New Hamburg, ON, Canada, October 26, 2024 -- An outstanding single-owner collection of vintage and antique toys, many of them rare German and Japanese examples, plus Canadiana and historic objects, will come up for bid in two days of online-only auctions slated for Friday and Saturday, November 8th and 9th by Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., with different start times for each day.

The November 8th sale of toys, 208 lots in all, featuring the Phil Barnett collection, is an online-only auction with no live webcast portion. Lots will close in sequential order beginning at 5pm Eastern time that day. The November 9th sale of Canadiana, Toys & Historic Objects will close via live webcast starting at 9am Eastern time that day; more than 360 lots will come up for bid.

“The Phil Barnett collection affords collectors of toys, Canadiana and oddities a rare opportunity to pick from his treasure trove,” said Ethan Miller of Miller & Miller Auctions. Ltd. “Phil is a great storyteller. Every object he collected tells a story and he took pride in his toys. From Bing to Bandai, you’ll find rarities like nowhere else, with condition that only a trained eye could vet.”

Many of the higher-dollar lots can be found in the November 9th session. These will be led by an extremely rare circa 1920 lithographed tin eight-man scull with coxswain toy made by Gunthermann, one of the elite German toy companies. The magnificent large toy (29 inches in length) depicts a racing team in blue and white uniforms on a light brown scull. It has the same synchronized rowing action as a real scull and carries a pre-sale estimate of $10,000-$12,000.

All prices quoted in this report are in Canadian dollars.

Equally scarce is the circa 1905-1910 lithographed tin toy depicting a Coupe Gordon Bennet No. 5 race car made by the Siegfried Gunthermann Adolf Weigel company. The toy retains the original toy and passenger and is in very good original condition, with the chain-driven clockwork mechanism tested and working. It’s a toy that rarely comes to auction and is found in some of the world’s best toy collections and museums. It’s expected to bring $8,000-$10,000.

An American Kentucky flintlock rifle made by Nicholas Hawk (1782-1844, Monroe County, Pa.), .46 calibre, with a barrel length of 31 ½ inches (and overall 47 inches long), should hit the target for $6,000-$8,000. The barrel is signed “Nicholas Hawk Gunsmith” in script on a brass inlay and the stock is tiger maple. Hawk built a reputation for producing high-quality firearms detailed with intricate brass and silver engravings and inlays, and this rifle is a fine example.

A Canadian Pequegnat “Nelson” Hall clock with a quarter cut oak case, made during the Berlin period (1904-1916), is considered the rarest of the Pequegnat Hall clocks. Only a few are known to exist. Features include a key, original pendulum stick and bob, original finish (with overall crazing), original beveled glass, original acorns on chains, original weights, a Berlin signed movement and a full label on the rear door. The 81 ¼ inch clock should realize $3,500-$5,000.

Switching over to November 8th, a German 1930s lithographed tin T-694 toy motorcycle with sidecar, made by Tipp & Co., a company known for their high-quality and realistic toys, has an estimate of $2,000-$3,000. It’s a great display piece, boasting excellent gloss and color, and is tested and working, in very good original condition. It’s marked “Made in Germany” below the driver’s left foot and “Dunlop Cord” on the wheels. The Tipp & Co. logo appears multiple times.

A German 1930s lithographed tin delivery cart made by Saalheimer & Strauss, in very good condition, should roll away for $2,000-$2,500. The company boasts in its 1932 catalog: “Our motorcycles are steerable and with dust-tight built-in rear wheel. The coaches are removable.” The toy is marked “Made in Germany” to the driver’s left and “Dunlop Cord” on the wheels.

A Japanese lithographed tin toy Ford Edsel made by the Asahi Toy Company is expected to reach $1,200-$1,500. It’s in very good to excellent original condition and the friction motor is tested and working. Asahi was a major post-war manufacturer of mechanical toys with an emphasis on scale-like models of then-contemporary vehicles. They had a Santa Claus logo.

Also up for bid on November 8th, several lots are expected to finish at $600-$900. Included is a 1950s German lithographed tin toy Arnold Mac 700 motorcycle, marked “Made in U.S.-Zone Germany.” After World War II, when American authorities occupied certain parts of Germany, toys, in order to be exported out Germany, had to be marked, “Made in U.S.- Zone Germany”. This toy is marked “Mac 700” on the gas tank and “Arnold” on the wheels and top front fender.

A 1950s Japanese-made Packard Patrician toy car, made by ALPS, considered one of the quality Japanese toy makers, has an estimate of $1,200-$1,500. The 16 ½ inch vehicle, marked “ALPS made in Japan, is tested and working, even retaining the original hood ornament. The Packard Patrician was more prestigious than the regular Packard. It was built for the upper class, the elites, as a way for Packard to keep pace with luxury auto makers like Cadillac and Lincoln.

A German 1930s four funnel tinplate windup toy ocean liner, likely made by Carette or Arnold, is a great display piece showing a good overall patina. It’s 9 inches in length (est. $600-$900).

A Japanese 1950s lithographed tin toy Edsel with the original box, made by HAJI, is estimated to hammer for $600-$900. HAJI produced primarily toy cars for only a short period, from 1951 to the late 1960s. Their toys were of high quality and today are highly sought after by collectors. This example is tested and working and is in very good condition. It’s marked “HAJI” on the box and the rear of the front seat bench, “Edsel” on the rear side panels, and “E” on the hubcaps.

Internet bidding will be through www.MillerandMillerAuctions.com, plus the popular bidding platform LiveAuctioneers.com. Here is a link to the Toys auction, on Friday, November 8th: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-EYQBRR/toys-featuring-the-phil-barnett-collection. Here is a link to the Canadiana, Toys & Historic Objects auction on Saturday, November 9th: https://live.millerandmillerauctions.com/auctions/4-EXK3L1/canadiana-toys-historic-objects.

This is an online-only auction. There will be no in-person event to attend, but bidders can tune in to the live webcast November 8th and 9th to watch lots close in real time. In-gallery previews will be held Wednesday and Thursday, November 6th and 7th, from 12 o’clock noon ‘til 5pm Eastern time each day in the Miller & Miller showroom, at 59 Webster Street in New Hamburg, Ontario.

To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. and the auctions on November 8th & 9th, visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.

About Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd.:
Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd. is Canada’s trusted seller of high-value collections and is always accepting quality consignments. The firm specializes in watches and jewelry, art, antiques and high-value collectibles. Its mission is to provide collectors with a trusted place to buy and sell. To consign a single piece, an estate or a collection, you may call them at (519) 573-3710; or, you can e-mail them at info@millerandmillerauctions.com. To learn more about Miller & Miller Auctions, Ltd., please visit www.millerandmillerauctions.com.

Wilton, CT, USA, October 24, 2024 -- Americans will go to the polls on Tuesday, November 5th, to elect a new president, but a different kind of presidential history might be made less than a week earlier – on Wednesday, October 30th. That’s when University Archives, the Connecticut-based auction house, will offer a complete set of presidential signatures, from George Washington to Barack Obama, all signed while the men were in office.

The group, gathered by a Dallas gentleman who stopped collecting the signatures after Obama’s presidency, consists of autograph letters signed; typed letters signed; and signed letters; together with a variety of signed documents. They date from 1789 to 2010 and all show bold signatures.

The online-only auction will begin promptly at 10 am Eastern time and the presidential set, lot #89 in the catalog, has a pre-auction estimate of $400,000-$500,000.

“There are very few complete sets of presidential autographs signed as President, mainly due to the scarcity of William Henry Harrison pieces, as he served just one month in office,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives. “Many of these sets reside in institutions and will never be offered to the public.”

Mr. Reznikoff added that, based on a census taken by Joseph Rubinfine in 2002 and updated by Seth Kaller in 2023, “it is believed that fewer than a dozen such sets likely exist in private hands, this being one of the very best. A set of presidential signatures as President is thus scarcer than a set of signers of the Declaration of Independence.”

The Dallas collector, who wishes to remain anonymous, was described by Mr. Reznikoff as “a man whose passion for history and preservation inspired him to assemble this phenomenal, museum-quality signers set.”

Mr. Reznikoff is a frequent guest on TV and a main character on the hit Netflix TV show The King of Collectibles. He started collecting at age eight, when he wrote a letter to then-President Richard Nixon. He said it takes years, if not decades, to accumulate a collection like the one being offered.

“The collector let us know that this set was, and is, stored in climate-controlled vaults, which is kind of like keeping a rare car in a garage,” Reznikoff said. “He told me the collection has never been exhibited. He hopes a new buyer will take that on, maybe even showing it at the White House with a newly installed president.”

All of the signed items are fascinating snapshots into the lives of America’s past presidents and the times in which they lived and served. All are historically significant as well as being highly collectible. A handful of examples are as follows:

- George Washinton. A two-page letter dated October 3, 1789 and signed “Go: Washington”. America’s first president transmits the first Acts of Congress (including the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the First Federal Budget) to Connecticut Governor Samuel Huntington.

- Thomas Jefferson. A one-page letter signed “Th Jefferson”, dated December 13, 1803. In the letter, to an unnamed Governor, Jefferson circulates the 12th Amendment to the Constitution for ratification, regarding the election of President and Vice President, to avoid a crisis like that of the 1801 election.

- William Henry Harrison. Harrison served exactly one month in office – from March 4 to April 4, 1841. In that brief time, he signed a ship’s passport (“posthumously issued”) for a doomed whaling vessel. The document, dated April 30, 1841, is signed “W H Harrison” and countersigned “Danl Webster” as Secretary of State.

- Abraham Lincoln. In a document signed (as “Abraham Lincoln”) on July 24, 1863, just three weeks after the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln calls for 2,406 more men from the 18th District of Pennsylvania. It’s one of the first draft calls ever signed, and was executed a week after the New York Draft Riots.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt. In a typewritten letter dated July 28, 1939 and signed “Franklin D. Roosevelt”, FDR writes to sculptor Gutzon Borglum regarding his monumental work, Mount Rushmore, and “the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Project under the provisions of Reorganization Plan No. II, approved June 7, 1939.”

- John F. Kennedy. After Columbia Records President Goddard Lieberson sent JFK an audio recording of America’s first manned space flight with astronaut Alan Shepard, Kennedy signed a typed letter of thanks (as “John Kennedy”) on White House stationery, dated May 16, 1961, saying he was “delighted to have this memento.”

- Barack Obama. In an autograph note written on White House stationery, dated March 2, 2010 and signed “Barack Obama”, the President assures a Pennsylvania mother that he will do “everything in my power to make troops like Matthew my priority. Please tell him ‘thank you for your service’ from his Commander-in-Chief!”

Collectors who want even more than what is offered in this collection will be pleased to learn that many items in the 490-lot catalog are items signed by past presidents that also include Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Items signed by Democratic candidate for President Kamala Harris are also in the sale.

All lots in the catalog are up for viewing and bidding now on the newly redesigned University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

Here is a link to the catalog on the University Archives website: https://www.universityarchives.com/auction-catalog/rare-autographs-manuscripts-books_E6Q0WAIS7L

Mr. Reznikoff said the signed presidents set joins a great volume of exceptional presidential autographed material from other consignors. “A timely assortment up for auction just a few weeks ahead of the 2024 United States presidential election,” he said. Outstanding items of historical interest from the Science, World Leaders, Civil Rights, Religion, Art & Music, Aviation & Space, History & Military, and Sports categories will also pass the auction block.

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

For more information about University Archives and the 490-lot, online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books auction scheduled for Wednesday, October 30th, starting at 10am Eastern time, please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted frequently.

About University Archives:
University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies. University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Road (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives please visit www.universityarchives.com

Atlanta, GA, USA, October 19, 2024 -- An oil on canvas Piccadilly Circus street scene by Edward Brian Seago (U.K., 1910-1974) climbed to $72,600 and an oil on silk laid to Masonite still life painting by Le Pho (Vietnamese/French, 1907-2001) realized $60,500 at auctions held October 9th and 10th by Ahlers & Ogletree, online and live in the gallery located at 1788 Ellsworth Industrial Boulevard in Atlanta.

The two-day Autumn Fine Estates & Collections auction contained nearly 750 exceptional lots that included fine art by renowned artists, fine watches and other luxury accessories, exquisite Chinese export porcelain and tableware, 18th and 19th century furniture, hand-woven Persian textile rugs, Asian arts and decorative accessories. By the time it was done, the auction had grossed just over $859,000.

Edward Seago’s oil on canvas street scene titled Piccadilly Circus was the expected top lot of Day 1 and it more than doubled its $35,000 high estimate. The mid-20th century work was signed lower left and had a gallery label to verso for MacConnal-Mason & Sons, Ltd. It was 20 ¼ inches by 26 ¼ inches (canvas, less frame). Seago was an accomplished self-taught artist who worked in watercolors and oils.

The circa 1972 still-life by Le Pho titled Les Dahlias Blancs (The White Dahlias) was the top earner on Day 2, besting the $50,000 high estimate by more than $10,000. The painting was signed lower right, titled and inscribed “New York, Wally F. No. 44” to verso. It measured 19 ¾ inches by 25 ½ inches (less frame). Le Pho was born in Vietnam and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts of Hanoi and Paris.

Following are additional highlights from the auctions, which attracted around 30-40 people to the gallery in-person each day. Internet bidding was provided by LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Ahlers & Ogletree’s own platform, bid.AandOauctions.com. There were 38 phone bidders and 78 absentee bids recorded. All priced quoted in this report include a 21 percent buyer’s premium.

Starting with Day 1, a charming late 19th century pair of 18k yellow gold, carved bone and polychrome enamel opera glasses by George Le Sache (French, 1849-circa 1920) for Tiffany & Co. (American, 1837), with retail marks to the frame, rose to $15,730, tripling the $5,000 high estimate.

An untitled (Mother Pulling on Baby’s Stockings) graphite pencil and chalk on watermarked wove paper signed by the renowned mother-and-child artist Mary Cassatt (American, 1844-1926), 13 ¼ inches by 10 ¼ inches (paper, minus frame) blew past its $2,000 high estimate to finish at $10,285.

An unsigned oil on canvas Portrait of a Gentleman attributed to Thomas Sully (American, 1783-1872), 32 inches by 27 inches (less frame), pictured in the book Southern Interiors of Charleston, South Carolina (a copy accompanied the lot) sold for $7,260, defeating the $4,000 high estimate.

A ladies’ Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date stainless steel, 18k yellow gold and diamond bezel wrist watch with a perpetual jeweled movement, black dial and 10 round brilliant diamond markers weighing 0.20 total carats (graded SI for clarity), with newer boxes and tags, realized $4,235.

A two-sided oil on board painting by William Samuel Horton (American, 1865-1936), with one side titled The Demolition of the House of Degas (1909) and the other side titled Mountainside Houses in Landscape (circa 1909), both works artist signed to the lower left, changed hands for $3,025.

Over to Day 2, where a 19th century untitled (Portrait of a Terrier) oil on canvas by Rosa Bonheur (French 1822-1899), unsigned, inscribed “Vente Rose Bonheur 1900”, with a paper label to verso for Robert Frank Paintings & Drawings, 12 ¾ inches by 8 ¾ inches (canvas, less frame), reached $15,730.

One of the real sleepers of the sale was the Chinese figural bronze 'foreigner' candlestick mounted as a lamp, cast in the form of a bearded pot-bellied man with draped tassels, standing on a base, apparently unmarked. It carried a modest estimate of $300-$500 but ended up selling for $3,630.

A pair of square corner Chinese rosewood cabinets in the Ming taste, each having double paneled doors opening to reveal two shelves, plus two drawers above double trap doors, riding on square legs, unmarked, measuring 71 inches tall by 54 ¾ inches wide, also found a new owner for $3,630.

A pair of Japanned black and gold lacquered tiered side tables by Maison Jansen (French, founded 1880), having a shaped top tier with a figural Chinoiserie scene and acorn finials, over bamboo motif supports, a floral motif second tier, and raised on bamboo motif legs, unmarked, hit $3,328.

A pair of small-scale Spanish green velvet and leather tub chairs, each having side pockets and pleated skirts, manufactured around 1930 and apparently unmarked, knocked down for $2,722.

Ahlers & Ogletree will close out 2024 with three more auctions: a one-day Winter Fine Estates & Collections Auction on Thursday, November 14th; a Modern Art & Design Auction on Wednesday, December 4th; and their annual Winter Jewelry & Design Accessories Auction on Thursday, December 5th. All three auctions will be held live and online. Watch the website for further details.

To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auction events, please visit www.aandoauctions.com. You can also follow A&O on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

About Ahlers & Ogletree:
Ahlers & Ogletree is always seeking quality consignments for future auctions. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly at 404-869-2478; or, you can send them an e-mail, at consign@AandOauctions.com. To learn more about Ahlers & Ogletree and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auction events, please visit www.aandoauctions.com. You can also follow A&O on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook.

Shannon's Fine Art Auctioneers will present their annual Fall Fine Art Auction on Thursday, October 24th, at 6 pm Eastern time. The sale will take place live online at shannons.com, with bidding also available by telephone and absentee.

Shannon’s has become the leading auction house for American art and this season proves their strength in attracting quality consignments in this genre. The firm secured 15 paintings from a major private collection of American art. Many of the paintings from this group are fresh-to-the-market, having been in private hands for decades.

The top lot from this collection is an exceptional Alfred Thompson Bricher, titled Morning at Narragansett – The Turn of the Tide (1871), estimated at $150,000-$200,000. This masterful, Luminist painting depicts a mother with her two children enjoying a day at the beach, young boys playing in the gentle waves, and a couple walking in the sand. Shannon’s has sold over 100 paintings by A.T. Bricher and company owner Sandra Germain said this is “easily among the best work by Bricher I have ever seen.”

19th century American paintings are a strength of this collection. In addition to the Bricher, Shannon’s will offer a Thomas W. Whittredge, titled View of Newport Beach at $50,000-$75,000; Jasper Francis Cropsey’s Greenwood Lake, at $50,000-75,000; and still-life paintings by Levi Wells Prentice and John F. Francis.

American Impressionism is led by an Ernest Lawson work titled Boat House, Winter, Harlem River from 1918, estimated at $100,000-$150,000. It was previously in the collection of the Saint Louis Art Museum and in private hands since 2010. Other fine examples of American Impressionism include paintings of New York City by Colin Campbell Cooper and Edmund Greacen.

A superb Arthur Wesley Dow painting, titled Verge of the Abyss, depicts a rare view of the Grand Canyon painted in 1911-1912. Estimated at $80,000-$120,000, this work will undoubtedly attract interest from private collectors and museums alike. The collection includes other 20th century paintings by Dale Nichols and John Atherton.

From an important Midwestern collection of American Impressionism, Shannon’s will offer Frederick Carl Frieseke’s The Rose Gown from 1915, estimated at $80,000–$120,000. This impressive 32 inch by 32 inch painting depicts a woman in a rose-colored dress holding a posy. Shannon’s has attracted a following for Frieseke with recent sales of Lady Trying on a Hat for $450,000 (2023) and Dressing for $112,500 (2024).

A local-view of Woodbury, Connecticut titled The Road that Leads to Home, by Willard Leroy Metcalf, will be offered at an attractive estimate of $80,000-$120,000. A delightful Edward Henry Potthast of Children at Play on the Beach will be offered at $60,000-$80,000. This Midwestern collection features another Ernest Lawson titled Winter Scene descended in the family of the artist and estimated at $20,000-$30,000.

A collection of five paintings by Emily Mason will headline the Modernist offerings in this auction. Mason painted in New York City and taught at Hunter College for over 30 years. Shannon’s will offer Three Musicians, a 50 inch by 40 inch oil painting from 1988 at $40,000-$60,000 and Abstract Orange, a 40 inch by 35 inch oil painting from 1981-82 at $30,000-$50,000, alongside three works on paper.

An in-person preview of all the works featured in the auction will be on display weekdays on October 14-23 and on Saturday, October 19th. Shannon’s is one of the few auction houses still producing richly illustrated color catalogs to promote their offerings. The eagerly anticipated catalog will be available in October. Contact the auction house or sign up for the mailing list online.

The fall auction at Shannon’s will feature 183 lots of paintings, drawings, prints, and sculpture. To join the mailing list and for updates on the October 24, 2024 Fine Art Auction visit www.shannons.com, or follow them on social media. Shannon’s can be reached by phone at 203-877-1711; or via email at info@shannons.com.

About Shannon’s Fine Art Auctioneers:
Shannon’s prides itself on providing each client with personalized service, educating consignors and buyers on fine art, the auction process, and market trends. Their targeted marketing plan for each piece of art they sell is unsurpassed in the industry, which has enabled the auction house to maintain its 85% sell-through rate. Each year, Shannon’s hosts two cataloged fine art auctions in the Spring and Fall. These sales feature 200+ lots of paintings, drawings, fine prints, and sculpture from the 19th century through Contemporary. Shannon’s also hosts online auctions of Fine Art in January and June each year. These sales are hosted exclusively online with in-person previews available. Periodically, Shannon’s hosts online auctions of collections from single private owners or corporate collections. Our specialist areas include American Art, European Art, Modern Art, Contemporary Art, Fine Prints, Sculpture, Impressionism, and more.

Wilton, CT, USA, October 15, 2024 -- A complete set of presidential signatures from Washington to Obama, two items signed by Babe Ruth (one graded GEM MT 10), an autograph letter in French signed by Pablo Picasso (PSA/DNA graded GEM MT 10), and a contract signed by both John Lennon and Yoko Ono Lennon will all come up for bid in University Archives’ online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books auction on Wednesday, October 30th, beginning at 10 am Eastern time.

All 491 lots in the catalog are up for viewing and bidding now on the newly redesigned University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

“One of the marquee items in our October 30th auction is Lot 89, a highly unique and once-in-a-lifetime set of presidential signatures from George Washington to Barack Obama, all signed as President, from 1789 to 2010,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives, adding that the museum-quality collection comes from a Dallas, Texas gentleman.

Mr. Reznikoff said the signed presidents set joins a great volume of exceptional presidential autographed material from other consignors. “A timely assortment up for auction just a few weeks ahead of the 2024 United States presidential election,” he said. Outstanding items of historical interest from the Science, World Leaders, Civil Rights, Religion, Art & Music, Aviation & Space, History & Military, and Sports categories will also pass the auction block.

The Washington-to-Obama set of presidential signatures consists of autograph letters signed, typed letters signed and signed letters, along with a variety of signed documents, all signed as President. There are very few complete sets of Presidential autographs signed as President, due mainly to the scarcity of William Henry Harrison pieces, as he served just one month in office.

Many of these sets reside in institutions and will never be offered to the public. It is likely that fewer than a dozen such sets exist in private hands, this one being one of the very best. In this way, a set of Presidential autographs signed as President is scarcer than a set of autographs from the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. The pre-sale estimate is $400,000-$500,000.

Lot 489 is a Babe Ruth signed ticket for the “R.I. Independent Amateur Softball Championship”, dated Sept. 2-7, 1941, held in East Providence, R.I., graded GEM MT 10 (est. $4,000-$5,000); while lot 488 is a Babe Ruth and Ted Williams signed ticket to a “Bachelor Party” for Crosby Turner, Jr., held in Pawtucket, R.I. on Aug. 13, 1941 and graded NM 7 (est. $3,000-$4,000).

Speaking of Babe Ruth, lot 468 is a 14 inch by 11 inch glossy photograph of George H. W. Bush as captain of the Yale baseball team, greeting Babe Ruth for an on-field ceremony in New Haven, Conn., on June 5, 1948, signed by Bush (“George Bush”) in blue pen (est. $300-$400).

Lot 134 is an autograph letter in French signed by Pablo Picasso, PSA/DNA graded GEM MT 10, on the reverse of a postcard depicting “Paix” [“Peace”], a reproduction of the original color lithograph Picasso produced for a peace conference held in Sweden in July 1958. He mentions his second wife Jacqueline and his children in the June 20, 1960 letter (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 294 is a contract signed by both John Lennon and Yoko Ono Lennon, dated Sept. 11, 1975, relating to their production company, Bag Productions, which the couple established in the 1960s and which later produced the 1971 solo album Imagine. The contract outlines terms of ownership of many signed / unsigned lithographs, album covers and colophon pages (est. $5,000-$7,000).

Lot 447 is a 3-page autograph letter in German signed by Albert Einstein in which the scientist explores both his Unified Field Theory and General Relativity. The very long scientific letter, addressed to Einstein’s friend and fellow physicist Cornelius Lanczos, includes 12 equations in Einstein's hand, as well as humorous content relating to Sigmund Freud (est. $40,000-$50,000).

Lot 205 is an archive of 18 autograph letters signed by Hawaiian missionaries, circa 1846-1849. The correspondence written by members of the 8th Company of Missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions includes vivid descriptions of a surfboard and surfing, with pen sketches; volcanic eruptions; and coastal topography (est. $18,000-$30,000).

Lot 121 is an autograph document signed in full by George Washington (as “Mr. George Washington”). The document, dated circa 1773, pertained to a 1751 land survey of 445 acres that Washington had completed over 20 years earlier for a man named Richard Seymour on behalf of Washington’s older half-brother, whose name was Lawrence Washington (est. $12,000-$14,000).

Lot 403 is a one-page manuscript document in Russian boldly signed by Josef Stalin, then a member of the Revolutionary Committee, dated September 9, [1920], and pertaining to military preparedness during the ongoing Polish-Soviet War. In it, Stalin discusses artillery and troop movements in the days leading up to the decisive Battle of Neman River (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 110 is an 8-page advance press copy of a printed speech draft signed by President Harry S. Truman, circa October 30, 1945. In the speech, Truman laid out his position on “reconversion” - the transition from a wartime economy to a peacetime one. Truman urged Americans to harness the spirit of collaboration formed during World War II to address challenges (est. $6,000-$8,000).

Lot 392 is a one-page autograph letter in Gujarati twice signed by Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi wrote his older brother Laxmidas from South Africa on January 22, 1889, inquiring about mutual acquaintances. Gandhi signs the letter formally at the conclusion as “Mohandas Karamchand Pranam” and signs it “Gandhi” when writing out part of his brother’s name (est. $6,000-$7,000).

Lot 332 is a Civil War-dated one-page autograph letter signed by Brigadier General George Custer on April 6, 1864. Custer congratulated Captain R.R. Moffatt for his new “sabre shield” design for cavalry weapons, stating: “I am firm in the belief that the possession of it by our cavalry would give confidence and increases courage to those wearing it.” (est. $6,000-$7,000).

Lot 58 is a military commission signed by President Abraham Lincoln promoting a Connecticut native named Orson H. Hart to the rank of Captain and Assistant Adjutant General of Volunteers in Daniel Sickles’s newly mustered “Excelsior Brigade” of primarily New York-based volunteers. The document, dated May 19, 1862, has a pre-sale estimate of $6,000-$7,000.

Lot 20 is a scarce one-page autograph letter signed by James A. Garfield as President, dated June 15, 1881, just two weeks before he was shot by Charles Guiteau. In the letter, Garfield gives directions to a hotel-owner in the “summer colony” of Long Branch, N.J., where First Lady Lucretia Garfield was recuperating from a bout of malaria, and where Garfield himself later died (est. $5,000-$6,000).

Here is a link to the catalog on the University Archives website: https://www.universityarchives.com/auction-catalog/rare-autographs-manuscripts-books_E6Q0WAIS7L

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Road (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives and the 491-lot, online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books auction scheduled for Wednesday, October 30th, starting at 10am Eastern time, please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted frequently.

About University Archives:
University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies. University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Road (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted frequently.