SAMUEL F.B. MORSE His signed, handwritten letter to telegraphic expert Robert Sabine (1868), insisting that he be given journal space to refute "Hamel's calumnious paper read before the Society of Arts". ALS: "Saml F.B. Morse, 3 pages, 5x8. Po'keepsie, N.York, 1868 August 8. The inventor of the Morse Code who established a telegraph line between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore in 1844 writes to Robert Sabine, Westminster, London. In full: "I began a letter to you on the 18th July in reply to your valuable letter of the 18th of June. I have had so many interruptions since my return that I must defer its completion, until I have finished by Report as Commissioner for my Government. I write now simply to acknowledge your kindness and to thank you for your courtesy, and to promise you at no very distant day the finished letter on Hamel's calumnious paper read before the Society of Arts. The part in which he refers to me, requires a thorough exposure. I do not ask to have it published entire, but I do ask that it be read to the Society, and that it be recorded in their proceedings, with such remarks of their own as their sense of justice may prompt after a proper examination of the case read more...

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN and JAMES TRIMBLE As President of Pennsylvania (1786), the Founding Father of the United States signed this pay warrant for the Council door keeper Manuscript DS: "B Franklin Presdt." as President of Pennsylvania and "James Trimble", 1 page, 7½x4¾. Pay Warrant for Frederick Sneider "For his attendance as Door keeper to Council from the first until the twenty eighth day of February 1786 - 28 days - at 10pr - £ 14..0..0" All in the hand of Trimble who has signed next to the word "Examined". Autograph Docket signed: "J. Trimble" on verso. In full: "Frederick Sneiders/accounts/Read in Council/Febry 28th 1786/approved and an order/drawn". During the American Revolution, FREDERICK SNEIDER was in the Sixth Company of the 2nd Battalion Pennsylvania Militia. When Timothy Matlack (engrosser of the Declaration of Independence) became Secretary of the Commonwealth on March 6, 1777, JAMES TRIMBLE was appointed Deputy Secretary, or Assistant Secretary of the Supreme Executive Council. Alexander J. read more...

JOHN HANCOCK, JOHN AVERY and MOSES GILL Massachusetts' Governor, Secretary of State and future Acting Governor sign a document appointing a Revolutionary War veteran as a Bristol County Justice of the Peace (1781). Partly Printed DS: "John Hancock" as Governor of Massachusetts, 1 page, 11¾x18¾. Boston, 1781 March 27. Countersigned: "John Avery Secy". Appointment of "Elisha May Esq. of Attleborough to be one of the Justices to keep the Peace in the County of Bristol…for the term of seven Years…And to keep and cause to be kept, the Laws and Ordinances made for the Quiet, Rule and Government of the People in the said County…and to chastise and punish all Persons offending against the Form of those Laws and Ordinances…and to cause to come before the said Elisha May Esq all those that shall break the Peace, or attempt any Thing against the same…." On verso is a Manuscript DS: "W. Spooner" read more...

HORACE SMITH and DANIEL B. WESSON Extremely rare document bearing the signatures of both of the legendary firearms manufacturers: a certification of stock in their Springfield and New London Rail Road Company, used in the transport of their weapons to the port of New York. The document, also signed by the other Directors and Officers of the Railroad, has been framed with an antique Smith and Wesson top break revolver to an overall size of 15¼x24! Document signed: "Horace Smith", "D. B. Wesson", 1 page (lightly lined), 6¾x9¼. Springfield, Massachusetts, 1874 December 8. Also signed by directors "Willis Phelps", "Horace Kibbe", "E. A. Perkins", "William Matoon", "W. L. Wilcos", "Wm Birnie", "Virgil Perkins", "Lewis H. Taylor" and by "T. M. Dewey Clerk", "Charles Marsh Treasurer". In full: "The undersigned, Directors, Clerk & Treasurer of the Springfield & New London Rail Road Company, hereby read more...

AL WORDEN Spanish flag (6¼x4), flown to the moon on Apollo 15, signed on the yellow stripe by Command Module Pilot Worden, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, also signed by Worden Flag signed: "Flown to the Moon on Apollo 15 - Al Worden CMP", 6¼x4 red, yellow and black Spanish flag, signed on the center yellow stripe. Accompanied by Typed Letter signed: "Al Worden", 1 page, 8½x11, Certificate of authenticity dated June 18, 2010 on Apollo 15 letterhead. In full: "I hereby certify that this flag from Spain (1945-1977) included with this letter went to the moon aboard Apollo 15 in the spacecraft 'Endeavor'. It remained in the command module during the lunar orbit phase of the flight. Apollo 15 was the fourth lunar landing mission, carrying for the first time a lunar rover and a Scientific Instrument Bay in the Service Module. The flight was launched on July 26 and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on August 7, 1971, logging flight time of 295.2 hours and a distance of over 1.4 million miles. Dave Scott and Jim Irwin explored the region of Hadley Rille for three days while I conducted scientific experiments in orbit. read more...

D. W. GRIFFITH Chastened by a messy divorce from his first wife, the famed director signs a prenuptial agreement with his bride to be, Evelyn Baldwin, who has also signed here. Document signed: "David Wark Griffith", "Evelyn Baldwin", 2 pages, 8½x13. No place, 1936 March 2. In anticipation of his pending marriage to Evelyn Baldwin, Griffith irrevocably transfers to her all rights to an annuity contract with the Aetna Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, yielding annual income of $5,632.80 for the rest of her life. In exchange, Baldwin releases Griffith, along with his heirs and assigns, from any additional claims except for assets freely given to Baldwin by Griffith. The agreement is to become effective only on the consummation of the Griffith-Baldwin marriage. David Llewelyn Wark GRIFFITH (1875-1948) directed his first film in 1908, and in 1910 became the first to shoot a film in Hollywood. His Judith of Bethulia (1914) was among the first feature films, and the controversial Birth of a Nation (1915), became the first blockbuster movie hit, inspiring the movie industry that we have known since. read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE He signs a glowing (1854) autograph letter, enthusiastically recommending his former assistant Otis Wood to any prospective employer. Framed in a Gallery of History display to 36x22 ALS: "Sam. F.B. Morse," 1½ pages, 7½x9¾. Po'keepsie, 1854 February 3. To Otis E. Wood, Esq., Utica. In full: "Most happy shall I be, if by a simple letter of mine, I can render you or your worthy brothers any service. Your brother Orrin S. Wood was my first Telegraph pupil, after the first (the experimental) line was established between Washington & Baltimore. He will undoubtedly recollect my predictions at that time, for him, that having taken the enterprize at its very commencement, and made himself thus early master of all that pertained to it, he would have an experience, possessed by no other, which would enable him to command any position he might choose, not only one of usefulness but I believed also of fortune. I am gratified in believing that he has attained a position, at least of well earned competence if not of fortune, which he richly deserves for his high and honorable personal character, as well as his eminent Skill & perseverance. read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE One year before his first successful telegraph message, Morse signs an autograph letter to Treasury Secretary John Spencer, explaining that the cost of preparing the wire will be $10 more than his previous estimate. He'll still come in under budget! ALS: "Saml F.B. Morse", 1 page, 8x10. New York, 1843 May 1. To Secretary of the Treasury John C. Spencer. In full: "In my letter of the 29th ulto accompanying the contracts for the Telegraphic Wire, and the expenses of covering, I left a blank in the former which I observed was to be filled with a sum not exceeding 24 cents pr.lb. I have this moment heard from Paterson, and am enabled to fill the said blank with 22 cents. This varies the expense of Preparation of the Wire as given in my letter to the Department of 26th ulto from $1900 to $1910 - making the contracts for this part of the work of $690 less than the original estimates, instead of $700 - as therein stated." Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), a portrait painter and a founder and first President of the National Academy of Design (1826-1845, 1861), interested himself in the possibilities of a magnetic telegraph in 1832. He developed the Morse Code for use in the telegraph instrument. read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE He signs an autograph letter (1854) to Samuel Colgate requesting proxy votes from him, apparently to forestall a hostile takeover. ALS: "Saml. F.B. Morse", 1 page, 7¾x9¾. Po[ugh]'keepsie, New York, 1854 June 21. To businessman and philanthropist Samuel Colgate. In full: "Will you and your brother give me your proxies in blank as below for the next meeting of the Stockholders of the New York Albany and Buffalo Teleg Co. We wish to be prepared against an intrigue of the pirates. I will explain more fully when I see you." Beneath his letter, Morse has written the sample form he mentions. In full: "We hereby constitute [blank] to be our proxy to vote our Stock at the next annual meeting of the N. York, Albany & Buffalo Telegraph Company. New York June [blank] 1854". Note at bottom, probably by Colgate: "Ans 24 June/54...." In 1844, SAMUEL F.B. MORSE (1791-1872) had successfully sent the first telegraph message, "What hath God wrought!", from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore. In this letter, the "pirates" Morse mentions are probably Hiram Sibley and Judge Samuel L. read more...