Lot 106

T. Roosevelt Signed Naval Appointment of Civil War Veteran, Commissioned One Year Later

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T. Roosevelt Signed Naval Appointment of Civil War Veteran, Commissioned One Year Later

Estimate: $500 - $700

Current Bid: $1,000

(18 Bids)

June 17, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
Wilton, CT, US

Description:

Theodore Roosevelt
Washington, DC, August 30, 1905
T. Roosevelt Signed Naval Appointment of Civil War Veteran, Commissioned One Year Later
Partially printed DS

A partially printed appointment signed by the President as "Theodore Roosevelt" in the lower right, and countersigned by Charles J. Bonaparte as Secretary of the Navy. 1p, measuring 16" x 19.5", Washington, D.C., August 30, 1905. The document appoints James H. Reid, "Lieutenant-Commander in the Navy from the first day of July, 1905…." Featuring a blue paper seal at the lower left. Intermittent surface toning and staining to edges, with moderate creasing throughout. Negligible loss in the upper left corner, else very good. Boldly signed.

James H. Reid (1842-1919) was a notable maritime pilot from Massachusetts, best known for being the captain of the racing yacht 'America' when it was owned by major general Benjamin Butler. During the Civil War, Reid piloted the schooner 'Coquette' to avoid a Confederate attack, and later became an employee of an independent news association competing with the Associated Press. In 1874, Reid was hired by Butler to command the refurbished ship 'America', a post he held for the next seventeen years. While he was appointed by Roosevelt to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander in the summer of 1905, Reid would not be fully commissioned until February 1906.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 16" x 19.5"
  • Medium: Partially printed DS

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000