GEORGE WASHINGTON Washington handwrote and signed this document, showing that he paid £100 for his neighbor's wheat, only five months after being selected to be a delegate at the Continental Congress. This document has his full name of "George Washington" instead of his more common signature of "G. Washington", which makes it especially rare. Autograph document signed in text: "George Washington". 1 page, 7¼x4¼. [Fairfax County, Virginia, 1774 December 23]. In Full: "Then Received from George Washington the Currt Sum of One hundred pounds in part payment for Wheat sold him by" to which the seller has signed: "Thomas Triplett". Penned at top left (unknown hand, possibly Triplett's): "Receivd Decr 23d 1774". THOMAS TRIPLETT was a descendent of French Huguenots who came to America to escape religious persecution. Triplett grew wheat on his plantation in Fairfax County, not far from Washington's Mount Vernon plantation. 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...

WILLIAM F. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY His autograph letter, signed as Cousin Will, asking to be sent "some more headache powders" to relieve the headache caused by his financial woes Autograph Letter signed: "Cousin Will", 1 page, 8x10. New Rochelle, N.Y., no date. To "Dear Frank and Nellie". In full [spelling errors in original]: "I've had a lot of hard upset. Twice I've had moneyed men who were ready to put up a $150,000 to back me with a new show. And that man Tammen has scared them out by telling them he had a contract for my services for 1916 which he hasent. But he still thinks if I cant get out with a show I come back and make more money for him, which will never do. However, I haven't given up. But will stay here until know what I can do. The men are still working at the mines. Say, please send me some more headache powders. This nervous strain makes my head ache. I am living here at Rochelle with my nephew and neice. Its only 45 minutes from New York. Love ever." William Frederick CODY (1846-1917) earned the name "BUFFALO BILL" for killing thousands of buffalo as a hired hunter in 1867 and 1868. Cody had begun his wild west career herding cattle at age nine. read more...

X-15 PILOTS A piece of space flight history, this 11x14 photograph of the powerful X-15 has been signed by eight of it's twelve pilots; Peter Knight, Milt Thompson, Bob White, Joe Engle, Bill Dana, Scott Crossfield, and first man on the moon Neil Armstrong! Photograph signed: "Peter Knight", "Milt Thompson", "Bob White", "Neil Armstrong", "Joe Engle", "Bill Dana", "Scott Crossfield", 11x14. The X-15 was an experimental rocket-powered aircraft operated by the US Air Force and NASA as part of the X-plane series. The X-15 set a large list of records, including 13 different flights that exceeded the altitude of 50 miles, making the 8 flight pilots qualified for USAF astronaut status. There were a total of 12 pilots for the powerful aircraft, including NEIL ARMSTRONG (altitude 39.2 miles), SCOTT CROSSFIELD (altitude 15.3 miles), BILL DANA (altitude 58.1 miles), JOE ENGLE (altitude 53.1 miles), PETE KNIGHT (altitude 53.1 miles), MILT THOMPSON (altitude 40.5 miles), and BOB WHITE (altitude 59.6 miles). read more...

JOHN HANCOCK and JOHN AVERY, JR. As Massachusetts Governor and Secretary of State, both sign a manuscript document appointing Superior Court Justice David Sewall to the Commonwealth's Supreme Court (1781). Ornate Manuscript DS: "John Hancock" as Governor of Massachusetts, 1 page, 21¾x13. On vellum. Boston, 1781 February 20. Countersigned: "John Avery Secy". Appointment of David Sewall as Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. On verso, appears a short Manuscript DS: "John Hancock". In full: "In Council February 20th 1781. Hnble David Sewall Esqr appeared at the Council Chamber Subscribed the Declaration and the Several Oaths prescribed by the Constitution of the Commonwealth to qualify himself for the Office within mentioned." Born in York, Maine, SEWALL (1735-1825), Councillor for the Province of Maine (1766-1777), was Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts (1777-1781) when he received this appointment to the State's Supreme Judicial Court. He served until 1789 when he was appointed Judge of the U.S. District Court of Maine (1789-1817). read more...

ADOLF HITLER Ink signature on a printed card bearing his New Year's greetings for 1939, framed in the Gallery of History style with a photo of the Führer to 22x22. Printed Card signed in ink: "Af Hitler", 7½x4¾. Obersalzberg, 1939 January 1. Imprinted Adolf Hitler at upper margin, the card bears a New Year's greeting in German. Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933-1945, signed this 1939 New Year's card from his Obersalzberg mountain home and War headquarters, the Berghof, which was located near Berchtesgaden, Germany, near the Austrian border. It was at Berghof on February 11-12, 1938, that Hitler demanded and received the capitulation of Austria by its Chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg (1897-1977). This agreement relinquished Austria into the German economy. Only three months after Hitler issued this greeting, the Nazi leader would orchestrate the German occupation of Czechoslovakia (March 15, 1939), which preceded the advent of WWII (1939-1945) with their invasion of Poland on September 1. An Austrian-born soldier during WWI, Hitler, with his unrelenting drive for power, gained the leadership of the National Socialist Party in 1921. read more...

JAMES GARFIELD The President signs a warrant authorizing the Secretary of State to place the US seal on a congratulatory message to the new Kingdom of Romania. Signatures by Garfield as President are extremely rare, this one penned less than two months before he was shot. Presidential Warrant signed: "James A. Garfield" as President, 8x10, matted with a photograph of Garfield (with facsimile signature) to an overall size of 18½x15. Washington, D.C., 1881 May 5. In full: "I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of State to cause the Seal of the United States to be affixed to an envelope containing my reply to the letter of King Charles of Romania, announcing the erection of Romania into a Kingdom &c, &c. dated this day, and signed by me; and for so doing this shall be his warrant." James Abram Garfield (1831-1881) rose to the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army during the Civil War, participating in the battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga, before resigning his commission to take a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives (1863-1880). read more...

ADOLF HITLER, WERNER VON BLOMBERG, WERNER VON FRITSCH Hitler signs a promotion letter with two Generals he later purged. Military Promotion signed: "A Hitler" as Fuhrer and Reichschancellor, "V Blomberg" as War Minister, and "Fritsch ", 1p, 8¼x11½. Berlin, 1935 October 5. On official letterhead. In German, translated in full: "In the name of the Reich:Effective from November 1st, 1935, Lieutenant General (ret.) Erfurth will be employed as a Lieutenant General with a rank service age from June 1st, 1935 (3) with the army, under simultaneous appointment as department chief in the General Staff of the Army." Embossed in lower left with official state seal. Ink and pencil notations in blank right corners. Pinhead-sized spot under Hitler's signature. Lightly toned at right edge. Otherwise, fine condition. Accompanied by unsigned photo of Hitler (b/w, 5x7). Fine condition. WERNER VON BLOMBERG (1878-1946) and WERNER VON FRITSCH (1880-1939) were German army officers who had served with distinction in World War I. read more...

GENERAL GODFREY WEITZEL Pair of binoculars with case signed and war-dated in 1861 by Union Major Godfrey Weitzel. He served with the unit that guarded Abraham Lincoln during the 1861 presidential inauguration and later commanded the XXV Corps of U. S. Colored Troops during the First Battle of Fort Fisher. These binoculars were given to Weitzel by Lincoln, with impeccable provenance from the general himself! Ephemera signed "President/Abraham/Lincoln/to/Godfrey/Weitzel/1861" inside case lid. 4¼x3x1¾ Galilean binoculars in 5x3½x2¼ leather case. Stamped inside lid in gold: "McAllister & Brother/728 Chestnut Street/Philadelphia". Weitzel served with the unit that guarded Abraham Lincoln during the 1861 presidential inauguration and helped build defenses in Washington, D. C. Lincoln gave these binoculars to him, and they have impeccable provenance from Weitzel himself. Weitzel (1835-1884) was an engineer with the U. S. Army before the American Civil War; among his pre-war projects were helping to improve the defenses of New Orleans. He entered the war a first lieutenant on the Union side and was eventually promoted to major general in the volunteer service by the end of the war. read more...