Bristol County, Massachusetts: Barstow Stove Company, 1867. Unbound. revenue “Insurance” stamp (Scott #46) has been affixed and cancelled with multiple strikes of a circular Bartow Stove Company handstamps. The document is in nice shape with splits starting along its storage folds. In this document, the stove company agrees to pay... More about An unusual post-Civil War indenture between a “Moulder or Iron Founder” and a Massachusetts...

[Washington, DC]: United States Office of War Information, [1942]. Pamphlet. This 10” x 13” pamphlet contains 72 unnumbered pages encouraging African-Americans to support the U.S. effort in World War Two. Complete, but as usually found, it is quite worn as it was printed on cheap acidic paper. There is extensive... More about Negroes and the War

Edisto Island, [South Carolina]: 1862. Unbound. This four-page letter, datelined “Edisto Island May 10th 1862,” was sent by a trooper in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry stationed in South Carolina to a family member at home in Brighton, Massachusetts. Its envelope is franked with a 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #65) that... More about A letter from a Union soldier from Massachusetts stationed at one of the main colonies of escaped...

Fort Burnham/Harrison, James River and White House Plantation, Virginia: Circa 1863-1865. Mat. Both photographs are approximately 3.5” square and are mounted on matching gray, heavy card mat stock suitable for framing. The photos are in nice shape with some minor creasing and edge-wear. One photograph, known as “The Ruins of..... More about Two Civil War albumin photographs of African-Americans at military camps in Virginia

Madison County, Alabama via New Orleans, Louisiana, to Montgomery Court House, Texas: Christmas Eve, 1840. Unbound. This four-page stampless folded letter, dated “Xmas Eve 1840,” measures approximately 16” x 9.5” unfolded. It bears a circular blue “Huntsville / Ala” postmark dated “Dec 26,” a blue “25” cent manuscript rate mark..... More about Letter from a father in Alabama to his son in the Republic of Texas discussing his plans to...

Newport, [Rhode Island]: October 15, 1767. Unbound. This manuscript receipt from James Tanner to Ann Rhodes (received in her behalf by Edward Rhodes) measures 7.5” x 3”. Minor edgewear including two small chips that do not affect any text. The receipt reads in part: “For 4 Days work my Negro... More about Receipt for work performed by a rented Rhode Island slave on the Sloop Venus shortly before it...

Omaha: Beacon Press, 1919. Wraps. This oblong, saddle-stapled, softcover photo-booklet measures 7.5” x 5.25” and is “Copiously illustrated.” It contains 26 pages of text and 14 images of the riot, its victim, and some of the perpetrators. The binding is sound; cover and several leaves have some edgewear and short... More about Omaha's Riot, 1919. In Story & Picture

Camp Sibley (Henderson) and Fairmount, Minnesota: 1862 and 1863. Unbound. Stephen’s first letter—on campaign stationer featuring John Fremont—was written from Camp Sible, Lower Sioux Agency. Its patriotic envelope-featuring the popular song, The Girl I Left Behind Me—was postmarked at Henderson, Minnesota on November 5, [1862]. The letter is in nice..... More about Two letters from a Minnesota militiaman who fought against the Sioux follow their barbarous...

New York: Seabury & Johnson, circa 1900. Envelope or Cover. Three all-over chromolithographic Seabury & Johnson advertising covers, all are franked with 2-cent Washington stamps (Scott #279B) tied by New York machine cancellations dated between 1898 and 1901. Faint illustrations of the S&J factory are in the address field of... More about The pinnacle of postal advertising: three end-of-the-19th Century Seabury & Johnson...

Manhattan, Kansas: circa 1870. 1/2 leather. This half-leather volume with marbled boards measures 8” x 10.5” and is titled “Lectures on Natural Philosophy.” It contains approximately 140 manuscript text pages and an additional 80 pages with about 150 meticulous hand-drawn illustrations of apparatus and experiments, some in color. The pages... More about Bound volume of manuscript Natural Philosophy (i.e. Physics) lecture notes and drawings probably...

Petersburg, VA: [1865]. Unbound. Civil War letter from Union soldier besieging Petersburg, Virginia describing shelling by Confederate artillery. By “George.” Near Petersburg, VA: [1865]In this three-page letter, datelined “in Camp near pettersburgs Va,” to a younger brother, George makes light of the discomfort of camp life and describes how he..... More about Civil War letter from Union soldier besieging Petersburg, Virginia describing shelling by...

Rome, New York: Office of the New York State Map and Atlas Survey, 1861. Unbound. This envelope features a map of New York along with surveying and drafting tools and instruments. It is franked with a 3-cent stamp (Scott #65) and bears a double-circle Rome, NY postmark dated December 16... More about Illustrated envelope, with enclosure, promoting the New York State Map and Atlas Survey

Yokohama: 1905. Unbound. This lettersheet measures 14” x 6.75” unfolded. Inside, half of the sheet is filled with a colorful illustration of a Japanese woman daydreaming of her valiant soldier boyfriend/husband as she writes a letter to him. A honey-comb pop-up representing vibrant green bushes is in the upper left... More about A Japanese patriotic, pop-up lettersheet sent by a sailor from the U.S. Naval Hospital at...