University Archives August 7, 2024 Sale Now Online!

U.S. Presidential

Lot 116 is a lengthy 19pp speech draft prepared by President Ronald Reagan, comprised of 4pp of holograph notes, and 15pp of heavily corrected and annotated typed notes, ca. July 3, 1981. In this speech draft to be delivered at an upcoming fundraising event for Illinois Governor James “Big Jim” Thompson, Reagan discusses the historical origins of the formation of the Grand Old Party in the 1850s, referencing Abraham Lincoln twice, and slavery twice, in the context of Republicans’ championing the core values of “liberty and freedom.”

Lot 30 is a super rare albumen photograph of President James A. Garfield delivering his inaugural address at the U.S. Capitol on March 4, 1881, signed and inscribed by him on the original photo mat just one week after the event. Garfield autographed items as President are extremely coveted because he was assassinated a mere six months into office.

Lot 71 is a 2pp autograph letter signed by Lee Harvey Oswald dated November 30, 1961, less than two years before the Kennedy assassination, while Oswald was still self-exiled in the Soviet Union. The letter addressed to his older brother Robert Oswald discusses Lee’s attempts to secure Soviet exit visas and was submitted as evidence to the Warren Commission. In a moment of homesickness, Lee asks Robert to send him an American football and play diagrams so that his Russian friends can learn “a little bit of American sport.”

Science

Lot 541 is a 1p autograph letter in German signed by Albert Einstein, dated October 9, 1937, and addressed to fellow physicist Cornelius Lanczos. The letter features about 100 words in Einstein’s hand as well as around six mathematical formulae including two instances of Rik = 0, Einstein’s second-most famous equation after E = MC2, found in the second and last paragraphs. In the letter, Einstein explores the theory of general relativity using elements of tensor calculus.

Lot 548 is the PSA/DNA certified authentic signature of Sir Isaac Newton as “Mr. Newton,” handwritten in an undated document relating to the mathematician’s family tree.

Lot 355 is a World War II collector’s dream: an album of postal covers and photographs signed by all 12 Enola Gay crew members, 12 of 13 Bockscar crew members (with the missing signer elsewhere represented in the lot), and numerous Manhattan Project administrators and scientists. The commemorative album was assembled on the 50th anniversary of the 509th Composite Group’s deployment of the atomic bomb.

Americana

Lot 521 is a 2pp autograph letter signed by Davy Crockett, then a U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, dated April 9, 1834, and addressed to a Maine publisher. Crockett, who was once a booster of Andrew Jackson, now criticized the president’s flagrant executive overreach. Crockett wrote in part: “… Andrew Jackson shall Wield both sword and purse. His will is to be the law of the land. If this is what is called republicanism, good God deliver us from all such doctrines.”

Lot 518 is a printed military Special Order from New Orleans dated July 21, 1865, amended and signed by Major General George A. Custer as “GA Custer / Maj Genl.” From his post at 2nd Division Cavalry Headquarters on September 18, 1864, Custer indicated an officer change in Company E.

World Leaders

Lot 482 is a Schutz-Pass, or protective passport, issued by the “Swedish Schindler” Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish Legation official who saved tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews from Nazi concentration and death camps during World War II. This document issued on September 22, 1944 in Budapest, Hungary extended honorary Swedish citizenship protections to an unmarried Hungarian Jewish girl named Zsuzsanna Steiner.

Lot 458 is a 1p autograph letter in Gujarati signed by Mohandas Gandhi as “Bapu,” dated August 27, 1941, and addressed to his friend Natwaral Jasani. In the postcard message, Gandhi alludes to the Indo-Burma Immigration Agreement, a British colonial policy sharply restricting border crossings, which had been issued a few days earlier, on August 24, 1941. Gandhi disapproved of the legislation because he believed it placed an unfair economic burden on Indian day laborers. He wrote, translated in part: “I think the people's message won't be reached here. You must have read about my statement.”

Sports

Lot 555 is an official NBA Game-played basketball signed by 14 team members of the 1995 Chicago Bulls, including Head Coach Phil Jackson, and small forward Scottie Pippen, both Hall of Famers. The ball is accompanied by provenance material relating to its original presentation as a thank-you gift, as well as JSA LOAs.

Lot 567 is a vintage photograph showing Babe Ruth with a U.S. Marines one-star general, signed and dedicated by the slugger to the 4th Marine Regiment. The photograph is probably World War II-dated and related to fundraising efforts. Ruth participated in various baseball charity events in 1942 and 1943. The 4th Marine Division mobilized in 1943 and fought in the Pacific Theatre.

These are just a few of the unique lots that will be offered in our August 7, 2024 sale.

We hope to see you there!