Lot 22
24 Letter/Signatures of 19th Century Notables: Charles Guiteau, John Hay, Stephen Douglas, Hannibal Hamlin, Schuyler Colfax, Edwin Stanton & More. Fine collection of notable of the 19th Century in politics, business and crime. Highlights include Charles Guiteau, autographed note initialed, assassin of President James Garfield, 4½ x 3" slip of paper written in jail dated Feb 81 that reads: "Should you desire my photograph & autograph, please send $1", initialed C.G. and then adds the following post script, "Your letter was mis laid- Write (?) again and I will answer at once." The entire note is in Guiteau's hand executed in black ink. Conveying with the note is a period sketch of Guiteau behind bars lifted from a book about the assassination. 9 x 6". (light stains and toning, still very legible) 2.) East Coast politicians, nine (9) autographs on matching sheets of paper possibly obtained at the same or near the same time which include: Reuben Eaton Fenton (New York Governor then Senator) S. F. Miller, Theodore M. Pomeroy (Speaker of the House for one day, Harriet Tubman close friend of family, caretaker of Pomeroy children) Giles Hotchkiss (NY Rep during Civil War). and James Asheton Bayard (Delaware representative and senator whose career accomplishment was negotiating the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 plus 4 more.) 3.) Stephen A. Douglas, Democrat who ran against Lincoln he of the Lincoln/Douglas debate, large clipped signature. 4.) Schuyler Colfax, VP to Ulysses Grant, signed calling card. 5.) George S. Boutwell clean clipped signature, Grant's Secretary Treasurer 6.) 2nd, and beautifully executed calling card for Reuben Eaton Fenton. 6.) Fine clipped signature by John Hay, began his political career as Lincoln's trusted private secretary and served in various high level capacities under Hayes, Garfield, McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt. 7.) William Seward Secretary of State under Lincoln & Johnson. 8.) Hannibal Hamlin Vice-President to Abraham Lincoln from 1861-1865) has elegantly signed a calling card "H. Hamlin, Maine." 9.) A clipped signature from Richard Menton Johnson as R. W. Johnson, VP to Martin Van Buren, Senator and certainly well known for (credibly) slaying Indian Chief, Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812. 10.) A fine clipped signature by Edwin Stanton, Lincoln's and Andrew Johnson's Secretary of War with a notation date of April 21, 1864 in pencil under the signature.
The balance are fine signatures by Galusha A. Grow (24th Speaker of House), Michael Crawford Kerr (First Democratic Speaker of House after the Civil War), William Marcy (Secretary of War and State under Franklin Pierce), Thomas De Witt Talmage, prominent religious leader of the 19th. Century, John McCloskey (First American Cardinal and served as the first president of St. John's College, now Fordham University, beginning in 1841) and Cyrus W. Field (created the Atlantic Telegraph Co., laid first cable across Atlantic in 1858. Estimated Value $800 - 1,200
|
| |
| Realized $1,140 |
