Paris: 1918. Letter. This letter from Richard S. Rightes, a civilian employee of the YMCA, is dated 25 Aug 1918 and its envelope has an indistinct postmark. It is franked with a U.S. 3 cent stamp and is addressed to Topeka, Kansas. It bears a Paris return address of 12... More about Civilian Mail from the YMCA Headquarters in Paris during World War One
Chicago: circa 1865. Unbound. This postally used cover promotes Artificial Leg Depots operated by Dr. Robert Bly in conjunction with the U.S. Government. It includes an illustration of the Bly artificial leg. The envelope bears an undated circular Chicago postmark and is franked with a 3-cent Washington stamp cancelled by... More about Postally used envelope promoting Civil War Artificial Leg Depots established by Dr. Douglas Bly...
New York: Pudney & Russell, 1860. First Edition. 1/4 leather. Approximately 5” x 7.5”. Complete with iii introductory pages including the half-title, tissue-protected frontispiece portrait of Sam Houston, and 100 text pages. Marbled paper covered boards with later half-cloth spine covering. Bright gilt lettering on spine. Very good condition. Sound... More about Speech of Hon. Sam Houston, of Texas, Exposing the Malfeasance and Corruption of John Charles...
Leeds: Published by Edwd Bianes (Edward Baines), Aug 5, 1816. Unbound. Approximately 16.5” x 10.25” including margins. A very nice folding map with a strong, clear image. Trimmed along the upper neatline. Lightly toned save for along the publisher’s fold where binding tab was glued to the reverse. There is... More about United States of America, Exhibiting the Seat of War on the Canadian Frontier from 1812 to 1815...
Princeton, New Jersey: Graphic Arts Press, 1940. First Edition. Soft Cover. Folio. 60 pages. B/w photographs throughout. String-tied, purple and gold, cardstock cover. Signed by Samuels in the fore-matter. Tight binding. Clean pages. Light cover wear; some color fading. Sections include: Prologue (a ten-page history of Loudoun); Within the Present... More about Loudoun County Virginai: Past and Present
Camp Butler (Springfield, Illinois): 1864. Unbound. In this letter a sutler, named Sam, describes his method of selling wares to soldiers at one of the largest Union training camps during the Civil War. “I had a very good trade yesterday amounting to 70$ so I went to town this morning to... More about Four-page letter from a sutler describing how he sold goods to soldiers at a large training camp
Ship Burgundy to Middletown, Connecticut: August 14, 1837. Envelope or Cover. This two-page folded letter measures 16” x 10” unfolded. It bears a circular red New York “Ship” postmark dated August 16 and is in nice shape. The ship Burgundy regularly brought immigrants from Europe to the United States. On... More about Letter from an American passenger describing the arrival of immigration ship and informing a...
Indianapolis: The Indianapolis Journal, 1880. First Edition. Newspaper. Lot includes one 2-page leaf from The Indianapolis Journal from 1 October 1880 and a small handbill. The newspaper leaf is in nice shape; the handbill has considerable edge wear. Both documents are related to the first reunion of the Ex-Prisoners of... More about First Union Prisoner of War Reunion Newspaper and Handbill
New York: 1814. Letter. This important three-page folio-sized manuscript letter reports on the American actions at the Siege of Fort Erie during September of 1814 including a detailed description of the sorties attacking British artillery batteries and the death of General Daniel Davis, the leader of the New York Militia... More about War of 1812 American Militia Letter - The Siege of Fort Erie
Vladivostok, Siberia: October 2, 1919. Unbound. Envelope only, no letter. The envelope is addressed to Anna Raumgarten, Altona-Elbe, Germany. The return address reads, “Prisoner of war Mail / Vladivostok / Siberia / American prison camp / Martin Prigge / No. 326.” It bears a small steel circular postmark that reads... More about World War I mail from a German Prisoner of War held at the American prison camp at...
1944-1945. Envelope only, no letter. The envelope was addressed to Private First Class Walter Mikucki at the Osaka Yodogawa Bunsho POW Camp in Japan. It has a typed “Prisoner of War Postage Free” free frank in the upper right corner and has received a Chicago “War Savings machine postmark dated..... More about Returned mail sent to a World War II Marine who was captured on Corregidor and died in a Japanese...
Naples: 1810. Unbound. This two-page stampless folded letter measures approximately 14.5” x 10” unfolded. It was sent by Olphert Tittle in Naples to Olphert Tittle (his father) in Beverly, Massachusetts. The letter is dated “March 11th 1810,” and its salutation begins “Honor’d Mother.” It bears a weak red strike of..... More about Letter from a U. S. mariner held captive in Naples after his ship was captured and condemned...
Fort Direction (Macon), Georgia to Greensboro, Alabama: March 25, 1865. Envelope or Cover. This three-page letter was sent by Lanier to Waller just one week before the fall of Richmond and two weeks before Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Its envelope is annotated on the front “Paid on the other side,”..... More about A mysterious, tongue-in-cheek letter from an Alabama Cavalry Sergeant to an Alabama Infantry...
New York City: 1863. Unbound. These checks measure approximately 8” x 3.75”. Both are printed in blue and have official red overprints reading, “Riot Damages.” Both were drawn on the County Treasury account at the Broadway Bank, one for $25 and one for $914. Both were signed by Opdyke with... More about Two New York City checks reimbursing property owners for damages to their buildings
Shawnee, Oklahoma: 1963. Unbound. The noveltydollar bill is approximately 7.5” x 3” and features a portrait of Cooper on the reverse along with the state seal of Oklahoma and an image of the earth overprinted with “22” and 22 orbital circles. The reverse has two circular images, one of a.... More about Novelty dollar bill commemorating the Mercury space flight of Leroy Gordon Cooper, one of the...
[Washington, 1850]: J. And D. Majors Lithography, New York, 1850. First Edition. Map. Approximately 21" x 28". Large and detailed. Routes and defenses printed in red and blue. Creased where originally folded with a few splits, some mended with tape on the reverse. Rough margins at upper left corner. Light... More about Map of the Valley of Mexico with a Plan of the Defences of the Capital and the Line of Operations...
Washington, DC: 1861-1863. Unbound. Six letters to family members at home, four from 1861 and two from 1863. One of the letters has its original envelope. All of the letters are complete except one that is missing its final page. The handwriting is legible. Three of the letters are written... More about Collection of six Civil War letters from a soldier who served from April of 1861 until he was...
Mostly 1917. Unbound. The collection consists of: 1) A carbon copy of the Commanding Officer’s (Lieutenant A. S Carpenter) report, “Engagement with, and destruction of German Submarine S.M.U-58,” 17 November, 1917. 10 pages. Includes A) a hand-drawn chart of the engagement and a list of German prisoners and deceased. B)..... More about Small archive of material related to the only capture and destruction of a German U-Boat during...
Various locations: 1863-1867. Unbound. Four letters and one stereoview. The first two letters are from Cooper to his family, one of which cautions against allowing a younger brother to become prey to full-grown seamen by joining the navy. The third is a manuscript copy of an official letter (with secretarial... More about Small collection of letters pertaining to a Civil War naval officer who became a faculty member...
Greenpoint (Brooklyn), New York: 1861. This 3-page letter and endorsement measure approximately 8” x 9”. It was apparently delivered by courier between Rowland’s Continental Iron Works and the Providence Tool and Armory Company, which employed both Borden and Andrews, as there are no postal markings. The letter has two horizontal..... More about Correspondence between Thomas F. Rowland, Colonel William Borden, and J.B. Andrews regarding the...
Camp Nelson, Kentucky to Worcester, Massachusetts: December 28, 1863. Unbound. This two-page letter is dated “Dec. 28th/1863”. Its envelope is franked with a 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #65) tied to the cover with a circular, black “Camp Nelson, KY.” postmark dated “DEC 29” and a neat slash of black ink..... More about A risqué letter to a married woman from a white Union soldier (presumably from her husband), who...
New York: Francis P. Harper, 1901. First Edition, Limited. Hard Cover. 12mo. 10 volume first printing set limited to 250 copies. Each volume is in red cloth with gilt lettering and uncut pages. Tight bindings with sound hinges. Clean pages with occasional finger smudges or pencil annotations. Some minor wear... More about The Algonquian Series (10 volumes
London: D. Henry and R. Cave, 1754. Newspaper. 8vo. Four-page article within the entire June edition of The Gentleman's Magazine. Tight binding with clean pages. Very light wear. Removed from a bound volume. A scarce and important account providing one of the earliest descriptions of 21-year old Major George Washington's... More about Account of a Journey from Williamsburg to the French Fort, Near the Lake Erie, in Virginia
Canon City, Colorado: 1916. Letter. The letter is written on United States Post Office stationery from a man named Allen, probably a post worker, and addressed to a friend named Lewis. Although no envelope accompanies the letter, its first page is postmarked, Canon City Colo. / M.O.B (Money Order Business)... More about 12-page Letter from Canon City, Colorado to North Adams, Massachusetts referencing the Colorado...
Unidentified: Unidentified, [1864]. Unbound. Unidentified place, publisher, and year, but probably somewhere in Ohio shortly after the Presidential election of 1864. The small broadside measures 6.5” x 9” and features a large image of a balloon ascension. The thin, fragile paper has been expertly backed with silk tissue. It is... More about Satirical “Salt River” type handbill advertising a probably fictional “Freedom of...
