estimate Prices are prepared well in advance of the sale and subject to revision. Estimates do not include the Buyer’s Premium or sales tax (see under separate heading).
11.6 Owned or Guaranteed Property:
RR Auction generally offers property consigned by others for sale at public auction; in very limited occasion, lots are offered that are the property of RR Auction.
11.7 Before the Auction:
Bidder may attend pre-sale viewing for all of RR Auction’s auctions at no charge. All property to be auctioned is usually on view for several days prior to the sale. Bidder is encouraged to examine lots thoroughly. Bidder may also request condition reports (see below). RR Auction’s staff are available at viewings and by appointment.
11.8 Maximum Bids In All Auctions:
To maximize Bidder’s chance of winning, RR Auction strongly encourages
the use of maximum bids. RR Auction will then bid for Bidder until the lot reaches Bidder’s specified maximum. Maximum bids are strictly confidential. Placing arbitrary, non-incremental bids on lots with prior maximum bids may result in these lots being sold for less than 10% above the under Bidder’s bid.
11.9
The fall of RR Auction’s hammer indicates the final bid. RR Auction will record the paddle number of the Bidder. If Bidder’s salesroom or absentee bid is successful, Bidder will be notified after the sale by mailed or emailed invoice.
11.10
If a lot does not reach the reserve, it is bought-in. In other words, it remains unsold and is returned to the Consignor. RR Auction has the right to sell certain unsold items after the close of the Auction. Such lots shall be considered sold during the Auction and all these Terms and Conditions shall apply to such sales including but not limited to the Buyer’s Premium, return rights, and disclaimers.
11.11
Bidder may open, monitor, and/or raise bids at any time before the close of a lot through www.rrauction.com. RR Auction offers a callback service the day of the Auction, but Bidder is responsible for supplying a correct telephone number(s) where Bidder can be reached until the Auction closes. Bidder must request this service in writing. RR Auction will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Bidders who request a callback are contacted if outbid; however, RR Auction does not guarantee this service and it is merely a courtesy and not an enforceable right. The auctioneer may also execute a bid on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve, either by entering a bid in response to salesroom, telephone or absentee bids. Under no circumstances will the auctioneer place any bid on behalf of the consignor above the reserve. The auctioneer will not specifically identify bids placed on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve.
To ensure proper registration, those Bidders intending to bid via the Internet must visit www.RRauction.com and register accordingly at least one full day prior to the actual auction. Winning bidders will be notified by RR Auction. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays, or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids.
Any Bidder may bid on any lot prior to 6 pm EST/EDT. At that time, an extended bidding period goes into effect. If Bidder has not bid on a lot before 6 pm EST/EDT, Bidder may not bid on that lot after 6 pm EST/EDT. Only those Bidders who have placed bids on a lot before 6 pm EST/EDT will be allowed to bid on that lot after 6 pm EST/EDT. If Bidder is the only Bidder on a lot at 6 pm EST/EDT, that lot is awarded to Bidder. During the extended bidding period, a lot will remain open only to those who bid on that lot prior to 6 pm EST/EDT. All lots WITHOUT an opening bid at 6 pm EST/EDT will remain OPEN to ALL Bidders until 7 pm EST/EDT or until they receive their first bid. These lots will close immediately upon receipt of a bid or at 7 pm EST/EDT, whichever comes first. For all lots that are active after 7 pm EST/EDT, bidding will remain open until 30 minutes pass without a bid being placed on THAT lot (the “30 Minute Rule”). The 30 Minute Rule is applied on a PER LOT BASIS; each lot in the Auction closes individually based on bidding activity after 7 pm EST/EDT. On a PER LOT BASIS, the 30 minute timer will reset each time a bid is placed after 7 pm EST/EDT. If Bidder is the high Bidder, raising Bidder’s maximum bid will NOT reset the timer. RR Auction reserves the right to close the Auction at any time at its sole discretion.
11.12 Bidding - Internet Live
Bidder may open, monitor, and/or raise bids at any time before the close of a lot through www.rrauction.com. RR Auction offers a callback service the day of the Auction, but Bidder is responsible for supplying a correct telephone number(s) where Bidder can be reached until the Auction closes. Bidder must request this service in writing. RR Auction will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Bidders who request a callback are contacted if outbid; however, RR Auction does not guarantee this service and it is merely a courtesy and not an enforceable right.
To ensure proper registration, those Bidders intending to bid via the Internet must visit www.RRauction.com and register accordingly at least one full day prior to the actual auction. Winning bidders will be notified by RR Auction. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays,
or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids.
During live internet or live auction, property is auctioned in consecutive numerical order, as it appears in the catalog. The auctioneer will accept bids from those present in the salesroom or absentee bidders participating by telephone, internet or by written bid left with RR Auction in advance of the auction. The auctioneer may also execute a bid or bids (successively or otherwise) on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve, either by entering a bid in response to salesroom, telephone or absentee bids. Under no circumstances will the auctioneer place any bid on behalf of the consignor above the reserve. The auctioneer will not specifically identify bids placed on behalf of the consignor to protect the reserve. All auctions for lots are with reserve unless specifically stated otherwise.
During live Auctions, internet bids can be placed in real time through one or more of the following Third Party services: www.liveauctioneers.com, www.invaluable.com and www.icollector.com. RR Auction is not responsible or liable for any problems, delays, or any other issues or problems resulting out of use of the Internet generally or specifically, including but not limited to transmission, execution or processing of bids. RR Auction treats any third-party site bids as floor or telephone bids. Floor bids and telephone bids are always considered first over third party sites bids, and floor bids are considered earlier than telephone bids. All RR Auction lots purchased through the third-party sites carry an additional Buyer’s Premium.
11.13 Miscellaneous:
Agreements between Bidders and Consignors to effectuate a non-sale of an item at Auction, inhibit bidding on a consigned item to enter into a private sale agreement for said item, or to utilize RR Auction’s Auction to obtain sales for non-selling consigned items subsequent to the Auction, are strictly prohibited. If a subsequent sale of a previously consigned item occurs in violation of this provision, RR Auction reserves the right to charge Bidder the applicable Buyer’s Premium and Consignor a Seller’s Commission as determined for each auction venue and by the terms of the seller’s agreement.
Acceptance of these Terms and Conditions qualifies Bidder as a client who has consented to be contacted by RR Auction in the future. In conformity with ”do-not-call” regulations promulgated by the Federal or State regulatory agencies, participation by the Bidder is affirmative consent to being contacted at the phone number shown in his application and this consent shall remain in effect until it is revoked in writing. RR Auction may from time to time contact Bidder concerning sale, purchase, and auction opportunities available.
11.14 Rules of Construction: RR Auction presents properties in a number of collectible fields, and as such, specific venues have promulgated supplemental Terms and Conditions. Nothing herein shall be construed to waive the general Conditions of Sale by these additional rules and shall be construed to give force and effect to the rules in their entirety.
Section 12
RR Auction’s Remedies
Failure of the Bidder to comply with any of these Conditions of Sale or the terms of the Registration Form is an event of material breach or default. In such event, RR Auction may, in addition to any other available remedies specifically including the right to hold the defaulting Bidder liable for the Purchase Price or to charge and collect from the defaulting Bidder’s credit or debit accounts as provided for elsewhere herein: (a) cancel the sale, retaining any payment made by the Bidder as damages (the Bidder understands and acknowledges that RR Auction will be substantially damaged should such default occur, and that damages under sub-part (a) are necessary to compensate RR Auction for such damages); (b) resell the property without reserve at public auction or privately; (c) charge the Bidder interest on the Purchase Price at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month or the highest allowable interest rate; (d) take any other action that RR Auction, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or appropriate to preserve and protect RR Auction’s rights and remedies. Should RR Auction resell the property, the original defaulting Bidder shall be liable for the payment of any deficiency in the purchase price and all costs and expenses associated there with, including but not limited
to warehousing, sales-related expenses, reasonable attorney fees and court costs, commissions, incidental damages and any other charges due hereunder which were not collected or collectable. In the event that such Bidder is the successful Bidder on more than one lot and pays less than the purchase price for the total lots purchased, RR Auction shall apply the payment received to such lot or lots that RR Auction, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. If RR Auction does not exercise such discretion, the lots to which the payment shall be applied will be in descending order from the highest purchase price to the lowest. Any Bidder failing to comply with these Conditions of Sale shall be deemed to have granted RR Auction a security interest in, and RR Auction may retain as collateral such security for such Bidder’s obligations to RR Auction, any Bidder’s property in RR Auction’s possession or to which title has not yet passed to Bidder. RR Auction shall have the benefit of all rights of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.) as adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Section 13 Warranties
13.1 RR Auction does not provide any warranties to Bidders, whether expressed or implied, beyond those expressly provided in these Conditions of Sale. All property and lots are sold ”as is” and “where is”. By way of illustration rather than limitation, neither RR Auction nor the Consignor makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to merchantability or fitness for intended use, condition of the property (including any condition report), correctness of description, origin, measurement, quality, rarity, importance, exhibition, relevance, attribution, source, provenance, date, authorship, condition, culture, genuineness, value, or period of the property. Additionally, neither RR Auction nor the Consignor makes any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, as to whether the Bidder acquires rights in copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property (including exhibition or reproduction rights) related to the item, or whether the property is subject to any limitations or other rights. RR Auction does not make any representation or warranty as to title.
13.2 All descriptions, photographs, illustrations, and terminology including but not limited to words describing condition (including any condition reports requested by Bidder, see also Terminology), authorship, period, culture, source, origin, measurement, quality, rarity, provenance, importance, exhibition, and relevance, used in the Catalog, bill of sale, invoice, or anywhere else, represent a good faith effort made by RR Auction to fairly represent the lots and property offered for sale as to origin, date, condition, and other information contained therein; they are statements of opinion only. They are not representations or warranties and Bidder agrees and acknowledges that he or she shall not rely on them in determining whether or not to bid or for what price. Price estimates (which are determined well in advance of the Auction and are therefore subject to revision) and condition reports are provided solely as a convenience to Bidders and are not intended nor shall they be relied on by Bidders as statements, representations or warranties of actual value or predictions of final bid prices.
13.3 Bidders are accorded the opportunity to inspect the lots and to otherwise satisfy themselves as to the nature and sufficiency of each lot prior to bidding, and RR Auction urges Bidders to avail themselves accordingly.
13.4 All lots sold by RR Auction are accompanied by an Auction Certificate (“AC”). On any lot presented with an AC issued by RR Auction, the certification is only as to its attribution to the person or entity described or to the lot’s usage and only as explicitly stated therein (the “AC”), to the exclusion of any other warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to those pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code. The AC inures only to the original Bidder (as shown in RR Auction’s records). Bidder may not transfer, assign, or otherwise convey the AC and such purported transfer, assignment, or conveyance shall be null and void.
RR Auction complies with all Federal and State rules and regulations relating to the purchasing, registration and shipping of firearms. A Bidder is required to provide appropriate documents and the payment of associated fees, if any. Bidder is responsible for providing a shipping address that is suitable for the receipt of a firearm.
Under no circumstances is any employee, agent or representative of RR Auction authorized by RR Auction to modify, amend, waive or contradict any of these Conditions of Sale, any term or condition set forth on a registration form, any warranty or limitation or exclusion of warranty, any term or condition in either the Registration Form or these Terms and Conditions regarding payment requirements, including but not limited to due date, manner of payment, and what constitutes payment in full, or any other term or condition contained in any documents issued by RR Auction unless such modification, amendment, waiver or contradiction is contained in a writing signed by all parties. Any statements, oral or written, made by employees, agents or representatives of RR Auction to Bidder, including statements regarding specific lots, even if such employee, agent or representative represents that such statement is authorized, unless reduced to a writing signed Bidder and by an authorized officer of RR Auction by all parties, are statements of personal opinion only and are not binding on RR Auction, and under no circumstances shall be relied upon by Bidder as a statement, representation or warranty of RR Auction.
Section 16
Bidder’s Remedies
16.1 Except as stated expressly herein, Bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy related to or pertaining to items it bids upon, views, or purchases from RR Auction, and any claims by Bidder related to authenticity, ownership, condition, title or value, shall be against Consignor only.
16.2 This section sets forth the sole and exclusive remedies of Bidder as against RR Auction (inclusive of its affiliates, officers, managers, employees or agents), or in any way arising out of, related to, or in connection with these Conditions of Sale, , and is expressly in lieu of any other rights or remedies which might be available to Bidder by law. Time is of the essence with respect to these procedures.
The Bidder hereby accepts the benefit of the Consignor’s warranty of title and any other representations and warranties made by the Consignor for the Bidder’s benefit. In the event that Bidder demonstrates in writing, satisfactory to the sole discretion of RR Auction, that there was a breach of the Consignor’s warranty of title concerning a lot purchased by Bidder, RR Auction may make demand upon the Consignor to pay to Bidder the Purchase Price (including any premiums, taxes, or other amounts paid or due to RR Auction). Should the Consignor not pay the Purchase Price to Bidder within thirty days after such demand (if any made), RR Auction may disclose the identity of the Consignor to Bidder and may assign to Bidder all or some of RR Auction’s rights against the Consignor with respect to such lot or property. Upon such disclosure and/or assignment, all responsibility and liability of RR Auction, if any, with respect to said lot or item shall automatically terminate related to or arising from these Conditions of Sale or such transaction operating as a complete waiver and general release by Bidder as to RR Auction and its agents, contractors, and affiliates, as to any and all claims concerning or related to the item, if any . RR Auction shall be entitled to retain the premiums and other amounts paid to RR Auction by Consignor only. The rights and remedies provided herein are for the original Bidder only and they may not be assigned or relied upon by any transferee or assignee under any circumstances.
(1) If Bidder wishes to dispute or challenge the Authenticity of the lot or item (including asserting that it is incorrect), Bidder must adhere to the following procedure: Within 30 days of the Auction Date, Bidder must present written evidence to RR Auction, that the lot is not authentic as determined by a known expert in the field (and one recognized by RR Auction within its discretion) and send the physical item or lot at issue to RR Auction along with all evidence relied upon by Bidder for contesting the Authenticity. (“Authenticity Challenge Process”) “Authenticity” shall mean a gross discrepancy in the between the description, genuiness, or attribution of the item as represented by RR Auction in the Catalog or at the auction, and the item. If RR Auction concurs that the lot is not Authentic as was represented (it is sole discretion), Bidder’s sole and exclusive remedy
as against RR Auction (inclusive of its affiliates, agents, employees, and contractors) shall be a refund of the purchase price of the subject item paid by Bidder, with no other costs, liabilities or amounts recoverable by Bidder. If RR Auction does not agree with the assertion by Bidder, then the Parties shall follow the dispute resolution procedures of these Conditions of Sale. Strict adherence to the Authenticity Challenge Process is a condition of standing for Bidder to initiate suit or claim.
(2) So long as Bidder has complied with the Authenticity Challenge Process, any claim, suit or action, by Bidder concerning an AC or Certification of Authenticity, or related to the authenticity of the item must, without any exception, be brought within one (1) year of Auction Date and is subject to the other limitations and conditions stated in the Conditions of Sale.
16.5 Other Issues. Any dispute or claim by Bidder against RR Auction (or its affiliates, directors, employees, officers, agents, or contractors)) other than Authenticity, concerning any item or lot bid upon, or purchased, including value, title, condition, bidding process, or description must be asserted (if at all) in the following manner:
(1) If the description of any lot in the Catalog is materially or grossly incorrect (e.g., gross cataloging error), or there is any other gross material issue pertaining to the item or lot, the item or lot may be returned if returned within five (5) calendar days of receipt, and received by RR Auction no later than twenty-one (21) calendar days after the Auction Date with explanation in writing.. If there is any discrepancy between the description in the Catalog and a certificate of auction, then the description in the certificate of auction (“Lot Challenge Process”). This paragraph shall constitute Bidder’s sole right with respect to the return of items, and no refunds shall be given for any items not returned to and received by RR Auction within the period of time stated herein or not materially or grossly in deviation from the description. Such a refund is subject to RR Auction’s sole discretionary review, and any request for refund must be made concurrently with returning the physical item or lot to RR Auction. Any item not returned within said frame will constitute acceptance of the item and a waiver and release of any and all claims by Bidder pertaining to the item other than with respect to authenticity; and
(2) Provided that the Bidder has engaged in the Lot Challenge Process, any claim concerning such must be brought no later than one (1) year of the Auction Date for the item or lot at issue and is subject to the other limitations and conditions stated in the Conditions of Sale.
NO RETURN OR REFUND OF ANY AUCTION LOT WILL BE CONSIDERED OR PROVIDED EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THESE CONDITIONS OF SALE AND BIDDERS OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SUCH SHALL BE A COMPLETE DEFENSE TO ANY CLAIMS BY BIDDER RELATED TO THE CONDITIONS OF SALE, ANY AUCTION OR BID.
16.6 LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. For any and all claims by Bidder arising out of or related to this Agreement, Bidder’s viewing, bid, or purchase of items, or any agreement between the Parties, or otherwise, Bidder agrees that to the fullest extent such can be limited under the law, Bidder shall have no right to recover and hereby waives any and all rights to recover from against RR Auction or its affiliates, directors, employees, officers, agents, or contractors, consequential or indirect damages, lost profits damages, punitive, exemplary, statutory (or multiplier damages), physical or emotional distress damages, general or special damages of any kind (beyond amounts actually paid by Bidder for item(s) at issue), and in the event of recovery of any damages whatsoever, such shall be limited by the amounts actually paid by Bidder to RR Auction for the item(s) at issue in such claim, or if no money was paid to RR Auction by Bidder for items at issue, or there items are at issue, the amount of $150.00.
Section 17
RR Auction’s Additional Services
For Bidders who do not remove purchased property from RR Auction’s premises, RR Auction, in its sole discretion and solely as a service and accommodation to Bidders, may arrange to have purchased lots packed, insured and forwarded at the sole request, expense, and risk of Bidder.
RR Auction assumes no and disclaims all responsibility and liability for acts or omissions in such packing or shipping by RR Auction or other packers and carriers, whether or not recommended by RR Auction. RR Auction assumes no and disclaims all responsibility and liability for damage to frames, glass or other breakable items. Where RR Auction arranges and bills for such services via invoice, RR Auction will include an administration charge.
Headings are for convenience only and shall not be used to interpret the substantive sections to which they refer.
Except to the extent Bidder is also a consignor (in which case the terms of the consignment agreement shall also govern), these Conditions of Sale constitute the entire agreement between the Parties together with the terms and conditions contained in the auction Registration Form. They may not be amended, modified or superseded except in a signed writing executed by all parties. No oral or written statement by anyone employed by RR Auction or acting as agent or representative of RR Auction may amend, modify, waive or supersede the terms herein unless such amendment, waiver or modification is contained in a writing signed by all parties.
If any section of these Conditions of Sale or any term or provision of any section is held to be invalid, void, or unenforceable by any court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction, the remaining parts of the agreement and remainder of the sections or terms and provisions of the section and all sections shall continue in full force and effect without being impaired or invalidated in any way.
20.1 The Parties agree that all agreements between the Parties including but not limited to these Conditions of Sale are entered into in Boston, Massachusetts, no matter where Bidder is situated and no matter by what means or where Bidder was informed of the Auction and regardless of whether catalogs, materials, or other communications were received by Bidder in another location.
20.2 The Parties agree that these Conditions of Sale, any other related agreement(s), along with all claims between the Parties, including those arising out of or related to such are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard for its conflict of laws principles. The Parties agree that any dispute between the Parties, including but not limited to those related to or arising out of these Conditions of Sale, or related to or arising out of any other related agreement(s) shall be submitted to confidential binding arbitration (the ”Arbitration”) before a single Arbitrator of the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) The Parties agree that the Arbitration shall be conducted pursuant to the commercial rules of the AAA in Boston, Massachusetts, unless the Consumer Arbitration Rules apply, in which case, such rules and venue will govern. In the event that the Parties cannot agree on the selection of the Arbitrator, then the Arbitrator shall be selected by the AAA. The prevailing Party in the Arbitration shall also recover all of its related fees and costs, whether before or after the formal institution of the Arbitration, including but not limited to its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, if RR Auction prevails, such recovery, in addition to all remedies available at agreement or law, shall include the Buyer’s Premium as defined in these Conditions of Sale. Federal arbitration law, including the Federal Arbitration Act apply to this agreement to arbitrate and its related provisions. The arbitration and all related proceedings shall be held strictly confidential and all documents and discovery shall be held confidential and not used, published or disclosed publically or to anyone outside the Parties or expert consultants or counsel who shall agree to hold such confidential.
20.3 The Parties consent to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as exclusive jurisdiction and venue for all claims between the Parties except as provided specifically herein and may seek confirmation of the decision in the Arbitration pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act in any Court
of competent jurisdiction, including the courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. To the extent such is necessary under the law, RR Auction may enforce the Arbitration award against Bidder and any related Party in any court of competent jurisdiction. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as RR Auction consenting to jurisdiction or venue in any location outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
THE PARTIES MAY NOT BRING CLAIMS AGAINST EACH OTHER AS A CLASS OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLAIMED CLASS, OR IN A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED. UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED, THE CLAIMS AGAINST EACH OF THE OTHER CANNOT BE CONSOLIDATED OR JOINED WITH MORE THAN ONE ADDITIONAL PERSON OR ENTITIES’ CLAIMS. NO INJUNCTIVE OR DECLATORY RELIEF SOUGHT BY BIDDER IF ANY, CAN AFFECT OR BE ORDERED TO AFFECT ANY OTHER BIDDERS OR PERSONS.
20.4 Except as provided specifically in these Conditions of Sale in Bidder’s Remedies against RR Auction (along with its affiliates, directors, agents, officers, employees, and contractors) for any dispute, claim, cause of action related to or arising out of these Conditions of Sale or any other related agreement(s), brought by Bidder must be brought within the earlier of the Auction Date as it pertains to the item(s) at issue or no later than one (1) year of the acts, omissions or circumstances occurred giving rise to the alleged claim, without exception. This provision is intended as a full, complete and absolute bar to and release of any claims by Bidder initiated after one (1) year of such acts, omissions or circumstances. The Parties agree further that these waiver provisions are intended to be binding in the event of any dispute, specifically including but not limited to third party claims and cross-actions brought by Bidder. These provisions are consideration for the execution of these Conditions of Sale.
20.5 To the fullest extent under applicable law and except as specifically stated herein Bidder hereby holds harmless, releases and discharges RR Auction and its agents, officer’s directors, affiliates, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, liabilities, obligations, promises, agreements, damages, causes of action, suits, demands, losses, debts, and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected existing prior to these Conditions of Sale. Bidder agrees to the Conditions of Sale and upon each instance that Bidder participates in any auction, bids, or otherwise agrees to such terms and reaffirms this release as of the date of so participating or agreeing unless Bidder otherwise provides clear written notice to RR Auction prior to so bidding.
20.6 The Bidder hereby agrees that RR Auction shall be entitled to present these Conditions of Sale to a court in any jurisdiction other than set forth in this paragraph as conclusive evidence of the Parties agreement, and the Parties further agree that the court shall immediately dismiss any action filed in such jurisdiction.
20.7
In the event that Bidder provides false information in connection with registering for bidding, fails to correct or update information or breaches the Conditions of Sale by failing to pay the purchase price when due after becoming the winning bidder, as liquidated damages associated with such breaches, R&R may obtain from Bidder the greater of (1) 150% the reserve of the item (if any); (2) the amount bidder bid; or (3), the full amount that bidder would have otherwise paid. Bidder will also be liable for an additional 20% of such amount to account for additional administrative costs, shipping, additional advertising, and other damages and liabilities fees that are difficult to calculate on an item-by-item basis.
20.8 Indemnity. Bidder agrees to defend, indemnify, hold harmless RR Auction (along with its officers, directors, agents, contractors, and affiliates) from and against any and all claims, costs, fees, damages, and liabilities arising out of or related to these Conditions of Sale, view of items, or lots, bidding, or participation in any auction by RR Auction, and/or or in any way connected to any item you viewed, bid upon or purchased through RR Auction.
This Auction is being conducted in and the sale shall take place in the State of Massachusetts. Notwithstanding, the foregoing, should these
terms and conditions violate the law of any State should that state’s law be found to govern, or any provision herein determined to be invalid, the clause itself and the remainder of the Agreement shall be valid to the fullest extent allowed. Also, to the extent other states law apply to any transaction arising out of the Agreement (without admitting such), RR Auction states:
For Residents of California:
SALE OF AUTOGRAPHED COLLECTIBLES: AS REQUIRED BY LAW, A DEALER WHO SELLS TO A CONSUMER ANY COLLECTIBLE DESCRIBED AS BEING AUTOGRAPHED MUST PROVIDE A WRITTEN EXPRESS WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF SALE. THIS DEALER MAY BE SURETY BONDED OR OTHERWISE INSURED TO ENSURE THE AUTHENTICITY OF ANY AUTOGRAPHED COLLECTIBLE SOLD BY THIS DEALER.
A written express warranty is provided with each autographed collectible, as required by law. This dealer may be surety bonded or otherwise insured to ensure the authenticity of any autographed collectible sold by this dealer.
Section 22
Glossary of Condition terms
Information provided to prospective Bidders with respect of any lot, including any pre-sale estimate, whether written or oral, and information in any catalogue, condition or other report, commentary or valuation, is not a representation of fact but rather a statement of opinion held by RR Auction.
Use of the following terms constitutes an opinion as follows:
VERY FINE describes an item believed to be in virtually flawless condition, and is used sparingly for items of exceptionally attractive appearance.
FINE is the most common statement of condition, and applies to most items that we offer. It describes items that we believe to show expected handling wear, generally acceptable random flaws (such as light creases, small bends, etc.), and an overall appearance that is pleasing to the majority of collectors.
VERY GOOD describes an item that we believe exhibits more moderate flaws (such as toning, light staining, professional reinforcements or repairs, etc.). Most collectors would be comfortable with items in very good condition, and this would be the expected condition for many formats (early presidential documents, for example).
GOOD describes an item which we believe to have obvious visible flaws, including heavy wear, missing portions, or repairs that affect appearance; generally items in this condition are offered only if an item is otherwise believed to be exceedingly rare or important.
Bidder may call and request further details and information about RR Auction’s opinions concerning any item via phone or email which shall provided in RR Auction’s discretion.
Bidder warrants that Bidder (and its agents, assigns, successors, and affiliates) shall not purposely deface, destroy, dismember, cut-up into parts the item or Lot purchased at auction from RR Auction and in the event such shall occur whether purposefully or accidently, Bidder (and its agents, assigns, successors, and affiliates) shall refrain from advertising, promoting, or marketing the item as having been purchased from RR Auction and shall in no event display, expressly claim, or imply that the item was certified or auctioned in such state by RR Auction. As liquidated damages for such breach, Bidder agrees to be liable to RR Auction for the greater of the amount of three (3) times the hammer price of the item along with all other fees and costs as otherwise provided in this Terms of Sale.
