GATLING TELLS COLT PATENT FIRE ARMS THAT THE STATE OF NEW YORK "HAS SENT TWO GATLING GUNS HERE FOR REPAIRS"   RICHARD J. GATLING. TLS: "R.J. Gatling", 1p, 8½x11½. Hartford, Conn., 1885 April 14. As President, on stationery of The Gatling Gun Company. To Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, Hartford. In full: "The Chief of Ordnance, State of New York, advises us that he has sent two Gatling Guns here for repairs, and that if anything is needed in the way of appendages or spare parts, that he be furnished with a list of the same, before he gives the order for them. As soon as the guns are received, please put them in good working order, and furnish us with a list of the articles required as above." Exactly 20 years before this letter was written, John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln with a Derringer pistol. Twelve days later, U.S. Cavalry Sgt. Boston Corbett shot Booth with a Colt revolver. By the 1850s, Richard J. Gatling (1818-1903) had become wealthy from agricultural inventions such as machines for sowing rice and wheat. read more...

HENRY FORD SELLS THREE ACRES OF LAND (NEAR HIS RIVER ROUGE AUTOMOBILE FACTORY) TO THE RAILROAD FOR ONE DOLLAR!   HENRY FORD and CLARA J. FORD. Partly Printed DS: "Henry Ford" and "Clara J. Ford", 2p, 8x13 (front and verso). Wayne County, Michigan, 1929 June 1. Henry and his wife Clara sell 2.964 acres of land in Dearborn, Wayne County, Michigan, to the Michigan Central Railroad Company "for the sum of One Dollar ($1.00) and other good and valuable considerations". The land is located adjoining the railroad's "original 100.00 feet right of way...1970.08 feet along the southerly line of said Michigan Central Railroad Company's original 100.00 feet right of way to a point marked by a concrete monument on the westerly lips of Southfield Road...to a point at the center of the Rouge River...." Also signed by two witnesses and a Notary Public. In 1917, Henry Ford built the huge River Rouge Plant to assemble his Model T's and tractors. One of the earliest schools in Dearborn was a one-room brick building known as the Dort School. It was located on the bank of the Rouge River, just south of the Michigan Central Railroad. read more...

HORACE SMITH and DANIEL B. WESSON Extremely rare document bearing the signatures of both of the legendary firearms manufacturers: a certification of stock in their Springfield and New London Rail Road Company, used in the transport of their weapons to the port of New York. The document, also signed by the other Directors and Officers of the Railroad, has been framed with an antique Smith and Wesson top break revolver to an overall size of 15¼x24! Document signed: "Horace Smith", "D. B. Wesson", 1 page (lightly lined), 6¾x9¼. Springfield, Massachusetts, 1874 December 8. Also signed by directors "Willis Phelps", "Horace Kibbe", "E. A. Perkins", "William Matoon", "W. L. Wilcos", "Wm Birnie", "Virgil Perkins", "Lewis H. Taylor" and by "T. M. Dewey Clerk", "Charles Marsh Treasurer". In full: "The undersigned, Directors, Clerk & Treasurer of the Springfield & New London Rail Road Company, hereby read more...

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE and SARAH E. MORSE The two sign a 3-page, handwritten 1863 letter to their son Willy, away at school Autograph letter signed: "Yr Affectionate Father/Saml F.B. Morse" and "Your loving mother/S.E. Morse", 1 page, 4½x7½. 5 West 32nd Street, 1863 November 22. To their son Willy. Samuel F. B. Morse married his second wife, Sarah Elizabeth Griswold, in 1848. In a three-page letter, Mrs. Morse writes about family affairs, about his pet "Spottie is full of mischief. He tears many things that comes in his way." She tells him she is "going to have somethings on Christmas" wanting to know if he has "enough handkerchiefs...." Beneath his wife's signature, Morse writes, in part: "I add a few lines to your dear mother's letter. She says the truth when she says she thinks of you every day. Both you & dear Arthur are constantly in our thoughts...You must do all you can to please Mrs. Charles, Mrs. Fay and the other teachers and be diligent in your Studies...." Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872) was an American painter and inventor. read more...

SIGMUND FREUD Sigmund Freud signed this typed letter to his nephew, publicist Edward L. Bernays, in 1924 on his personalized stationery. In it, Freud discusses family finances and thanks Bernays for a case of coffee. Typed letter signed "Sigm". Pencil marks on page 2 in unknown hand. 2 pages, 5¾x8¾, 1 sheet, front and verso, on Freud's personalized stationery. May 11, 1924. In German, translated. In part: "Also in May, I lent you 150 dollars, so that your mother's assets with me are now 460 dollars. Thus, three further months are paid for. I would suggest that you send a larger amount of money here after these three months... The case of Washington Coffee arrived undamaged on 30 IV. I very much approve of you deducting the price for that upcoming royalties. I didn't expect the coffee to be so expensive, however, I received your book from Boni & Liveright. As a real American, I was very interested in it...". We believe that this letter was written to Edward Bernays, Freud's nephew, as it mentions sending money to an "Onkel [Uncle] Alexander". EDWARD L. BERNAYS ()1891-1995, born in read more...

PIERRE CURIE A week after he and his wife Marie Curie were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work in radiation, he sets up a meeting with the Dean of the Science Department at the Sorbonne; he was only 47 when he was killed in a traffic accident three years later. ALS: "P. Curie", 1p, 4½x5½. Paris, Friday (1903 December 18). In French, fully translated. Paris Express Letter postmarked Paris, December 18, 1903 to Paul Appel. Addressed by Curie to: "Mr. Appel, Dean of the Faculty of the Sciences, Sorbonne". "Sorbonne" has been crossed out and "17 rue Bonaparte" is added in another hand. In full: "I have just seen Mr. Brusson and I have arranged a meeting for Monday morning at 11:00 at his house 29 rue Lauriston. If this time is convenient to you, I will come and pick you up by car Monday morning at 10:15 at the Sorbonne or at your house if you prefer." On verso, where the address, printed stamp and postmarks appear, Curie has penned his name and return address: "Curie/108 Rd Kellerman" read more...

LOUIS PASTEUR This framed handwritten letter was signed by the microbiologist and was sent to a boy who he treated for an illness Autograph Letter Signed: "L. Pasteur". One page. 3¾x4¾. Paris, January 21, 1888. On letterhead imprinted with his initials to "My dear child". In French, translated. In full: "I beg your father to allow me the pleasure of answering his letter of 13 January by writing directly to you. How saddened I was to learn you were still suffering from the wound to your arm. Tell me when it will be completely healed with scar. Your general health is, however, good. That is most essential and I rejoice with your parents and friends and hope you count me among them. Please receive, my dear child, the assurance of many many good wishes which I send you for your good health and happiness.". Pasteur sent this letter to a boy he had treated for rabies with an experimental vaccination. Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a chemist and biologist who is considered one of a handful of the most important pioneers of microbiology. read more...

ALBERT EINSTEIN. TLS: "A.E.", 1p, 8x9½. Le Coq-sur-mer, 1933 May 4. To L.M. Ettlinger, Brussels. In German, with translation. In full: "I shall be very pleased to see you Saturday, the 6. May in the Fondation Universitaire, rue d'Egmont 11 in Brussels between four-thirty and five o'clock in the afternoon.-By the way I already initiated steps, some weeks ago, on behalf of Mr. Lasareff to get his German visa". Albert Einstein (1879-1955) developed the theories used to build models of the universe. Einstein's first major contribution, the "Special Theory of Relativity", was published in 1905. The "General Theory of Relativity" followed in 1916. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 "for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". Written from his temporary home on the Belgian coast less than five weeks after Einstein renounced his German citizenship and resigned from the Prussian Academy of Sciences. When Hitler came to power in January 1933, Einstein's property was seized and a price put on his head. His books were among those burned publicly on May 10, 1933, six days after this letter was written. read more...

HENRY DERINGER Rare handwritten note to his son saying "keep steady to your business and all will go right and straight" Autograph Note signed: "HD" and "H Deringer" in his hand as part of his son's name in the address, 2p, 7¼x9¾, front and verso. No place, no date, but circa 1833. Postscript written on verso of an address leaf addressed in his hand to his son: "John H Deringer Esq/Tioga Village/Tioga County/Penna". In full: "P.S. I am pleased to hear that you have commenced selling goods and that you are coming on so well, keep steady to your business and all will go right and straight." Ink note (unknown hand) on address side: "Henry Derringer [sic]/1833". Henry Deringer (1786-1868) invented the short barreled, heavy caliber pocket pistol that still bears his name. (The pistol type is spelled "Derringer"; only those of his manufacture are spelled with the single "r".) The popular weapon, easily concealable but packing a wallop, was "the weapon of choice of riverboat gamblers". John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln with an original Deringer. Deringer autographs are rare. Mailing fold at the "HD". Fragile. read more...