JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER 10¼x14, Sepia photograph of the world's first billionaire shown in a suit and tie from the waist up. Photograph signed: "John D Rockefeller/May 7th 1923", Sepia, overall, 8x10 image, one surface. Merchant and businessman John D.Rockefeller, Sr. (1839-1937) established his first oil refinery in 1863 near Cleveland, Ohio. His enterprise became the largest in the region within three years; he incorporated the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in 1870 and bought out all of his major competitors by 1872. Rockefeller was a shrewd - critics claimed unscrupulous - business man - but the only legal problems he faced were anti-monopoly legislation and litigation, which he resisted through the use of holding companies. Rockefeller was the first billionaire, and the richest man of his time. Adjusted for inflation, he may have been the richest man of all time. From 1885 to 1910, he founded four philanthropic institutions, eventually contributing more than one-half billion dollars. The Rockefeller wealth, channeled through several foundations and trusts, remain major philanthropies.

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER and HENRY M. FLAGLER John D. Rockefeller and Henry M. Flagler sign stock certificate for fifty shares. Stock Certificate signed: "J.D. Rockefeller" as President, "H.M. Flagler" as Secretaryand "J.A. Bostwick" as Treasurer of the Standard Oil Trust, 1p, 11¾x7½ with 4¼x7½ receipt portion attached at left, New York, 1884 May 6. Certifying that "Martin Snider is entitled to Fifty shares in the equity to the property held by the Trustees of the Standard Oil Trust...." Each share was valued at $100. The certificate was cancelled on February 10, 1898. This bond was sold by Snider, who has signed on verso, to Strong, Sturgis & Co. in 1891. The Standard Oil Trust, created in January 1882, placed all stocks and properties of over a dozen oil companies (including Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company of Ohio) into the control of nine trustees of which Rockefeller owned over a third of the combined holdings. The trust was dissolved by court decree in 1892. The patriarch of the Rockefeller family had organized Standard Oil Co. in 1870.

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER and HENRY FLAGLERThe businessmen who retired in the same year signed this stock certificate concerning 20 shares Stock Certificate signed: "J.D. Rockefeller" as President, "H M Flagler" as Secretary and "JA Bostwick" as Treasurer, 15x7½. New York, 1883 August 10. Certificate No. 713 certifying "that Walter B. Mossman is entitled to Twenty Shares in the equity to the property held by the Trustees of the Standard Oil Trust...." Original transfer certificate, dated 1892 April 9, affixed ?. Each share was valued at $100. Vignette of the U.S. Capitol building at top center, giving the shareholder the false impression that the U.S. government had something to do with the Trust. John D. Rockefeller and Henry M. Flagler, as President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, signed this 10-share certificate of the Standard Oil Trust in 1883, the year following the formation of this, the first industrial monopoly in U.S. history.

CHAIM WEIZMANN Typed letter in Hebrew, signed as President of Israel, thanking a retiring Cabinet Minister, "my friend and dear teacher" Yehuda Leib Fishman (Maimon). TLS: "Chaim Weizmann" in Hebrew as President of Israel, 1 page, 6½x8¾. No place, 1951 October 8. On letterhead of the State of Israel to the Honorable Rabbi Yehuda Leib Fishman (Maimon). In Hebrew, translated. In full: "It is not a parable to tell you your honor, my friend and dear teacher, that I have the privilege to work with you for more than 20 years, and I recognize and respect your actions for more than 40 years. Today, when you leave the table of government, I tell you what is in my heart. I don't know anyone from the senior office of the Zionist Movement that awakens in me more honor in his beliefs than you." A carbon copy of this letter was sent to Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. Russian-born chemist and Zionist CHAIM WEIZMANN (1874-1952) was President of the World Zionist

CHAIM WEIZMANN and OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERSSupporters of the Melchett Memorial Fund signed this letter to the editor of The Times in 1933 Typed Letter Signed: “Percy W. Greenaway”, “R. Blumenfeld”, “Mount Temple”, “G. Midlowsky”, “Ch. Higham”, “H. Austin”, “Ebbisham”, “H. C. Nathan”, "Barnett Janner”, “W. J. O'Donovan M.D. M.P.”, "C. Weizmann", “Ethel Snowden”, “Hugo Hirst”, “H. Newman” and one unidentified. Two pages. 7½x9¾. London, E. 1. Christian Street. Dated March 21, 1933. On imprinted letterhead to The Editor, The Times, E.C.. In full: "We should feel indebted if you will through your columns afford us the opportunity of informing the public and those of your readers who knew the late Lord Melchett and the many kind things he did during his life, that it is proposed to raise a Fund to establish a Memorial to him. This will be of a living nature since it is the intention of endowing the Commercial Road Talmud Torah, an institution which was so near to his heart.

VOLTAIRE Signed letter from Paris written just weeks before his death in 1778, fearing that hypocritical priests will deny him a church burial. The letter, written in fine French (fully translated here) in a beautiful hand to the Count of Rochefort, shows that the sage had lost none of his mental acuity Letter signed: "V", 2 pages (integral leaf) 4½x7 folded, 9x7 open flat. Paris, 1778 April 16. To the Comte de Rochefort. In French, fully translated: "I must apologize for having written so formally to Madame Dix-Neuf Ans ["Nineteen Years"]. I apologize for taking so long to thank you for your pleasant letter, sir, but I have had lately a very violent fever, following two fatal illnesses from which I escaped. I think that Monsieur the Abbey of Beauregard, preacher of Versailles, so-called former Jesuit, would willingly refuse me a burial, which is very unfair, because they say that I would not ask for more than to bury him; and he owes me, it seems, the same courtesy. I do not think whatsoever that the master and mistress of the house mocked this abbey of Beauregard.