ABRAHAM LINCOLN This is a rare handwritten legal document, signed by Lincoln with his firm's name of "Murphy & Lincoln" and with two paragraphs of comments on a suit against Sam Frazier, sheriff of Vermillion County, Indiana. It's an excellent example of a document from before he became 16th President of the United States. Rare Autograph Endorsement signed: "Murphy & Lincoln [illegible]", 1p, 7¾x12½. Champaign County, Illinois, circa 1852. In full: "And the defendant doth the like." Signed beneath the first paragraph of a manuscript document relating to the case of Nelson Ligget vs Samuel Frazier, who were represented by Linder Benedict & Davis. In full: "And the said plaintiff for replication to said defendants first pleas by him above pleaded, says precludi non, because he says That the said defendant at the time and place when & in the said plea mentioned, he the said defendant did not then and there have in his possession the said writ in said plea mentioned And this the said plaintiff prays may be enquired of by the county &c." A second paragraph follows Lincoln's first endorsement. read more...

ANDREW JOHNSON Attempting to fill Lincoln's shoes in the White House, President Johnson signed this tracing of his shoes, intended for making a new pair (1865). Shoe print signed twice: "Andrew Johnson", 2 pages, 9x14 ½. Washington City, District of Columbia, 1865 December 12. Page one is a tracing of a pair of shoe soles, signed inside each tracing by the President. Additional markings (unknown hand) are measurements, including an apparent overall she size (13½). Accompanied by 2-sided tracing of same dimensions, bearing the foot measurements of Major Andre K. Long of the Executive Mansion, dated December 12, 1865; and of Major R. Morrow, A. A. G. (Assistant Adjutant General), dated December 14. Andrew 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 read more...

ANDREW JACKSON His Presidential signature (bold and 6 inches long) on an 1836 patent for an improved machine to make ship's thimbles, also signed by Secretary of State Forsyth and Attorney General Butler, 11½x15½, framed with a portrait and biographic plaque to 29x25. Accompanied by a 3-page handwritten description of the device by the inventor, Prentice White. Patent signed: "Andrew Jackson" as President, "John Forsyth" as Secretary of State, "B. F. Butler" as Attorney General, 1 page, 11½x15½. Washington, D.C., 1836 July 1. Patent issued to Prentice White for [in part] "a new and useful improvement in the Machine for making Ship's Thimbles which improvements he states has not been known or used before his application; [White] hath made oath that he does verily believe that he is the true inventor or discoverer of the said improvement; hath paid into the treasury of the United States the sum of thirty dollars." Archivally double matted and framed with a seated portrait and a biographical plaque, to an overall size of 29.5 x 25.25. read more...

SIX DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT TYLER VETOED CLAY'S BANK BILL, BUT BEFORE THE TENNESSEE GOVERNOR LEARNS OF THE VETO, POLK WRITES FROM NASHVILLE: "WE HAVE NO VETO OF THE BANK BILL YET. LETTERS FROM WASHINGTON OF THE 12TH - SPEAK IN CONFIDENT TERMS THAT THERE WILL BE A VETO".   JAMES K. POLK. Political Content ALS: "James K. Polk" as Governor of Tennessee, 1¼p, 7¾x9¾, front and verso. Nashville, Tennessee, 1841 August 22. To Robert B. Reynolds, Esqr., Knoxville, Tennessee. In full: "Since I wrote to you a few days ago, concerning the Judgeship vice Judge Powell deceased I have examined the laws & find that any one of the Circuit Judges of the State are authorized to hold the Courts in his Circuit. - I have written to Judge Robert M. Anderson requesting him to hold the Courts in Hawking on the 4th Monday in Sep'r and in Greene on the 2nd Monday in October. This will give the Legislature full time to elect a Judge, before any other Court in the Circuit will come on. I am anxious that Judge Anderson shall hold the Courts in Hawkins & Greene. read more...

THOMAS JEFFERSON He extends a dinner invitation to friend and merchant William Huntington, signed in the text. Third Person Autograph Note signed in text: "Th: Jefferson asks the favor of Mr. Huntington to dine with him on Sunday the 8th. Apr. 6. 21", 1 page, 7¾x4. No place given [but probably Monticello], 1821 April 6. THOMAS JEFFERSON (1743-1826) served as third U.S. President from 1801 to1809. A former delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia (1775-1776, 1783-1784), Jefferson drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence (1776). He then served as Governor of Virginia (1779-1781) and as a member of Virginia's state legislature (1782). Named U.S. Minister to France in 1785, Jefferson remained abroad until 1789, when he was asked by George Washington to be his Secretary of State (1790-1793). Jefferson then served as Vice President under John Adams (1797-1801) until being elected President. A man of many talents, Jefferson has been called "the Sage of Monticello". read more...

JOHN F. KENNEDY Appointing a liberal Republican New York Congressman as part of the U.S. delegation to a unification celebration in Italy. Typed Letter Signed: "John F. Kennedy" as 35th U.S. President, 1p, 6¾x8¾. The White House, Washington, 1961 September 14. To Honorable Seymour Halpern, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. In full: "I am delighted to know that you will be able to serve as a Member of the delegation to attend the ceremonies incident to the Centennial Celebration of the Unification of Italy which is being held at Turin. My best wishes for a successful mission." The United Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed at Turin, its capital, on March 17, 1861. SEYMOUR HALPERN was a liberal Republican Congressman from New York City (1959-1973). His Queens district was about 10% Italian, but that was the largest among the many ethnic groups residing there. President KENNEDY knew that Congressman Halpern had been an autograph collector since he was a teenager. Out of consideration to Halpern, the President made a special effort to clearly sign his first name and middle initial. Kennedy usually wrote them in an illegible scrawl. read more...

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...

BILL CLINTON President Bill Clinton signed this typed letter to Senator Pat Moynihan in 1999 regarding live bombing exercises Vieques, Puerto Rico that had killed a native Puerto Rican earlier that year. He added an autograph postscript that "I will do all I can to bring this to a satisfactory conclusion"... and he did. Typed Letter Signed: "Bill" as President, 2p, 7x10½, separate sheets. The White House, Washington, 1999 October 20. On White House letterhead to The Honorable Daniel Patrick Moynihan, United States Senate, Washington, D.C. Begins: "Dear Pat". In part: "Thank you for your letter on the Navy's target practice at Vieques, Puerto Rico. I especially appreciate your thoughts because of your personal experience as well as the insight you provided on Puerto Rico matters in general. You helped me understand the Puerto Rico issue during the dinner you recalled in your letter and at other points early in my presidency...I also recognize the unprecedented unity and strong feelings Puerto Ricans have regarding Vieques... read more...

RONALD REAGAN Handwritten letter as President of the United States to Lydia "Hup" MacArthur, the widow of Peter MacArthur, who gave Reagan his first job as a 21 year old Sports Announcer in Davenport, Iowa. Autograph Letter signed: "Dutch", 1 page, 5¾x4. Washington, D.C., 1988 August 2. On White House Letterhead to his friend Lydia "Hup" MacArthur. In full: "I've just sent a note to Myrtle. I hope I have the right address 'Polk City Manor.' I used my recent visit to WOC's new studio in Davenport as my excuse for writing-the memories & all. it does seem terrible to think of her as being down & not the life of the party. I'm glad to hear you are well. Give Dottie my very best regards. Nancy sends her greetings to you." Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) had two careers: actor and politician. His first movie was Love is on the Air (1937) and his 53rd and last film was The Killers (1964). In 1965, he wrote his autobiography, Where's the Rest of Me?, a line from his role as Drake McHugh in King's Row (1942). read more...