autograph for sale

MARIE ANTOINETTE  —  QUEEN OF FRANCE, ORDERS PAYMENT OF 60 POUNDS TO ONE OF HER COURT COURRIERS

MARIE ANTOINETTE.  (1755 –1793) Queen of France; born archduchess of Austria, youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I; she became dauphine of France upon her marriage to Louis-Auguste, [LouisXVI] heir apparent to the French throne (1770); during the French Revolution, she was convicted by the Revolutionary Tribunal of high treason and executed, by guillotine, [2 days after her husband, Louis XVI] at the Place de la Revolution. (14 October 1793).  Scarce Manuscript Document Signed, “Payez / Marie Antoinette”, as Queen.  One page, large legal folio, vellum.  Versailles, April 1, 1783. 

“THESE LONDON TRADES EXERCISE NO SORT OF INFLUENCE OVER THE OPINIONS AND CONDUCT OF THE GREAT BODY OF THE WORKING WORLD.”

DISRAELI, BENJAMIN.  1ST EARL OF BEACONSFIELD. (1804-1881).  British statesman and conservative politician; Prime Minister (1868 and 1874-1880); only Prime Minster to have been of Jewish origin.  Good Autograph Letter Signed, “D.”  Four full pages, octavo.  Grosvenor Gate, [London] April 23, 1850.  Very fine condition. 

FLOYD BENNETT ~~ SIGNED AND DATED FROM THE FIRST FLIGHT TO THE NORTH POLE

BENNETT, FLOYD.  (1890-1928).  American Naval aviator; along with USN Commander Richard E. Byrd, credited with making the first flight to the North Pole in May 1926; was awarded the Medal of Honor.    Surprising scarce, Autograph Sentiment Signed.

THOMAS EDISON SIGNED CHECK   —   PAYING HIS TELEGRAPH BILL

EDISON, THOMAS A.  (1847-1931). American inventor.  Partly-Printed Check Signed, “Thos. A. Edison”.  One page, oblong octavo.  West Orange, New Jersey, December 13, 1927.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN PLANS REVISIONS TO HIS HOME LIBRARY

TOLKIEN, J[OHN] R[ONALD] R[EUEL]. (1892-1973). English writer, poet and professor. Tolkien is best known as the author of the classic fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed, “J.R.R. Tolkien,” on his imprinted Professor J.R.R. Tolkien stationery. Two pages, octavo. “19 Lakeside Road, Poole, [England] September 25, 1968.” 

BERTRAND RUSSELL TO HIS TYPIST: ”…YOU WERE GOOD AT DECIPHERING BAD HANDWRITING. IT OCCURS TO ME THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE ENCLOSED MANNUSCRIPT”.

RUSSELL, BERTRAND [EARL]. (1872-1970). British philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate. Typed Letter Signed, ”Bertrand Russell”, on imprinted Telegraph House stationery. One full page, octavo. ”Harting, Petersfield”, March 12, 1937.

JOHN HANCOCK  —  A 1765 LOTTERY TICKET FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF FANEUIL HALL

ISSUED TO EDWARD PROCTOR, WHO LEAD A GROUP OF MEN ON THE NIGHT OF THE ‘BOSTON TEA PARTY’ TO DUMP INTO THE SEA THE TEA CHESTS SECURED ABOARD THE ‘DARTMOUTH’ WHILE SHE LAY MOORED AT GRIFFIN’S WARF IN BOSTON HARBOR.   BOLDLY SIGNED BY PROCTOR ON THE VERSO AND STRONGLY SIGNED BY HANCOCK ON THE RECTO —   A SIMPLY SUPERB, AND POSSIBLY UNIQUE, COMBINATION OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOT SIGNATURES

HANCOCK, JOHN (1737-1793)   President of the Continental Congress and of the Congress of the Confederation; Governor of Massachusetts; first Signer of the Declaration of Independence.  Scarce Partly-printed “Faneuil-Hall LOTTERY, No. Five” ticket, boldly signed “John Hancock”, at the lower center right.