WORLD HISTORY

ALAN BEAN, THE 4^TH MAN TO WALK ON THE MOON INSCRIBES AN ICONIC APOLLO 12 IMAGE OF THE LUNAR LANDER MODULE ASCENDING THE MOON’S SURFACE  — 

Choice original 1^st generation NASA color photograph of the lunar module leaving the moon’s surface. Oblong quarto. No place. [Texas?] No date [circa 1970].   Signed, “Alan Bean” on the photographic surface, in lower right corner.  The photograph is mounted to a larger piece of photographer’s backing and is wonderfully further inscribed on the wide lower margin:  “To Rooster- Flying to the Moon is like throwing a long forward pass – You have to lead it just the right amount- It worked for us.”

BOLD FOUNTAIN PEN SIGNATURE OF:  “SGT. ALVIN C. YORK”  —  MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER IN WWI

YORK, ALVIN C. “Sergeant York” (1887–1964).  One of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I;  received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, gathering 35 machine guns, killing at least 25 enemy soldiers and capturing 132 prisoners.  His Boldly penned Signature: “Sgt. Alvin C. York”  centered on a 24mo card.   [Approximately 3 ¼ x 2 ¼ inches]. 

JEFFERSON DAVIS —  IN A LETTER TO A FORMER LOVER, PENNED JUST 7 MONTHS AFTER HIS MARRIAGE TO VARINA, RECALLS: “WHEN WE WERE TO EACH OTHER IN A DIFFERENT RELATION FROM THAT WHICH EXISTS NOW”

DAVIS, JEFFERSON.  (1808-1889).  First and only President of the Confederate States of America (1861-1865).  Superb Autograph Letter Signed, “Jefferson Davis”.  Four full pages, small quarto.  Washington, D.C.,  September 24, 1854.  Very fine condition. 

HUDSON MAXIM:  “A MOMENT WHEN THE WORLD IS TEETERING ON THE RIM AND VERGE OF … HELL.”

MAXIM, HUDSON (1853-1927) U.S. inventor and chemist who invented a range of explosives, including a high power smokeless gunpowder. The book: Capitalism vs. Bolshevism by George L. Walker Inscribed on front free endpaper: “To my friend Dr. W.R. Whitney with great regards and all best wishes for Christmas 1919 – a moment when the world is teetering on the rim and verge of … hell…”

QUEEN ANNE INSTRUCTS THE DUKE OF ARGYLE UPON HIS APPOINTMENT AS HER NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE SPANISH COURT  ~~  A REMARKABLE DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATION

ANNE, QUEEN. (1665-1714). Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. Superb and Important Manuscript Document Signed, “Anne R”, and also “A. R.”, as Queen. Nine very full pages, folio. The “Court at St. James’s, February 20, 1710”.

AS LORD NELSON AND LADY HAMLTON BEGIN THEIR LOVE AFFAIR

NELSON WRITES TO THE HUSBAND OF HIS MISTRESS, SIR WILLIAM HAMILTON A FULL RECOUNTING OF THE BRITISH FLEET’S ACTIVITIES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AGAINST THE FRENCH FLEET.  HIS PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION IS EVIDENT, STATING: “I AM SERIOUSLY UNWELL…I KNOW NOT WHAT SLEEP IS SINCE I LEFT PALERMO”

NELSON, HORATIO. (1758-1805).  Legendary British Naval officer;  Admiral.  Intriguing and Important Autograph Letter Signed “Nelson”, with a lengthy Autograph Postscript also Signed “Nelson”.  To Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803).   Written aboard his ship, The Vanguard, “off Trapani, 27 May [1799]”. Three very full pages, quarto.

OPPENHEIMER TO LILIENTHAL  —   HIS BOOK: THE FLYING TRAPESE: THREE CRISES FOR THE PHYSICIST – INTIMATELY INSCRIBED:  “WITH AN OLD, CONSTANT AND GRATEFUL LOVE,  ROBERT”.   

OPPENHEIMER, ROBERT J.  (1904 –1967)  American theoretical physicist; director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II; credited as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his role in the Manhattan Project, the research and development project that was responsible for the first nuclear weapons.   His book:  The Flying Trapeze: Three Crises for the Physicist. 1964, Oxford University Press, London. Red cloth covered boards.  Octavo, 65 pages. Very fine condition.  Inscribed on half title page: “with an old, constant and grateful love,  Robert”.