Description:

Ulysses Grant
n.p., ca. 1881
U.S. Grant, John Jay, & 46 More Notables Sign a Pair of Hand Colored Sanitary Com. Cards For Civil War Doc!
Signed card

Two hand colored and illustrated cards produced for Dr. Cornelius Agnew of the U.S. Sanitary Commission. 2p, each measuring 5.25" x 4.25", no place, no date [possibly 1881]. Featuring two lovely illustrations on recto, each bearing the ornately drawn name of "Dr. Agnew". Expected age toning and light surface soiling present throughout. Areas of minor wear at corners. Autographs remain clear and legible.

There is docketing present in lower right corner of both cards which suggests that the cards were produced by Tiffany & Co.

Includes the signatures of Ulysses S. Grant as "U.S. Grant" (7th from the top of first card on the lefthand side); John Jay, lawyer and politician under Grant (9th from top left of the first card and 2nd from top right of the other); Cornelius Rea Agnew as "C.R. Agnew" (lower right corner of first card, dated February 21, 1881 and 1st name at top left of the other); plus many more worthy of further research.

Cornelius Rea Agnew (1830-1888) was an American surgeon most known for a series of papers relating to the eye and ear. He began his practice in 1854, and was soon appointed surgeon to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary from 1855 to 1864. Simultaneously, Agnew would be nominated as surgeon-general of the state of New York in 1858, and during the Civil War served as a medical director of the New York Volunteer Hospital, treating wounded soldiers from the Union Army. It was during this time when Dr. Agnew joined the United States Sanitary Commission (USSC), whose mission was to support sick and wounded Union soldiers.

The Commission operated across the Northern United States, raising an estimated $25 million dollars in relief funds and enlisting thousands of volunteers to support the war effort. Indeed, the demands of the war soon required more frequent decision-making, leading to the creation of a Standing Committee which met on a near-daily basis in New York City. This Standing Committee initially consisted of five commissioners who retained their position for the entire war, including Agnew and other notable doctors of the period. After the war, the USSC volunteers continued to work with Union Army veterans to secure their bounties, back pay, and apply for pensions.

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: 5.25" x 4.25"
  • Medium: Signed card

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April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
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