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...

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...

JAMES BUCHANAN He signs a "strictly private" autograph letter to a friend discussing whether he would accept the position of Secretary of State if offered it by President-elect Pierce. Political ALS: "James Buchanan", 1 page, 8x10. Wheatland, near Lancaster, 1852 November 23. The future 15th U.S. President writes to Henry Welsh, Esquire. In full: "I have received the Buckwheat flour, & you could have sent me nothing more acceptable. Bye the by, this reminds me that I have never, I believe, paid for the flour I received last year. I hope you will let me know the amount. I have literally no news. I receive letters daily from this & other States urging me strongly to accept the State Department, just as though this were in my power; whilst several of my friends are of a contrary opinion. Should it ever be offered, I shall decide the question deliberately. All my personal wishes are against it, nor can I at present foresee that either my duty to my country or my friends require that I should sacrifice my private inclinations. What is your opinion? All of this is of course strictly private - from your friend. 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...

THOMAS JEFFERSON Edward Church, Consul to Bilbao, Spain, was the first United States consul to be rejected by a foreign port. This 1790 document, signed by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, is Church's commission as United States Consul to Bilbao and the document that started the whole affair Manuscript Letter Signed: "Th: Jefferson" as Secretary of State, 1p, 7¼x8¼. New York, 1790 June 17. To Edward Church, Esq. In full: "Sir, The President of the United States desiring to avail the public of your services as Consul for the Port of Bilboa [sic], I have now the honor of enclosing you the Commission, and of expressing to you the sentiments of perfect esteem with which I am, Sir Your Most obedient and Most humble Servant". On June 4, 1790, in a letter to the U.S. Senate, President Washington nominated 14 Consuls and Vice-Consuls, including "Edward Church, of Massachusetts, to be Consul of the United States of America, for the port of Bilboa [sic] in the kingdom of Spain, and for such parts of read more...

PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. "BILL" CLINTON The 42nd U.S. President pens this encouraging note to Senator Daniel Moynihan referring to some social and economic aspects, signed in black ink Autograph Note Signed: "Bill" in black ink as President. One page. 6¼x4¼ card. Embossed with gilt Presidential Seal and words "The President". Place: Washington, District of Columbia. Date: September 28, 1999. Addressed to: Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. In full: "Senator, If we persevere we'll get this done! - I will help in any way I can, in or out of office. Best."  A day earlier, after getting the news of a higher than expected $115 billion budget surplus, President Clinton said, in part: "This triple digit surplus is larger than projected, larger than last year's and, in fact, larger than any surplus in the history of the United States…We can give the American 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...

WARREN G. HARDING Rare signed, 4-page autograph letter to his wife during a vacation with Senate colleagues in Augusta, Georgia, describing the good food and his golf and poker winnings and losses Rare ALS: "W.G.", 4 pages, 6x9½, separate sheets. On pictorial stationery of the Hotel Bon Air, Winter Resort, Augusta, Ga., picturing golfers and motorists. Friday eve, no date but circa 1917-1920. To his wife, Florence. In full: "Am tired tonight. Played 36 holes again today - a foursome over the hill course this morning and two threesomes in match play over the Lake course this p.m. Made a good score this morning and gathered in $17.50. Played like a dub this pm and lost $12.50. Only five to the good for the day. We had poker last night. I fared well. No complaint to make. My luck came back for one evening. We see very little of Mrs. Frelinghuysen - only at lunch. She breakfasts and dines in her room, and spends her time with the nurse. So far as I can observe, she sees little of Joe except when he sleeps. Really we are busy all the while. We go to golf after breakfast, return for lunch, start again at 5, and get in time for a bath, then dinner. After dinner & scribble you a line, then it is cards till bed time, and so it goes. read more...

JOHN F. KENNEDY and THE SUPREME COURT Collection including a handwritten letter from Senator JFK to a former Harvard professor, framed in the Gallery of History style to 46x32, with nine individual items signed by Justices Warren, Black, Douglas, Clark, Harlan, White, Brennan, Stewart and Fortas. Chief Justice Earl Warren has signed a copy of the eulogy he delivered at Kennedy's funeral. Comprises: (1) JOHN F. KENNEDY. Autograph Letter unsigned as U.S. Senator, 2p, 6½x9½ (front and verso). Washington, D.C., no date. To (Arthur) Holcombe, his Professor of Government at Harvard. Numbered "IV" in upper left. In full: "'If the practical business of government consists largely in the adjustment of the conflicts of interest arising among the people & politicians who understand the nature of the peoples (sic) interests and are responsible for their treatment of them to powerful and durable parties, may well be the most serviceable rulers that the people can reasonably expect to obtain.'" On verso: "Politicians personal read more...