Sale 331

U.S. and Worldwide Stamps and Postal History


Other Autographs & Americana
 
 
Lot Photo Description
Lot 7
 
Americana, 3-page letter datelined "York 27th July 1789" from a David Sewall, laying out his thoughts on the newly created District Court system; the letter is postmarked a"Portsmouth [N.H.], July" straightline and addressed to George Thatcher, New York; Very Fine.
Estimate $150 - 200

Sewall was appointed as a Superior Court Justice for the Maine District of Massachusetts two months after this letter weas written. Thatcher became a U.S. congressman from the same district at about the same time.

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Lot 8

John C. Breckenridge (1821-1875), U.S. Vice-President under Buchanan; Democratic candidate for President in 1860 election against Lincoln and fellow Democrat, Stephen Douglas; ALS, 1page, 2 sides, Washington D.C., Feb 15, 1860; personal letter, as vice-president, to former congressman and governor of New Jersey, Rodman Price, declining an invitation; written in a difficult to read hand, but in part "…I [am] determined to do my best for harmony in our party…";some repairs but a clean signature.
Estimate $300 - 400
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Lot 9

James Buchanan (1791-1868), 15th President of the U.S. Autograph Endorsement Signed as President, endorsement on a cover front addressed to him, Buchanan has written, "27 September 1860 Referred to the Secretary of War. James Buchanan", apparently hand-carried; F-VF.
Estimate $400 - 500
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Lot 10

Free Franks of "The Orators", "free J.C. Calhoun", "Free H. Clay" and "Danl Webster, U.S. Senate", a clean, Very Fine trio of free-franked covers, the first two postmarked Washington, the last Boston; includes a 1913 multicolor picture postcard showing Webster "arguing the famous Dartmouth College case, 1817".
Estimate $500 - 750
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Lot 11

"Free, Anna Harrison", manuscript frank on buff envelope addressed in Mrs. Harrison's hand to a Thomas D. Carpenter, Esq., Philadelphia; manuscript postmark "Cleves O, Jan 28", Very Fine.
Estimate $400 - 500
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Lot 12

John Jay (1745-1829), President of the Continental Congress (1778-1779), Chief Justice of the United States (1789-1795). Free-frank signature, "= John Jay =" on folded cover addressed in his own hand to his wife "at Governor Livingston's, Elizabeth Town [N.J.]", postmarked weak partial "N.York, July 7" straightline and matching "Free", docketed 5 July 1788, Very Fine.
Estimate $900 - 1,200
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Lot 13

[Andrew Johnson] (1808-1875), Seventeenth president of the U.S. (1865-1869), Department of State cover postmarked Washington, D.C./Free, Dec 16 (1865) to a James H. Poindexter, Richmond Va., upon which the recipient has noted "Pardon from A Johnson 1865, for which $100.00 was paid to J.M. Speed (Atty. Gen)"; reduced at left with some cover damage, but an interesting commentary on the price of justice.
Estimate $200 - 300
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Lot 14
C.A. Lindbergh Pilot, bold signature on "Home of Abraham Lincoln" airmail envelope franked with a 6¢ C1 and two imperf Hardings, but not mailed; also signed by Springfield Postmaster Wm. H. Conkling; Very Fine.
Estimate $500 - 750
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Lot 15
C.A. Lindbergh, bold signature as pilot on "Home of Abraham Lincoln" legal size first flight cover flown by Lindbergh Apr 15, 1926, on the inaugural flight of Contract Air Mail route 2, between Chicago and St. Louis; carried from Springfield, Ill. to St. Louis and back, via Springfield, to Chicago; front with black and purple northbound Springfield cachets and postmark, both 4:30 p.m., southbound Springfield cachet was applied on the reverse earlier, at 7:45 a.m. when the mail left for St. Louis; backstamped Chicago postmark at 9:30 p.m.; also signed by Springfield Postmaster Wm. H. Conkling; back nearly separated from front, otherwise Very Fine.
Estimate $750 - 1,000

The cover is addressed to George Linn by William A. Steiger, who was postmaster Conkling's chiel assistant in the promotion of the air mail service. It also bears a hand drawn "U.S. Mail" plane in black and red.

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Lot 16

William Howard Taft (1857-1930), Twenty-seventh president of the U.S. (1909-1913), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (1921-1930). Typed Letter Signed as Chief Justice and ex-president, "Wm H Taft", Washington, D.C., December 9, 1929 on Supreme Court letterhead. Taft returns enclosures (probably autographs) and responds to the recipient, "…as to what my number is among the Presidents is a subject of discussion in whic it is useless for me to join." Couple small, light stains, not affecting text or bold signature.
Estimate $400 - 500
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Lot 17
  Supreme Court Justices and Attornies General, Large, comprehensive collection of autographs, documents and photographs from the late 18th century to the last half of the 20th; signatures of Chief Justices include Oliver Ellsworth, Morrison Waite (2), Melville Fuller (3), Harlan Stone, Fred Vinson and Earl Warren; signed covers include nearly 150 signed letters, covers and cards plus assorted related photos and engravings and letters. A lifetime's accomplishment and a magnificent lot for anyone in the legal profession.
Estimate $7,500 - 10,000
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