FIVE PRESIDENTS: RONALD REAGAN, GERALD FORD, GEORGE BUSH, BILL CLINTON and JIMMY CARTER All five presidents from 1975 to 1992 - Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton - signed this engraving of the White House. White House Engraving signed: "Ronald Reagan", "Gerald R. Ford", "George Bush", "Bill Clinton" and "Jimmy Carter". B/w, 8x6 overall, oval image 4¼x1½ (one surface). White House engraving by "Bureau of Engraving and Printing." "Best wishes" written in unknown hand to left of Clinton's signature. Signatures of the 38th-42nd U.S. Presidents. Republican GERALD R. FORD (1913-2006) served as the nation's 38th U.S. President from 1974-1977. Ford, who had assumed the Presidency upon the resignation of Richard M. Nixon, holds the distinction of being the only person not to be elected to either the Vice Presidency or the Presidency. Ford was denied election in his own right when he was defeated by Democrat JAMES EARL "JIMMY" CARTER (born in 1924), who was 39th U.S. read more...

PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. "BILL" CLINTON The 42nd U.S. President pens this kind note to his political consultant in replacement of his original autograph, which was lost when he visited a Manchester restaurant, signed in black ink Autograph Note Signed: "Bill Clinton" in black ink as 42nd U.S. President. 6½x4¼. Place: Washington, District of Columbia. Date (circa): May-June, 1993. Seal of the President, embossed in gold, at upper left. This card was introduced to the White House by George Bush. In full: "To Brandon Mallard. -with thanks for your interest in our government. -good luck in school and have a good summer." Lightly soiled, light tape remnants at top verso (no show through). Accompanied by Typed Letter Signed: "Wendy Smith", 1p, 8½x11. The White House, Washington, 1993 June 2. To Brandon Mallard. In full: "I sincerely apologize for failing to return your autograph when we visited Chez Vachon Restaurant. read more...

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON As the Whig Party candidate for President, Harrison devotes 3 pages to defending his conduct at the Battle of the Thames (War of 1812). He is so anxious to vindicate his military record that he is traveling to Cincinnati to have copies of depositions made and published! Harrison's signature is rare, especially so close to the date of his brief Presidency! Autograph Letter signed: "W. H. Harrison", 3 pages with integral address leaf, 7¼x12½. North Bend (Ohio), 1840 February 14. To Moses B. Corwin, House of Representatives of Ohio. In full: "Your letter of the 10th was brought to me yesterday from Cincinnati. I had seen an article in the journal that Flood was charged with having written in his place, an assertion that I was not in the sortie of the Thames. I immediately addressed a note to him which I enclosed to General [Joseph] Vance demanding to know whether he had made such an assertion and the ground upon which it was made. In answer to my letter to him, the general expressed an opinion that I gave too much importance to the matter and declined delivering my note to Flood until he would hear from me again. read more...

GEORGE W. BUSH 11x14 color publicity photograph of New York City firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein planting the American flag in 20 feet of rubble at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. Photograph signed: "George W Bush". Color, 8x10, matted to 11x14. Depicts New York City firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein planting the American flag in 20 feet of rubble at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001. ©2001, The Record (Bergen County, N.J.). Photograph by Thomas E. Franklin, Staff Photographer. This photograph, which has been compared to the 1945 image of the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, was taken by Franklin at 5:01 p.m. on September 11th, and first appeared in "The Record" on September 12. The photograph won numerous awards and a Pulitzer Prize nomination for the photographer, who was later invited to the White House by President Bush to view a postage stamp featuring Franklin's photograph. Fine condition. Matted, not in Gallery of History style. Not reviewed by us for conservation integrity. "As is" matting purchase. read more...

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT As Governor of New York, he used this red, silver-tipped pen to sign a railroad bill creating the Board of Transit Control in 1931 Document Signed: "Franklin D Roosevelt", 1 page, 9x14½. Albany, New York. April 27, 1931. Certificate authenticating that FDR used the attached pen to sign Senate Bill 12, the railroad unification bill. In full: "THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the pen hereunto affixed was used by me in signing Senate Bill Introductory Number 12, Printed Number 2455, entitled: 'AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to the plan of readjustment provided for in article seven thereof, to authorize the creation of the board of transit control and subsidiary corporations, to prescribe its and their duties and powers, to exempt its and their properties, income and securities from taxation and to make such securities legal investments, and to authorize the acquisition and operation of railroads and other transportation facilities, and otherwise.' and which became a law by my signature April 23, 1931, being Chapter 689 of the Laws of 1931. read more...

JOHN F. KENNEDY He signed this typed letter as President in August 1963, thanking Meet the Press moderator Lawrence Spivak for condolences on the death of his son Patrick. Typed Letter signed: "John Kennedy" as President, 1 page, 6¾x8¾. The White House, Washington, 1963 August 14. To Lawrence E. Spivak, Meet the Press, New York, N.Y. In full: "You were kind indeed to think us at this difficult time. Your message was a comfort to me and my family and we are very grateful to you. Sincerely". Accompanied by original typed envelope. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, pregnant with the Kennedy's third child, collapsed during a walk on the beach and was forced to deliver prematurely a son, Patrick, on August 7, 1963. He died less than 40 hours later. The loss is said to have brought Jack and Jackie closer together, while devastating the President. An even greater tragedy loomed ahead, one of so many endured by the Kennedy family, when JFK himself was gunned down during a Dallas motorcade on November 22, 1963. Magazine editor Lawrence Spivak (1900-1994) was a panelist and then moderator of NBC's Meet the Press from 1947 to 1975. read more...

JAMES MADISON and JAMES MONROE President James Madison and future President James Monroe sign four language ship papers in 1811. Partly Printed DS: "James Madison" as fourth U.S. President and future fifth U.S. President "Jas Monroe" as Secretary of State, 1p, 21¼x16½. Four-language ship's papers signed in Washington, D.C. but issued from Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1811 November 29. The text is in four columns, each in a different language; from left to right: French, Spanish, English and Dutch. In part: "BE IT KNOWN, That leave and permission are hereby given to Timothy Pilsbury, master or commander of the Scho[oner] called the Abigail of the burthen of 87 tons, or thereabouts, lying at present in the port of Newburyport bound for Bordeaux and laden with Fish, Tongues & Gourds, to depart and proceed with his Vessel & Cargo on his said voyage, such Vessel having been visited, and the read more...

FOUR PRESIDENTS: GERALD FORD, JIMMY CARTER, RONALD REAGAN and GEORGE H. W. BUSH Four consecutive Presidents and their First Ladies sign White House engraving. White House engraving signed: "George Bush", "Gerald Ford", "Ronald Reagan", "Jimmy Carter", "Barbara Bush", "Betty Ford", "Nancy Reagan" and "Rosalyn Carter". B/w, 8x6 overall, oval image 4¼x1½ (one surface). Image of the White House on a white card engraved by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Four U.S. Presidents (#38, #39, #40, #41) and their First Ladies, consecutive residents of the White House from 1974-1993. There is room to add the Clintons and the G.W. Bushes and their successors. How can they refuse? Barbara Bush (1925-2018), with her sensible, down-to earth manner was an enormously popular First Lady. In addition to her many duties, she crusaded against illiteracy and supported programs to help the homeless and fight drug abuse. 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...