1 PM ET Saturday, September 28, 2024 WHERE
Royal Sonesta Boston, 40 Edwin H Land Blvd, Cambridge, MA 02142
1 PM ET Saturday, September 28, 2024 WHERE
Royal Sonesta Boston, 40 Edwin H Land Blvd, Cambridge, MA 02142
ONLINE PRE-LIVE BIDDING Ends Friday, September 27th at 1 PM ET
LIVE PHONE BIDDING
To schedule a live auction phone call, please call (603) 732-4280. You may also call to leave absentee bids if you will be unavailable on September 28th.
LIVE INTERNET BIDDING
Visit RRAuction.com to be directed to the live auction bidding room, hosted by Invaluable.com.
Hosted LIVE at the Royal Sonesta Boston on September 28th, 2024, RR Auction’s annual Remarkable Rarities event brings amazing autographs and artifacts to auction. Bid in person, by phone, or online in this premier annual sale. The auction is headlined by several extraordinary items from America’s most tragic days: an original Ford’s Theatre playbill from the performance of ‘Our American Cousin’ which saw the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the wanted poster subsequently issued for John Wilkes Booth, and unseen 8mm footage of President John F. Kennedy’s Dallas motorcade before and after his assassination. Other rarities include exceptional letters by Mozart and Beethoven, important Albert Einstein autographs, a wonderful original drawing by Picasso, and an early signed Beatles album. 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 September 2024.
Bob Eaton CEO, Acquisitions bob.eaton@rrauction.com
Carla Eaton Owner, Auctioneer carla.eaton@rrauction.com
Bobby Livingston Executive Vice President, Public Relations bobby.livingston@rrauction.com
Bobby Eaton VP, Business Development Auctioneer, MA/Lic. #3214 bobby.eaton@rrauction.com
Sue Recks Customer Service Manager Accounts Receivable sue.recks@rrauction.com
Melissa Adams Accounting Executive melissa.adams@rrauction.com
Amey Fuller Staff Accountant amey.fuller@rrauction.com
Elizebeth Otto Consignment Director elizebeth.otto@rrauction.com
Fiona Lenaire Consignor Customer Service Manager fiona.lenaire@rrauction.com
Cecily Gruce Inventory Manager Customer Service cecily.gruce@rrauction.com
Kevin Lessard Shipping Manager kevin.lessard@rrauction.com
Matt Klein Filemaker Developer and IT Administrator matt.klein@rrauction.com
Bill White Lead Autograph Appraiser bill.white@rrauction.com
Dan McCarthy Writer, Researcher dan.mccarthy@rrauction.com
Evan Mugford Writer, Researcher evan.mugford@rrauction.com
Sarina Carlo Head of Production sarina.carlo@rrauction.com
Nikki Brickett Photographer nikki.brickett@rrauction.com
Joe Boucher Production Assistant joe.boucher@rrauction.com
Brooke Kennedy Content Writer brooke.kennedy@rrauction.com
Robert S. Eaton Sr. 1940–2001
Rare, highly sought-after printed pamphlet: Common Sense; Addressed to the Inhabitants of America by Thomas Paine. Second 99-page “New Edition” published in Philadelphia by W. and T. Bradford, 1776 (Gimbel CS-15). Hardcover bound in later half morocco over marbled boards, 5 x 7.75, 99 pages. The title page lists the influential pamphlet’s subjects: “I. Of the Origin and Design of Government in general, with concise Remarks on the English Constitution. II. Of Monarchy and Hereditary Succession. III. Thoughts on the present State of American Affairs. IV. Of the present ability of America, with some miscellaneous Reflections. A New Edition, with several Additions in the Body of the Work. To which is added an Appendix; together with an Address to the People called Quakers.”
This edition is notable for its introductory postscript: “The publication of this new Edition hath been delayed, with a view of the taking notice (had it been necessary) of any Attempt to refute the Doctrine of Independance [sic]: As no Answer hath yet appeared, it is now presumed that none will, the Time needful for getting such a Performance ready for the Public being considerably past.” Like the other early editions of Common Sense, this pamphlet was published anonymously—a fact acknowledged in its introduction: “Who the Author of this Production is, is wholly unnecessary to the Public, as the Object for Attention is the Doctrine itself, not the man.” Book condition: G+/None, with an ink splotch and chip to the right edge of the title page, edge toning to the textblock, a few marginal pencil notations, the two (non-original) endpapers partially detached, and a 1912 gift inscription to the first free end page; lacks the half-title.
The first edition of Common Sense was published in Philadelphia by Robert Bell on January 10, 1776, in an edition of 1,000 copies, under an agreement that Paine would cover any losses incurred and that all profits would be evenly split. This initial fear of failure was unfounded—the politically volatile work was an immediate success, selling out quickly to an enthusiastic public. Paine intended to donate his share of the profits to the cause of liberty: ‘Learning of the disaster met by the Colonial forces battling before Quebec and of the heroic death of General Montgomery, Paine quickly decided to give
his share of the profits of Common Sense for the purchase of mittens for the troops going into that cold campaign’ (Gimbel 22). Bell, when approached by Paine’s representatives, insisted that there were no profits, and refused to remit any payment to Paine.
Infuriated, Paine broke ties with Bell and hired rival Philadelphia printers, William and Thomas Bradford, to publish this new and enlarged edition. Meanwhile, Bell began to advertise a pirated edition of the work, setting off a set month-long public debate between Bell and the still-anonymous Paine, conducted within the pages and advertisements of the Pennsylvania Evening Post, each party charging the other with duplicity and fraud. The publicity generated by the squabble only increased demand for the pamphlet, and within three months, by Paine’s own estimates, 120,000 copies were sold: ‘Common Sense swept the country like a prairie fire, and Paine poured more fuel on the flame by giving authority to other printers to publish it…As a direct result of this overwhelming distribution, the Declaration of Independence was unanimously ratified on July 4, 1776’ (Gimbel 57). By the end of the year, some nineteen versions had been printed in the colonies and seven in Great Britain. This example is particularly desirable as a very early Philadelphia edition, the publication of which Paine was intimately involved in.
Paine biographer Craig Nelson observes: ‘Common Sense made Thomas Paine America’s first bestselling author. By the end of that year of 1776, between 150,000 and 250,000 copies were sold, at a time when the American population stood at three million…If Common Sense isolated the fears and angers of the average colonist and focused them into a strategy for the future, its impact was tenfold for the men who would face charges of treason as the American founding fathers. Common Sense would lead directly to the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, and among the United Colonies’ elite now in favor of separation from Britain Paine was both a celebrity and a sage’ (Nelson 92-93).
References: A Bibliographical Check List of Common Sense, with an Account of Its Publication by Richard Gimbel; Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations by Craig Nelson.
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”
LOT 5002
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.
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
account
Manuscript DS, signed “John Hancock Spk’r,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 9.25, September 10–13, 1779. Significant document in which the Massachusetts legislature passes an ordinance providing tax relief to a community burdened by the demands of military support for the Revolutionary War. In part: “On the application of the selectmen of Falmouth in the County of Cumberland & In consideration of the present distressed circumstances of that town. Resolved That the Ballance of their account for Supplying Soldiers Families to the first day of April last, being Two Thousand eight hundred on said Town in the Tax Act passed the last Session—And the Treasurer is hereby directed to give them Credit for the same accordingly.” Below, Samuel Adams signs an endorsement referring the matter to a committee. Hancock signs again, certifying that the foregoing has been “Read & concurred” in the House of Representatives.
On the reverse, the committee returns and recommends in favor of the Falmouth selectmen, finding that the account “is not made out agreeable to the Resolves of the General Court.” Hancock again endorses below, on September 11th, noting the matter as “sent up for Concurrence.”
Also endorsed at the conclusion by John Avery, on September 13th, as Deputy Secretary of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. In fine condition. All three Hancock signatures are large, clean, and bold. An extraordinary and historically significant document, boasting the autographs of two of the Massachusetts Bay’s premier politicians of the Revolutionary War, both of whom had signed the Declaration of Independence three years earlier.
Notably, the “Falmouth” in the present document refers to the site of the modern city of Portland, Maine, which was then part of the state of Massachusetts Bay. In October 1775, the British Royal Navy burnt much of the city to the ground in retaliation against ports that supported burgeoning patriot activities at the outset of the revolution. More than 1,000 people were left homeless by the raid, including at least 160 families out of an estimated population of 2,500. The New-England Chronicle argued that ‘the savage and brutal barbarity of our enemies’ proved that Britain was ‘fully determined with fire and sword, to butcher and destroy, beggar and enslave the whole American people.’ News of the cruel attack spread throughout the colonies, galvanizing support for the cause of liberty and leading to the rejection of British authority as states began to establish independent governments.
Starting Bid $5,000
John Hancock Revolutionary War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed as Governor of Massachusetts
Revolutionary War-dated ALS as governor of Massachusetts, boldly signed “John Hancock,” one page, 7.5 x 9, July 19, 1782. Handwritten letter to a “Mr. Mumford,” regarding a botched business deal between several parties, owing to a series of miscommunications. In full: “By Mr. Johnson I had the pleasure of your fav’r of 6th Inst. and it would have been perfectly agreeable to me to have taken Mr. Johnson’s order on you for the sum you mention; but unfortunately for me & for Mr. Johnson, he has come down quite unprepared for the accomplishment of the propos’d Business, owing to a misunderstanding between Colo. Cleveland & Mr. Johnson, I told Colo. Cleveland I would settle with Mr. Johnson upon the same terms I do with him, but it seems it
was misconceiv’d, for I never chang’d a word with Mr. Johnson on the subject before this day. I am exceedingly sorry for my disappointment, for I had plac’d a Dependence upon the proportion of the Money, I however hope Mr. Johnson will be able to accommodate it soon.” In fine condition, with expert professional repair to paper loss at the lower left corner, affecting a couple of words in Hancock’s writing.
During this period, as the Revolutionary War came to a close, John Hancock was serving as the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts while also tending to his personal business affairs. As governor, Hancock did much to stabilize the state’s post-Revolution economy and, later, to garner support for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.
Starting Bid $1,000
John Hancock Letter Signed to Arthur St. Clair, Ordering Him to Take Charge at
Revolutionary War–dated LS signed “John Hancock Presid’t,” one page, 8 x 12.75, April 30, 1777. Significant letter by Hancock as president of Continental Congress, addressed to Major General Arthur St. Clair, ordering him to take charge at Ticonderoga in light of “the approach of the enemy.” In full: “The Congress having received Intelligence of the approach of the Enemy towards Ticonderoga, have thought proper to direct you to repair thither without delay. I have it therefore in Charge to transmit the enclosed Resolve, and direct that you immediately set out on the receipt hereof.” In very good condition, with irregular toning, complete backing, and professional restoration to areas of paper loss.
This letter is published in the 1882 work The St. Clair Papers: The Life and Public Services of Arthur St. Clair, Soldier of the Revolutionary War, edited and annotated by William Henry Smith, who observes: ‘St. Clair had expressed a desire to be under Washington, but, while not being pleased with the resolve of Congress assigning him to Ticonderoga, he proceeded to that post with the alacrity of a good soldier.’ General St. Clair arrived at Ticonderoga and assumed command on June 12th, with instructions from Congress for completing the fortifications there.
The Americans had held Fort Ticonderoga since May 1775, when a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold surprised and captured the fort’s small British garrison. Although relatively small in scope, the capture of Ticonderoga proved important for multiple reasons—it marked one of the few patriot victories during the early stages of the war, and the fort held strate-
gic value as a staging area for the invasion of Quebec. At the time Hancock wrote to St. Clair, they had intelligence that a small British force was prepared to assail the fort, largely as a strategic maneuver to prevent reinforcements from reaching Washington in New Jersey.
When St. Clair arrived, he found that his garrison of about 2,500 men was inadequate to man all the defenses at Fort Ticonderoga. They were also ill-equipped, with insufficient rations, shortages of gunpowder, and tents in ‘very bad’ condition. Further, he realized that the enemy forces—led by John Burgoyne—were much stronger than anticipated at about 8,000 men, and that they were preparing to besiege the fort. Sensing imminent attack, St. Clair made the decision to surrender the fort before a shot was fired. Not even a month into his command, St. Clair had surrendered America’s most prized fortress. In spite of public outcry over the decision, and subsequent court-martial proceedings (in which he was acquitted), St. Clair retained the respect of heroes like Washington, Lafayette, and John Paul Jones.
St. Clair’s easy defeat at Ticonderoga also set in motion several unintended consequences which would benefit the patriot cause. News of the capitulation convinced General William Howe that Burgoyne’s force could manage without his assistance, leading him to advance to Philadelphia instead of moving up the Hudson to reinforce Burgoyne. Meanwhile, the victory fed Burgoyne’s already inflated ego. Due in part to his overconfidence, Burgoyne would find himself surrounded at Saratoga just two months later, and was forced to surrender his army of 6,000 men. Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga marked a reversal of fortune for the Continental Army, provided a massive boost to the morale of the fledgling nation, and convinced France to enter the war in alliance with the United States.
Starting Bid $2,500
Following ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne’s
raid on the Hudson, Gen. Washington conveys optimistic battlefield intelligence: “It would seem that the Enemy mean toevacuate their posts at Stony and Verplanks points”
George Washington Revolutionary War-Dated Letter Signed: “From the intelligence I have just received, it would seem that the Enemy mean to evacuate”
Revolutionary War–dated LS signed “G:o Washington,” one page, 7.25 x 11.75, July 21, 1779. Significant letter to General William Woodford, sent from New Windsor, Connecticut, conveying optimistic intelligence on British troop movements on the Hudson River in New York. In full: “From the intelligence I have just received, it would seem that the Enemy mean to evacuate their posts at Stony and Verplanks points. If you have not removed the baggage of the two brigades from Sufferans—you will let it remain till further orders. The body of the Enemy, that was moving up has fallen down again.” In very good to fine condition, with very subtle dampstaining, and light toning from prior display. Accompanied by an engraved portrait featuring Washington’s facsimile signature.
Published in The Writings of George Washington, Vol. 15, edited by John C. Fitzpatrick.
Just five days earlier, on July 16th, ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne had earned his sobriquet by leading a brilliant, bloody assault on Stony Point—a daring, bayonet-only overnight charge in which the Americans killed
20 British defenders, wounded 74, and captured almost 500. But just across the river, at Verplanck’s Point, the British still held Fort Lafayette. British commander General Henry Clinton rushed reinforcements up from the Kingsbridge garrison in the Bronx, and sent several warships up the Hudson. Washington realized that Wayne’s force could not hold out against a strong counter-attack and decided to withdraw after burning Stony Point and removing 15 captured cannons.
In his July 24th report to Congress, Washington no longer anticipated a British withdrawal: ‘The enemy…seem to have repossessed Stony Point in earnest and have since been fortifying with great industry’ (Fitzpatrick 15:471). In spite of this, Washington remained elated about Wayne’s victory, saying: ‘The event will have a good effect upon the minds of the people—give our troops greater confidence in themselves and depress the spirits of the enemy proportionably.’ (Fitzpatrick 15:451). For his exploits, Wayne was awarded a medal by Congress, one of the few issued during the Revolution.
Lack of good intelligence continued to frustrate Washington, and until the British intentions became clear, he decided to hold his force in a strong defensive position at West Point. Clinton ultimately abandoned the site in October in order to mount a major expedition in the southern states.
Starting Bid $1,000
George and Martha Washington Locks of Hair
Presented to Mrs. Oliver Wolcott, Jr.Remarkable Relics with Direct Family Provenance
Extraordinary, well-documented locks of hair from both George Washington and Martha Washington, passed by descent through the family of his Secretary of the Treasury Oliver Wolcott, Jr., presented under glass in an ornate red leather case of mid-19th century craftsmanship, with the handsomely engraved gold-tone plate reading: “Hair of George Washington and of Martha Washington, presented by Mrs. Washington to Mrs. Oliver Wolcott, A.D. 1797”; the plate is also elegantly engraved on the backside, “F. H. Wolcott, New York.” The display is housed in a worn red leather case, gilt-stamped on the lid: “F. H. Wolcott, New York.” The case is separated at the hinge, and the golden plate, red velvet frame, and glass ‘bubbles’ are separated from the case backing, but all could likely be restored by an expert hand, as each component part remains in very good condition.
This remarkable relic of American history has been passed down through the Wolcott family, and originates from a direct descendant of Oliver Wolcott, Sr. (1726–1797), signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. These small locks of hair, clipped from a larger section presented to Mrs. Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1766–1805) by Martha Washington, passed from Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1760–1833), to his brother, Frederick Wolcott (1767–1837), who bequeathed it to his son, Frederick Henry Wolcott (1808–1883), who commissioned a custom case to be made in the middle of the 19th century—thus the “F. H. Wolcott, New York” engraving and giltstamped lid. It then descended through the family to F. H. Wolcott’s
daughter, Elizabeth Huntington Wolcott Merchant (1840–1927); to her son, Huntington Wolcott Merchant (1870–1918); to his son, the diplomat Livingston Tallmadge Merchant (1903–1976); to his daughter, Mary Merchant Sturgeon (1932–2020); to her son, Robert Jasperson.
Includes copies of documentation prepared by Livingston T. Merchant, noting that his daughter Mary is to receive: “The locket of George and Martha Washington’s hair presented to your great-great-great uncle Oliver Wolcott Jr. There is incidentally an interesting account of the origin and circumstances of the gift in the Wolcott Memorial.” Also includes a copy of ‘Distribution of Assets’ paperwork prepared by Mary, bequeathing the Washington hair to her son Robert.
The interesting circumstances of this gift are discussed in Memoirs of the Administrations of Washington and John Adams, edited from the papers of Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury, by George Gibbs: “On leaving the seat of office, General Washington presented, it is believed, to all his chief officers some token of his regard. To Mr. Wolcott he gave a piece of plate. Mrs. Washington gave to his wife, when visiting her for the last time, a relic still more interesting. Asking her if she did not wish a memorial of the General, Mrs. Wolcott replied, ‘Yes, I should like a lock of hair.’ Mrs. Washington, smiling, took her scissors, and cut off for her a large lock of her husband’s hair and one of her own. These, with the originals of Washington’s letters, Mr. Wolcott preserved with careful veneration, and divided between his surviving children.’ The story is retold in the privately printed book, ‘Memorial of Henry Wolcott and of Some of His Descendants’ by Samuel Wolcott, printed in New York in 1881.
Starting Bid $5,000
Prescient and playful, Adams comments on the state of education in America:
“At times I see nothing to prevent our country... from becoming in another century, if not this, a Theatre for Gengizcans, Mahomets, Tamerlanes, Charlemagnes, Napoleons, Burrs and Hamiltons”
John Adams Autograph Letter Signed on Classical Education and American Politics: “Our People are the shrewdest and most sagacious, that I know: but yet they are so easily deceived”
Choice ALS, three pages on two adjoining sheets, 7.25 x 9, October 13, 1810. Lengthy handwritten letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, a leading Philadelphian physician, politician, and social reformer who attended the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. Adams continues his running argument over the need to include Greek and Latin in the curriculum of American schools, integrating it into a gloomy conversation on American politics. Filled with candor, wit, and prescience, the letter exemplifies Adams’ brilliance as a scholar and political thinker.
In part: “Mrs. Adams says she is willing you should discredit Greek and Latin, because it will destroy the foundation of all the Pretensions of the Gentlemen to Superiority over the Ladies, and restore Liberty, Equality and fraternity between the Sexes. What does Mrs. Rush think of this?…Suppose we should agree to study the original languages especially the Arabic, instead of Greek and Latin. This would not please the Ladies so well, but it would gratify Hobbes much better. According to many present appearances in the world many useful lessons and deep maxims might be learned from the Asiatic writers. There are great Models of Heroes and Conquerors fit for the Imitation of the Emperors of Britain and France. For example in the Life of Timur Bec, or Tamerlane the great we read Vol. 1, p. 202…’He has been often heard to say, that it was neither agreeable or decent, that the habitable world should be governed by two Kings: according to the words of the Poet, ‘as there is but one God, there ought to be but one King, all the Earth being very small in comparison of the Ambition of a great Prince.’”
He continues: “Where can you find in any Greek or Roman writer a sentiment so sublime and edifying for George and Napoleon. There are some faint traces of it in the conduct of Alexander and Caesar but far less frank and noble, and these have been imprudently branded with Infamy by Greek and Roman orators and Historians. There is an abundance more of such profound Instruction in the Life of this Tamerlane as well as in that of Gengizcan [Genghis Kahn], both of which I believe Napoleon has closely studied. With Homer in one Pocket, Caesar’s Commentaries in the other Quintus Curtius under
his pillow and the Lives of Mahomet Gengizcan and Tamerlane in his Port Folio…this Man has formed himself: but the Classics among them have damped his ardor and prevented his rising as yet to the lofty Heights of the Asiatic Emperors. Would it not be better that George and Napoleon should forget all their Classicks mount at once to all sublimities of Mahomet Gengizcan and Tamerlane? In that case one or the other must soon succumb and would it not be better that one such should govern the globe than two?”
He picks up the letter on October 15th, writing: “Thus far I had written, when your favour of the 8th with your Invention a Tranquilliser was given to me…The Tranquilliser is a very ingenious Mechanical Invention and I hope will be beneficial to that most deplorable Portion of our Species for whom it is intended. But to be serious, if I were possessed of Sovereign Power over your Hospital, (provided I could do it secretly so that No Mortal should know it, but you and I), I would put you into your own Tranquilliser, till I cured you of your Fanaticism against Greek and Latin…My friend you will labour in vain. As the Love of Science and the Taste for the fine Arts increases in the World, the Admiration of Greek and Roman Science and Litterature will increase. Both are increasing very fast. Your Labours will be as useless as those of Tom Paine against the Bible, which are already fallen dead and almost forgotten.”
He then turns more overtly to politics: “Our Financial System and our Banks are a Species of fraudulent opposition upon the Community. But you would think me mad enough for your Tranquillising Chair if I should say there is no remedy but to return to a circulating Medium of Gold and Silver only. Commerce has in all times made wild work with elections, but it never invented so artful a scheme of corruption for that purpose as our American Banks…At times I see nothing to prevent our country both North and South America from becoming in another century if not this, a Theatre for Gengizcans, Mahomets, Tamerlanes, Charlemagnes, Napoleons, Burrs and Hamiltons. Our People are the shrewdest and most sagacious, that I know: but yet they are so easily deceived; and are in fact so universally deceived in many essential Points, that they afford no certain Resource for honest and able Men: and for what I see, they will not open their eyes till they themselves will be obliged to have recourse to the Ratio Ultima Popularum Rerum Publicarum et Regum. We know how this always ends.” In fine condition.
Starting Bid $2,500
Thomas Mifflin in May 1790, forwarding legislation on the Southwest Ordinance, an act that affected the statehood of Tennessee and granted the continuation of slavery in the territory
Thomas Jefferson Letter Signed as Secretary of State, Addressed from New York to Thomas Mifflin, President of Pennsylvania (May 1790)
LS as secretary of state, signed “Th: Jefferson,” one page, 8 x 10, May 28, 1790. Addressed from New York, a letter to Thomas Mifflin, “The President of Pennsylvania,” in full: “I have the honor to send you herein inclosed, two copies duly authenticated of the Act for the Government of the territory of the United States south of the River Ohio; also of the Act to continue in force the Act passed at the last session of Congress entitled ‘An Act to Regulate Processes in the Courts of the United States;’ Also of the act to provide for mitigating or remitting the forfeitures and penalties accruing under the revenue Laws in certain cases therein mentioned; also of the Act to prescribe the mode in which the public Acts, Records, and Judicial proceedings in each state shall be authenticated, so as to take effect in every other state; and of being with sentiments of the most perfect respect.” In fine condition, with a few small expert professional repairs.
A historically fascinating letter from Jefferson two months into his role as the nation’s original secretary of state. Sent from New York City, then the U.S. capital, the letter forwards four pieces of legislation, the first of which mentions “Territory of the United States South of the Ohio
River,” a region that would ultimately become the state of Tennessee (1796). Passed by Congress two days earlier on May 26, 1790, the Southwest Ordinance provided a government framework for the territory south of the Ohio River, which included present-day Tennessee. Similar to that of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the act created a territorial governor, a secretary, and three judges to administer the territory, and it laid out a process for the eventual admission of new states from the territory. Unlike the Northwest Ordinance, the Southwest Ordinance allowed slavery to continue in the territory.
Jefferson letters from New York are not common, given the brevity of his stay in the first Federal capital, which lasted only from his arrival in March 1790 until he departed for Monticello in September. He lived in three different locations, complaining to his daughter Martha in words that New Yorkers down the ages could echo: ‘I find it difficult to procure a tolerable house here.’ He finally settled at 57 Maiden Lane, where he entertained Alexander Hamilton in June, a month after writing this letter. Out of that famous dinner emerged the deal that would become the Residence Act of 1790, which was signed into law by President George Washington on July 16, 1790, and provided for a national capital and permanent seat of government to be established at a site along the Potomac River.
Starting Bid $2,500
In February 1791, Thomas
to Josiah Bartlett “an Act for the admission of the State of Vermont into this Union”
Thomas Jefferson Letter Signed as Secretary of State, Informing New Hampshire President Josiah Bartlett of Vermont’s Admission Into the Union
Historic LS as secretary of state, signed “Th: Jefferson,” one page, 8 x 8.75, February 22, 1791. Addressed from Philadelphia, a letter to Josiah Bartlett, “The President of New Hampshire,” informing him that Vermont will be admitted to the Union, and providing copies of other acts passed at the first session of Congress. In full: “I have the honor to send you herein enclosed two copies, duly authenticated, of an Act for the admission of the State of Vermont into this Union; also of an Act to continue in force for a limited time, an Act passed at the first Session of Congress intituled ‘An Act to regulate processes in the Courts of the United States’; also of a Resolve directing in what manner new Editions of the Laws, Resolutions and Treaties of the United States shall be authenticated; and of being with sentiments of the most perfect respect.” In very good to fine condition, with scattered light foxing and staining.
The 2nd United States Congress, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, met at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from March 4, 1791 to March 3, 1793, during the third and fourth years of George Washington’s first term as President. On February 18, 1791, four days before Jefferson sent this letter, Congress passed an act to admit Vermont into the Union, which had for the prior 14 years existed as an independent republic. During the 1st session of the 2nd Congress, the bill was signed into law by President Washington on March 4, 1791, officially making Vermont the first state to enter the Union after the original 13 states. Vermont’s admission act is the shortest of all state admissions, and Vermont is ‘the only state admitted without conditions of any kind, either those prescribed by the Congress or the state from which it was carved.’
Starting Bid $2,500
“By the direction of the President of the United States, I do my self the honor of transmitting to you the certificate of your election as Vice President of the United States”
LOT 5011
James Madison Letter Signed to George Clinton, Affirming His Election as Vice President
ALS as Secretary of State, signed “James Madison,” one page, 8 x 10, February 14, 1805. Letter to the Hon. George Clinton, in full: “By the direction of the President of the United States, I do my self the honor of transmitting to you the certificate of your election as Vice President of the United States.” Docketed on the reverse in Clinton’s hand: “14th March 1805, Letter from Secretary Maddison enclosing Certificate of Election of Vice Presid’t of U.S.” In fine condition.
Thomas Jefferson and George Clinton were declared elected as president and vice president by a Joint Session of Congress when the electoral votes were tabulated on February 13, 1805. Although Jefferson was the incumbent, Clinton replaced Aaron Burr as his vice
president. Interestingly, Clinton was favored by Jefferson as he hoped that the aging Clinton, in his late 60s, would be too old to launch a presidential bid against Jefferson’s preferred successor, Secretary of State James Madison, in 1808. Ultimately, Clinton would retain the vice presidential post under Madison until his death in 1812.
The day after electoral votes were tabulated, Secretary of State James Madison, acting on President Jefferson’s orders, dutifully wrote to Clinton to enclose his certificate of election. Jefferson’s second inauguration would take place in the Senate Chamber of the Capitol on March 4th. Like other Founding Fathers, the great bulk of Madison’s letters and papers have been absorbed by institutions—for this reason, Madison’s letters of historical significance are scarce and highly desirable.
Starting Bid $2,500
James Madison explains that he and Thomas Jefferson have “yielded to the considerations and counsels which dissuade us from taking part in measures relating to the ensuing Presidential Election”
James Madison Autograph Letter Signed, Explaining His and Thomas Jefferson’s Decision to Decline Involvement in the 1824 Presidential Election: “The public will be sufficiently enabled to decide understandingly on the subject”
ALS, one page, 7.75 x 9.75, February 21, 1823. Handwritten letter to influential political economist Tench Coxe, explaining that he and Thomas Jefferson have chosen not to endorse a candidate in the forthcoming 1824 election, allowing the public to ‘do their own research’ instead; he also apologizes for being unable to provide requested documents, fearing that they were burnt during the British attack on Washington during the War of 1812.
In part: “Since I rec’d your two letters…I have hitherto been prevented from acknowledging them first by some very urgent calls on my time, and afterwards by an indisposition which has just left me. I have forwarded the letters with the printed papers to Mr. Jefferson. I know well the respect he, as well as myself, attaches to your communications. But I have grounds to believe that, with me also, he has yielded to the considerations and counsels which dissuade us from taking part in measures relating to the ensuing Presidential Election. And certainly if we are to judge of the ability with which the comparative pretensions of the candidates will be discussed, by the examples sent us, the public will be sufficiently enabled to decide understandingly on the subject. I know you too well to doubt that you will take this explanation in its just import, and will remain assured that it proceeds from no diminution of confidence or regard towards you. I have made a search for the documents of which you wish the loan, but without success. I am not sure that some of them were preserved in my collection. If they were, it is probable they were among bundles which during my long exile from private life and alterations in my dwelling, were removed into damp situations, where they perished, or included in parcels carried to Washington in order to be assorted & bound, where they had the fate of many other articles in 1814.” In fine condition.
A successful Philadelphia merchant, Tench Coxe was appointed by President George Washington as the first Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, serving from 1789 to 1792, before acting as a revenue commissioner for the remainder of Washington’s term. In the administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, Coxe was in charge of most government procurement—including the purchase of all military and naval supplies, except rations—as purveyor of public supplies. He retired from public service in 1818, spending his remaining years as an influential writer on political and economic subjects,
while continuing to correspond with his political friends.
In early 1823, the following year’s presidential election was shaping up to be an odd one: the Federalist Party had effectively collapsed, leaving the Democratic-Republican Party as the United States’ only major national political entity. Following the precedent set by his forebears, President James Monroe declined to seek re-nomination for a third term, and Vice President Daniel Tompkins was ruled out due his poor physical and financial health, leaving the field wide open. Infighting within the party led to the promotion of several different Democratic-Republican candidates: the Congressional caucus nominated Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford of Georgia. Supporters of Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and Speaker of the House Henry Clay denounced the caucus decision; the Massachusetts legislature then nominated Adams for President and the Kentucky legislature nominated Clay. Senator Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, who had been previously nominated for president by the Tennessee legislature in 1822, was again nominated by a convention of Democratic-Republicans in Pennsylvania.
Thus, all four candidates were Democratic-Republicans, each representing a different faction of the party: Crawford was strong among voters in the southeast, Adams in the northeast, Clay on the frontier, and Jackson in parts of the west, south and mid-Atlantic. Obviously, the support of popular former presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison would help to tilt the scales in favor of any given presidential candidate. Coxe publicly opposed John Quincy Adams, whose support of restrictive European laws regarding gun ownership for hunting, Coxe felt, undermined the entire right to keep and bear arms which was guaranteed in the United States by the Second Amendment, authored by Madison as part of the Bill of Rights. Clearly, Coxe had hoped to sway Madison into publicly endorsing a candidate, but Madison gracefully declines, believing in the informed American voter’s ability to judge each nominee for himself.
Ultimately, although Andrew Jackson won the most electoral votes (99) and the most popular votes (40.5%), none of the four candidates received the requisite 131 electoral votes needed for election as president, and the matter was turned over to the House of Representatives. Henry Clay’s voters threw their support behind John Quincy Adams, who earned a place in the White House and named Clay as his secretary of state—a move that Jackson’s supporters decried as a ‘corrupt bargain.’ Coxe would not live to comment, passing away four months before the presidential election of 1824.
Starting Bid $1,000
Important archive of manuscripts from the collection of Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford, involving a proposed loan from Europe to support the United States government during the War of 1812. The US faced a $50 million shortfall in revenue, brought on by restricted trade, years of seizures of merchant ships, and the expense of the war. There was a real question as to whether the federal government would be able to continue to support the military during wartime. To meet this challenge, Congress authorized President James Madison to borrow up to $25 million. As structuring the loan into tranches would make it more palatable to the public, they first sought a loan in the amount of $6 million. Trusted diplomats John Quincy Adams and Albert Gallatin were already in Europe to begin negotiating the Treaty of Ghent, and they were charged with acquiring the loan at the same time.
On September 29, 1814, John Quincy Adams wrote in his journal: ‘[Boyd] left Washington the 12th of last month…He arrived at Bordeaux the 17th of this month at Paris the 23d and here this morning…His dispatches and newspapers are to the 12th of August. Those from the Treasury are in the first instance for Mr. Gallatin with powers to negotiate a loan in Holland of six millions of dollars. They are to me only in the case of Mr. Gallatin’s absence and to Mr. Crawford in case the loan should not be obtainable at Amsterdam.’
On October 3, Gallatin wrote confidentially to the bankers Willem and Jan Willink in Amsterdam, who had been investors in the Louisiana Purchase, seeking funds up to $6 million. A true copy of this letter is included, bearing secretarial signatures of Gallatin and Adams. Gallatin received a response from the Willinks, explaining that they would be unable to lend the money on terms likely to be acceptable. The Ghent negotiators then wrote to Secretary Crawford with this news on October 16th to ask for his advice. Their letter is the highlight of this archive:
ALS in Gallatin’s hand, signed by both, “Albert Gallatin” and “John Quincy Adams,” one page both sides, 7 x 8.75, Ghent, October 16, 1814. In part: “We received your letter of 26th September, and wrote immediately by Mr. Boyd to our bankers at Amsterdam on the subject of the loan. Their answer gives no hope of success at this time
at that place; but as you will perceive it holds out some expectation that on the contingency of favorable circumstances, the object may be obtainable after the commencement of the ensuing year. We are of opinion that such enquiries should now be made at Paris, as may enable us to give the necessary information to our government by the next dispatch vessel; and we believe that if any considerable portion of the loan can be obtained by your operations, the residue will be raised at Amsterdam. In what manner these enquiries should be made, without their object becoming public, you will be best able to judge. It is probable that the two houses of Hottinger and of Delessert, who have both some property in America, may be safely entrusted with the object…We enclose copies of the powers and instructions from the Treasury.”
Included is the complete loan package enclosed with the letter, containing four manuscript copies of documents and orders, all in a secretarial hand but most with annotations by John Quincy Adams, including a true copy of he document from the Secretary of Treasury authorizing Gallatin and Adams to seek a loan “not exceeding in the whole six millions of dollars.”
As it turned out, the response from France was even less encouraging than the one from Holland. Crawford responded to Gallatin that he had ‘made sufficient enquiry to ascertain that no loan can be obtained in France upon terms which can be accepted.’ Crawford feared that the recent capture of Washington would only pose further obstacles to their desires. Talleyrand himself had said ‘on holding a large amount of the funded debt of the US, he would not give one sou for the whole of it.’
On October 25, just days after this letter, Crawford wrote to Gallatin, ‘The inference is almost necessary that the US have not in the hands of their bankers funds sufficient to discharge the interest of the public payable in Europe,’ meaning the interest payment due on the US Louisiana debt. The next day, Gallatin reported to Monroe that a loan in Europe would not be obtainable before the first of the following year. His candid assessment was much worse: it would not be forthcoming at all. The budget shortfall thus went unsolved, forcing the United States to default on some of its debts in November 1814 with missed interest payments on bonds. Only the end of the war would put the nation on a more stable financial footing.
Starting Bid $5,000
Four Presidents from the 1840s: Multi-Signed Autograph Book with John Tyler, James K. Polk, Andrew Jackson, and Zachary Taylor
Impressive 1840s autograph book, 3.25˝ x 5˝, containing signatures of four American presidents from the early-to-mid 19th century—John Tyler (“John Tyler, Washington, May 1, 1843”), James K. Polk (“James K. Polk, Washington, Oct. 30th, 1848”), Andrew Jackson (“Hermitage, March 29th, 1845, Andrew Jackson”), and Zachary Taylor (“Z. Taylor”)—with the Tyler, Polk, and Taylor signatures all dating to their respective incumbencies. Additionally, the signatures of Tyler, Polk, and Jackson are signed on individual pages inherent to the book; the Taylor signature is clipped from a free-franked mailing envelope and affixed below the Polk signature.
The book also contains signatures of other notable American and European figures from the era, including Secretaries of State Daniel Webster and Lewis Cass, fireside poet William Cullen Bryant, geographer Henry R. Schoolcraft, physician Charles Caldwell, Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, Illinois Governor Thomas Ford, photographer Thomas Martin Easterly, lawyer Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, Massachusetts Congressman Abbott Lawrence, poet Caroline M. Sawyer, and others. In fine condition, with wear to the covers, not affecting any of the interior pages.
Although no date is present to the Zachary Taylor free frank, history strongly supports its presidential origin. Taylor never served in Congress, so, until he became President, he only had the franking privilege during his military career when he would always sign with his rank, e.g. ‘On Service, Z. Taylor Majr. 3rd Infy.’ Zachary Taylor served as the 12th President of the United States for only 17 months, from March 4, 1849, until his death on July 9, 1850. Although only he had the presidential franking privilege, he did allow members of his family to send mail under his frank, which was illegal. Ostensibly, he would sign an envelope in the franking position, as in the envelope here offered, and give it to family members, who would then add “Free.”
A remarkable autograph book from a truly formative period of American history, which contains signatures from four of the most important figures of the decade. Any single format signed by multiple presidents is cause for excitement, with this particular example, exceeding 180 years in age, presenting as a one-of-a-kind artifact that was physically handled by three American presidents, two of which sat in office when their pens were put to paper. Starting Bid $300
LOT 5015
Abraham Lincoln Signed Check - PSA MINT 9 - to a Springfield book publisher, who he approached about publishing his historic debates with Stephen Douglas
Highly desirable Springfield Marine and Fire Insurance Company check, 7.5 x 2.75, filled out and signed by Lincoln, “A. Lincoln,” payable to Johnson & Bradford for $72.10, February 16, 1859. In very fine condition. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “MINT 9.”
Lincoln, while campaigning in 1858 for Illinois’ Senate seat, kept a
scrapbook with newspaper clippings reporting his debates with Stephen Douglas. His performance against the better known incumbent had been well received, and he realized that his speeches would have a larger audience if he could distribute them outside Illinois. Printer William Ross had written Lincoln about publishing the speeches, and Lincoln had approached local Springfield publishers Johnson & Bradford about the project. On March 21, 1859, Johnson & Bradford wrote to Lincoln: ‘We have concluded not to print the Debates, you can tell the other man to go ahead.’ A desirable Lincoln check written and signed as his political career picked up momentum.
Starting Bid $1,000
Mary Todd Lincoln Autograph Letter Signed, Couriered by the War Department
ALS, signed “Mrs. Lincoln,” one page, 5 x 7.75, no date but likely circa 1863-1864. Handwritten letter to Gustav Gumpert in Philadelphia. In full: “Send the name immediately of the young man who desires a cler[k]ship. The place is given to him. Name only required. I write you today. Please attend to the contents.” Under her signature, Lincoln adds, “Send name today—by telegraph.” The letter is addressed at the top in Mary Todd Lincoln’s hand, “Through War Department, Mr. Gomfort [sic], 1226 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Penn.” In very good to fine condition, a trivial chip to the top edge, and two small rectangular stains to the upper blank area.
Gumpert, this letter’s recipient, came to the United States with his family in 1856, eventually becoming the country’s “tobacco king” after taking over his father’s cigar business. Mary Todd Lincoln and her son, Tad Lincoln, often visited the store on Chestnut when in Philadelphia, becoming friends with Gumpert. The young Lincoln purportedly had the run of the store—on one occasion scattering the contents of the cash drawer on the floor, and riding a pony through the establishment on another. It is likely that during one of those eventful visits to Philadelphia that Gumpert and Lincoln spoke of a young man desiring a clerkship, with the businessman using his familiarity with the first lady to court a political favor from her.
Starting Bid $1,000
Abraham Lincoln Document Signed as President, Ordering Pennsylvania to Furnish Additional Troops for “the present rebellion” (September 4, 1863)
Civil War-dated partly-printed DS as president, signed “Abraham Lincoln,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, September 4, 1863. Draft order for the Union Army issued by President Lincoln from the Executive Mansion, sent to the War Department. In part: “I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America, and Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy thereof, having taken into consideration the number of volunteers and militia furnished by and from the several States, including the State of Pennsylvania, and the period of service of said volunteers and militia since the commencement of the present rebellion, in order to equalize the numbers among the Districts of the said States, and having considered and allowed for the number already furnished as aforesaid, and the time of their service aforesaid, do hereby assign one thousand seven hundred and ninety (1790) as the first proportional part of the quota of troops to be furnished by the 13th District of the State of Pennsylvania under this, the first call made by me on the State.” Boldly signed at the conclusion by President Lincoln. In fine condition, with an area of creasing to the center
of the top edge. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
In 1863, Lincoln established a military draft to replenish the Union Army’s depleted ranks, with this offered draft requisition targeting men in Pennsylvania—specifically, a request for 1,790 troops from Pennsylvania’s 13th district as part of “the first call made by me on the State of Pennsylvania, under the Act approved March 3, 1863, entitled ‘An Act for Enrolling and Calling out the National Force.” The concept of conscription was a controversial one in the war-torn Union, with the act requiring states to draft men to serve in the armed forces if individual states did not meet their enlistment quotas through volunteers. The federal government oversaw the draft and created provost marshals to enforce it; all white men between the ages of 20 and 45 were eligible. The Conscription Act permitted drafted men to either pay a $300 fee or hire a substitute to escape service if they were drafted. The act, created without due consideration of its consequences, led to civil disturbance in some cities, most notably New York City where rioters battled police for three days, the violence resulting in many deaths. A controversial but necessary wartime document, perfectly signed in full and remaining in excellent condition.
Starting Bid $1,000
“Our American Cousin” playbill from the night of President Lincoln’s assassination
Lincoln Assassination: Ford’s Theatre ‘Our American Cousin’ Playbill (First Printing, April 14, 1865) - From the Collection of Stage Manager John B. Wright
Historic and exceedingly rare first printing, first state of the original playbill for Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on “Friday Evening, April 14th, 1865,” the infamous performance during which President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth. Printed by Henry Polkinhorn on the morning of April 14th, this is the first version of the playbill for that day’s staging of Our American Cousin. On learning that President Lincoln and his party would be in attendance, the program was modified to include a ‘Patriotic Song and Chorus: ‘Honor to Our Soldiers,’’ written by the theater’s orchestra director William Withers, which was originally scheduled to debut the next night. Stage manager John B. Wright went to Polkinhorn’s to have him amend the playbill to reflect the change, creating a second variant. Both playbill versions were used in the advertisement and promotion of the show.
The playbill measures approximately 5.75 x 18.75, and complies with all points of issue for the first printing, including: the printer’s credit (“H. Polkinhorn & Son, Printers, D street, near 7th, Washington, D.C.”); condition of the last “E” in Laura Keene’s name; the ornate typeface used for “The Octoroon”; and other unique alignments, defects, and misprints in the type. These qualities, amongst others, are thoroughly documented in an accompanying nine-page report prepared by Lincoln assassination expert Dave Taylor, who concludes: ‘It is my opinion that the playbill is a genuine playbill from the night of April 14, 1865. As such it is a rare and unique piece of American history.’
The edge of the playbill has been annotated in pencil, “Genuine bill—J. H. Brown,” and it includes a separate handwritten provenance note in pencil: “I purchased this Bill from the Estate of John B. Wright who was Stage Manager—J. H. Brown.” Both have been mounted on cardboard and matted together to an overall size of 11 x 27. In very good to fine condition, with uniform toning, a few surface abrasions, minor areas of discoloration, a smoothed horizontal crease, and a tear to the corner of the separate handwritten note.
Per Taylor’s research, James Hutchinson Brown (1827–1897), was a Massachusetts theatrical collector; in 1898, C. F. Libbie and Co. sold off Brown’s extensive collection of dramatic books, autographs, and playbills over the course of three different auctions. Interestingly, Brown’s large archive of Ford’s Theatre ephemera, including both variants of the April 14th Our American Cousin playbill, was purchased by Evert Jansen Wendell and subsequently bequeathed to Harvard University. Those playbills, which still reside in Harvard’s
Houghton Library, served as a reference for Walter C. Brenner’s 1937 authoritative monograph, ‘The Ford Theatre Lincoln Assassination Playbills: A Study,’ which was consulted in the authentication of the present example.
In 1919, C. F. Libbie and Co. auctioned off over 500 lots from a ‘Lincoln Collection formed by Frederick S. Lang, Boston,’ a sale that included ‘one of the original play bills purchased from the Estate of John B. Wright, who was stage manager, by J. H. Brown’; an original copy of the auction catalogue accompanies this lot. This Lincoln assassination playbill originates from the collection of Frederick S. Lang’s great-grandson; it seems that the lot was passed in the 1919 auction, or it may have been one of multiple playbills owned by Lang. In any case, these two C. F. Libbie auctions document James H. Brown’s possession of original, authentic Our American Cousin playbills, acquired from the collection of stage manager John B. Wright, well over a century ago. That an authentic example has descended through Lang’s family to the present day is remarkable yet unsurprising, given the breadth and depth of his collection of Lincolniana.
The scene at Ford’s Theatre on the night of April 14, 1865, has been well documented through newspaper reports, eyewitness accounts, and countless tellings and re-tellings of the tragedy. During the third act of Our American Cousin, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, entered the president’s box from the rear, fired a bullet into the back of his head, and vaulted over the railing onto the stage. Brandishing a dagger overhead, Booth reportedly borrowed from Brutus and shouted ‘sic semper tyrannis’—’thus always to tyrants’—before making his escape. Actress Laura Keene, whose company was putting on the play, rushed to the presidential box where Lincoln lay dying and cradled the mortally wounded president’s head in her lap. President Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he succumbed to his injuries the following morning, marking a tragic end to his leadership during the Civil War.
In the aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination, mourners and collectors clamored for anything associated with that fateful day. To capitalize on this newfound demand, several contemporary reprints of the Ford’s Theatre playbill for Our American Cousin were created, easily distinguished from the originals by differences in the type and content; even these are uncommon and highly collectible today. Authentic playbills, however, are extremely scarce and highly sought after: research indicates that the last first-issue Our American Cousin playbill to appear at auction was at Christie’s in 2003, over two decades ago. A superlative piece as a silent witness to one of the United States’ greatest tragedies.
Starting Bid $5,000
War Department instructions to stave off an attempt
conspirators: “Place the four state prisoners, Arnold, Mudd, Spangler and O’Laughlin under such restraint, and within such limits inside Fort Jefferson, as shall make abortive any attempt at escape, or rescue”
Lincoln Assassination: Edward D. Townsend
Autograph Letter Signed on Imprisonment of Conspirators: “Place the four state prisoners, Arnold, Mudd, Spangler and O’Laughlin under such restraint...as shall make abortive any attempt at escape”
Union general (1817-1893) who was adjutant general of the United States Army from 1869 to 1880. ALS signed “E. D. Townsend, Asst. Adjt. Genl.,” one page both sides, 7.75 x 9.75, War Department letterhead, August 17, 1865. Handwritten letter to Colonel C. H. Hamilton, the commanding officer of Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas, Florida—the island fortress where convicted Lincoln assassination conspirators Samuel Mudd, Edmund Spangler, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O’Laughlen were held as federal prisoners. In full: “I enclose herewith a copy of a telegram from Brigadier General L. C. Baker, Provost Marshal of the War Department. The Secretary of War directs that, beside taking effectual measures against any attempt to rescue prisoners, you place the four state prisoners, Arnold, Mudd, Spangler and O’Laughlin under such restraint, and within such limits inside Fort Jefferson, as shall make abortive any attempt at escape, or rescue. You will return by Lieutenant Carpenter, the bearer of this, a full report of the measures you take under these instructions.” In fine condition, with scattered light staining; the blank integral leaf is separated but present.
As the assistant adjutant general of the United States Army, Townsend had been responsible for several administrative aspects of the trial of the Lincoln assassination conspirators by a military tribunal, including the preparation and organization of official documents. Conspirators Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, and David Herold were found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, while Samuel Mudd, Edmund Spangler, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O’Laughlen were sentenced to prison. Mudd was sentenced to life imprisonment for aiding John Wilkes Booth by treating his broken leg; Spangler, a theater stagehand, received a six-year sentence for allegedly helping Booth escape; Arnold and O’Laughlen, both former Confederate soldiers, were sentenced to life for their involvement in the plot to
kidnap Lincoln, which later escalated to assassination.
The four prisoners were sent to Fort Jefferson to serve their sentences, arriving on July 24, 1865. On their arrival, Col. Charles Hamilton explained the rules and disciplinary measures undertaken there, impressing upon them the dark and gloomy dungeon within the fort, to which offenders against the rules were consigned, over whose entrance was inscribed the classic words: ‘Whoso entereth here leaveth all hope behind.’ Instructions from the War Department indicated that they were to be held to the same standards as the other prisoners on the island, most of whom were Union Army deserters. Samuel Arnold later wrote of conditions there, describing it as ‘the most horrible place the eye of man ever rested upon, where day after day the miserable existence was being dragged out, intermixed with sickness, bodily suffering, want and pinching hunger.’
Earlier on August 17th, L. C. Baker informed the War Department of intelligence of ‘an attempt to rescue the State prisoners…a company is organizing in New Orleans for that purpose.’ Further information was gathered by P. H. Sheridan, and Secretary of War Stanton soon sent instructions ‘to take strict measures to guard against any stratagem or surprise.’ Although the alleged mission to free the four prisoners never manifested itself, Dr. Mudd did make a near-successful attempt to escape. In September 1865, two months after the prisoners’ arrival, the control of Fort Jefferson was transferred to the 82nd US Colored Troops and Mudd attempted to escape by stowing away on the steam transport ship Thomas A. Scott. He was quickly found out and returned to confinement in the dreaded Fort Jefferson dungeon.
During 1867, an epidemic of yellow fever swept through the prison, taking the lives of many including O’Laughlen and the prison doctor. In the doctor’s absence, Dr. Mudd came to the aid of numerous both prisoners and their guards, ultimately taking over as prison doctor and helping to stem the spread of the disease. President Andrew Johnson would pardon and release Mudd, Spangler, and Arnold in 1869. The best account of their time at Fort Jefferson comes in a series of newspaper articles written by Arnold for the Baltimore American in 1902.
Starting Bid $200
Broadside Poster for John Wilkes Booth and Conspirators: “$100,000 Reward!
The Murderer of our late beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, is still at large”
Extraordinary original 13 x 23.75 broadside poster (fourth issue) published by the War Department in April 1865, in the aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, outlining rewards for the apprehension of conspirators John Wilkes Booth, John Surratt, and David Herold, offering physical descriptions of each wanted man. The poster advertises: “$100,000 Reward! The Murderer of our late beloved President, Abraham Lincoln, is still at large. $50,000 Reward will be paid by this department for his apprehension, in addition to any reward offer by Municipal Authorities or State Executives. $25,000 Reward will be paid for the apprehension of John H. Surrat [sic], one of Booth’s Accomplices. $25,000 Reward will be paid for the apprehension of David C. Harold [sic], another of Booth’s accomplices. Liberal Rewards will be paid for any information that shall conduce to the arrest of either of the above-named criminals, or their accomplices.”
In a statement, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton pleads for the aid of the citizens of the United States in the capture of the suspects: “Let the stain of innocent blood be removed from the land by the arrest and punishment of the murderers. All good citizens are exhorted to aid public justice on this occasion. Every man should consider his own conscience charged with this solemn duty and rest neither night nor day until it be accomplished.”
Below, the poster describes each man, in part: “Booth is Five Feet 7 or 8 inches high, slender build, high forehead, black hair, black eyes, and wore a heavy black mustache, which there is some reason to believe has been shaved off. John H. Surrat is about 5 feet, 9 inches. Hair rather thin and dark; eyes rather light; no beard…David C. Harold is
five feet six inches high, hair dark, eyes dark, eyebrows rather heavy.”
The three photographs affixed at the top were printed and affixed later (likely in the early 20th century), which is not uncommon for these posters; they are lower quality, somewhat blurry images, evidently created by a collector intent on fulfilling the poster’s intended design. Linen-backed, hinged to a larger sheet, and in very good condition, with light soiling and short tears, stains, and creasing constrained primarily to the edges.
The fourth printing is distinguished from earlier ones by the provision for three mounted photographs at the top, as well as minor changes to the text; it clarifies Booth’s physical description, noting that “there is some reason to believe” his mustache has been shaved off. All were printed within a short span after Lincoln’s death on April 15th, following Secretary Stanton’s April 20th announcement of the $100,000 reward.
However, this printing was never officially circulated due to the swift apprehension of Booth and Herold at Richard H. Garrett’s farm in Virginia. Mere days later, on April 26, 1865, a detachment of the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment cornered the two conspirators in a tobacco barn on the property. Although Herold surrendered, Booth refused. The cavalry set the barn ablaze and Sgt. Boston Corbett shot and mortally wounded Booth in the ensuing chaos. Herold was tried, convicted, and hanged along with several other conspirators. Surratt escaped to Canada, then to Europe, but was captured, brought back, and tried in 1867, going free thanks to a hung jury. After Booth’s death and Herold’s capitulation, a clamor for the reward money ensued—ultimately, a portion of the allocated funds was divided amongst the officers and enlisted men of the 16th New York Cavalry, with Everton Conger, who tracked Booth to Garrett’s farm, receiving the largest share.
Starting Bid $5,000
When the name Booth is mentioned today, the immediate thought is that of John Wilkes Booth (1839-1865), the infamous assassin who murdered President Abraham Lincoln while the President watched “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. in April 1865. RR Auction has had the privilege of offering, including in this auction, some of the rarest of items associated with that event, to include theater tickets, play program and a rare rewards poster seeking the capture of or death for the assassins.
But the infamous assassin was actually the lesser-known Booth at the time of the assassination. His family was known on both sides of the Atlantic for many years as one of the most theatrical of their time. John’s older brother, Edwin Booth (1833-1893), in fact, is still regarded as one of – if not the – greatest Shakespearean actor the United States has ever seen. Of course, the theater is not the social force it once was prior to the advent of radio, film or television and the Booth acting name does not convey the power it once had. But the legacy of Edwin, through statutes, movies, the Player’s Club in New York City and his memories, still abounds.
While I have had the pleasure of serving as RR Auction’s attorney for more than a decade, I have had the privilege of acting as legal counsel for Edwin’s descendants for over three decades. Thus, it is an honor that I could bring the two together for this auction. Offered here direct from the closest living descendent – a great, great granddaughter – are unique items that have been passed down directly from Edwin and his immediate family, including beautiful 19th jewelry, a pipe, autographed documents, original photograph, a pair of silver chalices and a rare recording of the great Shakespearean actor reciting lines from Othello. This is a rare opportunity to own collectibles that have never been offered before to the public from one of the most prominent families and noted individual that ever graced the world stage.
- Mark Zaid
LOT 5021
Magnificent 14K yellow gold and lapis lazuli bracelet from the family collection of Edwin Booth, the foremost American Shakespearean actor of the 19th century and brother of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth.
Measuring 6.5˝ long, the bracelet features seven inset faceted lapis lazuli stones in an intense dark blue hue, with an estimated weight of 64.82 carat. Each polished lapis lazuli stone contains trace amounts
of pyrite, which adds a quality of shimmering depth to the stunning bracelet. In fine condition.
Originates directly from the collection of the great-great granddaughter of Edwin Booth, who inherited it from her mother Lois Grossmann White. She inherited the bracelet from her father, Edwin Booth Grossmann, who inherited it from his mother, Edwina Booth Grossmann, who inherited it from her father, Edwin Booth.
Starting Bid $200
LOT 5022
Remarkable heart-shaped opal and diamond pendant brooch from the family collection of Edwin Booth, the foremost American Shakespearean actor of the 19th century and brother of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. The piece features a gorgeous polished heart-shaped iridescent Australian white opal set into a 14K yellow gold frame, stamped “Kirkpatrick” on the reverse, surrounded by 32 mounted diamonds (estimated weight: 4.80 carat, average clarity: VS1, average color: F–G), with a smaller cabochon opal pendant loop above, inset with four diamonds (estimated weight: 0.30 carat, average clarity:
VS1, average color: F–G). Housed in a heart-shaped white leather box, gilt-stamped “E.B.G. 1895” on the lid, with the jeweler’s mark of T. Kirkpatrick, 941 Broadway, New York, inside the lid. In fine condition, with heavy soiling and wear to the case.
Originates directly from the collection of the great-great granddaughter of Edwin Booth, who inherited it from her mother Lois Grossmann White. She inherited the brooch from her father, Edwin Booth Grossmann, who inherited it from his mother, Edwina Booth Grossmann, the daughter of Edwin Booth.
Starting Bid $200
LOT 5023
Edwin Booth Family Collection: Two Sterling Silver Chalices, Engraved “B”
Stunning pair of sterling silver wine goblets from the family collection of Edwin Booth, the foremost American Shakespearean actor of the 19th century and brother of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. Each goblet measures approximately 7.25˝ tall, weighs about 210 grams, and is stamped on the base with “Sterling” and maker’s marks. Both feature the ornately engraved letter “B,” for Booth, in an Olde English script. In overall very good to fine condition, with scattered surface tarnishing.
These originate directly from the collection of the great-great granddaughter of Edwin Booth, who inherited it from her mother Lois Grossmann White. She inherited the goblets from her father, Edwin Booth Grossmann, who inherited it from his mother, Edwina Booth Grossmann, who inherited it from her father, Edwin Booth. They were once displayed in a curio cabinet in the home of Edwin Booth Grossmann.
Starting Bid $200
of U. S.
signatures spanning a nearly 50-year window from 1864 to 1909, highlighted by dual same-page signatures of Abraham and
Lincoln as president and first lady
American Presidents (7) Multi-Signed Autograph Book Dated from 1864 to 1909, Highlighted by the Rare Dual Signatures of Abraham and Mary Lincoln
Historic autograph book, 5.25˝ x 7.5˝, containing the ink signatures of seven American presidents from 1864 to 1909, including Abraham Lincoln (“A. Lincoln, Jan. 11, 1864”), U. S. Grant (“U. S. Grant, Lt. Gen. U.S.A.”), James A. Garfield (“J. A. Garfield, Ohio”), Grover Cleveland (“Grover Cleveland, Mch 2, 1889”), Benjamin Harrison (“Benj. Harrison, Feby 25, 1893”), William McKinley (“Wm. McKinley, Jr., Canton, Ohio, Dec 9/90”), and Theodore Roosevelt (“Theodore Roosevelt, Feb 24th 1909”), with the Lincoln, Harrison, Cleveland, and Roosevelt signatures all dating to their respective incumbencies.
Additionally, four of the signatures are coupled with autographs from a former first lady or direct relative, a group showcased by the elusive Mary Todd Lincoln (“Mary Lincoln, Jany 11th 1864”), whose autographic material, scarce in its own right, is cause for celebration when present with the signature of her iconic husband. Also featured are Frances Cleveland (“Frances F. Cleveland, Mch. 1889”), Edith Roosevelt (“Edith Kermit Roosevelt”), and Garfield’s son, James Rudolph Garfield.
The book contains numerous other signatures from notable political and military figures of the period, including William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Schuyler Colfax, Levi P. Morton, John A. Dahlgren, Thomas Leonidas Crittenden, and many more. In overall fine condition, with wear to the spine and covers (the spine is split, and the front cover, and first few pages, are detached but present); interior pages are all clean and unaffected by any flaws.
Despite its modest physical appearance, this book carries with it the historical weight of seven American presidential administrations, three of which (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley) ended in tragedy, with Roosevelt himself barely escaping the fate of an assassin’s bullet. That this book was physically handled by a septet of American presidents, the combination of which is likely never to be replicated as a single multi-signed item, is, perhaps, only overshadowed by the rare dual presence of Abraham and Mary Lincoln on the very same page. Deriving from the collection of a Washington D.C. insider, this autograph book exists as a remarkable single-format compendium of presidential signatures dating from the Civil War to the emergence of the Ford Model T, a significant, nearly 50-year window of American leadership and ingenuity.
Starting Bid $1,000
President Johnson proclaims the second part of the 1865 Little Arkansas Treaty, an unfulfilled covenant with the Comanche and Kiowa
LOT 5025
Andrew Johnson Document Signed as President, Proclaiming a “Treaty with Comanche Bands and Kiowa Tribe of Indians”
Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, May 26, 1866. President Johnson directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “the Proclamation of a Treaty with Comanche Bands and Kiowa Tribe of Indians, of 18th October, 1865, which Proclamation is dated.” Signed neatly at the conclusion by Andrew Johnson. The document is affixed by its left edge inside a presentation folder that also contains a printed copy of the ‘Treaty with Comanche and Kiowa, 1865.’ In very good to fine condition, with toning to the folds and edges, and a trivial chip to the top edge.
This document refers to Johnson’s proclamation of the second part of the Little Arkansas Treaty, which contained a pair of pacts signed between the U.S. and Indigenous nations in Kansas in mid-October 1865: one with the Southern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne nations on October 14th, and one with the Comanche and Kiowa on October 18th. The treaty, which was attended by notable figures like Kit Carson and William. W. Bent, aimed to establish peace and define territorial boundaries between the Native American tribes and the U.S. government, in addition to promised land reservations, supplies, and reparations for the Sand Creek massacre. The result was one of the shortest treaties in history; none of the major provisions were ever implemented, both sides charged violations, and warfare continued until the Medicine Lodge treaties of 1867.
Starting Bid $200
Partly-printed DS as president, one page, 7.75 x 9.75, October 1876. President Grant directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “my Proclamation.” Signed boldly at the conclusion by U. S. Grant. In fine condition, with surface loss to the document’s date; the second digit of the month’s day appears to have been neatly removed, resulting in a date of October 2nd, which does not align with any found Grant proclamation.
This document ostensibly pertains to Proclamation 232—Law and Order in the State of South Carolina, which Grant proclaimed on October 17, 1876. A print of this presidential order, entitled “A Proclamation,” is included, which finds the president invoking the use of military force. It begins: ‘Whereas it has been satisfactorily shown to me that insurrection and domestic violence exist in several counties of the State of South Carolina, and that certain combinations of men against law exist in many counties of said State known as ‘rifle clubs,’ who ride up and down by day and night in arms, murdering some peaceable citizens and intimidating others, which combinations, though forbidden by the laws of the State, can not be controlled or suppressed by the ordinary course of justice.’
President Grant was forced to proclaim this order due to the ongoing violence surrounding the 1876 South Carolina gubernatorial election. The Red Shirts, a white Democratic paramilitary group backing candidate Wade Hampton III, attacked Republican blacks in numerous areas of the state, particularly the Piedmont, in violent incidents including the Hamburg Massacre, and riots at Ellenton and Cainhoy. Following the latter incident on October 16, 1876, which resulted in the deaths of six whites and one African American, President Grant made this proclamation, directing all private armed organizations to disband and ordering more U.S. troops into the state. Although nearly 1200 federal soldiers would be on duty for the 1876 election, the soldiers were only a temporary, piecemeal fix and were unable to quell all disturbances or protect all Republicans. The turbulent atmosphere ended before election day, which concluded with a controversial victory for Hampton.
Starting Bid $200
LOT 5027
Rutherford B. Hayes Document Signed as President, Ordering Troops to Pennsylvania at the Start of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877
Partly-printed DS as president, signed “R. B. Hayes,” one page, 7.75 x 10, July 23, 1877. President Hayes directs the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to “my proclamation dated today, relative to the insurrection in Pennsylvania.” Signed at the conclusion by Rutherford B. Hayes. In fine condition.
Four months after his inauguration, Hayes faced America’s first national labor strike in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, which quickly spread from West Virginia to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Missouri, and sparked countless related protests from coast to coast. As violence increased, especially in Pennsylvania, Hayes sent federal troops from one city to the next, suppressing each strike quickly and effectively, bringing the entire affair to a close on September 4, 1877, just 45 days after it began.
Starting Bid $200
LOT 5028
Rare partly-printed DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, June 23, 1881. President Garfield authorizes and directs the secretary of state to affix the Seal of the United States “to my ratification of the convention between the United States and other Powers, for the establishment on fixed and uniform bases, of the exercise of the right of protection in Morocco, etc., signed at Madrid, July 2, 1880.” Signed prominently at the conclusion by Garfield. In fine condition. Garfield documents signed as president are rare in this desirable size and format—this is only the fifth such example that we have offered. Moreover, this
document was signed by Garfield less than two months before he was shot by Charles Guiteau.
This document relates to the Treaty of Madrid, which was signed in Madrid, Spain, on July 3, 1880, and established agreements between Morocco, the United States, and several European powers, granting the latter parties ownership of Moroccan lands they had seized, resources on those lands, settlement rights, and the ability to employ locals. Essentially, it regulated and formalized European conquests in Moroccan territories within the international community.
Starting Bid $1,000
“the Treaty of Peace
Historic DS as president, one page, 8 x 10, Executive Mansion letterhead, April 11, 1899. President McKinley directs the Secretary of State to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to “my proclamation of the Treaty of Peace with Spain of December 10, 1898.” Signed nicely at the conclusion by William McKinley. In very good to fine condition, with scattered small stains, several paperclip impressions to the top edge, and a small chip to the left side. Accompanied by an original copy of an English-Spanish language 10-page booklet print of the “Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain.”
On April 11, 1898, exactly a year before signing the offered document, President William McKinley asked Congress for authorization to end the fighting in Cuba between the rebels and Spanish forces, and to establish a ‘stable government’ that would ‘maintain order’ and ensure the ‘peace and tranquility and the security’ of Cuban and U.S. citizens on the island. On April 20th, Congress passed a joint resolution that acknowledged Cuban independence, demanded that the Spanish government give up control of the island, foreswore any intention on
the part of the United States to annex Cuba, and authorized McKinley to use whatever military measures he deemed necessary to guarantee Cuba’s independence.
The Spanish government rejected the U.S. ultimatum and immediately severed diplomatic relations with America. McKinley responded by implementing a naval blockade of Cuba on April 22nd and issued a call for 125,000 military volunteers the following day. That same day, Spain declared war on the United States, and Congress voted to go to war against Spain on April 25th.
After isolating and defeating the Spanish army garrisons in Cuba, the U.S. Navy destroyed the Spanish Caribbean squadron on July 3rd as it attempted to escape the U.S. naval blockade of Santiago. On July 26th, at the behest of the Spanish government, the French ambassador in Washington, Jules Cambon, approached the McKinley Administration to discuss peace terms, and a cease-fire was signed on August 12th. The war ended four months later when the U.S. and Spanish governments signed the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, which was officially proclaimed on April 11, 1899.
Starting Bid $200
Remarkable archive from the papers of Woodrow Wilson’s daughter, featuring the president’s 1917 ‘War Message’ cue cards, a signed menu and candid photographs from 1918 Armistice celebrations in France, and over 125 letters by President Wilson, First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson, and others in their circle
Woodrow Wilson: Family Correspondence Archive with President Wilson’s 1917 ‘War Message’ Cue Cards, Letters by Woodrow Wilson, Edith Bolling Wilson, and Others - 125+ Pieces
Extensive archive of historic Wilson family correspondence, comprising over 125 letters to Woodrow Wilson’s daughter, Margaret, plus important ephemera including the cue cards used by President Wilson to read his ‘War Message’ to Congress on the eve of US entry into World War I, a dining car menu signed by Wilson and other dignitaries visiting Paris in 1918 after the Armistice, and candid photographs from the Wilsons’ trip to France. The letters are from Woodrow Wilson, his wife Edith Bolling Wilson, his daughters Jessie and Eleanor, White House Chief Usher Ike Hoover, Secretary to the First Lady Helen Bones, Wilson’s Secretary of the Treasury (and Margaret’s brotherin-law) William G. McAdoo, L. C. ‘Mother’ Pickett, and others. Most are unseen and unpublished, lending unique and extraordinary insight into the Wilsons and their circle during a momentous period in world history—the advent and conclusion of World War I, in which Wilson called for America abandon its policy of neutrality to fight for the rights of man throughout the globe, exclaiming to Congress that the “world must be made safe for democracy.”
In the aftermath of World War I, in October 1919, President Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke that rendered him largely incapacitated. First Lady Edith Wilson then took a leading role in the administration, managing the office of the president under her ‘stewardship,’ controlling access to President Wilson and filtering his official correspondence. During this period Mrs. Wilson was virtually in charge of the Executive Branch, and as such became one of the most influential First Ladies ever to occupy the White House. In her letters to Margaret, she candidly discusses Woodrow Wilson’s health and medical care, and also outlines plans for the inauguration of Wilson’s successor, Warren G. Harding, on March 4, 1921.
Read the highlights online at www.RRAuction.com.
In overall very good to fine condition.
Provenance: originally acquired directly from Woodrow Wilson’s granddaughter, Mary Faith, the daughter of Eleanor Wilson McAdoo, and sold in Profiles in History’s Rare Book and Manuscript Auction, July 10, 2013.
Starting Bid $500
While contemplating his purchase
an optimistic FDR comments on his polio recovery: “The legs are greatly improved. I get around now with no brace on right knee & hope to get rid of the other this summer”
Franklin D. Roosevelt Autograph Letter Signed on Polio Recovery: “The legs are greatly improved. I get around now with no brace on right knee”
ALS, signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt,” one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, March 19, 1926. Handwritten letter from his houseboat, the Larooco, “Off Florida Coast,” sent to his old friend and colleague Albert V. DeRoode, commenting on his condition following his bout with polio. In full: “I never heard of your lady friend in my life! Don’t send her any more $50 bills! I am down here on a small boat & the legs are greatly improved. I get around now with no brace on right knee & hope to get rid of the other this summer—When I get back about May 1 do come in & see me at 55 Liberty St.” In fine condition.
The recipient, Albert V. DeRoode (1880-1949), was a classmate of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s at Harvard, becoming a lawyer specializing in civil service cases. For a short time, DeRoode was a junior partner in Marvin, Hooker & Roosevelt, FDR’s first law firm. He later served as secretary of the Civil Service Reform Association. DeRoode died on April 12, 1949, four years to the day after FDR died.
DeRoode was a longtime friend and confidant of FDR’s. While at Harvard in 1900, DeRoode let Roosevelt take credit for ‘scooping’ the nation’s news media in reporting that the school’s venerable president, Charles W. Eliot, was supporting William McKinley in that year’s presidential election—a topic he had refused to publicly discuss. It was not until 1931 that Roosevelt revealed to Michael E. Hennessy, author of ‘Four Decades of Massachusetts Politics, 1890-1935,’ that ‘the real man who got that scoop was Albert DeRoode, now a lawyer in New York City, and he should have the credit and not I.’ Roosevelt’s intriguing and emphatic opening to this letter—”I never heard of your lady friend in my life! Don’t send her any more $50 bills!”—suggests that an alleged mistress was extorting DeRoode for cash to cover up the story. DeRoode, who might have known of FDR’s infidelities—we now know that Roosevelt was having affairs with his wife’s personal secretary, Lucy Mercer, and his own secretary, Missy LeHand—might have felt obliged to comply.
Interestingly, this letter was written from the houseboat that FDR had purchased in 1924, the Larooco, while enjoying a brief respite off the Florida coast. In Elliott Roosevelt’s 1973 book, An Untold Story: The Roosevelts of Hyde Park, he writes of seeing 27-year-old Missy LeHand aboard the boat: ‘I remember being only mildly stirred to see him with Missy on his lap as he sat in a wicker chair in the main
stateroom, holding her in his sun-browned arms.’ According to Elliott, everyone within the family—including Eleanor—knew of their affair, and accepted Missy’s intimacy with FDR.
Roosevelt had purchased the boat as a means to escape New York’s cold winters, believing that warm water and warm air would help him walk again. He had visited Warm Springs, Georgia, for the first time in 1924, where he found that immersion in the area’s mineral-rich warm water was one of the few things that provided relief from his polio-induced paralysis. It was during this 1926 winter trip aboard the Larooco that FDR began to seriously contemplate purchasing Warm Springs to develop as a world-class polio treatment center. On February 24, 1926, he met with Warm Springs property owners William Hart and Charles S. Peabody, and, according to Roosevelt’s Larooco log entry, ‘we began talking over the…purchase of Georgia Warm Springs.’ FDR’s last cruise on the Larooco ended on March 27th, eight days after this letter. The log’s entry: ‘Completed all final arrangements and said farewell to the good old boat. Elliott and I left on the evening train for Warm Springs.’ In September, 1926, FDR added a postscript to the log, telling of a ‘violent hurricane’ which ‘swept the East Coast of Florida.’ The Larooco, moored on the Fort Lauderdale River, was swept inland, destroyed, and subsequently sold for scrap.
On April 29, 1926, Roosevelt tapped into the majority of his personal fortune to purchase Warm Springs—for $200,000, he bought the springs themselves, the existing hotel and cottages, and approximately 1200 acres of surrounding countryside. He renovated the old resort into the Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation, partnering with friend and philanthropist Basil O’Connor to establish a foundation to provide for the treatment of fellow polio victims. In all, Roosevelt visited Warm Springs 42 times from 1924 until his death there on April 12, 1945. In spite of his frequent convalescence and rehabilitation efforts, Roosevelt would never walk again unaided, relying on a wheelchair and leg braces for mobility.
Autograph letters by Roosevelt are generally scarce, and those mentioning his polio-induced paralysis are exceedingly so. Many Americans were not even aware of Roosevelt’s disability—from the time he reentered the political stage after contracting polio, he insisted that reporters not write about his affliction and his public appearances were carefully choreographed to avoid any appearance of weakness. As such, few photographs of him using wheelchairs or leg braces exist, and any mention of his infirmity is remarkably rare.
Starting Bid $1,000
LOT 5032
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Mayo Brothers Signed Photograph - The President Pays Tribute to the Mayo Clinic’s Treatment of American Veterans
Superb vintage matte-finish 10.75 x 8.25 photo of President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in a convertible with famed physicians Charles Horace and William James Mayo during FDR’s visit to Rochester,
superlative multi-signed portrait from a memorable
Minnesota, in the summer of 1934, signed in the lower border in fountain pen, “Franklin D. Roosevelt, “C. H. Mayo,” and “W. J. Mayo.” Handsomely double-matted and framed to an overall size of 19 x 14. In very fine condition. On August 8, 1934, over 40,000 spectators braved the summer sun to attend President Roosevelt’s American Legion tribute to the Mayo Brothers at their clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for their work in caring for disabled veterans.
Starting Bid $300
Kennedy’s 10k gold Christening ring, a precious gift from his mother, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, presented to her close friend and personal secretary, Mary Moore
Historic 10k gold Christening ring of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the infant son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who was born at the Kennedy family home in Brookline, Massachusetts, at approximately 3:00 PM on May 29, 1917. The small ring measures .5˝ in diameter, the head is engraved with the initials, “J K,” and the bridge section is stamped with the gold purity, “10K.” Includes its original maroon Little’s Systems jewelry case and typed ownership note, which reads: “Gold baby ring of John Fitzgerald Kennedy second born to Rose and Joe at 2:59 pm. May 29, 1917. Attending physician Dr. Good. Baptized June 19, 1917 by Msgr. Greagh at St. Aidan’s. Property of: Mary H. Moore, 83 Beals St., Brookline, Massachusetts.” In fine condition.
Diminutive in size, immense in significance, this baby ring was gifted by Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy to her close friend and secretary, Mary H. Moore, the wife of Edward Moore, himself the confidant and personal secretary of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. So close were the Moores and Kennedys that the latter couple named their youngest child, future
Senator Ted Kennedy, in honor of Edward Moore, and on September 13, 1920, they conveyed to the Moores their Brookline home at 83 Beals Street, the very house in which JFK was born and raised.
The ring was later obtained from Moore by noted Kennedy collector Robert L. White, who showcased it alongside hundreds of other rare pieces of Kennedy memorabilia as part of ‘John F. Kennedy: The Exhibition,’ which was held at the Florida International Museum in 1999, the commemorative guide for which is included with this lot (the offered ring is pictured on the first page). Also included is a photo of the ring as it was displayed during the Florida exhibition; a vintage glossy 10 x 8 photo of Rosemary Kennedy standing with Mary H. Moore and Harvey Klemmer at Wall Hall in Hertfordshire, England, in 1939 (Moore looked after many of the Kennedy children over the years); copies of JFK’s baptismal record from Saint Aidan’s Parish, which was originally procured by Kennedy’s secretary, Evelyn Lincoln; and copies of newspaper articles mentioning the ring as part of White’s prestigious collection.
Starting Bid $200
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon Signed Photograph of the First Televised Presidential Debate (1960), Inscribed to ABC President Oliver Treyz
Momentous vintage matte-finish 11 x 11 behind-the-scenes photo of the first-ever televised presidential debate between Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon, signed and inscribed in the lower border in blue ballpoint to ABC’s president, “For Oliver Treyz—with very warm regards, John Kennedy, 1960,” and in fountain pen, “To Oliver Treyz—with every good wish, from Dick Nixon.” Matted to an overall size of 13.75 x 13.75. In fine condition, with very slight fading to Nixon’s handwriting.
Held in Chicago’s WBBM-TV studios on September 26, 1960, Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon became the first presidential candidates to enter into a televised debate. Moderated by journalist Howard K. Smith, the first of the four debates ran for 59 minutes and covered issues such as education, health care, labor, the economy, and the Cold War. Radio listeners thought Nixon’s answers to be more substantive, but the handsome, well-prepped Kennedy used the camera to full advantage.
A few days before the event, Kennedy met with debate producer and director Don Hewitt to go over the ground rules: where he would stand and sit, the time allotted for each answer, whether or not he
could interrupt. As a result, Kennedy delivered a calm, deliberate performance while a drawn Nixon, still convalescing from a recent two-week hospital stay, underestimated the importance of the night—an estimated 70 million people watched the debate. Kennedy’s measured answers and natural on-air charisma are often credited for his eventual presidential victory.
As president of ABC, Oliver Treyz played a key role in the organization of the Kennedy–Nixon debate series. In early 1960, he, along with NBC President Frank Stanton, testified before Congress to urge them to suspend Section 315(a) of the Federal Communications Act of 1934, which enforced an ‘equal-time clause’ between all political candidates. Congress suspended that clause in August 1960, allowing a televised debate between just the Democratic and Republican candidates to move forward. While the inaugural debate was by CBS, it was the first in a series of four: NBC hosted the second debate between Kennedy and Nixon, and Treyz’s ABC presented the last two.
This is the just the second dual-signed Kennedy-Nixon photo we have ever offered, and it is augmented by the monumental significance of its content—a portrayal of one of the ‘most significant, groundbreaking American campaign events of the twentieth century,’ presented to one of its principal contributors (see: ‘The First Debate over the Debates’ by John W. Self).
Starting Bid $2,500
JFK’s final State of the Union address:
“Through hot wars and cold, through recession and prosperity, through the ages of the atom and outer space, the American people have never faltered and their faith has never flagged”
Incredibly rare typed manuscript of Kennedy’s third and final State of the Union address, given on January 14, 1963, on 17 pages of legal-size 8.5 x 14 White House watermarked paper, signed on the final page in bold black ink, “John F. Kennedy.” Kennedy’s final State of the Union address was quite memorable as he touched upon the nation’s economy and several areas of foreign policy, including Cuba, China’s invasion of India, West Berlin, and Vietnam. In part: “I can report to you that the state of this old but youthful Union, in the 175th year of its life, is good. At home, the recession is behind us. Well over a million more men and women are working today than were working 2 years ago. The average factory work week is once again more than 40 hours; our industries are turning out more goods than ever before; and more than half of the manufacturing capacity that lay silent and wasted 100 weeks ago is humming with activity. In short, both at home and abroad, there may now be a temptation to relax. For the road has been long, the burden heavy, and the pace consistently urgent. But we cannot be satisfied to rest here. This is the side of the hill, not the top. The mere absence of war is not peace. The mere absence of recession is not growth. We have made a beginning-but we have only begun…Through hot wars and cold, through recession and prosperity, through the ages of the atom and outer space, the American people have never faltered and their faith has never flagged. If at times our actions seem to make life difficult for others, it is only because history has made life difficult for us all…I think these are proud and memorable days in the cause of peace and freedom. We are proud, for example,
of Major Rudolf Anderson who gave his life over the island of Cuba. We salute Specialist James Allen Johnson who died on the border of South Korea. We pay honor to Sergeant Gerald Pendell who was killed in Viet-Nam. They are among the many who in this century, far from home, have died for our country. Our task now, and the task of all Americans is to live up to their commitment.” In fine condition, with a staple hole to top right corner of each page.
On January 14, 1963, President Kennedy stood before a joint session of the US Congress to deliver his third, and what would become his final, State of the Union address. Memorable in its tone of confidence in both the nation’s domestic prospects and its foreign policy, the address highlighted recent achievements–a decrease in unemployment and an increase in industry, the peaceful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and easing tensions with Vietnam, among others-but warned against the continuing threat of Communist nations. Discussing tensions within the Communist bloc, he warns, “hope must be tempered with caution. For the Soviet-Chinese disagreement is over means, not ends. A dispute over how best to bury the free world is no grounds for Western rejoicing.” Remembering those who gave their lives in Cuba, South Korea, and Vietnam, he proclaims, “difficult days need not be dark. I think these are proud and memorable days in the cause of peace and freedom,” and ends his address with a note of hope. While signed copies of the press release for this memorable address can be found at auction from time to time, this official White House release, holding the watermarked presidential seal, is of the utmost rarity. A pristine and highly desirable piece from a historic moment.
Starting Bid $1,000
Assassination of John F. Kennedy - Unseen 8mm Film Footage from November 22, 1963, Documenting the Motorcade and Rush to Parkland Hospital
Extraordinary, previously unknown and unseen original 8mm color silent film of President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade traveling through downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, capturing segments of the motorcade passing through the city prior to its arrival in Dealey Plaza, followed by a remarkable post-shooting clip of Kennedy’s presidential limousine speeding along North Stemmons Freeway en route to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
In the latter part of the film, four Dallas Police Department motorcycles, followed by one police car, fly up the wide Stemmons corridor, red strobe lights flashing. The presidential limousine—a modified midnight blue four-door 1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible—whizzes into frame, with large flags of the United States and Presidential Seal fluttering at speed. Secret Service Agent Clint Hill dominates the scene, spreadeagled precariously above the back seat, having leapt onto the back of the vehicle to shield the first lady and wounded president. Jacqueline Kennedy, slumping over her stricken husband, is easily identified in the rear seat by the bright hue of her iconic pink suit. On their arrival at Parkland, Lady Bird Johnson observed that she ‘saw in the President’s car a bundle of pink, just like a drift of blossoms, lying in the back seat. It was Mrs. Kennedy lying over the President’s body.’
The limousine has not yet left the frame when it cuts into a standard home movie: a Texas toddler rubs one weary eye; his brother, dressed alike, bounces on a couch with a toy dump truck. It presents a jarring contrast, this defining moment of the 20th century interrupted by the mundanity of American domestic life.
Although several still photos and home movies of JFK’s Dallas motorcade are known—the most famous being the Zapruder film, shot on similar 8mm silent color home-movie stock—very little exists that documents the aftermath of the shooting or the race to Parkland Hospital. Prior to the discovery of this film, the only known imagery of Kennedy’s limousine on North Stemmons Freeway were three still photographs, also captured by spectators along the route (see: ‘Stemmons Freeway and the John F. Kennedy Assassination’ by Oscar Slotboom). There were no reporters or press photographers stationed on the freeway, since the quick drive north to the Trade Mart, where Kennedy was to give an address, was not supposed to be a newsworthy event.
That this footage even exists seems to be the result of a twist of fate. The cameraman, a truck driver named Dale Carpenter, Sr., initially ‘missed his shot’ of the presidential limousine: the film opens in a
different location earlier on the motorcade route, one car behind Kennedy’s, with the Presidential Secret Service Follow-Up Car (carrying Clint Hill) and the Vice Presidential Car in frame. Senator Ralph W. Yarborough and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, flanking Lady Bird in the rear of the steel gray Lincoln convertible, wave to the adoring masses. In the lower left corner, partly obscured by the film’s perforations, one youthful onlooker eagerly holds up a Kennedy campaign poster. The excitement is palpable as the densely packed crowd spills into the street.
Carpenter remains in place to capture much of the rest of the motorcade. Trailing LBJ’s car, we see the Vice Presidential Secret Service Follow-Up Car, the Mayor’s Car, the National Press Pool Car, the National Motion Picture Camera Car, the Local Camera Car, the Dallas Police Department’s Forward/Mid Motorcade Motorcycles, Congressman’s Car #1, Congressman’s Car #2, White House Press Bus #1, the Official Party Bus, and the Rear Police Car and Motorcycles (see: ‘Motorcade Schematic Listing, November 22, 1963’ by Todd Wayne Vaughan). All together, this initial footage amounts to about 40 seconds, while the footage from North Stemmons Freeway lasts just over 10 seconds.
Having missed his initial opportunity to capture footage of President Kennedy, Carpenter made his way up to North Stemmons Freeway in an effort to catch a glimpse. The motorcade’s intended route had been well publicized, published locally in the Dallas Times Herald and Dallas Morning News, and the plodding parade pace (estimated at 45 minutes from Love Field to the Trade Mart) gave Carpenter ample time to relocate. Standing in the thin shoulder on the freeway’s edge, he managed to capture the only known film footage of the motorcade during its ill-fated dash to Parkland Memorial Hospital—a stunning scene from one of America’s most tragic days.
Virtually every still photograph and motion picture of the events in Dallas was confiscated for examination by authorities in the aftermath of the assassination; every frame of all known footage has been exhaustively studied by government investigators, historians, researchers, conspiracy theorists, and the public at large. As this reel has remained unknown and unseen for decades, it represents a unique opportunity to reopen the study of the tragedy of November 22, 1963.
Sale of the film does include the copyright but note the film is subject to an existing licensing agreement that expires March 5, 2025 which permits use of portions of the film in ‘Agent Number Nine’, a documentary feature about Secret Service Agency Clint Hill that is expected to premiere in 2024–2025. Viewings available by appointment.
Starting Bid $5,000
Comprehensive, content-rich correspondence archive of Jimmy Carter, containing 70 signed letters from the former American president, who remarks on religion, politics, health and family, and notable figures of past and present, ranging from Winston Churchill and Martin Luther to Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
Jimmy Carter Correspondence Archive of (70) Signed Letters with Broad-Ranging Subject Matter on Religion, Israel and Palestine, Trump, Putin, Baseball, His Health, Billy Carter, and Much More
Correspondence archive between Jimmy Carter and Jimmy Lutzweiler, the archivist at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, containing 70 signed letters from the former American president which touch upon diverse contents and themes, including religion, literature, history, politics, and much more. Dated from October 2000 to July 2019, the archive features 60 letters from Lutzweiler to Carter, who, in one of the upper corners, adds a handwritten response signed as either “Jimmy C.” or “Jimmy Carter.” Complementing these letters are 10 sent by Carter to Lutzweiler, including nine TLSs and one ALS (greeting card), each one page, personal letterhead, ranging in size from 6.5 x 8.5 to 8.5 x 11. Also includes four TLSs from Rosalyn Carter, dating from 2007 to 2018.
The archive contains an exhaustive subject table that offers unique,
educational insight into the personal thoughts, philosophies, and interests of the architect behind the historic Camp David Accords. The correspondence discusses political issues and figures like the Israel and Palestine conflict, Donald Trump, and Vladimir Putin; historical and literary notables like Winston Churchill, Martin Luther, and Mark Twain; religion and theologians like Paul Tillich and C. I. Scofield; and popular personas like Jerry Falwell, Yasser Arafat, Dick Cheney, and Sandra Day O’Connor, among others. In overall fine condition. The archive contains a Christmas card and a ‘thank you’ card that bears printed facsimile signatures of Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter.
A small number of the Lutzweiler letters are incomplete (i.e. missing their last page), and the majority of the letters are accompanied by their original mailing envelopes. Also included with the archive are printed and PDF copies of Lutzweiler’s 189-page unpublished memoir, Jimmy C. and Me: Jimmy L. The President and One of His Pen Pals, and a copy of The High Point Enterprise newspaper from December 18, 2016, which shows pictures of Carter and Lutzweiler together, images for the lead article, “The Two Jimmys.”
Starting Bid $1,000
Interested parties can browse the archive via a PDF link found in our online description.
Gutenberg Bible Leaf (c. 1452/1454)
Printing Micah’s Messianic ProphecyRare Page from the First Printed Book in the West
One leaf from the groundbreaking Gutenberg Bible, printed at Mainz, Germany by Johannes Gutenberg, Johann Fust, and Peter Schöffer, ca. 1452/1454. Folio (284 * 390 mm), from Vol. 2, leaf q2: Micah, verses 4:7 to 7:18. 2 columns, 42 lines, Gothic type. Rubricated initials in red and blue; headlines and chapter numbers in alternating red and blue, capitals accented in red, section title in red and blue. Bound in full black morocco as one of Gabriel Wells’s “Noble Fragments” (New York: Gabriel Wells, 1921) with an introductory essay by Philadelphia bibliophile A. Edward Newton.
This leaf from the first substantial book printed from movable type in the western world features Micah’s famous prophecy of the coming Messiah: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth...” (5:2–3).
The Gutenberg Bible, also known as the B-42 in reference to the number of lines per column, was produced between the years 1450 and 1455 under the partnership of Johannes Gutenberg and his financial backer Johann Fust in approximately 180 copies—150 on paper, 30 on vellum. Today, only 49 copies survive more or less substantially complete. Gutenberg’s craftsmanship set standards ‘in quality of paper and blackness of ink, in design and professional skill, which the printers of later generations have found difficult to maintain; it is only in legibility of type that they have been able to improve on this, the first and in many ways the greatest of all printed books’ (Printing and the Mind of Man).
So rare is the B-42 that the slightest fragment is treasured, and the owner of even a single leaf will find himself in august company: of the 82 known holdings that are listed in the exhaustive Incunabula Short Title Catalogue, no fewer than 24 comprise just a single leaf or even fragments thereof; several other institutions hold two to four leaves.
This leaf originates from a severely defective copy formerly in the collection of Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria and the Palatinate. It was subsequently housed in the Bavarian Royal Library, from which it was purchased as a duplicate by the English traveller and diplomat
Robert Curzon in 1832. In 1920 the volume was returned to the trade and acquired by the American bookseller Gabriel Wells, then dispersed as single leaves or larger fragments, intended for universities and schools as well as for private collectors. The individual leaves were mostly accompanied by a printed essay by the Philadelphia bibliophile
A. Edward Newton, as here. Regarding the penwork decoration of this copy, Eric White notes: ‘The Noble Fragments are identifiable by their neatly executed alternating red and blue lombard headlines, smaller initials and chapter numerals. These were the work of a skilled artisan, probably working in Mainz, who also rubricated the Gutenberg Bible now at the Rylands Library in Manchester.’
In fine condition, with insignificant marginal soiling to the leaf and binding lightly rubbed.
Starting Bid $10,000
—the ‘Father of the English Church’— from the Imperial Court to install him as Archbishop of Canterbury
LOT 5039
King Henry VIII Letter Signed on Thomas Cranmer
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 VII 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.
Past sales history: Sotheby’s, December 14, 1989.
Starting Bid $5,000
Isaac Newton: Opticks: or, a Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light (First Edition, 1704)
Rare book: Opticks: or, a Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light; Also, Two Treatises of the Species and Magnitude of Curvilinear Figures by Isaac Newton. First edition, first issue, with title in red and black, within a double-rule border and without author’s name. London: Printed for Sam. Smith, and Benj. Walford, Printers to the Royal Society, 1704. Hardcover bound in contemporary paneled calf, rebacked, 8 x 9.75, featuring 19 folding engraved plates (plate 5 torn at fold, plate 6 with corner torn away affecting image, several shaved), second book with page 120 misnumbered as 112. The title pages bears the ownership signature of John Ussher, and the bookplate of Irish naturalist John Vandeleur Stewart is affixed to the front pastedown. In good to very good condition, with numerous notes, diagrams, and underlining in pencil throughout, aforementioned rebacked binding and tears to plates, naive repairs to the front gutter, and some soiling to textblock and endpapers.
A foundational work in the field of optics, Isaac Newton’s Opticks explores the nature of light and color, presenting his experiments and theories on how light behaves. Unlike his earlier work, the Principia, which used a more deductive approach, Opticks is largely experimental and inductive. Newton’s study includes detailed descriptions of his experiments with prisms and lenses, leading to the conclusion that white light is composed of a spectrum of colors. The work also delves into the phenomena of diffraction and interference, which were crucial to the development of wave theory in later years. The work is notable for containing Newton’s first mathematical papers in print, and for giving the first full explanation of the rainbow, complete with related diagrams. Like Galileo, Newton decided to publish this text in his native vernacular rather than Latin, the language of scholarship; an enlarged Latin edition would be published two years later. Opticks was Newton’s second major book on physical science and it is considered one of the Scientific Revolution’s three major works on optics.
Starting Bid $2,500
Darwin comments on his influential works:
“I sh’d think my Journal would give better extracts on the habits of animals than the ‘Origin’”
Charles Darwin Autograph Letter Signed on ‘On the Origin of Species’ and ‘Voyage of the Beagle’
ALS signed “C. Darwin,” one page, 5 x 8, March 11, [no year but circa 1862–69]. Handwritten letter to a gentleman, granting permission to quote liberally from his famous works. In full: “You are most entirely welcome to insert anything from any of my works in your Magazine. I sh’d think my Journal would give better extracts on the habits of animals than the ‘Origin.’” In fine condition.
In this interesting autograph letter by Charles Darwin, the great evolutionary thinker suggests that his first book, ‘Journal of Researches’ (now known as ‘Voyage of the Beagle’), may be a better resource for quotes on the habits of animals than his more famous work on evolution, ‘On the Origin of Species.’ First published in 1839 as his ‘Journal and Remarks,’ the work covers Darwin’s part in the second survey expedition of the ship HMS Beagle: it is a vivid travel memoir as well as a detailed scientific field journal covering biology, geology, and anthropology. Its initial publication brought Darwin considerable fame and respect, and in 1845 he released an extensively revised edition incorporating his developing ideas on evolution, renaming it
the ‘Journal of Researches.’ Writing of the Galápagos finches with their gradations in size of beaks, Darwin observed: ‘One might really fancy that from an original paucity of birds in this archipelago, one species had been taken and modified for different ends.’
Darwin further refined and developed these evolutionary ideas for his massively influential ‘On the Origin of Species,’ which introduced the idea that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection. The book was a sensation, wildly exceeding the expectations of either Darwin or his publisher. Widely considered ‘the most important biological book ever written,’ Darwin’s work brought evolutionary thought to the masses and rightfully posited the idea of natural selection as its driving force.
That Darwin comments on both of these incredibly important scientific books in a single letter is absolutely remarkable. The Darwin Correspondence Project records this as “Letter no. 13877F,” noting that the year is established by the form of the address, which Darwin used from May 1861 to April 1869.
Starting Bid $2,500
Image larger than actual size.
LOT 5042
Charles Darwin Signed PhotographOne of His Favorite Portraits
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.
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
“Do dogs exist (as a race or individually) that are naturally immune to rabies?”
5043
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 $2,500
“Thomas
Historic manuscript DS, signed “Thomas Alva Edison,” one page both sides, 8 x 13, January 14, 1890. In part: “I, Thomas Alva Edison, of Llewellyn Park in the State of New Jersey in the United States of America, Electrician, the sole and original inventor of an invention which I have termed ‘Improvement in Phonographs’ do hereby appoint Robert Leycester Upton, William Kearnes Eddis, Henry Cooper Eggar and George William Frederick Buckland…jointly and severally my attornies and attorney in my name to apply in the Empire of India for the grant to me of the sole and exclusive privilege and right within the said Empire of making selling and using the said invention and of authorising others so to do.” Affixed below Edison’s signature are a notarized document certifying Edison as the signer, and a certification of the notary’s credentials.
Includes a manuscript “application of Thomas Alva Edison for leave to file a specification under Part I of the Invention and Designs Act in respect of an Invention for Improvements in Phonographs,” totaling eleven pages on six sheets, stamped at the head: “Received in the Office of the Secretary of the Government of India…on the 3 July 1890.” The manuscript describes Edison’s invention, designed to “increase the simplicity in construction and operation of the phonograph, by decreasing the number of parts of which the machine is composed,
by lessening or avoiding the necessity for adjustment of the various parts in practice and by increasing the convenience of manipulation of the machine.” The application is signed twice by Henry Cooper Eggar, “H. C. Eggar,” to whom Edison had granted power of attorney for this purpose. Includes two further pages of printed schematic diagrams for parts corresponding to those described in the application. In overall very good condition, with scattered soiling and staining (very heavy to the two printed diagrams), tears and creases to one of the notary certificates, and chipping to edges of the manuscript application.
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. This patent application represents an early improvement in the area, simplifying and refining the machine. He made improvements upon the phonograph—and its recording media—throughout the 1880s, pioneering the use of wax cylinders as a means of sound recording and reproduction. Edison’s phonograph would eventually be adopted primarily for entertainment purposes, bringing music into millions of American households. The phonograph was considered the first great invention of Edison’s career, and remained his life-long favorite. A supremely desirable archive pertaining to Edison’s world-changing innovation.
Starting Bid $1,000
Handwritten scientific notes on relativity theory by Albert Einstein, one page both sides, 8.25 x 13, no date but circa 1912–1915, identified at upper left in pencil by his secretary Helen Dukas, “A.E.’s Handwriting, H.D.” This exceedingly rare, early autograph scientific manuscript by Albert Einstein features mathematical formulas and diagrams from the period of Einstein’s work extending special relativity into general relativity. The calculations in this manuscript pertain to the problem of the equation of motion for a material particle in the context of the special theory of relativity. Details of the calculations concern the ponderomotive forces arising from pressure gradients and from stresses. The calculations employ compact four-dimensional tensor notation, which Einstein began using only in 1912. Einstein adopted tensor notation after the publication of Minkowski’s ‘Die Grundgleichungen für die elektromatnetischen Vorgänge in bewegten Körpern’ (1908), in which Minkowski reformulated Einstein’s special theory of relativity by introducing four-dimensional (space-time) non-Euclidean geometry; this ‘began the enormous formal simplification of special relativity’ (Pais, Subtle is the Lord, p. 152).
While Einstein was initially reluctant to use Minkowksi’s advancements, he later ‘acknowledged his indebtedness to Minkowski for having greatly facilitated the transition from special to general relativity’ (Pais, p. 152). Dating the manuscript to the years just after 1912, and most likely from 1914-1915, is confirmed by the existence of thematically similar notes in The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein, vol. 4, Doc. 1, sec. 4 (dated 1912–1914), and vol. 6, Doc. 7, p. 58 (dated Oct. 1914–March 1915).
From 1912 onward, when Einstein returned from Prague to Zurich, he was intensely and incessantly involved in trying to generalize his special relativity theory from inertial to accelerated frames of reference. The effort included two years of collaboration with his friend Marcel Grossmann in Zurich, and then continued work in Berlin from spring 1914 onward, where Einstein took up a specially designated research chair sponsored by the Prussian Academy of Sciences. He achieved a successful result by November 1915, when he presented four communications of his new General Theory to the Prussian Academy.
We can trace only two auction records for working scientific notes in which Einstein is working on relativity: the present example and the famed Einstein-Besso correspondence. While most Einstein autograph material on the market is in the form of letters to friends or colleagues, or drafts of papers to be published, the present manuscript gives us a glimpse of Einstein doing what he did best—original research. It clearly illustrates his highly visual way of thinking, for the manuscript contains several illustrative diagrams alongside mathematical formulas. In fine condition. Housed in a custom-made burgundy cloth presentation folder with quarter-morocco slipcase. In fine condition.
Provenance:
–Unrecorded before Sotheby’s sale of June 26, 1998
–Acquired by historian of physics Jagdish Mehra (1931-2008). Mehra was a major figure in documenting the history of 20th-century science and the author of numerous books, including the highly regarded 6-volume The Historical Development of Quantum Theory.
–offered by Jeremy Norman & Co., Inc.
–offered by Sophia Rare Books
–Private collection
Starting Bid $10,000
LOT 5046
Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed to His ‘Calculator,’ Walther Mayer, on Dirac and De Broglie Equations
ALS in German, signed “A. E.,” one page, 8.5 x 11, December 4, 1932. Handwritten letter to his mathematician assistant Walther Mayer, nicknamed ‘Einstein’s calculator,’ demonstrating their method of collaboration and revealing Einstein’s working process. In full (translated): “I believe I see a new possibility, which promises success. It is along the lines of the recently devised way, according to which one places zero on the right side of the Dirac-Equations. The novelty is in the fact that the constants a1…a4 (aside from a totally irrelevant factor) are completely known without passing on to the specific Semi-Vectors.
After omission of the ?-terms, the equations read [mathematical equations]. Or, for De-Broglie-Equations of the restless particle: [mathematical equations].
Here is what’s new: How does one choose the a(y), so that the De Broglie - [Choices] stay largely undetermined? Result: The four equations (1a) reduce themselves into a single one, when and only when, if one lets a(1) = 1 a(2) = 1 a(3) = 1 a(4) = 1
I believe that with this selection, a(y) is [for] the equation describing the ?-terms (1) the fitting substitute, for the De Broglie-Equation. These equations are already supplied by the simplest Hamilton function.
See, if the general equations (1) degenerate with this placing for a as well. If this were the case, the whole thing would be useless. I leave on Saturday. A letter that is sent to Antwerp, to the ‘Oakland,’ Hapag, Antwerp Harbor, will reach me until December 13.” Includes a 6 x 8.25 page containing further calculations and equations in Einstein’s hand.
In fine condition, with scattered small stains. Housed in a decorated half-leather slipcase by noted book artist Sjoerd Hofstra.
Austrian mathematician Walther Mayer began working with Einstein around 1930. In October 1930, the two submitted a paper to the Prussian Academy in which a new unified field theory was proposed, one based on a four-dimensional space-time continuum with a fivedimensional tangent space attached at each point. From December 1930 to March 1931, Einstein made his first trip to California, accompanied by Mayer, since Einstein did not wish to interrupt the collaboration. In December 1932, they completed their last joint paper to be published in Germany. It dealt with semi-vectors and spinors and was the last paper published by Einstein in the Sitzungsberichte of the Preussische Akademie. Their next two papers together again dealt with semi-vectors, and were produced during their stay at Le Coq sur Mer in Belgium.
Einstein’s collaboration with Walther Mayer was brief, but very significant. So important was the collaboration to Einstein that, after his own appointment as Professor at The Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, in October, 1932, he put the pressure on the Institute to give Mayer a tenured position there with the title of associate, the only appointment of its kind ever made by the Institute. Despite Einstein’s efforts to continue to work with Mayer, after 1934, Mayer returned to his own pursuits in pure mathematics.
This letter and the accompanying manuscript leaf of calculations affords a rare opportunity to study Einstein at work, wrestling with concepts and equations, and offers insight into his important method of collaboration with Mayer.
Starting Bid $5,000
“I still do not believe that
expounds on one of his foundational beliefs in an autograph letter to a fellow physicist
LOT 5047
Albert Einstein Autograph Letter Signed:
“I still do not believe that God plays dice”
ALS in German, signed “A. Einstein,” one page both sides, 5.5 x 9, no date but circa July–August 1940. Handwritten letter to Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Reiche, expounding on one of Einstein’s most fundamental, influential, and controversial beliefs: that ‘God does not play dice with the universe,’ an idea he famously expressed in conversation with Niels Bohr while objecting to Bohr’s Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics.
In full (translated): “It gives me real pleasure to know that you are in our house and to hear that you feel so at home there. However, you should no longer send us anything from the garden and instead be our representatives in the eating of the fruit, as is the natural order of things.
My dear Mr. Reiche, I admire you very much for reading everything. I myself am so antiquated and stubborn that I still do not believe that God plays dice. If this is what He had intended, then he would have done this very thoroughly and not even have kept to any kind of plan while he was throwing dice: but if he does, then he does. Then we would not even have to look for laws. However, all appearances seem to indicate against the view of complete governance by laws. I will though search incessantly for such laws. If what I find is worthless, then that is probably down to me rather than Him.
I have told Mr. Bergmann that he should get in contact with you as he is in correspondence with several institutions regarding an appointment. Given the current shortage of teachers, it should be possible to find a provisional appointment for you at a real university. Something permanent could easily develop from a temporary employment contract
like this. If something should show up, I will be happy to advocate warmly for you anywhere. Enjoy the rest of the holiday with your good lady wife and I send my warmest wishes to you both.” In fine condition.
Einstein also expressed the sentiment with slightly different wording in a famous letter to Max Born of December 4, 1926: ‘I, in any case, am convinced that He does not play dice’ (Halpern, Einstein’s Dice and Schrodinger’s Cat). This widely-quoted phrase captured Einstein’s qualms about quantum mechanics and his view of the fundamental nature of reality as being fixed and discoverable according to deterministic laws. The phrase expresses a central tenet of his understanding of both the nature of reality and the scientific project itself. In the present letter from Einstein we see a variant of this famous phrase, followed by a full throated expression of Einstein’s view that if randomness were fundamental that would undermine the entire scientific project. Einstein’s conviction that ‘God does not play dice’ was in direct opposition to many of his colleagues’ understanding of the implications of quantum theory and formed the core of arguably the most significant scientific and philosophical debate of the century, a debate that is still not settled today.
The recipient of this letter, Fritz Reiche (1883–1969), was a German physicist who studied under Max Planck and made important contributions to the early development of quantum mechanics, including the co-authorship of the Thomas-Reiche-Kuhn sum rule. Reiche published more than 55 scientific papers and books, including a 1921 textbook on quantum theory, and after emigrating to the United States worked for NASA and the US Navy. At the time of this letter, Reiche was staying at Einstein’s home while Einstein was on vacation (for more context on this letter, see Einstein: A Life by Denis Brian).
Starting Bid $10,000
LOT 5048
Albert Einstein Signed PhotographPictured at Princeton in 1945
Vintage matte-finish 8 x 10 photo of Einstein relaxing in his study with his pipe, signed and inscribed in black ink, “Für Dr. Haussner, A. Einstein 45.” Notations penned in another hand on reverse read, “Dr. Albert Einstein, Princeton. Feb. 1945. Photo by Alan W. Richards, Palmer Lab, Princeton, N. J.” In fine condition, with some old adhesive residue on the reverse.
The Palmer Physical Laboratory was finished in 1908 and was originally the Physics Department’s classrooms and offices. Einstein once lectured in this academic hall, which was designed more for utility than for looks. In 2000, Palmer was renamed the Frist Campus Center after it was renovated and enlarged with money from the family of Senator Bill Frist. Alan W. Richards came to work as a photographer at Princeton in the 1940s and was active through the 1960s. Present at almost every University event, Richards’ photographs in the university archives document the life of the university community.
Starting Bid $1,000
Robert Oppenheimer Signed 1946 Movie Contract for MGM’s ‘The Beginning or the End,’ the First Film to Depict the Story of the Atomic Bomb
Historic DS signed “J. Robert Oppenheimer,” one page, 8.5 x 11, May 8, 1946. Official agreement letter from Oppenheimer to Loew’s Incorporated, authorizing and commenting on the first film based on the Manhattan Project. In full: “In connection with the motion picture you are about to produce concerning the Atomic Bomb Project and its ramifications, tentatively called THE BEGINNING OR THE END, I now authorize you to depict me by name as a character in this motion picture and to use my name in connection therewith, my impersonation to be by an actor selected by you. I understand that although you will attempt to show the historical facts with accuracy, you will, however, have to dramatize your motion picture story, and I have no objections thereto, and you may rely on my personal irrevocable consent to proceed. I am signing this agreement subject to my receipt of a statement from Mr. Sam Marx that he believes that changes made in the script since I had occasion to examine it on April 20, 1946, will adequately correct the points which were of chief concern to me. In the absence of such a statement, this waiver is not binding.” Signed neatly at the conclusion in black ink by Oppenheimer. In fine condition.
Deemed by MGM studio chief Louis B. Mayer as ‘the most important story’ he would ever film, The Beginning or the End was a 1947 big-budget dramatization of the Manhattan Project and the invention
and use of the atomic bomb during World War II. Given the secret nature of the bomb’s construction, and the limited special effects of the time, the film encountered several logistical restraints, foremost being the handling of the script, which was supervised by both the White House and Pentagon.
As the contract infers, Oppenheimer was given early access to the film’s early drafts. His requested changes, or “points which were of chief concern,” were forwarded to the film’s writers, a group that included philosopher Ayn Rand. In addition to Oppenheimer, Several experts from Oak Ridge and Los Alamos acted as technical advisors on the film, including Leslie Groves, who was hired as a primary consultant after MGM won White House approval for the project.
When Samuel Marx of MGM met with President Harry S. Truman to secure his approval, Truman remarked: ‘Gentlemen, make a motion picture. Tell the people of this nation that for them it is the beginning or the end,’ a phrase that was ultimately used as the film’s title. Despite lackluster reviews and box office returns, The Beginning or the End holds the distinction of being the first film to depict the story of the atomic bomb for a mass audience eager to process the novel Atomic Age. A superlative Oppenheimer document with historic atomic bomb-related content, dated mere months after the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Starting Bid $1,000
The 12-year-old Nietzsche excitedly reads the classics: “I have now completed the Dion and am starting the Chabrias”
ALS in German, signed “Fritz Nietzsche” and “Fr. Wilhelm Nietzsche,” one page, 5.5 x 8.5, no date but circa August 1857. Handwritten letter to his childhood friend Wilhelm Pinder, expressing his desire to see him again as quickly as possible in order to persevere on their path of wisdom and knowledge. In full (translated): “I wanted to write to you again before your return from the seaside. Because it has been a long time since we separated and last saw each other!—From what I have heard, everything is going very well for you and your dear mother. You will certainly enjoy it there and I have often wished to be with you. I look forward to hearing that you will tell me everything in detail. I have just been alone again for a while, while mum stayed with Elisabeth in Eilenburg. So, I often thought of you and greatly regretted your absence. I gave your homework to Mr. D. Silber, who in front of the whole class praised you highly. We are not yet at the time of individual oral exams, nor have we yet had to submit Hannibal. I have now completed the Dion and am starting the Chabrias. In the Alcibiades we have reached chapter 7. In general, we now always have enough work and I have no time for our projects. You will also, for sure, prefer to stay in the fresh air. Come back to us in perfect health, we will then have many things to tell each other, but in the meantime we will think well of each other and maintain our affection.” He adds a brief postscript, signed “Fr. Wilhelm Nietzsche,” in full: “N.B. Mom has just charged me with all sorts of things for your dear mom and for you. I sincerely await your return.” Addressed on the reverse in Nietzsche’s own hand. In fine condition, with a couple small tape reinforcements on the reverse.
In the essay ‘Nietzsche’s Life in Outline,’ Tad Beckman makes note of the Nietzsche’s relationship with Wilhelm Pinder and its impact on his intellectual and moral development: ‘During the Naumburg years (1850-1858), Nietzsche engaged himself with two close friendships—Wilhelm Pinder and Gustav Krug—both of Nietzsche’s own age and both from families well connected in provincial government. The relationships lasted, by correspondence at least, throughout Nietzsche’s life. Beyond these associations, Nietzsche was apparently a shy boy who did not make friends easily. He spent only one year in public school and then was placed in a private preparatory school, also attended by the Pinder and Krug boys. From there, the three entered the Naumburg Domgymnasium, or secondary school, in 1854. Nietzsche was invited into both the Pinder and Krug households and this had a great influence on him. At the Pinder household he heard literature seriously read and discussed, including especially Goethe. At the Krug household he heard music—especially on the Krug’s fine piano—and met Felix Mendelssohn. Meanwhile, at the private school, he was learning Greek and Latin from the Director, Dr. Weber. Thus, classics, literature, and music were exciting parts of Nietzsche’s life, from his earliest years.’
The present letter evokes Nietzsche’s excitement in reading the classics, as well as his close friendship with Wihelm Pinder. Interestingly, Nietzsche would begin his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. He became the youngest person to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel in 1869 at the age of 24, but resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life; he completed much of his core writing in the following decade.
Starting Bid $5,000
in Zurich will be the editor, Bleuler and I will probably act as co-editors”
ALS in German, signed “Freud,” one page both sides, 8.25 x 10.75, personal letterhead, May 19, 1908. Handwritten letter to the Berlin psychologist Albert Moll, a key founder of sexual sciences and medical psychology, in part (translated): “Your proposal to found a central organ for psychotherapy in order to enable a merger of scientific work and a professional assessment of your work has my full approval. I specifically can only win with such a regulation of reporting. So I would like to thank you for that…
But I have to tell you a fact that you may not be aware of. At a meeting of my friends and followers in Salzburg in April of this year, it was decided to create a periodical magazine under the title ‘Yearbook for Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology.’ The publication of the same in two half-yearly volumes is guaranteed by the publishers. Jung in Zurich will be the editor, Bleuler and I will probably act as co-editors. I don’t know whether the negotiations about our yearbook still need to be modified, but I think that your magazine with a more comprehensive program could offer us no replacement. Our analysis takes up a lot of space, we have too much material rather than too little, and so the publications would suffocate everything else or not come into their own.
However, I believe that our undertaking does not have to be in contrast to yours. Löwenfelt [the founder of sexual pathology Leopold Löwenfeld] must have had the same opinion when he advised you to contact me. Because he was present in Salzburg himself and helped with good advice. If your paper takes on the character of a central paper, which appears about 12 times a year and, in addition to careful reports, contains smaller original contributions and those for which rapid publication is an option, we can very well make use of it in order to be in contact with the other psychotherapeutic directions to stay and make ample contributions from our own camp. I will, in anticipation of your consent, send your letter from yesterday to Bleuler and Jung in order to provoke their statement and either give you a further report myself or get Jung to do so.” In fine condition, with file holes, and a tiny tear, to the left edge. Moll’s referenced magazine was the ‘Zeitschrift für Sexualwissenschaft’ (Journal for Sexual Science), which he first published in 1908 as one of the first journals dedicated to the field of sexology.
The “meeting of my friends and followers in Salzburg” proved to be the first International Psychoanalytical Congress (IPC), which occurred on April 27, 1908, and served as an international meeting of colleagues who shared a common interest in psychoanalysis. The event was initiated by Carl Jung and Welsh psychoanalyst Ernest Jones, with Freud eventually welcoming the idea and suggesting Salzburg as the host location. Jones wished its title to be the International Psychoanalytical Congress, but it was Jung who decided to call it the First Congress for Freudian Psychology.
Among the results of this first IPC was Freud’s presentation of the case of the Rat Man, and the inception of the ??first psychoanalytic journal, the Yearbook for Psychoanalytic and Psychopathologic Research, a forum dedicated to the latest research and theoretical developments in the fields of psychoanalytic thought.
As quoted from his 1914 book History of the Psychoanalytic Movement, Freud gives an account of the Salzburg meeting and the referenced journal:
‘In 1907 the situation suddenly altered and quite contrary to all expectations; it became evident that psychoanalysis had unobtrusively awakened some interest and gained some friends, that there were even some scientific workers who were prepared to admit their allegiance. A communication from [Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler] had already acquainted me with the fact that my works were studied and applied in Burgholzli.
In January 1907, the first man attached to the Zurich Clinic, Dr. Eitingon, visited me at Vienna. Other visitors soon followed, thus causing a lively exchange of ideas. Finally, by invitation of C. G. Jung, then still an assistant physician at Burgholzli, the first meeting took place at Salzburg, in the spring of 1908, where the friends of psychoanalysis from Vienna, Zurich, and other places met together.
The result of this first psychoanalytic congress was the founding of a periodical which began to appear in 1909 under the name of ‘Jahrbuch fur Psychoanalytische und Psychopathologische Forschungen,’ published by Bleuler and Freud, and edited by Jung.’
Starting Bid $2,500
Freud praises the psychoanalytical work of his protégé Theodor Reik—
“especially those concerning religion and ritual”—as “among the best and most influential in the field”
LOT 5052
Sigmund Freud Autograph Letter Signed, Praising the Psychoanalytical Work of Protégé Theodor Reik
ALS in German, signed “Prof. Dr. Sigm. Freud,” one page both sides, 5.75 x 9, personal “Prof. Dr. Freud” letterhead, October 30, 1933. Handwritten “Testimonial” for his protégé and friend, Austrian psychoanalyst Theodor Reik, in part (translated): “It is a well-known fact for everybody who knows psychoanalytical literature that the numerous works of Dr. Theodor Reik about the application of psychoanalysis, especially those concerning religion and ritual, are among the best and most influential in the field, I would say even one of a kind. Whosoever has the opportunity should feel obligated to support Dr. Reik’s
career and to assist him in order to enable him to continue his work.”
Includes an unsigned handwritten manuscript by Theodor Reik, one page, 5.5 x 8.5, in full (translated): “Psychology is the scientific endeavor to master your own emotions using the object of another person through scientific understanding. If you want to know yourself, seeing how others fare forms only the less important intellectual side of this process where the direction is indicated correctly. When you see how others fare and compare yourself consciously with them, you will not profit much. [It is the] Beginning of understanding.” In fine condition, with slight soiling and toning to the Freud letter, and a couple of small edge tears to the Reik manuscript.
Starting Bid $2,500
LOT 5053
Mohandas Gandhi Autograph Letter Signed in the Year of ‘Satyagraha’ (Johannesburg, South Africa, 1906)
ALS signed “M. K. Gandhi,” one page, 8.25 x 10.5, personal “M. K. Gandhi, Attorney” letterhead, July 30, 1906. Handwritten letter to “Messrs. Kallenbach & Reynolds, Johannesburg,” the architectural firm of his close friend Hermann Kallenbach. In full: “Pretoria ppty. I am instructed to apply for vouchers for the expenditure incurred on the building.” The letterhead gives the address of Gandhi’s office as “21–24 Court Chambers, Corner Rissik & Anderson Streets,” in the Central Business District of Johannesburg, South Africa—an area today known as ‘Gandhi Square.’ In very good to fine condition, with two file holes, and old tape stains to the edges.
Gandhi had settled in South Africa in 1893, taking on a one-year contract as an attorney for an Indian merchant there. It was while living in this
racially charged environment that Gandhi began to develop his political ideology. While protesting in Johannesburg in 1906, he adopted his famous methodology of ‘Satyagraha,’ or nonviolent protest, which would become critical to his later fight for Indian independence. The term itself, ‘Satyagraha,’ was coined and developed by Gandhi, who introduced it in a piece in his ‘Indian Opinion’ newspaper that year.
Gandhi and Kallenbach became close friends through their association in Johannesburg, for a time living together in what is now known as the ‘Satyagraha House.’ In 1914, Gandhi left South Africa to return to his native India, bringing with him an international reputation as a leading Indian nationalist, theorist, and community organizer. Though he would not see Kallenbach again, the two maintained a regular correspondence. A remarkable autograph letter from an early, transformative period in Gandhi’s life and career.
Starting Bid $500
roughly a month after his JFK-influenced release from
Personal check, 6 x 2.75, filled out and signed by Michael Milligan, payable to Martin Luther King, Jr. for $6, December 1960. Endorsed on the reverse in ballpoint, “Martin Luther King, Jr.” Below King’s endorsement signature is a deposit stamp, directing the funds to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The reverse also bears bank stamps dated to Atlanta, Georgia, on January 9, 1961. In very fine condition. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder.
A year before endorsing this check, on November 29, 1959, King announced his resignation as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. The departure followed his decision to concentrate on the civil rights movement and his relocation to Atlanta to direct the activities of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference, which he had become president of two years earlier. In an interview with Jet magazine, King stressed that moving from Montgomery was not a withdrawal from the movement. ‘Actually, I will be involved in it on a larger scale. I can’t stop now. History has thrust something upon me from which I cannot turn away.’
Of further interest, this check dates shortly after King was released from the Georgia State Prison on October 27, 1960, following his arrest for participating in a sit-in at Rich’s department store in Atlanta. With King’s situation looking dire, Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy pulled enough strings to fashion the reverend’s release two days later. Richard Nixon’s stasis and Kennedy’s support, which included personally calling King’s wife, Coretta Scott, helped secure large segments of the African American vote and eventually swing the 1960 presidential election in Kennedy’s favor.
Starting Bid $1,000
Image larger than actual size.
LOT 5055
Leo Tolstoy
Signed Photograph
Vintage glossy 3.5 x 5.5 postcard photo of Tolstoy with his long white beard and traditional tunic, signed in bold black ink, “Leo Tolstoy, 1909, 17 April.” In fine condition, with a light crease impinging on Tolstoy’s forehead. A wonderful portrait of the revered Russian scribe.
Starting Bid $500
a plea for aid: “Help out. She is very poor”
LOT 5056
Grigori Rasputin Rare Autograph Letter Signed: “Help out. She is very poor”
Russian mystic and faith healer (1869–1916) who insinuated himself into the Russian royal family when he ‘healed’ the young Tsarevich Alexei’s hemophilia in 1905. From that point, his influence on the Romanovs grew ever greater, and his sway over the Empress Alexandra, who believed that God spoke to her through him, was especially powerful. In the waning days of Imperial Russia, he was viewed by the Russian nobility as increasingly dangerous and assassinated in a legendary scheme involving poison, disguises, and multiple gunshots. Rare ALS in Russian, signed “Grigory,” one page, 5.25 x 8.25, no date but circa 1913. Handwritten letter by the influential holy man, requesting aid for an impoverished woman. In part (translated):
“Dear Sweety, help out. She is very poor. Very sorry.” Rasputin draws his usual cross at the top of the letter, a mark suggesting that he is a mouthpiece of God. In fine condition, with scattered small stains.
Rasputin’s scandalous and sinister reputation, fueled by rumors of debauchery and manipulation, significantly undermined public trust in the Tsarist government. His close ties to the Romanov family, especially his influence over Tsarina Alexandra, were seen as emblematic of the regime’s corruption and incompetence. This widespread disillusionment with the monarchy contributed to the growing unrest that culminated in the Russian Revolution and the overthrow of the House of Romanov shortly after Rasputin’s assassination. Rasputin’s autograph remains rare in any form.
Starting Bid $1,000
Signed book: The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Third printing, limited issue, numbered 16/99. London: Leonard Smithers, 1898. Hardcover bound in the publisher’s purple and white linen, featuring a gilt floral ornament by Charles Ricketts on the front board and a gilt-lettered spine, 5.75 x 9, 31 pages. Signed on the colophon in ink by the author, “Oscar Wilde.” Autographic condition: fine. Book condition: VG/None, with minor foxing to the white cloth binding and the ex-libris bookplate of Arthur Chester Rhodes affixed to the first free end page. Housed in a custom-made clamshell case with gilt-lettered spine.
Oscar Wilde composed The Ballad of Reading Gaol while living in exile in Berneval-le-Grand and Naples, after his release from Reading Gaol, where he had been incarcerated for two years after his conviction on charges of gross indecency. The poem reflects his harrowing experiences and observations of the brutal prison system, narrating
the execution of trooper Charles Thomas Wooldridge that Wilde had witnessed while imprisoned. It is a poignant critique of the inhumane conditions faced by prisoners, infused with Wilde’s characteristic wit and literary style.
The poem was first published by Leonard Smithers on February 13, 1898, with authorship attributed to the name “C.3.3.”—meaning Cell Block C, Landing 3, Cell 3—the location of Wilde’s confinement. It sold out within a week, and Smithers printed a second anonymized edition of 1,000 copies on February 24, which again sold well. This, the “signed by the author” third edition, was the first to reveal Wilde as its creator—he signs the colophon in full, “Oscar Wilde,” though the title page still credits “C. 3. 3.” alone. It was not until the seventh edition, released in June 1899, that Wilde’s name appeared on the title page. A supremely desirable, ultra-scarce signed example of Wilde’s enduring poem, a line from which was chosen as the epitaph on his tomb: ‘And alien tears will fill for him, / Pity’s long-broken urn, / For his mourners will be outcast men, / And outcasts always mourn.’
Starting Bid $1,000
LOT 5058
Karl Faberge Document
Signed - House of Faberge
Sales Receipt for Nearly 200 Pieces of Silverware
Manuscript DS in Russian, signed “K. Faberge,” one page, 8 x 10.5, House of Faberge crest letterhead, (Saint Petersburg) March 12, 1896. Sales receipt issued to “To Her Excellency General’s Wife Bjutsova,” for nearly 200 pieces of “Silverware with relief patterns,” amounting to a total of 1435 rubles. Signed boldly at the conclusion in ink by Karl Faberge. In fine condition. This receipt was presented to the wife of Evgeny Karlovich Butsov a Russian diplomat (1837–1904) who served as Russia’s first permanent representative in Japan, second in China, and as an envoy to Greece, Iran, and Sweden.
Starting Bid $500
Historic personal Tiffany & Co. travel shaving kit of King Camp Gillette, inventor of the double-edged safety razor and founder of The Gillette Company, which revolutionized the shaving and personal grooming industry with its brand of safety razors and personal care products upon its establishment in 1901. This unique kit dates to approximately 1904-1906 and is comprised of its attractive sterling silver Tiffany & Co. case, 2.5˝ x 3.5˝ x 1˝, with the front handsomely stamped with Gillette’s monogram, and containing a 23-karat gold-plated Single Ring razor, with the head ornately engraved and bearing Gillette’s initials, “KCG,” a shaving brush with protective tube, and a stick of shaving soap. The kit includes its original light green Tiffany & Co. carrying bag and a “Gillette Blue Blade” razor blade. In overall fine condition, with light wear and dents to the case.
The single ring style of this safety razor dates to the early 1900s to 1920s, a prolific and important time for the Gillette brand, which had successfully usurped the popularity of straight razors after the U.S. military issued Gillette shaving kits to every American serviceman. By the close of World War I, the company had convinced millions of their razor’s efficacy, with sales rising to an estimated 3.5 million razors and 32 million blades. Gillette’s sales reached new heights by 1925, in large part due to their affordable ‘brownie’ razors and the company’s overseas expansion that introduced the brand to a new global audience. Today, Gillette boasts more than 800 million consumers in over 170 countries, trusting their personal grooming needs to the company, and making Gillette the #1 shaving brand in the world.
Originating from the Gillette family archives, this shaving kit represents a one-of-a-kind artifact, never mass-produced for public purchase, and was made exclusively for King Gillette’s daily use and for his travels around the world. While the Gillette company would later make product showpieces featuring the “KCG” monogram, these were never used by King and were owned by the company as advertising pieces. No razor personally owned or used by King Gillette has ever come to market until now, a distinction that elevates this item into a true museumquality showpiece, the shaving equivalent to a Leo Fender guitar,
a Samuel Colt pistol, or a Henry Ford automobile.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the consignor, whose father, professional genealogist and historian James Winter Petty, was gifted this shaving kit by Gillette’s nephew, George Trofast Gillette, with whom he worked closely during the 1970s. The letter reads, in part: “George was not only a client but also a close friend and cousin (distant) of my father, and he gave my father numerous gifts over the years including upon his passing in 1977, when he bequeathed a significant portion of his estate to my father. This included a wealth of family memorabilia, artwork, antiques, and personal items, several of which belonged to King Camp Gillette himself, items that George had received directly from his uncle.
Among these cherished items was King’s personal razor kit, a unique artifact made around 1904-1906. It is believed to be an early prototype of the gold-plated single ring razor, and the kit/case itself was specifically crafted by Tiffany & Co. This kit, monogrammed with King’s initials, was never mass-produced and remains the only known example of its kind.”
Starting Bid $1,000
Rockefeller agrees “to dedicate to the public, for use as a highway” part of his Cleveland Heights property
Interesting map entitled “Alteration and Widening of Superior Road, Being part of Original East Cleveland Township Lot 48, now in Cleveland Heights Village,” 23 x 12.25, dated May–June 1912, signed twice in ink by the business magnate and philanthropist, “John D. Rockefeller.” As a landowner affected by the plan, Rockefeller signs “to dedicate to the public, for use as a highway” a section of his property, and to request the vacation of an indicated section of Superior Road as he desired to alter it. The plan, which portrays the intersection of Superior Road and Mayfield Road, is additionally signed by engineer F. A. Pease, abutting landowners C. E. Gooding and Chas. Cundall, village clerk H. H. Caufield, and two notaries. In very good to fine condition,
with light soiling and overall handling wear. Today, the Cleveland’s Mayfield corridor from Superior Road to Taylor Road is known as the ‘Heights Rockefeller Community,’ taking its name from the man who once owned a substantial portion of the land in that area.
John D. Rockefeller significantly influenced the development of Cleveland by founding the Standard Oil Company there, which transformed the city into a major industrial hub. His investments in local infrastructure, such as the creation of parks and cultural institutions, greatly improved the city’s quality of life, and his generous philanthropy funded numerous educational and medical institutions. A desirable twice-signed piece from one of the richest people in modern history.
Starting Bid $300
“You have conquered not only very brave and very seasoned enemies, but even enemies who fought in desperation, and who saw themselves in the necessity either of making an extraordinary defense or of seeing their entire army perish”
Jean Racine Autograph Letter Signed on King Louis XIV and Victory at the Battle of Landen: “History should not lose a syllable of it”
Exceedingly rare ALS in French, signed “Racine,” four pages on two adjoining sheets, 6.5 x 8.75, August 2, 1693. Handwritten letter in an exalted tone to François-Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, Marshal of Luxembourg, the victor of the battle of Neerwinden, recounting the enthusiasm of King Louis XIV and his court. Racine marvelously savors the flavors of military triumph and invites us alongside the Sun King, Madame de Maintenon, Nicolas Boileau, Count d’Artagnan, et al, in the salons of the Court.
In part (translated): “While waiting for us to be informed by you yourself of the details of your victory, please, Monseigneur, let me tell you that it is regarded here as the greatest and most heroic action that has taken place in war. You have conquered not only very brave and very seasoned enemies, but even enemies who fought in desperation, and who saw themselves in the necessity either of making an extraordinary defense or of seeing their entire army perish. I see well that this is what caused this obstinacy with which they disputed their entrenchments, and which obliged you to give seven battles for one. But, Monseigneur, I am scrupled to dare to speak before you of things so high above me.
I would do better to simply tell you what I heard the King himself say about it. He spoke of nothing else all yesterday. He repeated several times that it was a great, a glorious action. He seemed to be very grateful to you for having made his enemies respect his Infantry as much as they already respected his Cavalry. He praised you extremely and took pleasure in explaining your marches since the capture of Huy, and speaking of the number of dead, he said that these great actions were not carried out without cost to individuals. I even heard him say very heartily: ‘I wish that such news would come to me from Germany.’ Finally, he read four times in public the letter that you wrote to him through M. d’Artagnan, as noble in its simplicity as beautiful as the action itself.
Madame de Maintenon, among others, seemed very touched by it, and praised it extremely. I memorized it and charmed Madame la Princesse de Conti yesterday and Mr. Despréaux [Nicolas Boileau] today, who claims like me that history should not lose a syllable of it. All those who were at Marly that day, I even say the most avid praisers, exclaimed as much as His Majesty on the greatness of this action, and I was quite pleased to see your enemies defeated as well as those of the King...
I forgot to tell you that the King told Mr. Prince in front of everyone that you had saved Mr. Duke’s life by making him take up arms against his will. You can well imagine that His Majesty said many other things that I could not have heard. But, whatever the case, I can assure you that I have never seen him so happy. He is currently in just anxiety about what will have happened in Germany, and God grant, as he himself said, that the news be as good from that quarter as that which came to him from you. Forgive such a long letter for the joy that you have caused me, and for the extreme interest that I take in your glory which seems every year to be unable to grow any more and which nevertheless grows every year.” In fine condition, with a few stray ink splotches.
It is worth noting the exceptional rarity of Jean Racine’s signed letters. Beyond the donation made by his youngest son to the Bibliothèque du Roi in 1756, very few of his autograph letters are known. The letter presented here is one of three letters from Racine to Marshal Luxembourg long considered lost. About these three letters, Jean Lesaulnier writes in his publication of the Correspondence of Jean Racine: ‘Kept together perhaps in the family of the marshal, they were probably put up for sale later. The publication of Eugène Minoret, who revealed them to us in 1884, seems to have been kept under wraps for nearly one hundred and thirty years. Since that date, in fact, the three letters from Racine to Luxembourg have never been commented on, or even listed.’ (pp. 430-431).
The recipient, François-Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville, Duke of Piney-Luxembourg (1628-1695), was made Marshal of France in 1675. Considered one of Louis XIV’s most brilliant war leaders, he also remains in military history under his nickname, the ‘Upholsterer of Notre-Dame,’ because of the large number of enemy flags taken by his troops on the battlefields and decorating the nave and choir of the Paris Cathedral. Under his command, the French army won the victory of Neerwinden on July 29, 1693, against the armies of the King of England, William III of Orange-Nassau, during the War of the League of Augsburg (1688-1697). It was this last victory, announced to King Louis XIV by Pierre de Montesquiou d’Artagnan (1640-1725) that gave rise to the exalted tone of Racine’s long letter testifying to the Marshal of the enthusiasm of the King and the Court.
Having become Louis XIV’s historiographer in 1677, alongside his friend Nicolas Boileau, Racine then put his marvelous pen at the service of royal power under the idea that “history should not lose a syllable” of Marshal Luxembourg’s triumph.
Starting Bid $5,000
“the flattering compliment paid me by sending me the plan for an attempt to destroy the Dutch ships at Goree”
Horatio Nelson Autograph Letter Signed, Thanking the Secretary to the Board of Admiralty for “the plan for an attempt to destroy the Dutch ships at Goree”
War-dated ALS signed “Nelson & Bronte,” two pages both sides, 7.25 x 9.25, September 11, 1801. Handwritten letter to Secretary to the Board of Admiralty Evan Nepean, written on board HMS Amazon, enthusiastically offering his opinion on a plan to destroy the Dutch fleet at Goree. In full: “I feel sensibly the flattering compliment paid me by sending me the plan for an attempt to destroy the Dutch ships at Goree, and nothing could give me more real satisfaction than the aiding and assisting in any manner for the success of the enterprise, all thoughts of prize money to come (if you will believe me) sink to nothing for although I do not believe I am 10,000£ in the world, yet I declare to God I would not do an unhandsome thing by a brother
officer & be worth millions…I am one of those who are of the opinion Boats might burn our fleet at Spithead or Torbay, and that there is nothing which boats may not accomplish by surprise…the boats must be in several divisions under officers of movement. The smaller the divisions the better. 30 boats can certainly be fitted to fire carcasses, and if these have resolution 4 or 5 to each ship of the line of fire each 3 to 4 carcasses into the ship, will the carcasses not be broke to pieces passing through the ships side and will the combustible take fire after such a resistance. Capt. Congreve can tell you. If he says yes, then there requires only for the service to be directed.” Professionally inlaid into slightly larger sheet and in fine condition. Plans to destroy enemy fleets in port continued to be discussed after Nelson’s failed raids at Boulogne in August 1801, but were finally shelved on account of the inherent difficulties and the peace concluded in the autumn.
Starting Bid $1,000
Image larger than actual size.
Rare handwritten letter by Sun Yat-sen to an influential Russian revolutionary, commenting on “the question made in the House of Commons concerning of my kidnapping”
Sun Yat-sen Autograph Letter Signed to Russian Revolutionary Feliks Volkhovsky
Founding father and first president of the Republic of China (18661925). ALS in English, signed “Sun Yat Sen,” one page, 4.5 x 7, June 21, 1897. Handwritten letter to Russian revolutionary Feliks Volkhovsky, written from “8 Gray’s Inn Place” in London. In full: “The number of ‘The Times’ in which the question made in the House of Commons concerning of my kidnapping is that of the 16th of February. I am in a point of view to leave this country at the end of this month for America. I should like yo see you once more before I go if I can. If not let me bid my farewell to you now.” In fine condition.
While living in exile in 1896, Sun Yat-sen was detained at the Chinese Legation in London, where the Chinese Imperial secret service planned to smuggle him back to China to execute him for his revolutionary activities. An English physician, James Cantlie, played a major role in obtaining his release, leading a media campaign in The Times and The Globe. Sun went on to write an 1897 book about his detention,
Kidnapped in London, a copy of which he presented to Volkhovsky (now held by the Hoover Library at Stanford University); in an attached letter to Volkhovsky, Sun expressed that he could not write anything ‘in perfect English without a friend’s help,’ suggesting Volkhovsky’s assistance in the preparation of the work.
Feliks Volkhovsky (1846–1914) was one of several Russian political exiles that Sun Yat-sen met in London when he arrived in 1896. Volkhovsky was editor of the monthly journal of the Society of Friends of Russian Freedom, Free Russia, having previously spent seven years in solitary confinement in St. Petersburg, and eleven years in exile in Siberia before he eventually managed to escape to Canada under a pseudonym, arriving in London in 1890. Volkhovsky’s experience and knowledge proved hugely influential to Sun, who must have been inspired by the Russian’s courage and determination in the face of political peril. A remarkable piece of correspondence connecting exiled revolutionaries at the end of the 19th century.
Starting Bid $5,000
Despite counsel from “Winston and Halifax,” Chamberlain rebuffs the idea of resigning as prime minister, citing war with Germany as the chief cause: “As I expected Hitler has seized the occasion of our divisions to strike the great blow and we cannot consider changes in the Government while we are in the throes of battle”
Neville Chamberlain War-Dated Autograph Letter Signed on the Day of His Resignation from the Prime Ministership (May 10, 1940)“The next two or three days will probably decide the fate of mankind for a hundred years”
WWorld War II-dated ALS as prime minister, one page both sides, 4.75 x 7.5, Prime Minister letterhead, May 10, 1940. Marked “Personal” in the upper margin, a handwritten letter to “My dear Max,” influential newspaper publisher Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, in full: “Thank you for your interesting reminder of the occasions when two of my predecessors found themselves in trouble. I had fully made up my mind as to the course I should pursue and had fully agreed it with Winston and Halifax. But as I expected Hitler has seized the occasion of our divisions to strike the great blow and we cannot consider changes in the Government while we are in the throes of battle. The next two or three days will probably decide the fate of mankind for a hundred years.” In fine condition. Accompanied by the original ‘Prime Minister’ mailing envelope hand-addressed by Chamberlain.
A monumental war-dated letter from Chamberlain, which he penned on the morning of his final day in office and one day after the conclusion of the historic House of Commons ‘Norway Debate’ on May 9, 1940. Held to discuss Allied efforts against the current German invasion of Norway, the proceedings redirected to Chamberlain and his inefficacy as the nation’s wartime leader. At the end of the second day, there
was a division of the House for the members to hold a no-confidence motion, a vote won by Chamberlain’s government but by a drastically reduced majority.
On May 9 and 10, a desperate Chamberlain sought to form a coalition government with Labour and Liberal participation. The proposal was denied, but the opposition consented to the plan if a different Conservative was named prime minister. After Chamberlain’s first choice, Edward Wood, the Earl of Halifax, declined, the second candidate, Winston Churchill, emerged as the final choice on the same day Germany began its massive western offensive on Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and France. Accordingly, Chamberlain went to Buckingham Palace to resign and advise the King to send for Churchill.
In a resignation broadcast that evening, Chamberlain told the nation: ‘For the hour has now come when we are to be put to the test, as the innocent people of Holland, Belgium, and France are being tested already. And you and I must rally behind our new leader, and with our united strength, and with unshakable courage fight, and work until this wild beast, which has sprung out of his lair upon us, has been finally disarmed and overthrown.’ A marvelous letter dated to a pivotal turning point in the history of the United Kingdom, and arguably the finest, and perhaps final, handwritten letter from Chamberlain in his role as prime minister.
Starting Bid $10,000
“If you care about the principles of Free Trade and Liberalism which I stand forward to defend, I ask you most earnestly to give me the effective assistance of your vote and influence”
Winston Churchill Autograph Letter Signed, Campaigning for the Manchester North West Seat on New Year’s Day 1906
Significant ALS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page, 7.25 x 9, January 1, 1906. Addressed from the “Colonial Office, Downing Street,” a handwritten letter from Churchill to an unknown politician, requesting his support in the upcoming general election, in full: “I am sending you a copy of my election address. I have tried to set forth in it, as clearly as I can, the questions which are to be decided at the general election now upon us. By your decision on this grave occasion in the history of our country you will be bound in the years that are to come; and if you care about the principles of Free Trade and Liberalism which I stand forward to defend, I ask you most earnestly to give me the effective assistance of your vote and influence.”
On May 31, 1904, Churchill left his father’s Conservative Party, crossing the aisle to become a Liberal and beginning a dynamic chapter in his political career that saw him champion progressive causes and branded a traitor to his class. On January 2, 1906, a day after writing this letter, Churchill published his two-volume biography of his father. Immediately thereafter, he campaigned for eight days in North-West
Manchester, hoping to win his first election as a Liberal. Churchill’s party defection may have been on the minds of the voters, but his father’s history was much on his own. ‘I have changed my Party…I am proud of it. When I think of all…Lord Randolph Churchill gave to… the Conservative Party and the ungrateful way he was treated…I am delighted that circumstances have enabled me to break with them.’ Reverse of second integral page blindstamped with the ‘Colonial Office’ seal. In fine condition.
Manchester had been a Conservative Party stronghold for nearly 50 years, nevertheless, the Liberal Party would go on to win a landslide victory in the 1906 general election, which took place between January 12 and February 8, 1906. Churchill, at the age of 31, won the traditionally Conservative seat with 5,639 votes out of a total of 10,037 votes cast with 89 percent of the electorate voting. Not only did the Conservatives fall out of power, but they also lost more than half of their seats in Parliament, leaving them with the lowest number of seats seen in party history. In contrast, the Liberal victory led to Churchill’s swift ascent to power; in 1911, he was made the First Lord of the Admiralty and he had established himself as one of the youngest politicians to hold such an influential position in the public eye.
Starting Bid $300
“I apprehend considerable change on both sides of the Channel in the near future”
Winston Churchill Autograph Letter Signed, Predicting Political Upheaval in Europe: “I apprehend considerable change on both sides of the Channel in the near future”
ALS signed “Winston S. Churchill,” one page both sides, 4.75 x 7.5, 60 Avenue d’Iéna letterhead, February 10, 1924. Handwritten letter to the French minister and deputy Louis Loucheur, inviting him to a dinner where they can “talk freely,” suggesting intriguing diplomatic and political discussions. In full: “My wife & I hope to receive you & Madame Loucheur here for dinner at 8:30. It will be quieter here than at a café & we can talk freely. Crewe who was coming is unhappily forced to stay home with his wife who is slowly recovering from a sharp attack of Influenza, & has begged me to make his excuses to you. So we shall be a quatre. Short coats & Black ties. I am much looking forward to seeing you again; for I apprehend considerable change on both sides of the Channel in the near future.” In fine condition.
The collapse of the Liberal Party and Lloyd George’s government kept Winston Churchill out of Parliament from 1922 to 1924. Re-elected as a Conservative MP in October 1924, he became Chancellor of
the Exchequer in Stanley Baldwin’s government in November 1924. Here, he writes to Louis Loucheur, predicting political change in both England and France. He also mentions Robert Offley Ashburton Crewe-Milnes, Lord Crewe (1858–1945), then British Ambassador to France (1922–1928).
Locheur (1872–1931) had been a minister in charge of armament issues between 1916 and 1918, then minister of industrial reconstruction until 1920. He was Clemenceau’s principal economic advisor at the Paris conference in January 1919 for the negotiation of the Treaty of Versailles, and intervened directly in the discussions with David Lloyd George. He subsequently held several ministerial positions from 1921 through 1931, in parallel with his career as a member of parliament for the North: Minister for Liberated Regions; Minister for Commerce, Industry, Posts and Telegraphs; Minister for Finance; again Minister for Commerce and Industry; Minister for Labor and Social Security; and Minister for the National Economy. Very involved in post-war social housing issues and conflict resolution in the world of work, he was also an art lover and collector.
Starting Bid $500
“Germany, supporting the failing Italy, sees standing before it a powerfully armed British Empire, a Russia determined to win, an America with colossal resources, growing French forces and large allied contingents”
Charles de Gaulle Handwritten Manuscript on Hitler and World War II: “We do not misunderstand the power of the enemy, we know what Hitler remains capable of”
Remarkable World War II–era handwritten draft manuscript by Charles de Gaulle, unsigned, three pages on two adjoining sheets, 8.25 x 10.75, no date. A remarkable wartime patriotic message penned by de Gaulle, with commentary on the danger posed by Adolf Hitler, his collaborators in Vichy France, battles between the Allied and Axis powers in Russia, and an optimistic declaration that “France will be in the winning camp.”
In full (translated): “We understand why Hitler, exploiting the degradation of those who surrendered to him, persisted in drawing direct assistance from them in his war. We understand why the men who, at Vichy, played for Hitler’s victory and France’s defeat, work for Hitler’s victory and France’s defeat, so that the event appears to vindicate their crime and their madness. We understand why these individuals would like to force the soldiers of the Empire to prolong, in Syria, an execrable battle against France and its allies. But, as always, the game of traitors is a bad game. Not only is there no doubt about the outcome of the odious battles in Syria, but the whole world notes that, in this war, the balance of power, which until now could appear to be leaning towards the enemy is in the process of overthrowing.
In Russia, the German armies have been engaged in an increasingly harsh struggle for twenty days. This campaign, which the enemy imagined would be easy and quick, on the contrary takes on the appearance of one of those Russian novels, which with each chapter we believe are on the verge of ending and which always begin again. In the Atlantic, the United States began the approach march. Their immense fleet, their aviation in full swing, their already powerful army, are advancing towards Europe and Africa. Death and destruction are
spreading over Germany itself. Still, this is only the beginning, because the terrible British aviation, into which French and allied elements are incorporated, continues to grow in number and quality.
Last year, at this time, Germany, supported by intact Italy, had before it only an England which was only beginning to organize its forces. But the admirable British resolve, personified by the great Churchill, gave the world time to pull itself together. Today, Germany, supporting the failing Italy, sees standing before it a powerfully armed British Empire, a Russia determined to win, an America with colossal resources, growing French forces and large allied contingents.
Certainly, we do not misunderstand the power of the enemy, we know what Hitler remains capable of, we measure the full extent of what remains to be done. But the path that we, the Free French, initially took as the only honorable one, we now see is also the safest.
Grown by the certainty of victory, we will follow this path to its infallible conclusion. Whatever our trials, whatever our sorrows, we will put back into the war, for the liberation of the country and for the freedom of the world, the Empire first, then the homeland. France will be in the winning camp.” De Gaulle makes several revisions to the text, striking through and amending several words. In very fine condition.
Charles de Gaulle was an outspoken critic of Adolf Hitler, condemning his totalitarian regime and aggressive expansionist policies. De Gaulle viewed Hitler’s actions as a direct threat to freedom and democracy, rallying against the Nazi occupation of France. Though distinctly proFrance, he recognized the importance of unity among free nations to defeat Germany and restore peace, emphasizing the strength of the British, Russian, and American militaries. Throughout World War II, de Gaulle’s leadership and persistent advocacy for resistance played a crucial role in the eventual liberation of France.
Starting Bid $1,000
to the
after V-E Day, reunites with his wife and family, and receives a hero’s welcome in Boston, Massachusetts
Original program for a “Dinner in Honor of General George S. Patton, Jr., U.S.A.,” given by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Governor Maurice J. Tobin at The Copley Plaza in Boston on June 7, 1945, four pages, 6 x 9, signed on the front cover in pencil, “G. S. Patton, Jr.” The cover is also signed at the top by his wife, “Beatrice Ayer Patton.” In fine condition. Accompanied by a transmittal letter from Thomas P. McCusker, the private secretary to Governor Tobin, sent to Chief Warrant Officer Joseph F. Freni, Bandleader of the 320th Army Band, on June 20, 1945: “I will be glad to obtain any copies of the pictures which were taken at the State Dinner for General Paton. I am enclosing two that were taken at the Bedford Airport which might be of interest to you.” The two referenced photos, both glossy, 5 x 4 and 10 x 8, picturing General Patton and Governor Tobin at the Bedford Air Base on June 7th, are included. The lot is also accompanied by various photos of Freni and program material from his involvement with a Washington birthday celebration on board the SS Argentina on February 22, 1942.
After the conclusion of his duties in Europe during World War II, General George S. Patton returned to the United States on June 7, 1945. His plane landed at Bedford Airport (now Hanscom Field) near Boston, where Patton was greeted by a large crowd, including military
officials and his family, including his wife, Beatrice. The welcoming ceremony included a 17-gun salute and a motorcade that ushered him from the airport to downtown Boston. Along the route, thousands of people lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the general, whose homecoming culminated with Patton delivering a speech at the Hatch Memorial Shell before a crowd of 20,000 people, where he praised the American military and encouraged continued support for the war effort through the purchase of war bonds?.
As quoted from The Boston Globe (Friday, June 8, 1945): ‘Gen. George S. Patton, whose 3rd Army led the conquest of Germany, stormed and captured Boston without any help yesterday. Home in glory from the former battlefields of Europe to the city that claims him as an adopted son, the 59-year-old General was acclaimed by an estimated 1,000,000 persons along the 23-mile route from Bedford Airport. Thousands hailed him as he rode in an open car at the head of his entourage through downtown Boston, around the Common, past the State House, and down to the Esplanade, where state and city officials made him welcome. At Hatch Shell, after he was officially greeted in the name of Boston and Massachusetts, Gen. Patton overcame his dislike of oratory long enough to address a throng of 20,000 persons, including a group of officers and men who had been wounded in action while serving under him.’
Starting Bid $200
Immensely rare handwritten letter from Mozart to his father, addressed from Augsburg in October 1777 amidst his travels to obtain a more lucrative position: “I have no concern except for the accompaniment in my academy.
For the music here is wholeheartedly bad”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Autograph Letter Signed, Writing to His Father from Augsburg in October 1777 - “The music here is wholeheartedly bad”
ALS in German, signed “W. A. Mozart,” one page, 5.25 x 4.75, comprised of a handwritten postscript from a letter sent to his father from Augsburg on October 17, 1777. Roughly a month earlier on September 23rd, Mozart embarked on a grand journey from Salzburg to seek a suitable and lucrative position befitting his talent. With his mother as his traveling companion, Mozart departed Munich and arrived on October 12th in his family’s hometown, Augsburg, where his father’s brother, Aloys, also lived. In his letter dated October 17th, from which this handwritten postscript derives, he reports to his father who remained in Salzburg about his experiences.
Mozart’s boldly penned postscript reads (translated): “Mr. Novac, who arrived here today, comes highly recommended by all, especially by Mademoiselle Catherine. Soon I will write in a more cheerful mood. Next Wednesday, I will give a concert in the hall of Count Fugger. My dear cousin sends her regards. We all three go to Mr. Stein’s and dine there. I have no concern except for the accompaniment in my academy. For the music here is wholeheartedly bad. Now I must close, it is already 11 o’clock. I kiss Papa’s hands 100,000 times, and I embrace my sister with all my might. Not warm, not cold. Your obedient son W. A. Mozart,” who adds to the left: “and convey tutti tutti tutti our compliments.” Mozart writes his father’s address on the reverse: “A Monsieur, Monsieur Leopold Mozart, maître de la Chapelle de S: A: R: L’archevêque de à Salzbourg.” The concert in the “Fugger Hall” took place on Wednesday, October 22, 1777, with the 90 Thalers paid to Mozart representing the only notable income earned during his stay in Augsburg. The “cousin” to whom he refers is the young, cheerful ‘Bäsle,’ his cousin Maria Anna Thekla Mozart, with whom he shared a close, probably intimate friendship. Johann Andreas Stein, whom the Mozarts visited on this day, was a renowned piano manufacturer. Affixed to a slightly larger sheet and in fine condition.
Be it a signature, manuscript, or, in this desirable instance, a handwritten letter to a relative, the opportunity to add to one’s collection
the handwriting of Mozart is, without hyperbole, a rare event not to be missed or understated. This example, furthermore, provides exceptional content related to both business and family. Written at a significant period in the composer’s life, this letter-length postscript dates to Mozart’s recent departure from the Salzburg court and his subsequent expedition to find work better suited to his musical ambitions. His travels brought him to Mannheim where he met and fell in love with singer Aloysia Weber, for whom he wrote several musical pieces, and then to Paris, where, in early July 1778, his mother, Anna Maria, passed away from illness. This loss deeply affected Mozart, both emotionally and financially, as he was left alone in a foreign city and forced to pawn his valuables for funds. While his Parisian experience was marked with hardship, it was not entirely fruitless, with Mozart producing a handful of personal and notable works, including Symphony No. 31 in D major, K. 297/300a, better known as the Paris Symphony, which exists as one of his most famed and beloved symphonies.
Accompanied by a handwritten certificate of authenticity from the collector Aloys Fuchs (translated): “Original cover of a letter from W. A. Mozart to his father Leopold in Salzburg, written from Augsburg in the year 1777, in which cover there is an autograph postscript by Mozart, consisting of 15 lines with the complete signature. The authenticity of this autograph is guaranteed. Vienna, April 1840, Aloys Fuchs.”
Publications: Bauer-Deutsch No. 351 (the postscript); Mozart’s Letters and Records, Volume II (Kassel 1962, pg. 67) Ludwig Schiedermair (No. 80, listed as an independent letter); Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Erich Müller von Asow, Berlin 1942); Mozart: Briefe und Notizen (Otto Erich Deutsch and Wilhelm Bauer / Complete Edition, Volume V, Commentary I/II, pg. 401).
Provenance: Aloys Fuchs; Wilhelm Heyer (1849-1913), manufacturer in Cologne; John Bass, (1891-1978), sugar manufacturer and art collector, who gave the Mozart autograph to the Carnegie Hall Archives; J. A. Stargardt Auctions (1963); Max Reis Collection, Zurich; Stargardt/ Erasmushaus (1994).
Starting Bid $25,000
Franz Joseph Haydn Letter Signed, Declining Membership in the Société Académique des Enfants d’Apollon
LS in French, signed “Joseph Haydn,” one page both sides, 7.25 x 9.25, April 7, 1808. Letter gracefully declining membership in the Academic Society of the Children of Apollo, founded in Paris in 1741 as a club, or salon, of artists—mainly musicians. In part (translated): “The choice, which the Société Académique des Enfants d’Apollon has deigned to make in inscribing my name on the list of its members has so flattered me that it has filled me with the keenest emotion. In assuring it through your agent that it could not have honored anyone better able to appreciate its esteem, and more able to feel the value of the honor which arises from it, I beg of you, Messieurs, to allow my feelings to be made clear by your own, and at the same time to be the interpreters of my gratitude for the marks of distinction which you have transmitted to me by the sending of a copy of the statutes and regulations, accompanied by a gold medal.
You have scattered, Messieurs, a few flowers on the road of life which still is left to me to travel. I am profoundly touched by it, and I feel very strongly, that though old age can well enfeeble the faculties, that it does not affect the emotions at all for it is that which makes me regret that my great age prevents me from nourishing the hope of seeing myself among you, to share in your labors, to cooperate in the cultivation of an art which is the charm of the Society and to participate in the celebrity in whose titles, so dear and so precious, the Academy rejoices.
It is a consolation to that which my infirmities force me to renounce; and my regrets are also as lively, as my gratitude is profoundly felt; deign to receive the assurance, accompanied by the sincerest expression of the sentiments of esteem, and of the most distinguished consideration with which I have the honor of being Messieurs, You very humble and obedient Servant.” With the decorative ink stamp of the Société in the upper left corner, and the ink ownership stamp of Chicago autograph collector Dr. Max Thorek on the reverse. The letter is hinged into a hardcover blue clothbound album, along with a portrait, typed biography, and translation; the front cover is gilt-stamped:
“Franz Joseph Haydn, Austrian Composer, 1732–1809, L.S. to the Academic Society of the Children of Apollo. April 7, 1808. Thanks for his election to this noted Music Society. Autograph Collection of Dr. Max Thorek.” In fine condition, with light show-through along the left edge from three small pieces of archival tape.
Haydn began composing his oratorio The Creation in 1796 after hearing Handel’s oratorios performed during the Handel Festival of 1791. Based on a libretto by Baron Gottfried van Swieten, The Creation was first publicly performed in 1799 and published by Haydn himself in 1800. Subscribers to the score’s publication included the Empress of Austria, the King and Queen of England, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and other members of European royalty. ‘Perhaps no other piece of great music has ever enjoyed such immediate and universal acceptance. The success of The Creation naturally called for a sequel’ (The New Grove Dictionary). Haydn obliged with The Seasons, another oratorio based on a van Swieten work, finished in 1801 and first performed in April of that year. Shortly after The Creation was performed at the home of Prince Schwarzenberg in mid-April 1800, Haydn was afflicted by rheumatic fever and his health continued to weaken substantially following the completion of The Seasons; in fact, he later wrote (in 1805) that his health had taken such a turn for the worse after completing The Seasons that he should never have undertaken such a strenuous project.
Our letter, written three years later when Haydn was age 76, regards the December 30, 1807 offer of membership extended by the prestigious Société Académique des Enfants d’Apollon, an association of musicians and composers, founded in Paris in 1741 and named for Apollo, the god of music, poetry, and art. Despite its demise in 1790, the society was reorganized in 1806 and continued until 1880. Among other functions, the Société gave public concerts of its members and included performances of Haydn’s symphonies. Published, along with the Société’s letter to Haydn, in Joseph Haydn: Two Contemporary Portraits transl. Gotwals.
Provenance: Gerd Rosen, Berlin, April 28-29, 1950, Auktion 11, no. 27; Lucien Goldschmidt; Dr. Max Thorek, Chicago; Parke Bernet, New York, November 15-16, 1960.
Starting Bid $2,500
“Forgive me in consideration of my very delicate health. As perhaps I may not see you again, I wish you every possible prosperity”—twice-signed letter from Beethoven with a three-bar musical quotation inspired by ‘Opferlied’ (Song of Sacrifice), penned days before departing for the healing mineral baths of Baden in the spring of 1825
Ludwig van Beethoven Autograph Letter Signed Twice with Handwritten Musical Quotation from Friedrich von Matthisson’s ‘Opferlied’ (Song of Sacrifice)
Marvelous ALS in German, signed twice as “Beethoven,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 8.5 x 10.25, May 3, 1825, with the composer adding a coveted handwritten quotation of three musical bars inspired by Friedrich von Matthisson’s ‘Opferlied’ (Song of Sacrifice). Two days before departing Vienna for a period of convalescence in nearby Baden, Beethoven writes to music critic Ludwig Rellstab, whose surname he misspells on the integral autograph address panel as “Nellsatb.” The handwritten letter, in full (translated): “As I was just starting for the country yesterday, I was obliged to make some preparations myself; so unluckily your visit to me was in vain. Forgive me in consideration of my very delicate health. As perhaps I may not see you again, I wish you every possible prosperity. Think of me when writing your poems. Convey my affectionate regards and esteem to Zelter—that faithful prop of true art.” On the second page, Beethoven adds a postscript, “Though convalescent, I still feel very weak. Kindly accept the follow-
ing token of remembrance from,” and concludes with the referenced autograph musical quotation, below which he pens the lyrics: “Das Schöne zu dem Guten!” or ‘The beautiful together with the good!’ In very good to fine condition, with spotty toning, and small areas of seal-related paper loss.
This letter was brought to England in November 1938 by Ludwig Rellstab’s great-granddaughter, Annekäte Friedländer, who fled Hitler’s Germany with her Jewish husband, Hans, and her daughter, Anne, the precious letter hidden behind the dust jacket of a book to avoid detection by Nazi border guards. Annekäte translated Rellstab’s memoirs, which describe his visits to Beethoven and the acquisition of our letter, and published them in three limited edition booklets privately printed by The Cock Robin Press in 1991. A copy of each of the three booklets is included.
Provenance: Ludwig Rellstab (1799-1860); his great-granddaughter, Annekäte Friedländer (1903-1994); by descent to the present owners.
Starting Bid $15,000
“As concerns arrangements for two-handed piano of the first two symphonies, I specifically offered to write them myself...your reply was that there does not exist any demand for same, and therefore no prospect for any sales”
Johannes Brahms Autograph Letter Signed to His Publisher, on “arrangements for two-handed piano of the first two symphonies”
ALS in German, signed “J. Br.,” three pages on two adjoining sheets, 5.5 x 8.25, May 2, 1890. Handwritten letter from Vienna to his publisher, Fritz Simrock, in part (translated): “In view of things, and, circumstances being what they are, what can I do but ask you to publish the Keller arrangements. You know that I harbor all kinds of sympathy for the dear man—albeit true that does not extend to his arrangements. For that very reason, I have duly recommended, in certain cases, to give the assignment to Kirchner before Keller can even be taken under consideration. However, as concerns arrangements for two-handed piano of the first two symphonies, I specifically offered to write them myself because frequent requests have reached me that I do so. But your reply was that there does not exist any demand for same, and therefore no prospect for any sales. Since you did not give the assignment either to me or to Kirchner, and Keller has already com-
pleted the job, all I can do is hope that they will be published. Gladly I shall go over them after you purchased them. I shall not go into a detailed discussion here of K’s style as an arranger and the pity is that I must ask you to deal with my remarks in this letter discreetly—and honestly! It’s from three different sources that I’ve heard how your new Bohemian, Heyssig, is supposed to be my protégé and favorite. That is not true. All I did at the time was recommend Heyssig as ‘in all likelihood useful for your firm’ in strict confidence, quite sober, without any trace of artistic self-interest. So if I now may find his dedication not altogether seemly and appropriate and in good taste, I nevertheless cannot be expected to hold a grudge against him for it. In Italy we had delicious weather and not a drop of rain during the day. Thus, we were able to wander about in full comfort through the lovely towns of Lombardy and Emiglia. If, following Keller’s lavish compensation, there is still left a single M. in the cash drawer, then that one would come in very handily.” In fine condition. A desirable letter concerning the arrangement and publication of his works.
Starting Bid $500
Gustav Mahler Autograph Letter Signed, Accepting an Invitation to Perform a Symphony
Austrian composer (1860–1911) whose epic symphonies redefined the genre and assured him a place among the most important and influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ALS in German, signed “Gustav Mahler,” one page both sides, 5.5 x 8.5, Der Director des K. K. Hof-Operntheaters letterhead, no date but circa 1904. Handwritten letter to a colleague, accepting an invitation to perform one of his symphonies. In part (translated): “Thank you, dear colleague! With great joy, I have received the news of your appointment, and I am delighted to offer you my heartfelt congratulations on this achievement. I am well aware of the dedication and perseverance that you have shown in the past, and I believe that you will fulfill your new responsibilities with the same diligence and success. My travels have taken me to various places recently, including a few days in Crefeld and Cologne. Your recent performance of ‘Nachtlied’ was particularly memorable.
The greatest joy for me is to see how the artistic world values and recognizes your talents. Your work is truly appreciated, and it has brought so much enrichment to the community. As far as my conditions are concerned, I have no objections to your proposals. Therefore, I would like to suggest a payment of 1000 marks as an advance for the next delivery (which should not be misunderstood).” In fine condition.
This letter was likely written in 1904, when Mahler was director of the Vienna Court Opera; the recipient was likely Fritz Steinbach, director of the music director of the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne from 1902 to 1914. Mahler would conduct the Gürzenich Orchestra in a performance of his Symphony No. 3 as part of a special subscription concert on March 27, 1904, and would premiere his Symphony No. 5 with the Gürzenich Orchestra on October 18, 1904. A superb and extremely desirable autograph letter by the Austrian master.
Starting Bid $500
‘I
Buddy Holly and Norman Petty Signed Publishing Contract for ‘I
Know I’ll Have the Blues Again’
DS, one page, 8.5 x 11, May 28, 1958. Contract between composers Buddy Holly and John Mackey and the music label Nor-Va-Jak Music, run by Norman Petty, with the former party granting the latter the right to publish and produce the song ‘I Know I’ll Have the Blues Again.’ Signed boldly at the conclusion in clean blue ballpoint by Holly, Mackey, and Petty. The consignor notes that the agreement derives from the former UK secretary of the Buddy Holly Fan Club, who acquired the contract directly from Vi Petty, Norman Petty’s widow. In fine condition. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks.
Petty was Holly’s favorite producer/engineer and manager, as well as Holly’s co-writer of choice as evidenced by his brief but impressive discography. Serving as a central figure in Holly’s career, Petty published and produced the majority of Holly’s recordings from 1956 through 1958 at his studio in Clovis, New Mexico, while some recordings were recorded at Bell Sound in New York. Following Holly’s death,
Petty was put in charge of overdubbing unfinished Holly recordings at the request of the Holly family, specifically his parents, which resulted in further success in the music charts.
The song ‘I Know I’ll Have the Blues Again’ was a demo recorded by Holly in his Greenwich Village Apartment in New York City. Using his new Ampex tape machine, Holly’s final recordings, dubbed The Apartment Tapes, were recorded between December 3, 1958, through January 22, 1959, just before Holly departed for the Winter Dance Party tour. On December 3, 1958, Holly recorded at least two takes of the song ‘I Know I’ll Have the Blues Again.’ Holly also recorded several other songs, including ‘Peggy Sue Got Married,’ all of which would be released posthumously following his death on February 3, 1959.
Given the brevity of his life and career, very few authentic Buddy Holly-signed contacts are known to exist. A rare and historically significant document from one of the most influential figures in rock and roll history.
Starting Bid $1,000
fully signed
as captured by
Exceptional, early original vintage glossy 6.5 x 8.5 photograph of the Beatles by Astrid Kircherr, taken in November 1962, signed on the reverse in blue ballpoint, “John Lennon, xxx,” “Paul McCartney, xxx,” “George Harrison,” and “Ringo Starr, xxx,” with an inscription in the corner penned in another hand. In very good to fine condition, with scattered creasing (heaviest to the bottom), and dampstaining to the signed side, slightly affecting Lennon’s and McCartney’s signatures. Accompanied by letters of authenticity from noted Beatles experts Frank Caiazzo and Perry Cox, who notes: “The autographs were obtained at the Queen’s Theater, Blackpool, Lancashire, England on either July 21st 1963 or August 4th 1963.”
Taken during the ‘Chair Sessions’ in Astrid Kirchherr’s studio in Hamburg in early November 1962, this classic image shows the four members of the Beatles dressed in sharp suits: John takes a seat on an ornate, throne-like chair; Paul relaxes on the floor in front; George strikes a serious pose, his back turned to the group; and Ringo stands tall with his hands in his pockets. Kirchherr is credited with introducing the Beatles to their ‘mop top’ hairstyle, and Beatles historian Mark Lewishohn has described her influence on the band as ‘immeasurable.’
Starting Bid $1,000
The Beatles sign a rare first mono pressing of their debut album, Please Please Me
Sought-after Parlophone UK mono black/gold first pressing of the Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, beautifully signed on the reverse in bold blue ballpoint by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Points of issue identifying this as a first pressing album cover include a “Printed and Made by Ernest Day & Co.” credit on the rear, large “Mono” on the front, and “Photo: Angus McBean” credit to the lower right corner. The first pressing record features the rare black-and-gold Parlophone label, incorrect publishing credits for four songs, matrix numbers “XEX 421-1N” and “XEX 422-1N,” and is complete with its polythene-lined “Use Emitex”? die-cut inner sleeve. In fine condition, with some mild soiling.
Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo, in part: “The purpose of this letter is to serve as authentication of the signatures of the four members of the British Rock and Roll quartet known as The Beatles. These signatures are on the reverse of an LP cover for the band’s first album in Great Britain on Parlophone Records entitled ‘Please, Please Me.’ All four have signed
beautifully in blue ballpoint pen; John Lennon has signed under big block letters stating ‘The Beatles,’ while Paul McCartney and George Harrison have signed in the open white area above the name credits, with George signing directly above his. Ringo Starr has signed under his name credit, which was common for him to do with this particular title. This cover is the earliest known of the ‘Please, Please Me’ covers released, made by ‘Ernest J. Day & Co. Ltd.’ The record within is on the ultra rare ‘black/gold’ Parlophone label, and this one is the rarest of the rare on this label, with mistaken credits on 4 songs. This is the earliest copy known of the very first Beatles album, signed wonderfully by all, very largely and boldly.”
Released on March 22nd, 1963, Please Please Me marked the beginning of Beatlemania and set a new standard for pop music with its fresh, energetic sound. With originals like ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ it showcased the band’s exceptional songwriting and harmonies, influencing countless artists and shaping the future of rock and roll. A remarkable fully signed example of the Beatles’ first LP, boasting four large, bold autographs.
Starting Bid $5,000
Scarce original program for the infamous appearance of the Beatles at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London on November 4, 1963, for a royal variety performance before Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother, 8.25 x 11.75, 52 pages, signed inside next to their band image in black ballpoint, “Paul McCartney,” “Ringo Starr,” and “John Lennon,” who signed upside-down, and in black ink, “George Harrison,” who signed at a later date. The iconic image of the band was captured on August 22, 1963, by famed British photographer Robert Freeman in the dining room of the Palace Court Hotel, Bournemouth, England. It would go on to be used as the front cover of their second UK album With the Beatles, which would be released on November 22, 1963, and two months later as the front cover of the group’s U.S. debut album, Meet The Beatles, released on January 20, 1964.
The program is also signed by many other artists that appeared on the bill that night, including Marlene Dietrich, Susan Maughan, Eric Sykes, Joe Loss, Max Bygraves, Charlie Drake, Tommy Steele, Harry Secombe, Donald Swann, Buddy Greco, and Joe Loss. The program also contains attractive images of Queen Elizabeth II and The Queen Mother, as well as pictures of the other acts and musicians. The consignor notes that the autographs were obtained in person by British autograph hunter Peter Bland who, unable to obtain Harrison’s autograph that night, managed to secure it in person at a later date, thus completing the program. In fine condition. Accompanied by an unsigned glossy photo of the Beatles with Marlene Dietrich, a certificate of authenticity from Tracks, and a letter of authenticity from noted Beatles expert Frank Caiazzo, who states: “This is an historic set of Beatles autographs from this monumental night in the history of the band, on a signed program so rare, that less than 10 are known to exist.”
The appearance was the group’s biggest show to date. The Beatles appeared seventh on a 19-act bill, and performed ‘From Me To You,’ ‘She Loves You,’ ‘Till There Was You,’ and ‘Twist And Shout.’ This was also the event where Lennon took a jab at the Crown with his
famous bit of stage banter: ‘For our last number I’d like to ask your help. The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry.’ Fully signed programs from their historic Royal Variety Performance are exceedingly scarce and highly prized by collectors.
Starting Bid $2,500
“I’m 40 next year — I hope life begins”—a candid four-page handwritten, illustrated letter from John Lennon to his favorite cousin, discussing Yoko and Sean, a trip to Egypt, and his reluctance to return to England: “I know it would be the last time I saw Mimi — & I’m a coward about goodbyes”
John Lennon Lengthy Autograph Letter Signed with Original Sketches: “I’m 40 next year — I hope life begins” (January 1979)
Incredible ALS signed “John, xxx,” who adds a smiley face sketch, four pages of yellow ‘palm tree’ stationery, 7 x 8.5, January 1979. Addressed from the Dakota apartments in Manhattan, a lengthy handwritten letter from John Lennon to his cousin, Liela (Birch) Harvey, in part, “It’s snowing — outside the window in Central Park…It looks as if we got our wires crossed on the ‘newspaper story’ — ie. Mimi (who else!) told me you were upset about something I said (supposed to have said) in the newspaper about myself — anyway enuff of that… Sean is a beautiful wise 3 yr old (born Oct. 9! — in case you didn’t know) — what a handful one is…You better give us a fair warning if your serious about ‘popping over’ here — ie: make sure I’m here — eg. Tomorrow we leave (Yoko & me) for…Cairo, Egypt (ring a bell?!)... for about a week…
I’m 40 next year — I hope life begins — ie I’d like a little less ‘trouble’ and more — what? I don’t know…I thought about you a lot this Xmas — the cottage — the record player — ‘Good Ship Lollipop’ — ‘I found
my love on TREASURE ISLAND’...Lots of love, to all of you, I’m sure we’ll see each other v. soon — somewhere or other — I’m almost scared to go to England, ‘coz I know it would be the last time I saw Mimi — & I’m a coward about goodbyes.” Lennon adds below, “Love from Sean & Yoko, xx.” Additionally, Lennon incorporates a few small sketches to the stationery’s palm trees, including a camel, pyramids with a sun, and two waving figures. In fine condition, with a few small areas of ink spotting on the last page, due to moisture, not affecting signature or caricature.
A thoughtful letter from Lennon, who, after moving to New York City in 1971, never did travel back home to England, a blend of business, green card issues, and, apparently, anxiety, being the chief reasons. Although Lennon often communicated with his aunt Mimi Smith, he never saw her again in person; Lennon was killed outside the Dakota the following year on December 8, 1980, at 40 years old, an age that, as this letter infers, Lennon had high hopes for. Given that Smith lived until 1991, there’s reason to believe that the two would have reunited had Mark David Chapman not interfered.
Starting Bid $1,000
a rare rock signature obtained at the historic and
The Doors: Jim Morrison and John Densmore Signed Album - Waiting for the Sun (Obtained at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival)
Waiting for the Sun album by the Doors (Elektra, EKL 4024 Mono), signed on the front cover in red ballpoint by Jim Morrison, “J. Morrison,” and John Densmore, “John.” In fine condition. The record is included.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from a relative of the original recipient: “My brother-in-law Chris Jones attended the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, specifically to see The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. He took with him a copy of The Doors 1968 album ‘Waiting For The Sun’ (Elektra, mono, orange label) and was fortunate enough to meet Jim Morrison and drummer John Densmore, both of whom signed the front sleeve of the album…Chris had told me over the years that he had Jim Morrison’s autograph on the album sleeve but I had never actually seen it until recently when he passed away and I was helping his widow clear his belongings from the house. I was given his vinyl record collection and the album was in said collection.” Also accom-
panied by a full letter of authenticity from REAL; music autograph expert Roger Epperson attests that this is only the fourth authentic Morrison-signed Doors album that he has ever seen.
In an attempt to outdo Woodstock from the year prior, the recordbreaking five-day-long 1970 Isle of Wight Festival enlisted a vast and diverse array of musical talent, which included the likes of The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Chicago, the Moody Blues, The Who, Miles Davis, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Jethro Tull, and many others. The Doors performed at around 2 am on August 29th in front of a massive, albeit somewhat subdued crowd, and played classic songs like ‘Break on Through,’ ‘Light My Fire,’ ‘The End,’ and ‘When the Music’s Over.’ The performance is often seen as the band’s last significant live event before Morrison’s untimely death roughly a year later in July 1971. Any signature from Morrison remains a rare rock and roll treasure, with this classic album title and historical concert back story further elevating both its significance and desirability
Starting Bid $1,000
“The Best of Happiness to you, Jimi Hendrix”— one of the final signatures of the rock and roll icon, penned in September 1970 on stationery from London’s Cumberland Hotel, listed as Hendrix’s final residence on his death certificate
LOT 5080
Jimi Hendrix Signature on London’s Cumberland Hotel Stationery (September 1970)“The Best of Happiness to you, Jimi Hendrix”
Blue ballpoint signature, “The Best of Happiness to you, Jimi Hendrix,” on an off-white 6 x 8.25 stationery sheet from London’s Cumberland Hotel. The consignor notes that the signature was obtained by the floor manager at the Cumberland Hotel in September 1970, just days before Hendrix’s untimely passing, distinguishing this autograph as one of the last ever made by the rock and roll legend, who was found dead in London’s Samarkand Hotel on September 18, 1970. In fine condition, with intersecting folds, and an old masking tape stain to the top edge.
Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Tracks, the period business card of the original recipient, “Mr. E. Bourdillon,” and a letter of provenance from the recipient’s son, which reads: “This is to confirm that the Jimi Hendrix autograph ‘The Best of Happiness to You’ was signed and given to my father just before Jimi died in September 1970. I can confirm the autograph was given to me by my late father, Etienne Bourdillon, who was the Floor Services Manager at the Cumberland Hotel, London at the time of Jimi’s death.”
After playing the Isle of Wight and Love & Peace Festivals at the start of his Cry of Love Tour of Europe, Hendrix returned to London and booked into suite 507-8 in the Cumberland Hotel on September 6, 1970. Five days later on September 11th, in his suite at the Cumberland, Hendrix gave his final interview when he talked with Record Mirror
journalist Keith Altham and confirmed that his band’s bass player, Billy Cox, was ill, returning to America, and that the Cry of Love tour was effectively canceled.
The final days of Hendrix’s life were, in contrast to this beautiful and thoughtful signature, not a period of happiness. He was dealing with two lawsuits and a dishonest manager, and his mental and physical states were in sharp decline from overwork, drug use, and lack of sleep. Hendrix’s performance with Eric Burdon and War at the Ronnie Scott Club on September 16th was his last public concert and, for friend Ronnie Wood of the Faces, the last time he would see or speak to Hendrix: ‘He was walking down the stairs with his arm around this girl and I said to him, ‘Jimi, say goodnight’ – and he didn’t turn round, I said, ‘Jimi, say goodnight!’ and he turned round really slowly, out of his brain, and just gave me a little stoned wave. And that was the last the world saw of him. Very sad, very sad departure.’
Less than 48 hours later, Hendrix was found unresponsive in the Samarkand Hotel apartment of his girlfriend, Monika Dannemann, and rushed to St. Mary Abbots Hospital. Hendrix was pronounced dead at 12:45 p.m. on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27, with his death certificate listing the cause as ‘inhalation of vomit, barbiturate intoxication,’ and his last official residence as ‘507/508 Cumberland Hotel, Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone.’ Jimi Hendrix signatures from this tragic time frame are virtually nonexistent and represent a rare and profound artifact from a significant chapter in rock and roll history.
Starting Bid $1,000
Jam-packed autograph book from the 1980s, with roughly 200 signatures of rock’s biggest names, including Bob Dylan, Elton John, The Clash, The Police, Neil Young, KISS, AC/DC, and many more
LOT 5081
Rock and Roll 1980s Autograph Book with Bob Dylan, The Clash, AC/DC, Ramones, and Many More
Magnificent autograph book, 6.75˝ x 8.75˝, signed inside in ink and felt tip by approximately 200 rock musicians from the 1980s, all of which were obtained in person by Rudy Basso, a Barcelona-based restaurateur who worked as the caterer for Gay & Company, the first Spanish company to promote international rock music. The book contains the following highlights: Bob Dylan, who adds “Barcelona, 6/28/84,” The Clash, AC/DC, Ramones, Elton John, The Police, Neil Young, Genesis, Yes, Motorhead, KISS, Grateful Dead (sans Jerry Garcia), Weather Report (with Jaco Pastorius), Carlos Santana, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Lou Reed, Joan Baez, James Brown, Peter Gabriel, Tangerine Dream, The Cure, Leonard Cohen, The B-52’s, Status Quo, Ted Nugent, Adam and the Ants, Kraftwerk, UFO, Def Leppard, Rainbow, Robert Palmer, Supertramp, Meat Loaf, Judas Priest, Mike Oldfield, and more. Basso complements the majority of signatures by adding provenance information to the pages, which cover a span of seven years (1980–1987), and list venues like La Monumental, Joventut Badalona, Pabellón Municipal de Deportes, and others. The book contains secretarial signatures of Stevie Wonder and Jerry Garcia. In overall fine condition, with the cover separated from the inner pages (several of which are
detached, in turn). Accompanied by a detailed letter of provenance from Basso’s son, who incorporates several anecdotes related to his father’s time as a rock and roll caterer. A unique and highly desirable combination of signatures from numerous legendary rock acts, many of whom signed at the peak of their creative output and popularity.
Starting Bid $500
ALS in French, signed “Picasso,” one page, 5 x 8.25, June 22, 1907. Busy creating one of his masterpieces, ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,’ the young Picasso apologizes for not being able to receive his correspondent at the Bateau-Lavoir in a remarkable handwritten letter. In full (translated): “Sir, I beg your pardon, I cannot be at home on Monday. I will be Tuesday, but if you prefer another day, please let me know. I salute you.” In fine condition, with light folds and creases.
This rare and important letter from Picasso falls within the exact temporality of the creation of one of his major works which marked a turning point in the history of modern art: ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,’ the inaugural spearhead of the Cubist movement. ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ was completed in July 1907 after months of intense artistic reflection, intense preparatory work, and multiple sketches. Working at the Bateau-Lavoir, in Montmartre, the 25-year-old Picasso had begun the realization of his work during the winter of 1906.
In the same month of June 1907, Picasso first visited the Musée d’Ethnographie du Trocadéro, the first anthropological museum in Paris, which then housed a vast collection of ‘primitive’ tribal art from Africa and Oceania. This visit had a decisive influence on Picasso in the completion of his painting, which displays mask-like features on its two rightmost figures.
On the advice of André Breton, ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ was acquired by Jacques Doucet in 1924 for the sum of 25,000 francs. Resold in 1937 by Jacques Doucet’s widow to the Seligmann Gallery (for 150,000 francs), the work was finally acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) in 1939, where it has been kept ever since. Picasso’s letters from the first decade of the 20th century are extremely rare.
Starting Bid $500
Californie, forwards a tax payment to his trusted friend and financial advisor in the summer of 1957
Original sketch by Pablo Picasso of a sunny beach in Cannes, France, accomplished in colored pencil on an off-white 10.75 x 8.25 sheet, depicting a bright sun above a blue ocean and sandy beach with three orange umbrellas. The sheet contains an ALS in French from the artist, signed “Picasso,” dated August 22, 1857. Addressed from the “La Californie” villa, a handwritten letter to his friend and financial advisor Max Pellequer, in full (translated): “My dear friend, Here is the cheque for the taxman of the 6th (bank numbers/dates added in brackets). My best greetings to Madame Pellequer from us both. Kisses to you.” In fine condition, with unobtrusive intersecting folds.
An exquisite original work of summertime fancy from the beloved artist, boasting the rare addition of a holograph letter by Picasso, the scarcity of which French author Laurence Madeline touches on in her article ‘Picasso épistolier,’ stating: ‘The inertia paralyzing Picasso, who preferred his work as an artist to that of a secretary, made the letters he took pleasure in writing more essential and more touching.’ Residing in the hills above Cannes, Picasso was assisted by his loyal secretary and childhood friend, Jaume Sabartés, who handled
the majority of his correspondence—except for a few, notably Max Pellequer. Picasso personally wrote each letter to Pellequer, even the most trivial ones, often including small, colorful sketches to delight his trusted correspondent.
Banker and collector Max Pellequer was introduced to Picasso in 1914 by his uncle by marriage André Level. He quickly became one of Picasso’s most important collectors and his financial advisor for over 30 years. Pellequer’s interest in his art began as early as the 1910s when he purchased a Picasso bronze from the art dealer Ambroise Vollard. During the 1930s and 1940s, as Picasso’s personal banker, he secured and enhanced the painter’s wealth and allowed him to settle comfortably in the South of France, from where this sketch was drawn and letter sent. Picasso created a superb ex-libris on copper for him, bought him paintings including La Mer à L’Estaque by Cézanne (now in the Picasso museum), and offered him a few other works. Pellequer assembled a vast collection of paintings by the great masters of modern art: Degas, Raoul Dufy, Paul Gauguin, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Modigliani, and Maurice Utrillo, which are today preserved in the most important international museums.
Starting Bid $5,000
the start
LOT 5084
Charles Schulz Signed Original Hand-Drawn Peanuts Daily Comic Strip (c. 1962), Featuring Snoopy: “See what you started?”
Original hand-inked four panel Peanuts daily comic strip by Charles Schulz, 27.25 x 5.75, signed and inscribed in the second block in blue ballpoint, “For Sue—the world’s foremost postal authority—Every best wish—Charles M. Schulz,” and also signed vertically in the last panel with his artist signature, “Schulz.” Dating to October 4, 1962, the comic strip shows Snoopy peering up at a tree in the woods as a single leaf falls, marking the beginning of autumn. He watches it hit the ground, followed by a flurry of more falling leaves. In the last frame, Snoopy looks at the first leaf and thinks: “See what you started?” Matted and framed to an overall size of 30 x 8.5. In fine condition. A wonderful original Peanuts comic featuring Snoopy, one of Charles M. Schulz’s most beloved characters.
Starting Bid $1,000
LOT 5085
Andy Warhol (2) Signed Original Candid Polaroid Photographs - Shot at The Factory in 1972
Two original vintage color glossy 3.5 x 4.25 Polaroid photographs of film crew sound assistant Jim Cowan, taken at Warhol’s famous New York City studio, The Factory, during a documentary shoot in 1972, each titled, dated, and signed on the reverse in black ballpoint, “Jim, 1/20/72, Andy Warhol.”. In fine condition, with scattered small stains, and some light scuffing to the images.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the subject, in part: “I was the sound assistant on the crew of a David Bailey documentary about Warhol in New York in January 1972. The documentary was filmed in The Factory, Andy Warhol’s studio. During a break in filming, Andy approached me and took the two Polaroids. He signed them ‘Jim’ and gave them to me. I thanked him but his response was a few grunts and he then ambled away, which was his way in those days.”
Using some of the techniques that Warhol himself pioneered, David Bailey’s documentary film ‘Warhol’ explored the artist’s life and work as a reflection of the spirit of America in the 1960s. With frank discussions revolving around sexuality, Warhol’s life at The Factory, and his experiences when he was shot, the film was banned upon release due to its alleged explicit content.
Known for his prolific and influential work in pop art, Andy Warhol favored two Polaroid cameras for capturing candid moments: the large, cumbersome Big Shot and the popular, foldable SX-70. He appreciated the efficient nature of Polaroid cameras, which allowed him to instantly produce and manipulate images, blurring the lines between art and commercialism. Warhol’s extensive oeuvre of Polaroid photographs provides an intimate glimpse into his creative process as well as the vibrant social scene of his era.
Starting Bid $1,000
Superior first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird, with its original jacket—a desirable example of
LOT 5086
Harper Lee: To Kill a Mockingbird (First Edition with Original Dust Jacket)
Sought-after unsigned first edition book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. First edition, first printing. Philadelphia & New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1960. Hardcover (brown boards and light green cloth spine with brown titles) with original dust jacket (with $3.95 price on front flap, Capote blurb in green, Jonathan Daniels review on rear flap, and portrait of Harper Lee on back panel), 5.5 x 8.25, 296 pages. Book condition: NF/VG, with light wear to the jacket’s spine. Housed in a custom-made full morocco clamshell case.
A true ‘Great American Novel,’ To Kill a Mockingbird became an instant classic upon its debut in 1960 and went through fourteen printings in the first year. However, as Harper Lee was an unknown author, only five thousand copies were printed for its July 11th release: first editions are thus extremely scarce. This is an exceedingly well-preserved example with its highly sought original jacket.
Starting Bid $500
LOT 5087
Amelia Earhart Signed ‘Airwoman, Inc.’
Stock Certificate
Partly-printed DS, one page, 12.25 x 9, May 23, 1935. Stock certificate issued to legendary aviator Amelia Earhart for 10 shares of the capital stock of Airwoman, Inc. Signed at the conclusion by Margaret Cooper and Clara Studer, the company’s president secretary, and endorsed in the unissued transfer field on the reverse in black ink by Earhart. The reverse also bears several stock transfer tax stamps. In fine condition.
A historically fascinating stock certificate related to the magazine Air-
woman, started in 1930 by noted female aviators Frances Marsalis and Betty Gillies to promote and celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in aviation. Moreover, the three signers of this document were all pioneering members of the Ninety-Nines: International Organization of Women Pilots (99s), a group that elected Earhart as its first president in 1931. In addition to Airwoman, Cooper also served as president of the 99s, serving from 1933-1935. When Earhart died in 1937, Cooper and fellow pilot Alma Harwood formed the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship Fund, which still awards scholarships to female pilots today.
Starting Bid $500
Steve Jobs Filled Out and Signed ‘Apple Computer Company’ Check to Elmar Electronics (July 16, 1976)
Early Apple Computer Company check, 6 x 3, filled out in black felt tip and signed by Jobs, “steven jobs,” payable to Elmar Electronics for $10.52, July 16, 1976. Headed “Apple Computer Company,” the check uses Apple’s first official address at “770 Welch Rd., Ste. 154, Palo Alto”—the location of the answering service and mail drop that they used while still operating out of the famous Jobs family garage. In very fine condition.
During this period in the summer of 1976, roughly four months after founding the Apple Computer Company, Jobs and Wozniak were hard at work building their first product. Though initially conceived as a kit to be soldered together by the end user—like most enthusiast computers of the era—the Apple-1 became a finished product at the behest of Paul Terrell, owner of The Byte Shop in Mountain View, California,
one of the first personal computer stores in the world. Terrell offered to buy 50 of the computers—at a wholesale price of $500 a piece, to retail at $666.66—but only if they came fully assembled. With this request, Terrell aimed to elevate the computer from the domain of the hobbyist/enthusiast to the realm of the mainstream consumer. Wozniak later placed Terrell’s purchase order in perspective: ‘That was the biggest single episode in all of the company’s history. Nothing in subsequent years was so great and so unexpected.’
Thus, the Apple-1 was one of the first completely assembled ‘personal’ computers that simply worked out of the box with a few accessories that could be purchased from a local electronics store (a power supply, case, keyboard, and monitor were not included). Altogether, over a span of 10 months or so, Jobs and Wozniak produced about 200 Apple-1 computers and sold 175 of them. A superb check signed by the innovative personal computing pioneer.
Starting Bid $2,500
Unique Apple Computer, Inc. cassette tape featuring the company’s classic rainbow-striped logo on the label, measuring 4˝ x 2.5˝, neatly signed on the label in black ink by Apple’s co-founder, “steven jobs.” Handsomely mounted and framed with an Apple Disk II System Manager Package box in an acrylic shadowbox to an overall size of 13˝ x 13˝ x 2.5˝. In fine condition, with some irregular ink adhesion.
Apple introduced its Cassette Interface (ACI) with the Apple-1, which provided the ability to save memory contents onto a standard audiotape, and later load the contents back into the computer’s memory.
Revolutionary for the time, Steve Wozniak designed the ACI to use only 6 integrated circuits, compared to other solutions which used 50 to 100 integrated circuits. This allowed Apple to sell its solution for less than its competitors; the Apple ACI also operated at four times the speed of its contemporary competitors.
The Apple II, released in 1977, featured built-in cassette inputs and outputs, and cassettes remained popular as a software delivery medium through 1982. Wozniak’s development of the Disk II floppy disk subsystem, introduced in 1978, led to cassettes being replaced by floppy disks as Apple’s primary data storage format. A remarkable, early piece signed by the great tech innovator.
Starting Bid $1,000
Google, Inc. business check, 6 x 2.75, filled out in another hand and signed by both co-founders, “Lawrence Page” and “Sergey Brin,” payable to King Star Computers for $145,679.81, March 8, 1999. Google’s address is given as “165 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94301,” otherwise known as the ‘Lucky Building’ or ‘Karma Building.’ In fine condition. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “MINT 9.”
Google, Inc. was officially incorporated on September 7, 1998, by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, as a way to bring their ‘PageRank’ algorithm—an improved method of ranking internet search results, developed in the course of their Stanford doctoral work—to the masses. This check, written just six months later and signed by both founders, is not only quite early in the company’s history, but represents a major purchase as it began to scale—computers bought from one of its most important vendors.
King Star Computer, based in Santa Clara, would soon build Google’s infamous ‘corkboard’ system—a modest (but effective) group of custom-built server racks which featured standard, off-the-shelf PC motherboards seated on raw corkboard for insulation. At the time the order was placed in the summer of 1999, the entirety of Google’s search engine was running on just over a hundred servers. Google commissioned King Star Computer to build out a 21-rack setup of 20 shelves a piece, each shelf carrying four servers—for a grand total of 1,680. Google’s eighth employee, network engineer Urs Hölzle, later reflected: ‘At the time of the order, we had a grand total of 112
servers so 1680 was a huge step. But by the summer, these racks were running search for millions of users. In retrospect the design of the racks wasn’t optimized for reliability and serviceability, but given that we only had two weeks to design them, and not much money to spend, things worked out fine.’
Having received several million dollars in venture capital investments, Google, Inc. had just moved out of its Menlo Park garage and into its first real office space in Palo Alto’s ‘Lucky Building’—famed as an incubator for several noted Silicon Valley startups. In addition to documenting a substantial infrastructure investment as Google’s search began to catch on, this check represents Google’s early, rapid growth—the firm occupied the ‘Lucky Building’ for only a few months before needing to move to a larger space, a victim of its own success. Google began building custom billion-dollar data centers in 2006, and today spends upwards of $5B per quarter on its worldwide data center infrastructure.
The consignor notes: “King Star Computer Inc. would play a significant role in the creation and success for Google. They were the provider of the servers that powered the search results for the company for many years. I joined the company in April of 2002. I worked in the Finance department as the manager of Disbursements and Payroll. I was the first manager level hired in the Finance department. I came across these checks as we were moving from one location to another, as we did frequently. The checks were to be discarded to make room for other files. The company was growing very fast at the time. I kept them thinking it would be fun to have from a historical perspective.”
Starting Bid $200
Marilyn Monroe: David Conover Limited Edition Suite of (18) Photographic Prints - ‘Norma Jeane / Marilyn Monroe: The Discovery Photographs, Summer 1945’
Beautiful limited edition ‘Norma Jeane / Marilyn Monroe: The Discovery Photographs, Summer 1945’ portfolio featuring a suite of 18 photographic prints of Norma Jeane from her iconic early photo shoots with Army photographer David Conover in the summer of 1945. Published by Norma Jeane Enterprises in 1990, the prints measure 20 x 24 and 24 x 20 and contain 14 color glossy variants, each produced on fiber-base photo process paper, and four black-and-white matte-finish silver gelatin prints, each individually hand-processed. This gorgeous set was issued as part of the ‘Publishers Proof’ series, with the reverse of each print bearing a copyright label from Ontario Limited that identifies this set as No. 12 of a limitation of 37. Includes its original blue cloth-bound presentation clamshell folder, 21˝ x 25.5˝, with gold embossed lettering on the cover. In overall fine to very fine condition, with a missing lower left corner tip to one b/w print. Each print is accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA, which identifies each print as a ‘Type II’ photograph and a “later-issued
1990 restrike that was made off the original transparency featuring an image originally taken by David Conover in 1945.”
Norma Jeane Baker married James ‘Jimmie’ Dougherty at age 16 in June 1942, moving to California with him the next year. At the age of 17, Norma Jeane Doughtery worked 10-hour days at the Radioplane Company in Burbank, California, a World War II defense plant that tasked her with checking and spraying parachutes. In June 1944, Army photographer David Conover arrived at Radioplane to snap moraleboosting pictures of female workers for the First Motion Picture Unit. He discovered the bubbly redhead and took several photos of her holding a propeller; the images and resulting attention spurred Jeane to quit her job at the factory in January 1945, and, not long after, sign on with the Blue Book Modeling Agency. Mismatched and ‘dying of boredom’ in her marriage to Dougherty—who was against her having a career—she filed for divorce in 1946. By the fall, Norma Jeane had become Marilyn Monroe, newly divorced and on the payroll at 20th Century Fox. From the Marc and Mary Perkins Collection.
Starting Bid $500
Cecil B. DeMille’s personally-owned pair of red granite tablets inscribed in early Canaanite script replicating the Ten Commandments as written by ‘the finger of God,’ each tablet measuring 4˝ x 7.25˝ x 1.25˝, mounted side-by-side in a later custom-made tabernacle frame designed by Federico Castelluccio. The frame measures 17.75˝ x 17.5˝ x 2.75˝, and is inscribed with Exodus 31:18 in ancient Hebrew and English: “Written with the Finger of God.” In overall fine condition, with some wear to the frame.
Owing to DeMille’s fanatical attention to detail, these tablets, like those used in his 1956 epic religious drama, were hewn from the rare red granite brought from Mt. Sinai near the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea, from the hallowed ground where Moses stood when God revealed himself in the burning bush and where the Ten Commandments were written with the finger of God. DeMille consulted with scholars of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, and Dr. Ralph Marcus wrote for him a version of the Ten Commandments in early Canaanite lettering. This manner of writing was practiced in the late Bronze Age, (circa 13th Century, B.C.), which is the era of Moses, as used
in the film. These miniature tablets were presented to director Cecil B. DeMille and displayed in his office.
The tablets read (translated): “The Ten Commandments. / I am Yhwh thy God. There shall not be to thee other Gods. / Thou shalt not make for thyself a graven image. / Thou shalt not take the name of thy God in vain. / Remember the Sabbath Day to sanctify it. / Honor thy father and thy mother. / Thou shalt not murder. / Thou shalt not commit adultery. / Thou shalt not steal. / Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy fellow. / Thou shalt not covet the household of thy fellow.”
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Charlton Heston as Moses, The Ten Commandments earned wide acclaim for its lush, detailed set designs, lavish art direction, and robust special effects—in addition to winning the Oscar for ‘Best Effects, Special Effects,’ it was nominated for ‘Best Cinematography, Color,’ ‘Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Color,’ and ‘Best Costume Design, Color.’
Provenance: The Estate of Cecil B. DeMille, Christie’s East, October 18, 1988, with lot label intact on the bottom of the leftmost tablet.
Starting Bid $1,000
“Bless to you, Bruce Lee”
Bruce Lee Signed Photograph
Vintage glossy 2.5 x 3.25 photo of Bruce Lee wearing his zhi fu uniform in a handsome head-and-shoulders pose, signed and inscribed in blue felt tip, “To Lisa, Bless to you, Bruce Lee,” adding his ‘Loong’ character below his signature, which represents the Chinese character of a dragon. In very good condition, with a central vertical crease, old tape stains to two corners, and a tiny tear to the lower left corner. Encapsulated in a PSA/DNA authentication holder. From the Marc and Mary Perkins Collection.
Starting Bid $1,000
Image larger than actual size.
LOT 5094
Bruce Lee Signed Membership Card for the First Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute - PSA MINT 9
Rare unissued circa ‘gold stripe’ student membership card for Bruce Lee’s Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, 3.75 x 2.5, signed at the bottom in bold black ink by Lee as president, “Bruce Lee.” In very fine condition. Encapsulated and graded by PSA/DNA as “MINT 9.”
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Taky Kimura, a student and close friend of Bruce Lee: “Bruce Lee, my late and great friend who achieved stardom and was the leading pioneer within the martial arts world, signed this Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute Card. Starting in
1966, Bruce Lee would send me these signed cards to give out to the high-ranking students of the Seattle Branch Gung Fu School.”
This desirable membership card for Lee’s early and influential martial arts institute boasts his Jeet Kune Do logo at center, which incorporates the yin and yang symbol and his motto: ‘Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation.’ Lee founded his first Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in Seattle in 1960, before setting up shop in California. An ultra-desirable format signed by the legendary martial artist-turned-actor.
Starting Bid $1,000
Funny Lady: Costumer’s Script with (39) Candid Wardrobe Continuity
Photographs of Barbra Streisand
Unique brad-bound script and costume change guide for the Academy Award–nominated 1975 film Funny Lady starring Barbra Streisand, 8.75 x 11, containing 14 pages of manuscript wardrobe data sheets with 39 affixed color candid continuity photographs, followed by the film’s 116-page script. The front cover identifies the script as a “Fourth Draft, March 7, 1974,” and is annotated in black felt tip, “Costume changes for Barbra Stre- isand as Fanny Brice—Shirlee Strahm, Costumer, 132251.” The first fourteen pages extensively document virtually every costume Streisand wears in each scene of the film, with comprehensive notes about the components of each, describing everything from hats, coats, and dresses to accessories, shoes, and jewelry. Affixed to each page are fulllength candid 3.5 x 4.5 photos of Barbra Streisand in the costumes described.
Barbra Streisand reprised her Oscar-winning role as Fanny Brice in the 1975 musical comedy-drama film Funny Lady, sequel to the 1968 film Funny Girl. The biographical movie continues the story of the comedienne as she navigates her career and personal life following her divorce from Nicky Arnstein. The film features a mix of musical performances and dramatic moments, highlighting Fanny’s relationship with songwriter and impresario Billy Rose, played by James Caan. Costume designers Ray Aghayan and Bob Mackie received Oscar nominations for their efforts, making this wardrobe continuity script especially remarkable.
Starting Bid $300
Photographer Barry Feinstein’s original cover proof for the front of Barbra Streisand’s 1970 album Stoney End, showing the versatile entertainer seated on an antique sofa in the back of a red pickup truck in the Mojave Desert, looking toward Sunrise Mountain, with two red chairs in the background. The color semi-glossy 16 x 17.5 photograph is affixed to its original 20 x 24 board, with printer’s mark labels applied to the mount’s borders. Annotated below in pencil with a crop mark defining the image for resizing to the standard album cover width of 12 3/8˝. Labels from Ted Staidle & Associates Photographic Color Reproduction, Los Angeles, are applied to the reverse and a protective paper overlay. Originating from Feinstein’s estate, this album cover proof was sent to Columbia for press and then returned to Feinstein. In fine condition.
On the album itself, the image is a slightly closer crop than in the proof, as defined by the markings on the mount. In this original proof version, we are able to see more of the clouds in the sky and more of the gravel road, and the truck and chair do not bleed off the edge of the frame. Conceived and created by Barry Feinstein and his frequent collaborator Tom Wilkes, Feinstein volunteered his own pickup truck (with custom New York license plate “11-BF”) for the shoot, which they set up in the Mojave during one of Streisand’s Las Vegas residencies.
Wilkes told a Streisand biographer: ‘It was a dirt road in the desert, surrounded by mountains. Someone—probably Barbra—suggested we have antique furniture placed on the truck. So, we rented a red velvet couch and some chairs. Jay York, a friend of ours, went out and rounded up the stuff for us. We went out to the desert early in the morning and set everything up. That afternoon Barbra arrived in a limo. I remember it was winter and very cold. She put up with a lot of different shootings—in the cab of the truck, on the back of the truck, and on the road. She was a real trouper. She kept jumping up and down, and putting her hands under her arms, because it was cold, real cold. She never complained; there was no star stuff. Afterwards she invited us all back to her house. She had this rented house in Vegas, and we hung out there for two or three hours. She fed us and gave us drinks and made sure we were comfortable. Later, Barry and I picked the shot for the cover and both Barbra and Richard Perry agreed on it. There were no problems whatsoever. It was a great experience.’
Stoney End was positioned to be Barbra Streisand’s pop-rock breakthrough, featuring cover versions of songs by contemporary singer-songwriters like Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, and Joni Mitchell. The album was a great success, hitting number 10 on the Billboard 200 and eventually going platinum with sales in excess of one million copies.
Starting Bid $200
Beautifully signed ‘full suit’ quartet of playing cards from Babe Ruth, a parting ‘poker’ gift to the owner of the famed New Jersey semi-pro baseball cub,
The Doherty Silk Sox
Babe Ruth (4) Signed Playing Cards from 1927, Presented to the Owner of the Legendary SemiPro Baseball Club, the Doherty Silk Sox
Set of four playing cards individually signed in fountain pen, “‘Babe’ Ruth,” who presented these cards to Clifton, New Jersey silk manufacturer Harry L. Doherty, co-owner of The Henry Doherty Silk Company and founder of the semi-pro baseball team The Doherty Silk Sox, an amateur ballclub that competed against professional baseball teams like New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees during the 1920s. The cards, representing all four suits, are adhered to their original presentation mount, which bears the calligraphic inscription, “Best regards from…Jesse Jesse Club, June 2, 1927,” and is framed sans glass to an overall size of 12.75 x 12.75. In overall fine condition.
Accompanied by a letter of provenance from Doherty’s great-grandson, which reads: “The ‘Jesse James Club’ playing cards have been in the Doherty family’s possession since 1927 when they were presented as a gift to my great-grandfather from Babe Ruth. My great-grandfather, Harry Doherty, owned the Doherty Silk Mill in Clifton, NJ. An avid baseball fan, he built the Doherty Oval field behind the mill and sponsored the Doherty Silk Sox, a semi-pro baseball team. The Doherty Silk Sox played numerous exhibition games against pro teams including the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. It is said that Babe Ruth enjoyed playing on the Doherty Oval and would receive $5 directly
from my great-grandfather for every home run he hit in the Oval. According to my grandfather, Fred Doherty, my great-grandfather, Harry, and Babe Ruth became friends and would occasionally play poker together. When the Doherty Silk Sox team stopped playing in 1927, these playing cards were signed and given to my great grandfather as a gift and ‘thank you’ for the all-Sunday baseball games.”
From 1915 to 1927, the Doherty Silk Sox baseball team enticed thousands to the Doherty Oval, a state-of-the-art baseball stadium located behind the Doherty Silk Company mill on Main Avenue and near the Erie Railroad tracks, which attracted no shortage of bouncing homerun balls. Local popularity for the club grew quickly, and when Sunday blue laws restricted baseball from being played in Philadelphia and New York, major clubs like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees trekked to New Jersey to play profitable exhibition matches against the competitive Silk Sox. Ruth played at the Oval on at least four occasions: twice as a member of the Red Sox and twice as a New York Yankee. On April 29, 1923, five months before Ruth helped the Yankees attain their first-ever World Series championship, he smacked a mammoth ninth-inning blast out of Doherty Oval in a victory over the Silk Sox. So immense was the home run, that the stadium’s full crowd of 10,000 rushed the field to congratulate the base-rounding Ruth, who was subsequently rescued and ushered to safety by the Oval police.
Starting Bid $1,000
LOT 5098
1958 Alifabolaget #635
Rookie Card - PSA GOOD 2
Graded by PSA GOOD 2. Remarkable rookie card of Pele issued by the Swedish trading card company in 1958, the year that the young phenom led Brazil to the 1958 FIFA World Cup title. The card shows the 17-year old prodigy in his iconic blue Team Brazil kit and features a brief biography in Swedish on the reverse, citing his excellent World Cup play—he scored in all three of Brazil’s knockout games. One of the most sought-after and significant soccer cards ever issued, this example presents much more attractively than its technical grade.
Starting Bid $1,000
LOT 5099
9/11: ‘Brooks Brothers, September 12, 2001’
Photograph by Sean Hemmerle
Incredible oversized 48.5 x 39 chromogenic print of Sean Hemmerle’s photograph entitled ‘Brooks Brothers, September 12, 2001,’ showing the devastation outside the NYC menswear retailer on the day after the September 11th terrorist attacks, framed by fallen shirts, with Hemmerle’s signature, copyright, and date on the reverse (covered by the frame’s backing). Framed to an overall size of 51 x 41. In fine condition, with some small corner damage to the frame.
Sean Hemmerle (b. 1966) is a New York based photographer whose work ranges from international conflict zones to deserted industrial towns in the United States. Reflecting on his 9/11 photographs in an essay called ‘The Law of Unexpected Consequences,’ Hemmerle writes: ‘To photograph the World Trade Center burning and eventually
collapsing was the most profound experience of my life to date…I eventually made my way to Brooks Brothers. On the corner of Liberty and Church, it was across the street from the WTC. From inside the store, one could see the steel skin that had once been the upper floors of the south tower. I remember holding my breath while taking the few frames that were to become ‘The Brooks Brothers Picture.’ The store was mostly dark, only a few emergency lights were working. The predominant light was filtering in from banks of construction lights set up outside to aid emergency workers. Empty ambulances were parked at the curb. Most of the windows had been blown in from the force of the implosion. All color was muted by the ubiquitous grey dust. I held my breath to steady the camera, a half second at f5.6, slowly aiding gravity to settle my index finger onto the shutter release, and repeated the zen exercise a few more times to allow for bracketing.’
Starting Bid $500
ANYONE EITHER REGISTERING TO BID OR PLACING A BID (“BIDDER”) ACCEPTS THESE CONDITIONS OF SALE AND ENTERS INTO A LEGALLY, BINDING, ENFORCEABLE AGREEMENT WITH R&R AUCTION COMPANY OF MASSACHUSETTS, LLC (“RR AUCTION”) TOGETHER WITH BIDDER, THE “PARTIES”).
This Agreement contains important provisions that control rights and liabilities, and specifically has provisions governing how disputes are handled as well as LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY that can be imposed upon RR Auction, WAIVER OF JURY and ARBITRATION PROVISIONS. This acknowledgement is a material term of these Conditions of Sale and of the consideration under which RR Auction agrees to these terms. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
The following terms and conditions (“Conditions of Sale”) constitute the sole terms and conditions under which RR Auction will offer for sale and sell the property on its website, and/or described in the catalog of items for auction (the “Catalog”). These Conditions of Sale constitute a binding agreement between the Parties with respect to the auction in which Bidder participates (the “Auction”). By bidding at the Auction, whether in person, through an agent or representative, by telephone, facsimile, online, absentee bid, or by any other form of bid or by any other means, Bidder acknowledges the thorough reading and understanding of all of these Conditions of Sale, all descriptions of items in the Catalog, and all matters incorporated herein by reference, and agrees to be fully bound thereby.
Section 1
The Parties1.1 RR Auction and Auction
This Auction is presented by RR Auction, a d/b/a/ of R&R Auction Company of Massachusetts, LLC, as identified with the applicable licensing information on the title page of the Catalog or on the www.RRauction. com Internet site. The Auction is conducted under these Conditions of Sale. Announcements and corrections from the podium at live auctions and those made through the Conditions of Sale appearing on the Internet at RRauction.com supersede those in the printed Catalog.
1.2 Bidder
Bidder shall mean the original Bidder on the property offered for sale by RR Auction and not any subsequent owner or other person who may acquire or have acquired an interest therein. If Bidder is an agent, the agency must be disclosed in writing to RR Auction prior to the time of sale, otherwise the benefits of the warranty shall be limited to the agent and not transferable to the undisclosed principal.
The rights granted to Bidder under these Conditions of Sale are personal and may not be assigned or transferred to any other person or entity, whether by operation of law or otherwise without the express written assent of RR Auction. Bidder may not transfer, assign, or otherwise convey these Conditions of Sale or any of the rights herein, and such purported transfer, assignment, or conveyance shall be null and void. No third party may rely on any benefit or right conferred on any Bidder by these Conditions of Sale, and no third party is intended as a beneficiary of these Conditions of Sale.
Bids will not be accepted from minor persons under eighteen (18) years of age without a parent or legal guardian’s written consent containing an acknowledgment of the Conditions of Sale herein and indicating their agreement to be bound thereby on behalf of the Bidder.
All Bidders must meet RR Auction’s qualifications to bid. Any Bidder who is not a client in good standing of RR Auction may be disqualified at RR Auction’s sole option and will not be awarded lots. Such determination may be made by RR Auction in its sole and unlimited discretion, at any time prior to, during, or even after the close of the Auction. RR Auction reserves the right to exclude any person from the Auction.
If an entity places a bid, then the person executing the bid on behalf of the entity agrees to personally guarantee payment for any successful bid and
agrees to be bound by these Conditions of Sale in addition to company for whom the Bidder is acting
By accepting the Conditions of Sale, Bidder personally and unconditionally guarantees payment.
2.1 In order to place bids, Bidders who have not established an account with RR Auction must either furnish satisfactory credit information (including two collectibles-related business references) or supply additional information if requested, well in advance of the Auction. Bidders who are not members of RRAuction.com should pre-register before the close of the Auction to allow adequate time to contact references. Privileges will be granted at the sole discretion of RR Auction. Additionally, Bidders who have not previously established credit or who wish to bid in excess of their established credit history may be required to provide a cash deposit prior to RR Auction’s acceptance of a bid. Check writing privileges and immediate delivery of merchandise may also be determined by pre-approval of credit based on a combination of criteria: RRAuction.com history, related industry references, bank verification, a credit bureau report and/or a personal guarantee for a corporate or partnership entity in advance of the Auction venue.
2.2 Bidder providing any false or misleading information provided in connection with the registration shall be a material breach of the Conditions of Sale and in addition to any other remedies at law shall excuse RR Auction from performance under these Conditions of Sale, including the right to any refund.
2.2 Bidding privileges may be revoked without notice, for any reason, at the sole discretion of RR Auction .
Section 3
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.
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.
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.