WILLIAM F. 'BUFFALO BILL' CODY The man known for his showmanship and scouting skills signed this handwritten letter concerning his financial issues. Various close associates liquidate Cody's assets so that he can pay his creditors. Autograph Letter Signed: "W. C. Cody" one page both sides, 8.5 x 11, Chicago Shan-Kive and Round-Up letterhead. Dated September 18, 1916. Letter to his attorney Henry Hersey regarding his grim financial situation. In Part: “They can explain this situation to you better than I care for they have not kept me well footed. But if you do not hear from them, I'll write you all I know. First Link got judgement for about $11,800. And sold the Irma hotel and four lots and bid it in him self. I have until Jan. 15th 1917. In which to reclaim the property. There separately he sold the fixtures, paintings, etc - I furnished the money and had W.L. Walls bid them in for me. Then Link advertised and sold a hotel of mine called Pahaska Tepee. I furnished the money and had Walls bid that in for me.” read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY The famous Wild West showman pens a hopeful letter to his friend, stating "New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season." The letter was written during the downfall of Cody's show empire due to outside expenses draining the immense profits from his show Autograph letter signed: "Col.", 1 page, 8½x11 framed to an overall size of 25½x18½. Buffalo Bill's Wild West combined with Pawnee Bill's Great Far East. May 29, 1911. Portsmouth, [New Hampshire]. In full: "Dear Mayor Glad Light, Your letter which found me is fine health. We had two bad towns last week. Fitchburg & Newburyport. No one ever done business in either. The week hurt us at least $2000 in Lowell-sent your bank 5100 today to take up one of my notes. Been getting good deposits from the mines. Been getting in shape [illegible] or any one. I believe I'll walk a sale of the [illegible]. Note if good are doing. [illegible]. While I telegraph you for now we are all OK here-now. And barring accident we will be OK. New England was never big for me. But wait till we start west. I predict a big season. read more...

ANDREW JOHNSON Signed 12½x15¼ photo mount dated by him October 5, 1867, and containing an albumen copy (10x11½) of a photograph of Johnson as President, seated at a writing desk Photograph Mount signed: "Andrew Johnson/Washington City/Oct. 5th 1867". Sepia, matted 12½ x 15¼ overall, 10 x 11½ image (two surfaces). Signed below photo, on the mount. Johnson represented Tennessee in the U.S. House (1843-1853) and Senate (1857-1862, 1875) and served twice as that State's Governor (1853-1857, 1862-1865). His second term was as a Military Governor appointed by President Lincoln. A pro-war Democrat fiercely opposed to secession but also opposed to imposition of a stringent Reconstruction regime on the defeated South, Johnson was nominated and elected in 1864 as Lincoln's second Vice President on a National Union ticket. Following Lincoln's assassination, Johnson succeeded to the highest office for a stormy term (1865-1869) in which he was increasingly at odds with the Republican majority in Congress. He was impeached by the House read more...

JULIA WARD HOWE She signs a mount bearing a 3¾x5½ photo of herself. Photo Mount signed: "Julia Ward Howe". B/w, 4¼x6½ overall, image 3¾x5½ (two surfaces). Photo by Hardy Studios of Boston. An ardent abolitionist, suffragette and advocate of world peace, Julia Ward Howe is best known for writing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" (set to the tune of "John Brown's Body"), which was penned in 1861 after her visit to Civil War battlefields. Mount lightly creased at upper left corner. Signed photographs of Julia Ward Howe are scarce and desirable. Lightly creased at upper left corner of mount. Fine condition. read more...

ABRAHAM LINCOLN While defending a woman accused of murdering her husband (1857), the future President added six lines of text in his own hand to the written deposition of a witness. Autograph Statement unsigned at the conclusion of Manuscript Document Signed: "J.L. Springgate", 2 pages, 7¾x12¼. Woodford County, [Metamora, Illinois], c. 1845-1857. AT THE CONCLUSION, SIX LINES IN THE HAND OF LINCOLN DIRECTLY ABOVE SPRINGGATE'S SIGNATURE, NOT SIGNED BY LINCOLN WHO WROTE, IN FULL: "Re-cross examination by defendants- The morning of the sale, Laws said that he wanted to go and buy horses, and wanted Vandike to go with him and be his security, and then they both, and this witness went to the sale together (The plaintiff objects to the last piece of evidence)". The names of the plaintiff and defendants are spelled differently throughout the document. Headed: "Deposition of Witness to be used in evidence on the trial of the case now pending in the Circuit Court of Woodford County where John A. read more...

FITZ JOHN PORTER Court-martialed after Second Bull Run, the Union officer defends his actions to Robert E. Lee's biographer and tells of his long friendship with the Confederate General. Important ALS: "F.J. Porter", 3¼ p, New York, 1870 January 22. To General Robert E. Lee's former Aide-de-Camp, Colonel Charles Marshall, who at the time was in the midst of writing an autobiography of his experiences with the General: An Aide-De-Camp of Lee, Being The Papers of Colonel Charles Marshall. Marshall corresponded with many of Lee's subordinates in an effort to collect their correspondences with Lee for reference and publication in the book. Porter had known Lee since his boyhood and was "close to him" in the Mexican War and "at West Point, where for a time I [Porter] was his adjt". General Lee died just nine months after this letter. Porter writes, in full: "I have yours- and thank you. The opinions quoted in my 'data' are all from original letters - I had Genl Lee's written permission to use his letters, whenever I deemed read more...

JAMES A. GARFIELD Garfield, as President, signed the day before his 1881 assassination Right portion of a blank check signed: "J.A. Garfield", 4½x2¾. Washington, D.C., 188_. Riggs & Co. check most probably signed as President. Left edge ragged. Horizontal fold crease above signature. Otherwise, fine condition. Accompanied by: a handwritten note of provenance by S. W. Cowles, which reads, "This check was signed by Genl. Garfield at the White House in Washington, D.C. July 1st/81, the day before his assassination. It was present [sic] to me by Mrs. Lucretia R. Garfield at Mentor, Ohio, Oct. 1881." Lightly toned and soiled. Otherwise, fine condition. The fact that this check is neither filled out nor dated, coupled with the fact that we have had completed checks of the same type filled out by another and signed by Garfield, indicates that President Garfield signed blank checks that were later to be filled out. This check was probably torn in half after he died to protect it from being used by an unauthorized party or, more likely, to be given by Mrs. Garfield to admirers of her late husband requesting his autograph. Garfield (1831-1881) rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. read more...

GENERAL GEORGE ARMSTRONG CUSTER 3-page text, unsigned but entirely in his hand, explaining the rules of croquet. While it is extremely unusual to find Custer writing on a sport not directly related to his military duties, Custer, his wife Libbie, and his soldiers did entertain themselves with croquet and similar sports in idle times at their military posts. Autograph Manuscript, unsigned, 3 pages, 7½x9½. No place, no date. In full: I. In commencing to play, each player, in their proper turn, places their ball at a distance from the starting post equal to twice the length of their mallet. II. The order of the wickets is as follows. Leaving the starting post players will take the 1st wicket, then the middle wicket from left to right, then the three wickets on the right of the table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from right to left, then the wicket nearest to the turning post. Then the turning post, then the wicket nearest the turning post. Then the middle wicket from right to left. Then the three wickets in left side of table in their proper order. Then the middle wicket from left to right, then the wicket nearest starting post. III. read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY Readying his TE Ranch and stating that his Wild West Show is "doing big". ALS: "Col" with "Cody" in text, 1p, 8¼x11¼. New York, no year April 7. With an original "Buffalo Bill's/Wild West" envelope addressed by Cody to: "Mattie & Eli Jer[?]/TE Ranch/Ishawood/Big Horn Co W[yoming]." Postmarked Owensboro, KY, May 10, 1901. In 1895, Cody began moving cattle to Wyoming. He received a large herd from his friend and hunting companion, Mike Russell. The herd wore the TE brand. Thus Cody named his ranch the TE Ranch. The TE was once rated at 4600 acres, but Cody added other ranches to it and the conglomerate was considered his Big Horn Basin Holdings. He was about 50 when he bought the TE and he considered it a haven from the world. To Mattie & Eli. In full: "The wild west show doing big. Now my dear good friends-the next two months you have got lots to do-hire plenty men-to get the crops in-plow lots of new ground-get in every read more...