Featured Items

Old Abe and his old lady go postal…and FDR has a way with a will
May’s presidential offerings are highlighted by an outstanding selection of Lincolniana, including a signature with documentation from his son, Robert; a war-dated endorsement; an ALS seeking aid for a female volunteer who “wishes…to minister to our wounded soldiers”; and a very rare mailing envelope signed by Mrs. Lincoln and franked by her husband as president. Other items of note include a fine Jefferson ALS recommending a French diplomat who would become a close advisor to Napoleon; a rare Executive Mansion card signed by Garfield during his brief presidency; and a handwritten draft of FDR’s will, including a long-term bequest to his secretary-mistress, Missy LeHand.

Henry VIII dresses for success…and Oswald wants back into the U.S.
Five centuries before he would become cable television’s ruling stud, Henry VIII made a fashion statement with an order for new clothing signed by him in the third year of his reign. The mix of royalty and uncommon “commoners” continues with such treasures as a rare document signed by Philip II and his queen, “Bloody” Mary; an extraordinary ALS from notorious courtesan Emma Hamilton claiming ignorance in the publication of intimate letters from Lord Nelson; a 1773 petition for a liquor license signed by John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and three participants in the Boston Tea Party; a superb oversized photo signed by Archduke Franz Ferdinand two years before his assassination sparked World War I; a colorful letter from “Buffalo Bill” Cody in which he wrangles with legal problems in the last year of his life; an interesting letter from Pancho Villa defending his actions in a confrontation with a rowdy restaurant proprietress; and a rare and significant ALS from Marxist expatriate Lee Harvey Oswald seeking diplomatic aid to return to the United States a year before the assassination of JFK.

History takes wing at Kitty Hawk…and seven astronauts rise to the Challenger
Flight makes write with an excellent selection of aviation and space items, including a photo of the Wright Brothers’ epochal 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk, signed by Orville; a signed photo of Amelia Earhart posing with her Lockheed 5B Vega; a facsimile of the plaque left on the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts, signed by all three crew members and Richard Nixon; two copies of the classic Apollo 11 account First on the Moon, one signed by all three crew members, the other by Neil Armstrong; a NASA photo signed by all seven crew members from the Challenger’s final mission; and a poignant ALS from teacher-turned-astronaut Christa McAuliffe.

Good clean fun with Dr. Seuss…and a book-buying spree with “Papa” Hemingway
The art and literature category takes a whimsical turn with an early original advertising drawing by Dr. Seuss. Other standouts include a devotional AQS from Hans Christian Andersen; a scarce Ibsen letter authorizing a performance of Ghosts; an uncommon L. Frank Baum letter on his attempt to repeat the onstage success of The Wizard of Oz; an Arthur Conan Doyle letter mentioning his fictional “sidekick” Watson; a Jack London letter mentioning Call of the Wild; and an outstanding Hemingway ALS ordering copies of some of his best-known works for friends.

Elvis gets the GI Blues…and everybody’s gung fu learning with Bruce Lee
Music and entertainment prizes include a candid signed photo of John Lennon; Elvis’s army equipment record, signed by him seven times; a unique collection of original artist’s drawings signed by more than 1,000 classical music luminaries; a remarkable and rare Sharon Tate business document involving a fellow Manson Family victim; a signed membership certificate from Bruce Lee’s Gung Fu school; and Marlon Brando’s contract for the title role in Viva Zapata!