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Sale 40
Manuscript and Collectibles Auction
| Lot |
Photo |
Description |
Realized |
Lot 132 |
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Reagan, Ronald & Warren Burger. Commemorative Presidential Oath of Office Signed "Ronald Reagan" as President of the United States and "Warren E. Burger" as Chief Justice of the United States, one page, 11" x 8½", n.p., n.d. Chief Justice Burger administered the oath to President Reagan, who was sworn into his second term on Sunday, at 12 o'clock noon, at The White House, January 20, 1985 and again in the Rotunda of the Capitol on Monday, at 11:47 a.m., January 21, 1985. President Reagan signed in black ink, and Chief Justice Burger in blue ink. Excellent condition; one faint blue check mark above the word, "Sworn."
Estimated Value $800 - 1,000.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$4,370 |
Lot 133 |
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Roosevelt, Franklin D. Photograph Signed as President, 6" x 9", n.p., n.d. Fine; light toning on General Patton's knees. The photograph was taken on 30 January 1943, FDR's sixty-first birthday, and shows the President bestowing the Congressional Medal of Honor, the country's highest military honor, on Brigadier General William H. Wilbur for his major role in the Landings in French Morocco. Major General George S. Patton, Jr., to FDR's left, assists in the awarding of the Medal, and General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff, looks on. Signed vertically on the right side in bold black ink. Note the white places on Generals Wilbur and Patton's left arms, where their service patches have been scratched from the photo, due to war-time secrecy requirements.
Brigadier General Wilbur was one of the few general officers to hold the Congressional Medal of Honor, winning it for his actions as a Colonel in the North African landings near Casablanca in November 1942 and at Salerno, where he joined the 36th Army Division, leading a small unit forward to smash an enemy detachment during a critical period in the bridgehead's defense. As Assistant Division Commander, he frequently visited troops on rock ledges at Mignano Gap, and gave the order that first halted the slaughter on the Rapido. A wonderful, historic photograph.
Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$3,600 |
Lot 134 |
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Roosevelt, Franklin D. & Winston S. Churchill. Photograph Signed "Franklin D. Roosevelt" and "Winston S. Churchill," 8" x 10", n.p., n.d. The photo is stamped on verso: "International News Photo, A King Features Synd., Inc.," and has a newspaper slug affixed to the back, for release on February 1st. The photo has slight waviness around the edges and faint creasing in upper right corner; otherwise, the photo is nice and clear and the signatures bold. The only other Churchill/FDR signed photo that we know of sold for $17,600 at Sotheby's in October 1989.
This historic photograph shows FDR and Churchill at Casablanca, in French Morocco, meeting with French Generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud. The purpose of the conference, which took place January 14 to 24, 1943, was to plan the European strategy of the Allies during World War II. Stalin was invited to attend but declined. De Gaulle initially declined his invitation, but changed his mind when Churchill threatened to recognize General Giraud as head of the Free French. The "Casablanca Declaration," which resulted from the conference, stated that the Allies demanded the unconditional surrender of the Axis, that the Allies agreed to aid the Soviet Union, the Allies agreed on the invasion of Sicily and Italy; and that Generals De Gaulle and Giraud would have joint leadership of the Free French. On 12 February, President Roosevelt made a radio address to the American people and shared the results of the conference.
(See "Non U.S. Statesmen" for another Churchill/FDR signed item and for a signed copy of Churchill's biography of his father).
Estimated Value $10,000 - 15,000.
Ex Franklin D. Roosevelt Museum in Worchester, Massachusetts.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$17,825 |
Lot 135 |
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Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (1882-1945) 32nd President of the United States (1933-45). Typed Document Signed "Franklin D. Roosevelt,"once on the front and once on the back, as President of Georgia Warm Springs Foundation, Inc., 3¾" x 8½", New York, 1 Feb 1927. The document reads: "On February 1st, 1937, at the Bank of America, New York City, GEORGIA WARM SPRINGS FOUNDATION, INC., a corporation of the State of Delaware, promises, for value received, to pay to the order of FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, the sum of Five Thousand Dollars in gold coin of the United States of America of the standard of weight and fineness existing on the date of this note, without interest. The maker of this note may at any time before maturity pay and discharge the same, by payment at said Bank of America of the principal amount thereof, without interest. Due February 1st, 1937…." It is endorsed by Roosevelt on the back. Both signatures are boldly signed in black ink. Roosevelt established a foundation at Warms Springs to help other polio victims. He died there on April 12, 1945.
Estimated Value $2,000 - 2,500.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$1,495 |
Lot 136 |
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Roosevelt, Theodore (1858-1919) 26th President of the United States (1901-09). Typed Letter Signed as associate editor of "Outlook" magazine, on "The Outlook" stationery, 6 pp, 9½" x 7¾", New York, 18 Sept. 1913. Fine; light toning. Roosevelt made numerous holograph corrections in this letter to Charles Sumner Bird, a candidate for Massachusetts Governor (he lost), as Roosevelt prepared to leave for South America.
The content of this letter is superb. In part: "…Over a year has passed since we founded the Progressive Party….Massachusetts has always taken the lead foro the right in every great crisis of our history….I make my appeal for your election not only to all the men who supported the Progressive ticket last year, but to all…who…felt there was hope of salvation within the two old parties to which they had so long paid allegiance….I appeal to…every Republican who is loyal to the principles of Abraham Lincoln, who is loyal to the great memories of Sumner and Andrew. Last year the bosses of the Republican Party stole from the rank and file of the Republican Party their right to nominate their own ticket and to enunciate their own platform. They turned the Republican Party with its back squarely to the principles of Abraham Lincoln and delivered it bound and shackled into the hands of those who are the enemies of every principle that Lincoln professed and practiced. These men have the Republican Party absolutely in their grip today. One of the prime agents in the theft lasy [sic] year was Mr. Lorimer of Illinois, and it was the Lorimer men who succeeded in breaking the deadlock in the Illinois Legislature by securing an alliance between the Republicans and Democrats against the Progressives….you cannot be true to the principles of the Republicans of the days of Lincoln…unless you turn and smite down the bosses of the party, and break up the evil alliance between commercialism and politics for which those bosses stand; and you can do this only by supporting the Progressive Party. As for the good and honest men and women who make up the rank and file of the Democratic Party, I ask them in their turn to consider what has been done by the Democratic machines in all the States of the Union….In New York State, Tammany has decreed the impeachment of the Governor [William Sulzer]…because that Governor has stood by the cause of the people…he has endeavored to put into jail certain of the prominent Tammany politicians for…malfeasance in office…. Finally, to all independent citizens, and to all party men who put country above party….The bosses have long counted upon the fact that revolt against boss domination in one party could only find expression in seating in power the boss-controlled opposition party. In the last analysis, the bosses on the two old parties work together….You can crush the boss system….You can express your abhorrence of the politicians who win power and position through promises which with cynical indifference they repudiate as soon as elected. You can work for far-reaching measures of social and industrial reform, for genuine popular rule, and for the exercise of this rule in a spirit of justice to all our people, business men, farmers and wageworkers alike…only by supporting the Progressive Party….
This letter sold for over $15,000 at a Superior auction about a dozen years ago.
Estimated Value $10,000 - 15,000.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$10,350 |
Lot 137 |
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Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter Signed as president of the New York City Police Commission, on Police Department letterhead, one page, 10½" x 7¾", New York, 28 Oct. 1896. Very good; light overall soiling and penciled comments from E.A. Drake's office regarding Roosevelt's request for "a couple of seats for the Grand Stand to review the parade on Saturday." Accompanied by the transmittal envelope.
Estimated Value $350 - 450.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$264 |
Lot 138 |
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Taft, William H (1857-1930) 27th President of the United States ((1909-13). Typed Letter Signed "Wm H Taft" as President elect, on personal letterhead, one page, 8½" x 5½", Hot Springs, Virginia, 13 Nov. 1908. Very good; faint ink offset. To Edward A. Drake, president of the Business Men's Republican Assoc., thanking him for his "kind words of congratulation and good wishes" and thanking the members of Drake's group "for the very effective work which you did in the campaign."
Estimated Value $350 - 450.
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| Unsold |
Lot 139 |
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Truman, Harry S (1884-1972 33rd President of the United States (1945-53). Card with gold, embossed presidential seal Inscribed and Signed as President aboard the presidential yacht, U.S.S. Williamsburg: "Williamsburg / To Edwin A. Locke, Jr., A Very Happy New Year / Harry S Truman / 1947," 2½" x 4". Very Fine. Cards signed by Truman on the presidential yacht are uncommon.
Estimated Value $300 - 500.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$403 |
Lot 140 |
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Truman, Harry S. Typed Letter Signed, on his letterhead from the Federal Reserve Bank Building, one page, 10½" x 7¼", Kansas City, Missouri, 9 June 1954. Fine. To Phil Kerby, editor of Frontier magazine in Beverly Hills, Ca., thanking him for a copy of the magazine, which Truman found "most interesting. I think your comment on the Communists in our Government is timely and to the point."
Estimated Value $250 - 350.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$207 |
Lot 141 |
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Truman, Harry S. Check Signed, Kansas City, Mo., 21 Feb. 1925. Written on the City Bank of Kansas City and paid to T.J. Murphy for $7.25. Very good; light soiling; bank stamp touches two letters in the signature, which is bold. In 1922, the men's clothing store that Truman ran with his World War I friend, Eddie Jacobson, failed and Truman spent years paying off his share of the store's debt. Also in 1922, Truman was elected one of three judges in Jackson County; he was defeated for reelection in 1924, but won election as presiding judge in the Jackson County Court in 1926. This is the era in Truman's life in which the check was written.
Estimated Value $250 - 300.
View details and enlarged photo
| Realized
$161 |
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