signed
CHURCHILL’S SPECIALLY BOUND COPY OF ‘THE END OF THE BEGINNING’
SIGNED BY HIM — AS WAR-TIME PRIME MINSTER — IN 1944
CHURCHILL, SIR WINSTON S. (1874-1965). British statesman and author; served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. His book: The End of the Beginning, ‘War Speeches by the Right Hon[orable] Winston S. Churchill, C.H., M.P. – Compiled by Charles Eade’. 1943, Cassell and Company Ltd., London. First edition. Boldly Signed on front free endpaper: “Winston S. Churchill / 1944”, as Prime Minister.
BAYARD TAYLOR — AUTHOR OF ‘THE FIRST GAY NOVEL’ TO BE PUBLISHED IN AMERICA — PENS A FABULOUS EARLY ILLUSIONARY LETTER: “NOW, THAT YOU YOURSELF WEAR THE FETTERS MATRIMONIAL, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DREAM ME INTO THEM SO EASILY.”
TAYLOR, BAYARD. (1825-1878) American poet, literary critic, translator, and travel author. Exceptional and early Autograph Letter Signed “J. Bayard Taylor”. [Taylor was christened ‘James Bayard Taylor’ at birth, thus the “J” in his signature]. Two full pages, quarto. Phoenixville, June 16, 1847. To Taylor’s early friend and apprentice in the printing trade, Edward Paxson, (1824-1905), later Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
LINDBERGH RETURNS SOME AIR MAIL COVERS — THAT WERE SENT TO HIM EARLIER IN 1932, THE YEAR OF THE LINDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPING AND MURDER
LINDBERGH, CHARLES A. (1902-74). American aviator, engineer and Pulitzer Prize winner; the first person to make a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Uncommon Autograph Letter Signed, “C.A. Lindbergh”, on his imprinted Charles A. Lindbergh, 39 Broadway stationery. One page, small quarto. New York, November 18, 1932. Excellent condition.
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). 3rd 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.