WILLIAM F. CODY Autograph letter to General Nelson Miles (1896), introducing a friend, signed "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody" ALS: "Your old Scout/W.F. Cody", 1 page, 6x9½. New Hampshire House, New York, 1896 January 29. To General Nelson A. Miles, Washington, D.C. In full: "Please permit me to introduce Mr. J.L. Cunningham and (sic, an) old personal friend who wishes to speak to you. If you will give him a hearing. You will greatly oblige." Both NELSON MILES and BILL CODY overlapped in their time of military service during the western campaigns against the Indians. Cody was Chief Scout for the 5th Cavalry and Miles commanded the 5th Infantry. They served under Philip Sheridan. In 1896, the year of this letter, Cody's Wild West Show was extensively touring and he was also developing his land in Cody, Wyoming; while Miles was Commander in Chief of the Army. Great associations, worthy of further research. Lightly creased. ¾-inch separation at upper left blank horizontal fold. 2-inch separation at lower left horizontal fold touches 1 word (all intact).

W. C. FIELDS Three-page autograph letter to his mistress Carlotta Monti, signed by Fields as "Continental Claude", calling Hitler "full of mierda" and confiding, "like the three monkeys I see nothing, know nothing, and won't drink anything 'cept Beer." Autograph Letter signed: "Continental Claude", 3 pages, 8½x11. Bel Air, Labor Day. To "Katrinka & Claudia". ["Katrinka" was Fields' pet name for Carlotta Monti.] In full: "I suppose you are wondering why you have not received your packard as yet. And telling your friends I am not a man of my word. Give me time and I can explain anything. Practically all nations will be in the war by the time this missive arrives. But you, unfortunately for yourself contended the whole world would be at war. It was then I accepted your wager 'I'll bet you the whole world will be at war by 1940. If not you give me a packard.' It was a bet made in all fairness. I forget what I was to receive had you lost. However all is fair in something or other and war. I will pay off if it becomes real serious. I firmly believe it will be of short duration, in which case you will receive a small packard.

W. C. FIELDSAgreement with the J. Walter Thompson advertising firm setting strict rules for Fields' script for a radio broadcast, co-signed by producer and ad executive Norman Blackburn Document signed: "W. C. Fields", "Norman Blackburn", 1 page, 8¾x14. Hollywood, California, 1946 March 13. Agreement with the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency, acting as agent for Standard Brands, Inc., governing Fields' forthcoming appearance on the Chase and Sanborn radio program, March 24, 1946. The agreement stipulates that Fields must adhere strictly to a script approved in advance by the firm and by Fields himself, and that Fields shall not "improvise, extemporize or use unapproved material." It further stipulates that Fields shall be held blameless from any claims for "slander, libel, copyright infringement, etc." arising from the program. Fields is to receive $3,500 for his performance. W.C. FIELDS (1879-1946) began entertaining as an amusement park juggler at the age of fourteen. He was a vaudeville headliner before he was twenty and toured Europe in 1901, giving a command performance at Buckingham Palace.

JAMES DEANEver wonder what a 1950s icon looked like in high school? Ever wonder if he really was a "Rebel Without a Cause"? This incredibly rare piece is a 1948 yearbook from Fairmount High School in Fairmount, Indiana, signed "Jim Dean" in blue ink shows the budding actor as a basketball player. Also signed by Dean's friends, coaches and teachers. Comes in an 11¼x14½x2¼ black-and-gold-colored frame with bio plate. Signed pieces from this early in Dean's life are highly desirable! Book signed "Jim Dean" on page 56 in blue ink, "Paul Weaver" in blue ink on page 11, "Adaline "Nall/Brookshire" in black ink on page 11 and "Edith Thomas" in pencil inside back cover. B/w, 68 pages with numerous signatures in black and blue ink and lead pencil, all in unknown hands, bound with two staples in gold-colored cardstock covers. Comes in an 11¼x14½x2¼ black-and-gold-colored frame with bio plate. Titled: "Black and Gold/1948". This copy of the 1948 Black and Gold yearbook for Fairmount High School of Fairmount, Indiana features a Junior class photo of a budding young James Dean, who would rise to stardom and ultimately cult status in the seven short years that followed.

BUDDY HOLLYHe has signed his handwritten answers to a high school quiz, before he changed the spelling of his name! Autograph Manuscript signed: "Buddy Holley", 1 page, 8x10¼. Sheet of two-hole loose-leaf paper from his junior high or high school days in Lubbock, Texas. No date. The second page of a test graded with red pencil. Headed: "2".In full: "22. Hidalgo/23. nitrogen-humus/24. Pecan/25. Insurance-Retail trade-/Wholesale trade-manufacturing/26. Peanuts/27. Corn-Oats/28. Mineral water and salts/29. Federal Reserve Bank/30. Fourth/31.---/32. State capitol-Texas University/33.---/34. S.M.U. Southern Methodist University/35. T.C.U. Texas Christian University/36. Bal Baylor College/37. Price University University of Houston/38.---(Houston-University of Houston)/39.---(Houston-Baylor Medical College)/40.---(Houston-Texas School of Dentistry)". Number 22 ("Hidalgo") is marked wrong. #23 "nitrogen" is underlined, "humus" is circled, and "½" is written, probably giving half credit for the answer. Numbers 31 and 33 (no answers) are marked wrong. Born in 1936 in Lubbock, Texas, as Charles Hardin Holley, he became known as "Buddy". Holley attended J.T.

W.C. FIELDS Original Prohibition-era W.C. Fields comedy sketch. Manuscript Comedy Sketch titled and signed: "One of the six best Cellars/By/W.C. Fields", 13¼p, 6x8¼, separate sheets. No place, no date. The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution went into effect on January 16, 1920. As of that date, "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited." Prohibition is the topic of this comedy sketch, One of the Six Best Cellars, which is written with a bit of satire. The phrase "six best cellars" was an expression first used in 1920 referring to the best hideaways where liquor was stored during Prohibition. The phrase was used in a "Los Angeles Herald" story on December 8, 1920 stating that actress Mabel Normand, known to be a heavy drinker, had one of the "six best cellars" of Prohibition liquor in the Hollywood film colony. Although not dated, this comedy sketch was likely written during the Prohibition era. In the early 1920s Fields wrote many comedy sketches while performing in New York's vaudeville, most notably in the Ziegfeld Follies.

BUDDY HOLLY His handwritten answers to an English test at Lubbock High School, 1953 Autograph Manuscript signed: "Buddy Holley", 1p, 8x10½. Lubbock (Texas), 1953 March 17. An English grammar test. Holly (original spelling "Holley") has headed the page,signing his name in the upper left and writing "English 22v (2)" beneath his name. At the upper right, he has penned "Lubbock High School" and the date "March 17, 1953". Headed: "Test" by Holly, the test had 40 questions; just the answers are written. Holly had to identify parts of speech ("adv", "noun", "pronoun", "conjunction") and types of sentences ("run-on", "phrase", "sub. clause"). Only one answer (the first) is marked wrong. Holly was graduated from Lubbock High School in 1955 and within a year was recording for Decca Records. He was an innovator who wrote his own material and was among the first to use such advanced studio techniques as double-tracking. Holly pioneered and popularized the now-standard rock-band lineup of two guitars, bass and drums. He began experimenting with orchestration shortly before his death in 1959. His first song recorded with the Crickets in 1957 was "That'll Be the Day". "Peggy Sue" followed.

FOR THE VICTOR TALKING MACHINE COMPANY'S RECORDING OF HIS 1929 PERFORMANCE OF AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, GERSHWIN RECEIVES ROYALTIES OF ONE CENT PER RECORD SOLD!   GEORGE GERSHWIN. Typed Document Signed: "George Gershwin", 1p, 8x10. No place, 1929 November 1.Headed:"Victor Talking Machine Company/Statement of Royalty Due on Selections by/George Gershwin". The statement is titled: "Sold by the Victor Talking Machine Company for period ending Sept. 30, 1929". Two different records were sold: An American in Paris - Parts 1 and 2 (8331 copies), $83.31 royalty and An American in Paris - Parts 3 and 4 (8327 copies), $83.27 royalty. Total: $166.58 royalty. Gershwin was paid royalties of a penny per copy! He has signed beneath this statement: "I accept the above statement of my royalty account for records of my performance in accordance with my contract dated March 13, 1929 and acknowledge the receipt of the amount for the period shown on said statement in full and final settlement of said account." An American in Paris, inspired by Gershwin's time spent in the French capital, was a groundbreaking symphonic

ANTONIN DVORAKA signed autograph note on a postcard, giving instructions to a music publisher in London, addressed in his hand and mailed from Prague in 1892. Both sides of the postcard can be viewed in the frame! Autograph Note Signed with two musical quotes: "A. Dvorak" in English, 5½x3¾. On verso of stamped postcard addressed by Dvorak to: "Novello & Ewer/ 1 Berners Street/London", postmarked Prague, March 24, 1892. In full: "I have no objection to it, when the two bars notes the Viola [c note] page 291. 207 are to be omitted and given to the Cello [two bars, two notes]". Czech composer Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) isbest known for his symphony in E minor, From the New World,composed in 1893. He is also noted for success in adapting folk music to serious romantic music. Dvorak was the Director of The National Conservatory of Music from 1892-1895. Note side is soiled, worn torn edges (all intact). Corners torn away affecting some writing and 1 musical quote. Address side is soiled and worn, edge flaws are framed over. Light stains. Framed in the Gallery of History style: 36¾x22¼.