JULES MASSENET He has signed these autograph music and lyrics, the last four measures of his religious cantata, The Virgin, and dated it himself (1880) Autograph Musical Quotation signed: "J. Massenet/Paris 17-8-80", 1p, 10¾x3½. Inscribed by Massenet in French: "To Miss Eugenie Hautier/souvenir with respect". Massenet has identified the four long measures as the last measures of "Holy Friday", Third Scene of his religious cantata The Virgin scored by Massenet for four voices, one for each long measure, identified by Massenet as "Marie Salome", "Marie Magdalena", "Jean" and "Simon", with words penned in his hand. French composer Jules Massenet (1842-1912) made his name with the comic opera Don César de Bazan (1872). 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...

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT'S THIRD INAUGURATION Oversize black and white photograph showing FDR being inaugurated for his third term, signed by the President, his Vice President and Secretary of State, Chief Supreme Court Justice Charles E. Hughes and Supreme Court Clerk Charles Elmore Cropley, who held the President's family bible while the oath was administered. Handsomely framed to 17½x15. Photograph signed: "Franklin D Roosevelt", "Charles E. Hughes, Jan. 20, 1941", "Charles Elmore Cropley/January 20, 1941.", "Cordell Hull" and "H.A. Wallace", B/w 13¼x10¼, framed to 17½x15. On Monday, January 20, 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt became the nation's first and only president to be inaugurated to a third term in office. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT (1882-1945, born in Hyde Park, New York) is an American politician who served as president during two of the most difficult times in world history, the Great Depression and World War II. He also served as president for four terms (1933-1945), longer than any other president in history. read more...

WALTER M. SCHIRRA One-piece Flight Training Suit worn by Wally Schirra as he trained for the Apollo 7 space mission, accompanied by a typed letter of authentication signed by the astronaut. Comprises: (1) TLS: "Walter M. Schirra", 1 page, 8½x11. Rancho Santa Fe, California, 2002 May 3. To Who it may concern. In full: "I, Walter Schirra, attest to the fact that this is my original Flight Training Suit, worn by me while training for the Apollo 7 space mission." Fine condition. (2) The one-piece light blue training suit worn by Schirra. Zips completely down the front and has two original patches: Schirra's U.S. Navy leather ID patch on its right and the colorful cloth Apollo 7 patch on its left. There are a number of small circular oil stains on the seat, otherwise, the suit is in fine condition. Apollo 7 was the first manned flight of the Apollo spacecraft, with astronauts Walter Schirra, Jr., Donn Eisele and Walter Cunningham aboard. The primary objectives of the Earth orbiting mission were to demonstrate Command and Service read more...

SEVEN WEEKS AFTER SURRENDERING FORT SUMTER, COLONEL ROBERT ANDERSON WRITES TO GENERAL LORENZO THOMAS ABOUT A RECENT MEETING WITH PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LIFELONG FRIEND, JOSHUA SPEED   ROBERT ANDERSON. Important ALS: "Robert Anderson/Col. USA", 1p, 7¾x9¾. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1861 June 4. To General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant General USA, Washington, D.C. In full: "I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Genl Orders (Adjt Genls Office) No 25.6&7 and G.O. No. 7 Hd Qrs of the Army, and also of a letter from the Hon. J.K. Moorehead to the Hon. Secy of War, with enclosures, referring to certain parties in Louisville Ky reported to be engaged in furnishing or forwarding, Revolvers, Tents, Knapsacks &c to the rebels, Mr. Joshua Speed, a firm Union Man and a man of sound judgement, to whom I showed these papers, advises that no steps be now taken in this matter-greater harm than benefit to the cause would result from it. A letter from Surgeon Wright USA. the Senior Medical Office in this Dept. is, herewith, forwarded. read more...

GENERAL THOMAS GAGE Important, 3-page ALS (1768) from Britain's military commander in North America to his Indian Commissioner: Strike a deal at the expense of the settlers! Autograph Letter signed: "Thos. Gage", 3 pages, 7¾x12½, front and verso. New York, 1768 January 16. To Sir William Johnson, Baronet. In full: "I have received your letters of the 24th, 26th Dec. and 9th Jan. The opinion you give of the general causes of the discontent of the savages, which originate from our growing power and their jealousy of our designs against them, I know no remedy against, but by doing them all the justice we can. If we can remove the settlers from their encroachments it will be a manifestation of our earnest desire to do them justice. And they have seen a person executed in New Jersey for the murther of an Indian, which must in some measure shew them we do what we can to give them satisfaction for the murter of their peoples, which tho only one example, is more than they have given us for the many white people they have killed at different times. read more...

BENITO JUAREZ The 26th President of Mexico and one of the more important of the nation signs an 1849 proclamation honoring those who fought for Mexico at the Battle of Molino del Rey in 1847, signed in iron gall ink Document Signed: "Benito Juarez" as Governor of Oaxaca, 1 page, 10½x17½. Place: Oaxaca, Mexico. Date: August 8, 1849. In Spanish, not translated. Proclamation honoring officers and men of the Mexican National Guard who fought bravely for their country at the Battle of Molino del Rey, September 8, 1847. Benito Juarez had been elected Governor of Oaxaca in 1847. After being exiled in 1848 after the Mexican War, Santa Anna returned as President in 1853 and sent Juarez into exile. In 1855, Juarez returned, joined Alvarez in a revolution against Santa Anna, who was overthrown and once again, sent into exile. As Alvarez's Minister of Justice, Juarez in 1855 wrote "Ley Juarez", the law abolishing special courts and reducing the power of the army and the church. In 1858, Juarez proclaimed himself de jure President of Mexico, obtaining U.S. read more...

GEORGE S. PATTON, JR. The General signs this letter to his sister, Nita, regarding his service guiding French Premier George Clemenceau around Baltimore and family matters Typed letter signed: "G S Patton Jr.", 1¼p, 6½x10¼. No place, 1922 Dec. 5. To "Dear Nita". With Patton's misspellings and grammatical errors. In part: "I only got back at noon from Baltimore where I have been with the squadron since last Thursday parading at Army Day celebrations and escorting the reluctant Clamenceau around the dirtier parts of the city which tradition say were the haunts of LaFayatte. Neither Clamenceau nor we was much impressed by the ceremony but the colored population had quite a thrill and they are tax payers...B. and the children got back this morning from Boston R-E. has the poison ivy other wise all are as usual. I had a book sent to my self at home which is a present so dont have it opened if it gets there before I do. There are to be all sorts of good by parties for us next week so we shall get on the train more dead than alive. Willie Hortons mother died the other day. I am a paul bearer. I specialise in funerals... read more...

ADOLF HITLER This extraordinary - and very rare - signed German picture postcard has a b/w bust photograph of a young Adolf Hitler in a suit and tie and a Nazi swastika pin. It shows the dictator as a surprisingly young man, before the strains of World War II had taken their toll on him. Picture postcard signed "Af Hitler". Pencil notations on verso in unknown hand. B/w, 3½x5½ overall, 3¼x5¼ image, one surface. Captioned on image: "Adolf Hilter". Published by Verlag Hoffman (Hoffman Publishing House) of Munich, Germany. Blank on verso except for pencil notations. Hitler (1889-1945), the Nazi leader who would forge a ruthless campaign during WWII that included the genocide of the Jewish people, began his rapid rise to power in 1919, becoming the undisputed leader of the National Socialist Party by 1921. Hitler wrote Mein Kampf during nine months spent in prison in 1924 after an unsuccessful coup against the Bavarian government in Munich. He rebuilt the party and was named Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Hitler assumed the role read more...