ADOLF HITLER and OTTO MEISSNER The Führer signs a typed order bestowing awards for "rescuing humans from mortal danger." Interesting Typed DS: "Af Hitler" as Führer and "Meissner" as Head of the Presidential Chancery and State Minister, 15 pages, 8¼x12. Führer Headquarters, 1944 April 30. In German with partial translation. Exactly one year before his death, Hitler issues a list of persons "to be rewarded with medals for rescuing humans from mortal danger". He orders "the bestowal letters of rescue medals on a ribbon are to be made out under today's date with a facsimile of my signature" for 11 listed numbers. The description of the rescue is listed next to the person's name. Those rescues where "the rescuer's life was not in any particular danger" received lower class medals than the others. Rescues include: "Walter Stallbaum saved a woman, age 40, from drowning in the Mulde river (depth 2.5m) near Pouch, District of Bitterfeld. The rescuer, who is a disabled veteran, had to swim a distance of 50m with the victim against strong current"... read more...

ADOLF HITLER and ALBERT SPEER Original architectural drawing by Der Führer, with a signed authentication by his chief architect and armaments minister, illustrating Hitler's vision for Linz as the cultural capital of the Third Reich. Comprises: (1) Original drawing by Adolf Hitler, 11¾x8¼, blue lined page affixed to 12¼x9 sheet. Unsigned but published sketch, in pencil, of the Halls of Columns of the Linz Opera, numbered "8" in an unknown hand in upper right corner. Glue stains at edges. Fine condition. (2) Typed DS: "Albert/Speer" in English, 1 page, 5¾x8¼ affixed to 7¾x10¼ sheet. Heidelburg, 1979 January 3. In full: "I declare that this sketch was made by Adolf Hitler in my presence at the Obersalzberg in July 1940. Sketch for crowning the Hall of Columns of the Linz Opera. The crown was to consist of sculptures, arranged in the pattern of the columns. Below, suggestion for stylized Ionian capitals. Further right, decorated wallpanels, behind which box office and stairs were situated. read more...

ANDREW JACKSON As President, he signs an 1829 autograph letter to a Tennessee neighbor, explaining that he has neither the desire nor the financial means to purchase an offered parcel of land adjacent to his own. Autograph Letter Signed: "Andrew Jackson" as President, 1 page, 8x10. Washington, 1829 September 3. To Captain Peter Mosely. In full: "Being absent from this city at the Rip Raps for the benefit of my health I did not receive your letter until my return on the first instant and I hasten to answer it the first leisure moment that has occurred. I regret to say to you, that my monied concerns are not in a situation to purchase your land, I am sorry to be compelled to say to you, that my expense is equal to all my means, & it is out of my power to loan you the sum wanted. The land you propose selling; that part where McCulla lived, would not suit me; If I had the means to buy, I would buy that north of my tract, say 150 acres at a fair price, but as yet, I have not the means. read more...

OMAR BRADLEY A bound copy of his Memorial Day Address (1948), inscribed and signed to his longtime secretary, Mary Pitcairn, by America's last five-star general Speech inscribed and signed: "To Miss Mary Pitcairn/With appreciation for/your loyal and/untiring assistance/Omar N. Bradley", 5p, 6x9. Leather-bound, soft cover copy of his Memorial Day Address, titled "That We Might Learn to Live as Bravely as They Died", Longmeadow, Massachusetts, 1948. Inscribed and signed on third free end page. Omar N. Bradley (1893-1981), a corps commander in North Africa and Sicily (1943), commanded of the U.S. First Army, which landed at Utah and Omaha beaches, Normandy, on D-Day, June 6, 1944. In August 1944, he became the Commander of the 12th Army Group, the largest force ever commanded on the field. He headed the new Veterans Administration (1945-1948). On September 20, 1950, Bradley was promoted to Five-Star General of the Army, and would be the last surviving general of 5-star rank. From 1950 to 1953, he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Lacking the arrogance and ostentation of some other generals, Bradley became known as "the soldier's general. read more...

THE FORMER UNION OFFICER IS SUPPORTED BY CONFEDERATE OFFICERS AS HE FIGHTS TO CLEAR HIS NAME   FITZ JOHN PORTER. ALS: "F.J. Porter", 4p, 5x7¾. New York, 1882 January 24. To Colonel Charles Marshall, Baltimore, Maryland. Begins: "My dear Colonel". In full: "I Thank you warmly for your full reply to my letter - I knew or believed that no written messages had passed between Longstreet & Gen Lee to the effect I wrote you - but Longstreet had testified to that effect before the Board. had written it years before. and Col. W.M Owens of New Orleans. had without confering (sic) with Longstreet. stated he heard Gen Lee about 1. PM. tell Longstreet to advance. & Longstreets reply that he wanted to hear from Stuart of the force coming up on this right - and So I took it for granted it was so. I am glad to have the details you give. That Genl Lee had a contempt for Genl Pope and justly I never doubted. He knew Pope. I don't think that any grounds could have induced him to make the moves he did. unless he was vastly superior in numbers to Pope and knew Pope would not be reinforced in time to save him. read more...

WILLIAM F. CODY: BUFFALO BILL 4¼x6½ cabinet card photo, signed both as W.F. Cody and as Buffalo Bill Cabinet Card Photograph signed: "W.F. Cody/'Buffalo Bill'". B/w, 4¼x6½. Superb portrait of William F. Cody with his desirable double signature. Photographer's imprint, "Gessford/238 Fifth Ave./N.Y.", at lower mount. William Frederick Cody (1846-1917) was a rider for the Pony Express in 1860, a scout for the Kansas Cavalry against the Indians (1863) and served in the U.S. Army in the Civil War (1863-1865). From 1867-1868, he furnished buffalo meat for the Union Pacific Railroad construction crews, earning his nickname, "Buffalo Bill". Cody was a scout for the 5th U.S. Cavalry from 1868-1872 and in 1876. From 1872-1883, he was on stage as an actor at first in E.Z.C. Judson's play, Scouts of the Plains. He organized Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in 1883 and toured the United States and Europe successfully for over 30 years. Fine condition. read more...

AS CASTRO MOVES TO EMBRACE COMMUNISM, HE ACCEPTS THE RESIGNATION OF A FUTURE CRITIC UNWILLING TO FOLLOW THIS COURSE. FIDEL CASTRO and OSVALDO DORTICÓS. Document signed: "Fidel Castro" as Prime Minister, "Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado" as President, 1p, 8½x12¾. Havana, Cuba, 1960 January 22. In Spanish. Presidential Decree No. 2358, accepting the resignation of Dr. Julio Garceran de Vall y Souza, administrator of laws for the Supreme Justice Court. Also signed by the Minister of Justice. Impressed with official seals of office over each signature. On January 1, 1959, Cuban President Fulgencio Batista fled the country, and FIDEL CASTRO, who had led a guerrilla struggle against the former leader, took over as Premier. He would hold this title he until 1976, when he became President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers. Although Castro's Marxist-Leninist principles and alignment with the former Soviet Union isolated Cuba in the Western Hemisphere and antagonized the United States, his regime has outlasted its former Soviet patron. read more...

THEODORE ROOSEVELT This typed 1911 letter, addressed to a New York newspaper, contains numerous corrections in Roosevelt's hand. It's a scathing letter regarding a court decision and the newspaper's support for that decision - a decision that Roosevelt said violated one of the core philosophies of the Republican Party. This was written one year before Roosevelt tried to wrest the Republican presidential nomination from William Howard Taft - and, failing that, embarked on a third-party run under the Progressive banner. Public figures rarely commit such strong sentiments to writing, which makes this letter especially rare and significant. Superb content draft Typed Letter, heavily corrected with 216 words in Roosevelt's hand, not signed, on his personal letterhead, "The Outlook", "Office of Theodore Roosevelt", 2p, 7¾x9½, separate sheets. New York, May 30, 1911. To Mr. C.H. Betts, The Lyons Republican, 41 Williams Street, Lyons, N ew York. Most probably the final draft. In part: "Really it is hard to believe that read more...

FUTURE CONFEDERATE PRESIDENT WRITES TO FUTURE CONFEDERATE OFFICER ABOUT THE STAFFING OF THE ARMORY AT HARPER'S FERRY, WHICH WAS RAIDED THREE YEARS LATER BY JOHN BROWN. JEFFERSON DAVIS. Manuscript LS: "Jeffn Davis" as Secretary of War, 2p, 7½x9¼ front and verso. War Department, (Washington), 1856 January 17. TO HON. C. J. FAULKNER. In full: "I find an unexpected delay has occurred in the completion of the new models; but have assurance that they will be finished this week, so as to be ready for inspection at the beginning of next week when those designed for Harper's Ferry will be sent thither after which we shall be able to resume full work at that Armory. That class of community who have been for a time suspended from employment will I hope then be relieved from this embarrassment to which you have called my attention. As to the number of clerks required at Harper's read more...