signed

OUTSTANDING HENRY CLAY AUTOGRAPH DOCUMENT STATING HIS POSITION IN THE POLITICAL SCANDAL THAT HAD HIM DENYING CHARGES THAT HE MADE A DEAL WITH JOHN QUINCY ADAMS TO MAKE HIM SECRETARY OF STATE, IF HE BACKED ADAMS, FOR PRESIDENT IN THE 1824 ELECTION

CLAY, HENRY.  (1777-1852).  American statesman; represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives;  Speaker of the House;  Secretary of State, in John Quincy Adams administration;  received electoral votes for President in the 1824, 1832, and 1844 presidential elections; helped establish the National Republican Party and the Whig Party;  for his role in defusing sectional crises, he earned the nickname: “the Great Compromiser”.   Superb, and Important Autograph Notes Signed: “Mr. Clay” in the body of the document.   1 ½ closely written pages, quarto.   No place, no date.  [Washington, D.C.  —  also docketed ‘February 4, 1824’ on verso]. 

HOUDINI SIGNS A SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS MEMBERSHIP CARD IN 1923

HOUDINI, HARRY.  (1874-1926)   Legendary Hungarian-American magician, escapologist, showman, film producer and actor.  Partly-printed multi-color ‘’The Society of American Magicians’’ membership card Signed: “Harry Houdini,” as president of the society.  Membership card is for Earl DeForrest, member #989.

A SIMPLY SUPERB LETTER OF F. SCOTT FITZGERALD  —  “THE FITZGERALDS ARE SLOWLY ROTTING LIKE THE OTHER SURVIVORS OF OUR PERIOD. WE HAD A HELL OF A GOOD TIME WHEN IT LASTED THOUGH, WHICH IS MORE THAN CAN BE SAID OF YOUR GENERATION”

“…AND ARMY PEOPLE, LIKE JEWS, ARE OPPRESSIVE IN CROWDS WITH THEIR DAMNED HIERARCHY….”

FITZGERALD, F(RANCIS) SCOTT.  (1896-1940).  American writer; author of: The Great Gatsby, as well as This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and the Damned, and Tender is the Night;  Fitzgerald is best known for chronicling the excesses and tribulations of the Jazz Age.  Superb, and very scarce Typed Letter Signed, “Scott Fitz”. 

PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON AT WAR!   —  WITH THE BARBARY PIRATES  —  DURING A LULL IN THE TRIPOLITAN WAR,   HE ASSURES MARYLAND CONGRESSMAN NICHOLSON THAT HE EXPECTS NO EXPANSION OF HOSTILITIES, AND IS THEREFORE REDUCING AMERICA’S NAVAL FORCE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN —  “CERTAINLY NEITHER ECONOMY NOR PRUDENCE PERMITS TO KEEP IN ACTUAL SERVICE ALL THE FORCE WHICH MIGHT BE NECESSARY IN THE WORST STATE OF THINGS; FOR THEN WE OUGHT TO KEEP A LARGE STANDING ARMY…”

JEFFERSON, THOMAS. (1743-1826).  3^rd President of the United States; and principal author of the Declaration of Independence.  Important Autograph Letter Signed, as President, to Joseph H. Nicholson, noted politician and statesman from Maryland.  Washington, D.C.   February 23, 1803.  One very full page, quarto. 

RARE AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED OF  JOHN JAMES AUDUBON

AUDUBON, JOHN JAMES.  (1785-1851).  American Ornithologist.  Rare Autograph Note Signed, “John J. Audubon”.  One page, oblong, octavo.  No place [London],  June 1835. 

EINSTEIN TACKLES ONE OF THE GREATEST UNSOLVED MYSTERIES OF ‘MAN’-KIND!  —  THE ‘EQUATION’  OF “WOMEN”  ~ AS EXPLAINED BY ALBERT EINSTEIN TO HIS SON  —  ‘YOU SEEM TO KEEP KNOCKING ABOUT WITH THE ETERNAL-FEMININE.’  —  “DON’T STICK WITH THE OLDER GIRLFRIEND… RATHER LOOK FOR A HARMLESS GIRLFRIEND, BECAUSE SHE IS MORE LIKE A FRIENDLY GAME, OTHERWISE YOU MAY WELL GET INTO TROUBLE”

EINSTEIN, ALBERT.  (1879-1955)  German physicist.  Revealing Autograph Letter Signed, “Papa”, in German.  One full page, oblong quarto.  No place, no date.  Very fine condition.  To his son, Tetel.

THOMAS ALVA EDISON  —  A SIMPLY SUPERB, LARGE IMPERIAL CABINET PHOTOGRAPH  —  INSCRIBED WITH A SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION TO WILLIAM LIEB  —  THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY

EDISON, THOMAS A.  (1847-1931). American inventor of the phonograph and the light bulb.   Very rare, superb, imperial cabinet Photograph Signed and inscribed:  “To my friend Lieb / from Thomas A. Edison, / Orange NJ  USA Oct. 29, 1891.”  Huge 7 ¼ ‘ x 11 ¾’ inches, [image size].  Mounted to a slightly larger original photographer’s mount [7 1/2 x 12 inches].