Original Manuscripts | Shapell Manuscript Foundation

Rare Union Soldier's Account Of Ambush Resulting In Death Of Jewish Colonel Marcus Spiegel

June 18, 1864

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 2456

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Elaborate Civil War Corps Badges Belonging to Jewish Officer Aaron Lazarus

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Historical artifacts

3 pages

SMC 1078

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Jewish Officer Ferdinand Levy Recruits a Soldier into the Famed Les Enfants Perdu Regiment

March 13, 1862

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 1577

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May 20, 1799

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Historical artifacts

1 page

SMC 2363

These four medals were minted to commemorate the landmark 1799 British victory at Acre, led by Sir Sidney Smith, over Napoleon’s French forces.

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Jimmy Carter Condolence Letter To Widow Of Marine Killed In Failed 1980 Iranian Hostage Rescue

April 26, 1980

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1470

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1861 Col. Max Friedman Cameroon Dragoons Patriotic Cover

December 12, 1928

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Ephemera

1 page

SMC 1646

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Lincoln Appoints Jewish Officer, E.M. Joel, to Serve on General Blair’s Staff

August 18, 1864

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 571

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1212

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Governor Hayes, Five Years Away From the Presidency, Tells His Jewish Confidant that He is Quitting Public Life Forever

May 29, 1871

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1211

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Governor Hayes Responds to Having a Jewish Namesake

April 22, 1873

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1210

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Former President Hayes Salutes a Jewish Civil War Soldier and Friend, J.A. Joel, as “Dear Comrade”

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Typed Manuscript Signed

1 page

SMC 1209

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Chaim Weizmann on the Assassination of Russian Pogrom Organizer Plehve: A Pity He Didn't Die Years Ago

August 4, 1904

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1585

Russian Interior Minister Vyacheslav Plehve, a notorious pogrom organizer and tormentor of the Jews, had been killed the week before by a bomb. Upon hearing of his death, Chaim Weizmann only wished it had happened sooner.

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March 3, 1825

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 935

James Monroe’s Major Accomplishments, What He’s Known For, & His Last Day In Office

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Kennedy and the Arts: His Unprecedented Invitation of Scholars, Artists, Writers, and Thinkers to His Inauguration

September 8, 1961

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1444

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A Rueful Harry Truman on the 3rd Anniversary of his Presidency: “I don't know whether I need congratulations or commiseration”

April 15, 1948

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 256

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Grover Cleveland Worries He Cannot Bring His Baby Into Recently Quarantined White House After His Inauguration

February 20, 1893

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1967

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Grover & Frances Cleveland: Cleveland Writes To His Bride-To-Be About Their Wedding

April 26, 1886

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1163

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Mark Twain and Olivia Langdon: Twain Writes Ecstatically On The Pursuit Of His Future Wife

December 12, 1868

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1852

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George Washington And Thomas Jefferson Signed Document: Trilingual Ships Papers

December 7, 1793

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Document Signed

2 pages

SMC 1807

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Abraham Lincoln's Prayer To "The Almighty" For Himself And The Nation - A Singular Letter

May 21, 1860

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2509

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April 10, 1914

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1286

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Lincoln's Jewish Friend from Springfield, Julius Hammerslough, Appeals to Rabbi Leeser to Help Fundraise for a Lincoln Memorial

May 30, 1865

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Broadside

1 page

SMC 226

Lincoln's personal friend, Julian Hammerslough, asks Rabbi Leeser to raise funds in his synagogue for a memorial to the late President Lincoln.

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On the Eve of Rebellion, Pierce Still Defends the Kansas-Nebraska Act

October 13, 1860

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 964

Franklin Pierce, who signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act while president, thus enabling the spread of slavery, and pitting the North against the South, doubles down on his decision six years later, on the eve of the Civil War.

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Pierce Defends the Democratic Party as Non-Sectional, Wonders About the Outcome of the 1860 Election

April 18, 1860

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 1809

Pierce insists that the Democratic party is united over the issue of slavery months before the presidential election of 1860 causes the party to split into Northern and Southern Democrats, respectively.

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March 5, 1898

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 919

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Original 1900 Cook's Travel Poster - Nile & Palestine, with Sphinx

1900

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Ephemera

1 page

SMC 2434

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Ephemera

1 page

SMC 2291

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May 9, 1948

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 646

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An Invitation to hear the Israel Declaration of Independence, May 14 1948

May 13, 1948

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Typed Letter

1 page

SMC 219

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August 12, 1924

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 2419

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Jewish Colonel Max Friedman Certifies an Enlistment into the Cameron Dragoons

August, 1861

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 166

Jewish Colonel Max Friedman Certifies the enlistment of Joshua Pickering into the Cameron Dragoons, a largely Jewish regiment.

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Abraham Lincoln Appoints the Arabist Edward Joy Morris as Minister Resident to Turkey

June 12, 1861

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 156

President Abraham Lincoln appoints Pennsylvania Congressman Edward Joy Morris as Minister Resident to Turkey. Morris had spent time in and written about the Levant, and as such, was suited to the post.

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President Grant Stays an Execution of African-American Who Murdered a Jewish Peddler

May 29, 1873

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 144

President Grant issues a stay of execution for Thomas Wright, an African-American who murdered Samuel Rogerski, a Jewish peddler.

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Western Gambler "Ike" Isaacs' Tombstone Gaming License Signed By Sheriff Johnny Behan

January 1, 1882

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 135

This license, signed by Sheriff Johnny Behan, gave the famous gambler Ike Isaacs the right to run his faro game for one month, at a cost of $25.00 – about $525.00 in today’s money.

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Simon Wolf's Original Contract For the Book "The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier, and Citizen"

May 22, 1895

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Document Signed

3 pages

SMC 109

This contract between author and scholar Simon Wolf, and publisher and editor Louis E. Levy, is a seminal document of a seminal work, The American Jew as Patriot, Soldier and Citizen, first published in 1895 and still in print, and use, over one hundred years later.

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Passport for the Early Explorer of Jerusalem, the Reverend Eli Smith, Signed by James Buchanan

October 23, 1846

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Document Signed

1 page

SMC 2068

Reverend Eli Smith, who had joined Reverend Edward Robinson as an Arabic-speaker during the latter's exploration of Biblical Jerusalem, travels to the Holy Land yet again, this time with a passport signed by then Secretary of State, James Buchanan.

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Early Carte-de-Visite Photo of Longtime U.S. Consul to Jerusalem, Selah Merrill

1864

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Carte de Visite

1 page

SMC 2230

Selah Merrill, known primarily as the longtime U.S. Consul to Jerusalem, famous for his antipathy for the Jewish people there, as well as anyone outside of mainstream Protestantism, was also, ironically, a chaplain with the 49th Colored Infantry during the Civil War. This rare carte-de-visite photo dates from his year's service in that capacity.

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Abraham Lincoln Carte-de-Visite Photo By Mathew Brady of Which Lincoln Said "I Look Most Like That One"

January 8, 1864

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Carte de Visite

1 page

SMC 1694

Lincoln sat for his portrait more than forty times, but he said that if he had to pick an image that looked most like him, it would be this one.

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Carte-de-Visite of Abolitionist Crusader Rabbi David Einhorn

1855

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Carte de Visite

1 page

SMC 1764

This photograph was taken in Baltimore, where the German rabbi had his first American congregation, and where he eventually had to flee for his life due to his outspoken opposition to slavery. He would never return.

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Mark Twain Signed Photo by Abdullah Frères in Constantinople

1867

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Carte de Visite

1 page

SMC 1683

Photo signed as Samuel Clemens, taken in 1867 in Constantinople by Abdullah Frères. Clemens was in the midst of his trip on "The Quaker City," which also took him to the Holy Land.

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At the End of His Life, Albert Einstein Writes Check to His Beloved Hebrew University

January 13, 1955

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1814

The Hebrew University was a dream towards which Einstein devoted a considerable amount of time, including serving on its board, speaking at its inauguration, and bequeathing all of his papers to it. Nearing the end of his life, he wrote this check, in 1955 for $10 (equivalent to $90 in today's money) to the American Friends of the Hebrew University.

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Excessively Rare Presidential Check Signed by Zachary Taylor

December 4, 1827

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1612

Taylor, a career soldier, wrote this check to himself while stationed in Louisiana. Likely the only surviving check written by Taylor.

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Very Rare Printed Presidential Check Signed by Franklin Pierce: He Purchases Coal for the White House

September 19, 1854

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1074

With this, one of the rarest surviving presidential checks, Franklin Pierce purchased coal for the White House in September of 1854.

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One of Benjamin Harrison's First Personal Checks as President

March 9, 1889

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1177

This, one of the first personal checks signed by Benjamin Harrison as president, was written to the Treasurer of the American Bar Association, Francis Rawle of Philadelphia.

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A Very Rare President Warren G. Harding Signed Check

January 9, 1922

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1325

Exceedingly rare check signed by Warren G. Harding as President.

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Abraham Lincoln's Check to His Son, Robert Lincoln, to Equip Him For Service Under Grant

February 20, 1865

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 456

Check from Abraham Lincoln to his son, Robert Todd Lincoln. The president had finally allowed his son to serve in the war, and made sure he was sent to General Grant. This check was to ensure that his son was properly kitted out for war.

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Check of Jewish-Owned Cochise County Bank in Tombstone Sends Money to and from Jewish Merchants

March 14, 1885

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Check Signed

1 page

SMC 1924

Interesting artifact of Jewish life in the American West: a transaction from a Jewish owned bank in Tombstone to a Jewish tobacconists in San Francisco.

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Theodore Roosevelt Lambasts Woodrow Wilson for Refusing to Let Him Lead a Division in World War I

June 11, 1917

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2022

Fifty-nine year old, arthritic, overweight Theodore Roosevelt lambasts President Woodrow Wilson for refusing to allow him to lead a division in World War I, calling it Wilson's inability to "rise above the cheapest kind of party politics."

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FDR's 1938 Plan to Settle Jewish and "White" Refugees in the Unexplored Highlands of Venezuela

June 3, 1938

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 473

In 1938, Franklin Delano Roosevelt remarks, in the strictest privacy, that "in the crowded state of affairs in some nations in Europe and in certain areas of the United States, existing situations could be relieved by a small but fairly constant stream of emigrants to the unoccupied parts of the world." FDR is referring here to not only "white" refugees, but to European Jews as well.

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Theodore Roosevelt Decries the Deprivations Suffered by His Rough Riders After Battle of San Juan Hill

July 19, 1898

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 465

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt writes to the father of one of his soldiers who was taken ill with typhoid fever. He thanks the father for his offer to send some food to the soldiers but condemns the government for not providing enough food, supplies, and medical treatment to his cavalry.

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An Early and Rare Account by Orville Wright of the First Flight at Kitty Hawk

January 8, 1904

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 431

Three weeks after the first flight at Kitty Hawk, Orville Wright dives into a detailed and technical explanation of what went right in the flight, and what went wrong.

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Theodore Roosevelt Expresses His Dislike of the Motor Car

October 8, 1905

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 423

Though he was the first president to ride in an automobile, President Theodore Roosevelt had a profound dislike for them. He does, concede, however, that once their use is regulated, they will likely be less objectionable.

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Theodore Roosevelt Arranges a Dramatic Presentation About the Rough Riders

September 29, 1898

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 424

Roosevelt arranges to meet Mason Mitchell, whom he deems "the only Rough Rider with dramatic and literary capacity," in order to discuss their dramatic presentation about the Rough Riders.

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Einstein on Zionism: He is for a Jewish Homeland, But Not a Separate State

January 21, 1946

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 392

Rather than an independent Jewish state, Einstein would like to see a "secured bi-national status in Palestine with free immigration," adding that it defies common sense to "ask to be given the political rule over Palestine where two thirds of the population are not Jewish."

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Life's Lessons: John F. Kennedy Advises a College Student What Classes to Take for a Life in Politics

August 2, 1954

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 522

John F. Kennedy, then a senator, is asked what he recommends as a course of study for a young person wishing to enter politics. In addition to recommending joining a campaign for practical knowledge, Kennedy says he feels that a "thorough knowledge of English is most essential," followed by the obvious choice of law for postgraduate studies.

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John F. Kennedy: National Security and Future of the Space Program Depend on Ending Labor Strife Delays

May 16, 1961

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 523

John F. Kennedy views the delays with the labor unions as a threat to not only the space program, but to national security. He urges Arthur Goldberg, the Secretary of Labor, to come to a swift arrangement with union leaders in order to resume the space race against the Soviets.

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Early John F. Kennedy Letter About the Death of His Brother Joe, Which Would Propel Him Into Politics

September 1, 1944

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 524

This letter thanking Miss Forbush for her condolences and prayers on the occasion of Joe Jr.'s death in World War II marks the beginning of John F. Kennedy's shouldering the mantle of his father's political aspirations.

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Theodore Roosevelt Writes "Bully For You"

September 27, 1907

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 547

Here, in print, Theodore Roosevelt appropriates the word "bully" to use as a commendation.

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Theodore Roosevelt on Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address: "One of the Great Classics of Human Eloquence"

December 29, 1908

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 548

Theodore Roosevelt accepts compliments on his address for the upcoming cornerstone ceremonies of the Lincoln birthplace, and is grateful that his words are not printed alongside the immortal Gettysburg address.

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With World War I Still Raging, Theodore Roosevelt Mourns His Fallen Son

July 27, 1918

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 550

Writing a fortnight after the death of his favorite son, Quentin, Theodore Roosevelt admits his difficulty, and remarks that "the old should not live when the young die."

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Einstein, Working to Save Jews from Hitler, Discusses "Brown Book of Hitler Terror" and Personal Risk

July 20, 1933

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Typed Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 794

Einstein discusses the Brown Book, an expose documenting, amongst other things, the oppression of Jews. The growing momentum of speaking out against Nazism was encouraging for Einstein, but he thought that it would be more impactful if the criticism came from "only foreign non-Jews." Einstein understood that with his high profile, his public condemnation of Germany would have deadly consequences for German Jews.

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Albert Einstein Advises a Young Refugee From Germany, Then Controlled By What He Called "The Hitler Gang"

March 18, 1935

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 796

Einstein encourages a young German immigrant to stay in California, as it offers more opportunities than Palestine; he advises against returning to Europe, from where, as he put it, "no good can come." He especially warns against Germany, controlled by "The Hitler Gang."

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Einstein: "Jewish Smarts Serve One Well"

January 23, 1936

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 797

In his reply to Inge Stern, a German ?migr?e to Los Angeles, Einstein notes that he's pleased she's getting on well, and adds that "Jewish smarts serve one well."

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Albert Einstein Disagrees with Louis Brandeis; Argues that Palestine is Not the Key to Jewish Survival

January 25, 1936

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 798

Writing in 1936, Einstein disagrees with Louis Brandeis that a Jewish state is necessary for Jewish continuity. "The persecutions will never cause us to perish," Einstein argues, and the dispersion of Jews around the globe ensures their survival.

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Einstein Discusses an Understanding With the Arabs and Zionist Politics in 1942

November 13, 1942

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 800

Writing in 1942, Einstein reiterates his support for Judah Magnes's proposal that the Jews and the Arabs of Palestine would come to an arrangement themselves, without the intervention of the British.

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Einstein On His Anti-Nazi Work: "Had Those Fellows" Listened, "These Horrors Would Not Have Existed"

March 15, 1943

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Typed Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 801

In 1943, Albert Einstein writes to Lionel Ettlinger that had people only listened to the pair of them, the horrors of the Holocaust could have been avoided. Einstein had travelled throughout Belgium and England in 1933 - shortly after Ettlinger had released a documentary about the German aggression against the Jews in Europe - warning anyone who would listen.

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Preview

Historical artifacts

1 page

SMC 2242

This Civil War Sutler token, at 50 cents, is the largest denomination of sutler currency issued during the war. This token was issued by Henry Rice, a Jewish immigrant from Germany, who would come to endorse Abraham Lincoln as a young lawyer, remain friends with Lincoln throughout his career, and even to offer to make his inaugural suit.

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A Rare Original Watercolor by John F. Kennedy of the Kennedy Palm Beach Home in 1955

1955

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Signed Drawing

1 page

SMC 1452

Likely one of Kennedy's last watercolors, inscribed and gifted to Dot Tubridy, a close family friend of the Kennedys.

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Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, On Hearing that McKinley Has Been Shot, Wires For News

September, 1901

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Autograph Telegram Signed

2 pages

SMC 1939

On the back of a railway timetable, Roosevelt writes the wire instructing the head of the facility in which McKinley was taken after being shot to keep Roosevelt appraised of the president's condition. On the other side of the page, a historian wrote Roosevelt's reaction to the news of McKinley's shooting, as well as his reaction to being told McKinley would survive.

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McKinley is Comforted to Learn That His Gravely-Ill Vice President is Improving - 5 Days Before Hobart Dies

November 16, 1899

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Autograph Telegram Signed

1 page

SMC 916

This letter, in which President McKinley expresses his relief that Garret Hobart-his vice-president and dear friend-is on the mend, was written a mere five days before Hobart's health took a turn for the worse and he died.

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President William McKinley Wires Ailing Vice President Garret Hobart

September 2, 1899

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Autograph Telegram Signed

1 page

SMC 917

Immediately after returning to Washington from visiting the ailing Garret Hobart in New Jersey, McKinley wires him to inquire after his health. Less than three months later, heart disease would finally claim Hobart's life.

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Lincoln's Second Testimonial for Issachar Zacharie, His Mysterious Jewish Chiropodist - And Personal Spy

September 22, 1862

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Autograph Testimonial Signed

1 page

SMC 1906

In the midst of a hectic schedule, President Lincoln finds the time to endorse Issachar Zacharie, his Jewish chiropodist and spy: the same week as the bloody Battle of Antietam, and the same day Lincoln read his Emancipation Proclamation to his cabinet.

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A Rare Artifact Associated With 1862 Battlefield Passover Seder: A G.W. Forbes Civil War Sutler's Token

1863

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Historical artifacts

1 page

SMC 1529

Token of the Jewish sutler G.W. Forbes, who brought matzahs for his coreligionists of the Ohio 23rd regiment to celebrate the seder in 1862.

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Autograph Note

1 page

SMC 744

Max Nordau expresses his gratitude for "an interesting article.

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Autograph Note

5 pages

SMC 329

Herbert Hoover knew the value of his handwritten letters, as he himself was a collector of autographs. Amongst his collection was Mark Twain, Queen Victoria, and, most valuable, according to Hoover, a letter of Bayard Taylor – the poet, travel writer, and great chronicler of Palestine and the Levant.

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Manuscript from Mark Twain's Missing 1867 Notebook, Announcing His Intention to Travel Abroad

1867

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Autograph Note

2 pages

SMC 911

In this leaf from one of Mark Twain's missing notebooks, the young author writes of his upcoming journey to Europe and the Levant. Twain would chronicle the trip in The Innocents Abroad, a book that which would launch his career as a writer.

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"His Accidency," President John Tyler, Says He is a Creature of Accidents, "Being an Accident Himself"

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Autograph Note

2 pages

SMC 955

President John Tyler accepts an engagement on the condition that no presidential duties get in the way. Since he ascended the presidency merely upon the death of President William Henry Harrison, he was referred to by his detractors as "His Accidency." Here Tyler demonstrates his sense of humor and refers to himself as "an accident," explaining that things might occur which would cause him to break the engagement.

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1858 Senate Report Regarding the "Outrages at Jaffa" - The Rape and Murder of the Dickson Family Colony

May 1, 1858

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Typed Manuscript

30 pages

SMC 1012

The 1858 Senate report, which details the murder and rape of the Dickson family in their agricultural colony. The author, Jonathan Steinbeck was a descendent of members of the colony, and the "Outrages at Jaffa" is alluded to in his East of Eden. Herman Melville, inspired by the tragic events, wrote his epic poem Clarel.

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Autograph Manuscript Signed

1 page

SMC 994

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Signed Book

1 page

SMC 2384

A rare inscribed reprint of Innocents Abroad inscribed by Twain to his wife, Livy. In the past thirty years, only one other book transcribed by Twain to his wife has appeared. This double-volume edition is premium; bound in morocco and gilt.

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Lincoln-Douglas Debates Book Inscribed By Abraham Lincoln in Ink to His Old Law Partner Logan: A Rarity

1860

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Signed Book

1 page

SMC 638

The Lincoln-Douglas debates over slavery occasioned, in Lincoln, the most audacious rise from obscurity to political prominence in American history. The printing of the debates ensured the ongoing discussion, as well as ensconced them firmly in the American consciousness of the nineteenth century.

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One of the Last Things Signed by William McKinley: A Souvenir Booklet from the Pan-American Exposition

September, 1901

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Signed Book

16 pages

SMC 233

President William McKinley was assassinated on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo; it's very possible this souvenir booklet was the very last thing he signed.

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Abraham Lincoln's Family Physician, Robert K. Stone, Signed 1842 Book About a Miraculous Cure

1842

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Signed Book

1 page

SMC 1113

The pro-slavery, prestigious ophthalmologist, Dr. Robert K. Stone, served as the Lincoln's family doctor. Here, Stone affixes his signature to a book detailing the miraculous recovery of an ailing woman, cured by taking communion.

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Lawyer Abraham Lincoln Defends Farmer in Dispute Over Hogs

1856

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Autograph Document Signed

1 page

SMC 1089

Legal brief from a case in which Abraham Lincoln, in his time known as one of the top lawyers in the country, unsuccessfully defends a farmer in a dispute over a verbal agreement about the price of hogs.

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An Early Civil War Treatise on Gunshot Wounds By Surgeon General P.J. Horowitz

January, 1862

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Autograph Document Signed

6 pages

SMC 1639

P.J. Horwitz, a Baltimore Jew appointed Surgeon General of the Navy, describes in detail the variety of gunshot wounds, and their treatment, early in the Civil War, as most surgeons had not yet encountered gunshot wounds.

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Mordecai Manuel Noah and Isaac Leeser Propose Relief for the Poor Jews of Palestine

August 21, 1849

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Autograph Document Signed

1 page

SMC 237

Mordecai Manuel Noah and Isaac Leeser propose relief for the poor Jews of Palestine, albeit through different channels. This typifies their differences of opinion and approach where the restoration of the Jews to the Holy Land was concerned.

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Abraham Lincoln: A December 8 Oath of Allegiance

March 2, 1865

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Autograph Document Signed

1 page

SMC 352

The Oath of December 8 was announced by Lincoln, on that day, in his annual message to congress in 1863. He would offer a pardon to any man who would swear, without coercion, his allegiance to the Union.

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Gideon Welles is Summoned to Abraham Lincoln's Last, and Prophetic, Cabinet Meeting

April 14, 1865

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Autograph Document

1 page

SMC 1739

Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, is summoned to President Lincoln's last cabinet meeting, held hours before Lincoln's assassination.

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Rare Signed Copy of Lincoln's Jewish Chiropodist and Spy, Dr. Issachar Zacharie's Book

June 25, 1864

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Signed Book Inscribed

3 pages

SMC 676

Rare signed copy of Dr. Issachar Zacharie's book "Surgical and Practical Observations on the Diseases of the Human Foot." His book, was most likely plagiarized, and his credentials, equally as likely to be false.

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Lew Wallace's Signed "Minister Resident of the United States of America to Turkey" Calling Card

1881

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Calling Card

1 page

SMC 594

The author of Ben Hur's calling card, identifying Lew Wallace as the American Minister to Turkey.

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Golda Meir: Her "Golda Myerson" Calling Card Signed in Hebrew

1949

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Calling Card

2 pages

SMC 540

Here, future Prime Minister Golda Meir, then Labor Minister Golda Myerson, signs her name, in Hebrew, on her Calling Card, sometime between 1949 and 1956 – before, that is, Ben-Gurion ordered her to Hebraicize her name.

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Calling Card

2 pages

SMC 519

Thomas Jefferson's calling card; ornately decorated, yet inscribed with the simple "Mr. Jefferson."

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Andrew Johnson Calling Card, Signed Four Times

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Calling Card

1 page

SMC 521

Andrew Johnson signed his calling card four times, and crossed out one signature and his printed name. It's possible that he did this because he was practising signing his name after his right hand was severely injured in a train wreck.

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 1617

A brief note regarding composition from Mark Twain, directing either Elisha or Frank Bliss to set something up in facsimile rather than type.

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President John F. Kennedy "On the Edge of the New Frontier," Wonders What The Next Four Years Will Bring

February, 1961

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 901

John F. Kennedy signs a quote to the photographer, who had recently captured him "on the edge of the new frontier."

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Lincoln, Four Days After Son Willie's Death, Tells Sumner Mary Lincoln Needs His Help - "Can You Come?"

February 24, 1862

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 1034

Four days after the death of his eleven year-old son Willie - and as his youngest son still lay seriously ill - a grieving Lincoln asks Mary Lincoln's close friend, Senator Charles Sumner, to call on his inconsolable wife.

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Lincoln Interjects Himself Into a Case of Two Jewish Merchants Charged With Selling Goods to Blockaders

January 8, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 1038

Meyer and Philip Wallach were Jewish brothers who were charged with selling goods to blockaders and were held at an infamous prison for Confederate officers. Here, President Lincoln protects them by ordering the head of the prison to keep them in his custody - to neither send them away or allow them to be transferred.

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Physician of Assassinated President William McKinley Quotes McKinley's Last Words

November 25, 1901

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 1182

Matthew D. Mann, the physician who tended to President William McKinley on his deathbed, confirms McKinley's fabled last words.

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As Lee Surrenders, Abraham Lincoln Happily Grants a Favor to the Captain of the Riverboat Queen

April 9, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 123

The only surviving Lincoln letter from April 9th, 1865, the day that Lee surrendered the Confederate Army of North Virginia to Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant at the home of Wilmer and Virginia McLean in the town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Written aboard the "River Queen" on the Potomac, President Lincoln grants a favor to the steamboat's Captain Bradford.

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Three Days Before He is Assassinated, Abraham Lincoln Orders the Discharge of a Sickly Boy from the Army

April 11, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

4 pages

SMC 211

Three days before he will be shot and killed, Lincoln responds to a friend’s letter beseeching his help in arranging the discharge of a sickly boy from the army.

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Abraham Lincoln "Pardons" Misbehaving Boys, Allowing Them to Return to School

February 12, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 212

On his last birthday, Abraham Lincoln pardons mischievous schoolboys, allowing them to return to school on condition that they do not misbehave.

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Abraham Lincoln Endorses the Appointment of a Jewish Sutler, Henry Rice

December 6, 1861

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 193

Abraham Lincoln endorses General Alexander McClernand's pick for the position of sutler (a civilian merchant who sells goods to the army), Henry Rice.

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A Historic Memo: Harry Truman Salutes Dean Acheson's Crucial Role in Going to War With Korea

July 19, 1950

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Autograph Note Signed

2 pages

SMC 685

President Harry Truman commends Dean Acheson as Secretary of State for superbly handling events leading up to the Korean War.

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Two Days After Unleashing a Tempest by Firing MacArthur, President Truman Writes to a Journalist

April 13, 1951

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 699

President Truman writes to Merriman Smith, perhaps in response to something Smith had said to the President, a prediction, seemingly, about the great news of the day – Truman’s firing of MacArthur two days before – that inspired this note, with which Truman apparently forwarded “an interesting piece” he had run across in his hometown paper.

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General Eisenhower Approves a Soldier's Request to Shoot Captured Reich Marshal Goering -"The Fat ____"

May 25, 1945

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 702

Eisenhower had ordered every soldier not on the front to tour a concentration camp in order to understand not only the magnitude of the Holocaust, but the enemy itself. As a result, one soldier put in a request to shoot Hermann Goering, if he was indeed to be shot. Goering was sentenced to death by hanging, but took his own life in his cell. Here, Eisenhower refers to the corpulent Goering as "that fat ___"

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Emile Zola Writes to Alfred Dreyfus at the Height of the Dreyfus Affair

1899

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 509

Emile Zola's calling card, asking Alfred Dreyfus to send him a document which he has asked Zola to sign.

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Alfred Dreyfus Writes to Emile Zola's Widow to Commemorate the Anniversary of the Publication of "J'Accuse"

January 13, 1910

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 510

Eight years after Emile Zola has died, Alfred Dreyfus continues to expresses his gratitude to Alexandrine Zola, Emile Zola's widow, on the twelfth anniversary of the publication of "J'Accuse."

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Alfred Dreyfus Thanks Senator Leopold Thezard Who Challenged the Refusal to Allow His Wife to Join Him in Exile

November 9, 1905

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 512

Alfred Dreyfus thanks French Senator, Leopold Thezard, who was also a professor of law at Poitiers University, for his support. Thezard argued against the illegality of the French government to deny Lucie Dreyfus the right to join her husband in exile.

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The Day He Dies, Lincoln Writes a Pass to Richmond for Wife of the Doctor Who Would Attend His Death-Bed

April 14, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 575

Lincoln issues a pass for Mrs. Alice Stone to travel to Richmond; by that night her husband, the Lincoln family physician, would be attending at Lincoln’s deathbed.

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Lincoln Would be Glad to See General Milroy but knows "...He Wishes to Ask for What I Have Not to Give"

October 19, 1863

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 570

Abraham Lincoln gracefully sidesteps a meeting with the problematic General Milroy, who was arrested for losing half of his troops. Milroy railed against his superiors, who jailed him for his actions, and continuously pestered Lincoln for his release and restoration to command.

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What's in a Name: Samuel Clemens Defines Mark Twain

September, 1902

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Autograph Note Signed

2 pages

SMC 2117

Samuel Clemens explains his nom de plume as originating as a navigational term along the Mississippi. "Mark Twain" signified a depth sounding of two fathoms, and was called out by the leadsman; it was a term Twain, having served as a riverboat captain, would have heard daily.

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Lincoln Requests a "Map or Two" For His Youngest Son, Tad

March 7, 1865

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Autograph Note Signed

1 page

SMC 2038

Lincoln, who always liked to give his son Tad special gifts, asks here for two maps for his son.

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Thomas Edison Inscribed Photo: "In 1879 I Invented the Incandescent Lamp"

1920

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Signed Photograph Inscribed

1 page

SMC 1771

Inscribed photo by Thomas Edison, identifying himself as the inventor of the light bulb.

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Signature of James Calhoun, Custer's Brother-in-Law, Killed With Him at the Battle of Little Bighorn

1873

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Signature

2 pages

SMC 1157

Rare signature of Lieutenant James Calhoun, Custer's brother-in-law, who died with him at Little Bighorn on what would come to be known as Calhoun Hill.

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Signature of Young Officer, J.J. Crittenden, Killed With Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn

1876

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Signature

1 page

SMC 671

Signature of John Jordan Crittenden III, whose father, Thomas Leonidas Crittenden was a Lieutenant Colonel who secured for his son an army commission after the latter failed out of West Point. The frail, one-eyed Lieutenant met his end at Little Bighorn with General Custer.

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Signature of Second Lieutenant Henry Moore Harrington, Killed With General Custer at Little Bighorn

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Signature

2 pages

SMC 674

Signature of Second Lieutenant Henry Moore Harrington, who was killed with Custer at Little Bighorn. His was one of three bodies to not have been identified.

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1510

Dick Scobee writes that he hopes to be selected as a space shuttle astronaut. He eventually would become the commander of the ill-fated Challenger.

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Benjamin Harrison Names Solomon Hirsch Minister to Turkey, the Third Jew to Hold That Diplomatic Rank

May 15, 1889

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1531

Solomon Hirsch tops President Benjamin Harrison's list of diplomatic appointees. Harrison was indebted to the German-born Hirsch, who carried his home-state of Oregon as Republican.

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Abraham Lincoln: "The Government is About to Fall Into Our Hands"

October 12, 1860

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1552

Though Lincoln had almost no experience in government, his new Republican party swept to victory in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana in the Congressional elections of October 9th, and it looked, almost for a certainty, Lincoln writes here, "as if the Government is about to fall into our hands."

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Abraham Lincoln's Scarce Reference to Deaths of Mother and Sister, With Accompanying Poem About Memory

April 18, 1846

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 1553

In all of Abraham Lincoln's surviving letters, he only mentions the death of his mother twice, and the loss of his sister once; both are mentioned here. Lincoln also includes a poem he wrote on the occasion of returning to his home state twenty years after he departed it.

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Lincoln is "Not in a Sentimental Mood" Having Heard Reports of the Bloody Battle of the Wilderness

May 7, 1864

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1554

After just having heard that the union lost 1776 men in the Battle of the Wilderness, amongst other bad news, Lincoln was asked to give a sentiment for an autograph collector, Lincoln replied "I would give a sentiment, but just now I am not in a sentimental mood."

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Taft Declares That Denying Roosevelt the Presidency Again is Victory Enough

June 23, 1912

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1298

After being betrayed by his mentor, Theodore Roosevelt, who tried to secure the Republican nomination for himself, Taft, having recently won the nomination, lets schadenfreude wash over him as Roosevelt is defeated.

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Vice President Calvin Coolidge: His New Job is of Little Responsibility But He's Kept Busy All the Same

November 8, 1921

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1339

Vice President Calvin Coolidge tells the Archbishop of Boston that though his job carries little responsibility, the demands on his time are enormous.

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Scarce President Calvin Coolidge Autographed Letter Signed as President

January 30, 1925

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1342

A scarce autograph letter from Coolidge's presidency, thanking a retiring Republican congressman for his service, and wishing him well.

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Rare Herbert Hoover Letter as President: "One Per Annum"

December 19, 1932

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1347

One of six or seven autographed handwritten letters by Herbert Hoover as President. Here, he is conscious of the rarity of his letters, and playfully writes this one, his quota for the year, he jokes.

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President Franklin D. Roosevelt Fires His Isolationist Secretary of War During WWII

June 19, 1940

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1373

After forgiving his old and dear friend many missteps, Franklin Roosevelt finally fires Harry Woodring as Secretary of War.

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He's "Young, Inexperienced and Hopeful. Let's Hope the Hopeful Works." - Truman on Kennedy

September 25, 1961

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1406

Truman initially regarded Kennedy as as young, inexperienced, and up for office because his father bought him the vote. Here, Truman supports Kennedy's handling of the Berlin crisis, which saw the city divided between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies. Rather than seeing Kennedy's actions as weak, he praised the President's leadership in buying time with the Soviets in order to retain control of half the city.

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Former President Rutherford Hayes Expresses Satisfaction with Himself, His Successor, and John Sherman

March 6, 1881

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1213

Two days after leaving office, Rutherford B. Hayes writes to John Sherman, his Secretary of the Treasury, to thank him for his help. Hayes also adds that he's happy with his successor, and that he read Sherman's farewell speech to the Treasury, which did much to dispel the notion that Sherman was "too cold in temperament."

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An Eerie Prescience: James Garfield Finds a "Streak of Sadness" in His Nomination as President

July 3, 1880

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1216

President James Garfield, who would be assassinated, or mortally wounded nearly a year to the day he wrote this letter, eerily finds a "streak of sadness" in his nomination for the Presidency. Garfield was shot less than four months into his term; he lingered for seventy-nine days before finally succumbing to his wounds.

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President Benjamin Harrison Discusses a Letter Written by his Grandfather, William Henry Harrison

May 25, 1892

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1235

President Benjamin Harrison thanks Curtis Guild, Sr., a collector, for sending him a copy of a letter written by his grandfather, William Henry Harrison. The President is pleased to have obtained a letter of "great family interest."

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Young Benjamin Harrison Writes President Lincoln About "Spoils" Due Indiana

March 6, 1861

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1236

Young Benjamin Harrison, who had made stump speeches for President Lincoln's campaign calls in a favor just two days into Lincoln's administration: he endorses Senatorial Elector and Lincoln canvasser Will Cumback as worthy of "a mark of Administrative favor." Lincoln appoints Cumback paymaster.

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Rutherford B. Hayes Discusses, At Length, the Disputed Election of 1876

April 22, 1888

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 1204

The election of Rutherford B. Hayes hung, precariously, on disputed returns from four states -- chief among them, Louisiana. Here, long after the fact, Hayes reviews with one of his chief lieutenants, John Sherman, what happened there, and why.

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President Rutherford B. Hayes Gives Recipe for Allegedly "Non-Alcoholic" Punch

December 30, 1880

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1 page

SMC 1206

President Rutherford B. Hayes claims that the Roman punch served in his White House contains no alcohol.

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President Benjamin Harrison is "Lonesome" in the White House

July 16, 1892

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1238

President Benjamin Harrison writes to his aunt, and tells her that with not a soul in the White House but himself, it is "very lonesome."

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Former President Benjamin Harrison Explains That Former Presidents Should Be Seen and Not Heard

September 4, 1900

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1244

Appalled by William McKinley's imperialism, Benjamin Harrison declines to endorse and speak on his behalf, insisting that former presidents should be "seen and not heard."

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Theodore Roosevelt: a Condolence Letter on the Death of a Friend's Father

July 24, 1904

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1250

Roosevelt writes to his friend and family physician Dr. Alexander Lambert, whose father had recently passed away.

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Theodore Roosevelt Pens Congratulatory Letter on White House Card: Lauds Utica Public Library

December 15, 1908

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1251

President Theodore Roosevelt salutes Utica philanthropist Frederick T. Proctor and the Public Library he supported, on the excellent work it is doing, and wishes it good luck.

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Edith Roosevelt on Her Husband's Recovery from an Assassination Attempt and the Bullet Left Inside Him

February 3, 1913

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 1254

Edith Roosevelt writes to a friend who had asked the Roosevelts for medical as well as financial guidance. Mrs. Roosevelt answers that the medical advice should be left to their family physician; Theodore will dispense with the financial advice after the medical issue is resolved. She mentions in passing that the surgeon has deemed it safer to leave the bullet in Theodore's chest, which makes her anxious.

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General Benjamin Butler: The Jews "Betrayed Their Savior & Also Have Betrayed Us"

October 23, 1862

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2182

General Butler, discussing the arrest of two Jewish blockade-runners, displays his notorious anti-Semitism.

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Writing to Gideon Welles, Abraham Lincoln Attends to a Request From Jewish Congressman Leonard Myers

September 9, 1864

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2340

Republican Congressman Leonard Myers of Pennsylvania, renowned for his dedication to civil rights, wrote to President Abraham Lincoln not infrequently on behalf of those seeking an introduction, an appointment, or something to do with the machinations of war. Here, Lincoln writes to the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, that he wishes to accommodate Myers's request to appoint Charles R. Wilson to the Naval School.

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Republican Nominee Abraham Lincoln Mentions His Childhood Friends of Spencer County to Former Employer William Jones

June 18, 1860

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2342

Abraham Lincoln, returning to Indiana, says it would be rather nice to see his "old Spencer County friends."

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Mary Surratt's Daughter Petitions Andrew Johnson for the Return of Her Mother's Remains

February 5, 1869

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 2033

Mary Surratt was hanged as a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. She was also the first woman executed by the United States government. Here, her daughter, Anna, successfully petitions President Andrew Johnson for the return of her body.

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General Custer Wants Brother Who Would Die With Him at Little Bighorn Appointed a Second Lieutenant

March 14, 1872

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 2054

General Custer unsuccessfully requests that his youngest brother, Boston, be appointed second lieutenant in the Seventh Cavalry. Boston was not even admitted to the US army, due to his frail health. Custer ensured his brother was with him, and ultimately died with him, by appointing him as a scout.

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Grover Cleveland, Recovering From Secret Cancer Surgery, Reports He is "Getting to be Quite a Drunkard"

December 17, 1893

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Autograph Letter Signed

6 pages

SMC 1970

Recovering from his secret cancer surgery aboard a yacht a few months prior, Grover Cleveland reports to his physician and dear friend that he is having "a couple of drinks of whiskey a day, with very good results; and I smoke a cigar every day too."

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Former First Lady Frances Cleveland Reports Ailing Grover Cleveland is "Breaking Up Generally"

December 4, 1901

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Autograph Letter Signed

3 pages

SMC 2018

Although Grover Cleveland seems to be on the mend, with his "temperature, pulse & respiration" now normal, Frances Cleveland is still a bit distraught over her husband's slow recovery. He still has "trouble with his gut" and is perturbed that he's not gaining strength. It appears he's "breaking up generally." Cleveland would live for another seven years.

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Incredibly Rare Czolgosz Letter – 5 Weeks Before He Assassinated McKinley – as "Fred Nobody"

July 30, 1901

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1817

A rare and disjointed letter from Leon Czolgosz, ominously written in red ink, approximately five weeks before he would assassinate President William McKinley, signed as his alias, Fred C. Nieman.

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While "Driving Out" Indians From Little Bighorn, Custer Envisions the Mining Fortunes to be Made There

May 13, 1876

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1822

General Custer writes to his old classmates from Hopedale Normal College - which he attended before West Point - to tell them of the potential of a serious fortune made from their collaboration in mining in the Bighorn country.

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Ulysses S. Grant Comments on the Refugees Who Have Fled to Constantinople

March 9, 1878

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Autograph Letter Signed

6 pages

SMC 1849

In Istanbul, Grant was struck by scenes of the refugees – many of them, Bulgarian Jews – who had fled the notoriously anti-Semitic Russian invaders during the just-concluded Russo-Turkish War. Grant also discusses the gift of an Arabian horse from the sultan and the logistics involved in shipping it back to the United States.

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Titanic Postcard: Rare Postcard From the Titanic - Sent at Beginning of Voyage; Ship "A Peach," In NY "Next Tuesday"

April 11, 1912

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1893

Charlie Shorney writes to his father from the Titanic, telling him that the sea is calm, the ship is a "peach," and that he will be in New York next week. Charlie went down with the ship, and his body was never recovered.

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Camille Pissarro Protests Alfred Dreyfus's Conviction

January 18, 1898

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1895

Just five days after Zola published “J’accuse!” in the French newspaper L’Aurore, Pissarro writes to say that he wishes his name added to “the protestation against the awful judgment of the court-martial” to be published, apparently, in that crusading paper.

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President James Garfield's Assassin, Charles Guiteau, Convicted and in Jail, Declares He is Not a Lunatic

April 11, 1882

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1907

Here the disagreeable, disputatious, and insane assassin of President Garfield, Charles Guiteau, declares he is not a lunatic, and that the woman, his sister who raised him, and the brother-in-law who acted as his lawyer at his trial, are nuisances, with whom he, a convicted assassin awaiting execution in jail, wants nothing to do.

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Millard Fillmore in Defeat: "I Would Rather be Right Than President"

July 23, 1852

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1914

Millard Fillmore loses the nomination but his party maintains the Compromise measures done in his term, which he considers a greater personal victory than the presidency.

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William Henry Harrison's Secretary Announces Harrison's Impending Death

April 4, 1841

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1928

President William Henry Harrison's secretary, Henry Harrison, writes to his father, Benjamin Harrison, to inform him of the impending death of the President.

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William T. Sherman Recalls His Trip to the Levant, and Teases His Lady Friend About Harem Life

January 20, 1890

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 1587

William T. Sherman writes to Mary Audenried, teasingly warning her that travelling in the Middle East is especially hazardous to women, and that she could find herself in a harem. Sherman insists that western women are treated more as equals than women in the Levant.

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President William Howard Taft Praises President Grover Cleveland To Mrs. Cleveland

March 23, 1909

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Autograph Letter Signed

2 pages

SMC 1615

Replying to Mrs. Cleveland's letter thanking him for his stirring eulogies of her husband, President William Howard Taft reiterates his genuine respect for President Grover Cleveland as a man of courage and public duty.

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Grover Cleveland Complains of an Avalanche of Unwelcome Invitations, As He Plans a Pleasure Trip Out of Town

August 18, 1887

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Autograph Letter Signed

4 pages

SMC 1622

Grover Cleveland expresses his exasperation for the niceties and public appearances necessitated by being the President of the United States, and says he's as "cross as a bear."

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Benjamin Cardozo Expresses His "Sure Interest" In Essays Written About Lincoln

October 13, 1929

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1648

Justice Benjamin Cardozo thanks Emanuel Hertz for his pamphlets on Lincoln, "which are sure to interest" him.

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William McKinley Invites Old Friend to Go with Him to His Gubernatorial Inauguration: "Don't fail me."

January 5, 1892

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Autograph Letter Signed

1 page

SMC 1666

William McKinley urges his friend John Taylor and his wife to join him and his wife to travel together to McKinley's induction ceremony as Governor of Ohio. He would later call upon the same friends to accompany him to his inauguration as president.

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