Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania: Dr. B. Clark, 1869. Unbound. This advertising packet for Dr. B. Clark’s Chronic Disease medicine includes a four-page advertising brochure (9” x 12”), a one-page manuscript instruction (8” x 10”) for preparing the “medicine,” a small printed prescription guide (3” x 3.5”), an apparently autographed advertisement for..... More about Quack medicine advertising packet for Dr. Clark, Professor of Anatomical Pathology, and his...

Alexandria, Egypt: Letter, 1892. Letter. Letter from General F. Walker to the British Consul-General in Egypt (Lord Cromer, Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of Cromer) regarding the construction of buildings for the garrison at Ramleh. At the time F. Walker was the Commanding General of the British Army in Egypt following... More about Autograph Signed Letter to Lord Cormer - Headquarters, British Army of Occupation in Egypt

Monroe, Michigan to Detroit: 1878. Envelope or Cover. 1-cent Liberty head postal card (Scott #UX5) posted in Monroe, Michigan to Detroit. The card is illustrated on the reverse with an especially fine calligraphic drawing of a dove. The surrounding text is in German and wishes the recipient luck on her... More about A wonderful calligraphic birthday greeting on the reverse of a U.S. postal card in German...

San Francisco to Cette (today Sète), France: 1869. This three-page folded letter, in French, measures 16.5” x 10.5” unfolded. It is dated “Sn Francisco le 7 Yuillet 1869” and franked with a 15-cent black Lincoln stamp (Scott #77) canceled with a ‘fancy’ black circle-of-wedges. Three postmarks are on the front..... More about Letter from a French ship captain in San Francisco to a wine wholesaler in Southern France...

London to Boston: 1807. Envelope or Cover. This two-page stampless folded letter measures 14.5” x 9”. It is datelined “London 7th Jany. 1807 with a manuscript annotation, “per Enterprise via New York” in the lower left corner. There is “36” rate marking along with a circular postmark in red that..... More about Stampless folded letter sent from London to merchants in Boston with a handstamp advertising...

Kinderhook, New York to Boxford, Massachusetts: 1839. Unbound. The cover bears a scarce 31mm red circular Kinderhook post mark dated March 2 and a manuscript “18¾” postage rate showing the cost to send a letter between 150 and 400 miles. In nice shape with a 4” split to one mailing... More about Affectionate friendship letter from a rural New York woman to a dear childhood friend in eastern...

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...

Washington, D.C. 1944. Unbound. A small collection of J. Edgar Hoover autographed typed letters and other documents relating to the employment of a clerk-typist at the FBI in 1944-1945. The collection includes: Two typewritten letters to the applicant, both signed by Hoover in ink, A file copy of a memorandum... More about J. Edgar Hoover Autograph Letters and More

New Philadelphia, Ohio: 1862. Unbound. This two-page letter, written by Hyatt Frost of Van Amburgh’s Circus, discusses financial matters related to the Frost family farm in Harrisburg, Indiana, and Hyatt’s brother Eli, who also—on occasion—worked for the Van Amburgh show. The letter is enclosed in a Van Amburgh..... More about ADVERTISING ENVELOPE FOR VAN AMBURGH’S MAMMOTH MENAGERIE AND GREAT MORAL EXHIBITION WITH A...

On board the Euterpe: January 5, 1865. 1865. Unbound. Lightly soiled with some doodling at the upper corner of the first page. In this letter, Goddard expresses heartfelt sorrow to “Eva” that he would not be able to take leave for a visit. The reason he explains as follows... More about A LOVE LETTER FROM A WHITE OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE ALL-AFRICAN-AMERICAN 25TH CORPS AS IT SAILED...

Tallahassee: 1848. Unbound. This one-page folded letter measures 15.5” x 10” unfolded. It is dated “January the 16th, 1848.” The cover bears a green “Free” handstamp indicting no postage was required as it was addressed to a U.S. Senator. It is postmarked with a green circular Tallassee handstamp dated January..... More about RECOMMENDATION FOR A FLORIDA PHYSICIAN AND PLANTATION OWNER TO RECEIVE A FEDERAL COMMISSION AS A...

Salem, Virginia: May 24, 1861. Envelope or Cover. This letter was mailed using a U.S. 3-cent Nesbitt (Scott #U10) envelope on May 24, 1861, after Virginia had joined the Confederacy. As such it should have been rejected by the Confederate postal authorities. The letter is datelined, Salem May 24, 1861... More about The only known U.S. postal envelope mailed through the Confederate post office at Salem Virginia;...

Mohawk, New York: circa 1857. Unbound. This envelope features a hand-drawn pen illustration of a young man trudging along a road and pushing a wheel-barrow with a large crate addressed to “James Johnson, Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, N.Y.” It is franked with a 3-cent, plum or deep claret, Type III..... More about HUMOROUS LETTER TO A STUDENT AT THE CLINTON LIBERAL INSTITUTE FEATURING A DRAWING OF HIM...