Multiple Autographs (6 results)

Manuscript. Condition: Very Good. Rare archive lot of 18 typed letters signed, dated Paris, 17th of March 1970, all identical save for the signatures and in most cases handwritten names that grace these petitions to save the Olympia Music Hall in Paris. Artists names include; Sabrina, Guegan, Pierre Bacmialoni, Michele Sennet, Nicole Villano, Maurice C'eutat, Trebier, Jean Pierre Delhomme, Berr, Marcel Hrasko, Icardi, Sylvie Vartan, Raymond Gimenes, Joullie Brigitte, Armand Cavallaro, Amador Heliose, Charles Verstraete and Emile Vilain. Autograph.

Manuscript. Condition: Very Fine. Four very warm letters from patients obviously post-operative all declaring the utmost respect and thanks to Professor Chopart. One letter is clearly signed Lalouette and the first of March 1789. Biographical Notes: SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS (1792-1872). Born in 1792, Sir Thomas Phillipps from childhood was obsessed with the idea of obtaining virtually anything written or printed on paper, including cartloads of documents from wastepaper merchants and the entire inventories of booksellers. "I wish to have one copy of every book in the world," he declared to a friend. He very nearly succeeded. His collection ultimately grew to more than 100,000 books and at least 60,000 manuscripts. As a result of his extravagant purchases, Sir Thomas was permanently on the verge of bankruptcy and was constantly pursued by creditors. So many books arrived at his house that it was impossible to unpack his acquisitions much less keep pace with them. Visiting scholars, driven to distraction, would spend days hunting for an elusive text in the dusty heaps that filled every room. Because Sir Thomas has a morbid dread of fire, most of his collection was housed in coffinlike boxes that could be carted away quickly. Visitors to Middle Hill were struck too, by the presence of numerous logs, a ploy he used to lure beetles away from his books. As Sir Thomas relentlessly pursued his passion, the house itself began to crumble and its floors started to sag under the cast weight of hundreds of tons of paper. His neglect of Middle Hill was partly deliberate, however. Sir Thomas's chief enemy in life, James Halliwell, had married his daughter against his wishes. It appears that Halliwell was, in Sir Thomas' eyes, the worst kind of criminal, a book thief who had stolen valuable works from university libraries and even from his father-in-law. Having no sons, Sir Thomas was unable to prevent Halliwell from inheriting his estate. To ensure that his detested heir would never receive anything of value, Sir Thomas's solution was to allow Middle Hill to fall unto complete disrepair. He even went so far as to chop down and sell for lumber the centuries-old oak trees that lined the majestic mile-long drive to his home. In 1863 Sir Thomas decided to move - in order to accommodate his books. With the aid of 160 men, 103 wagonloads of books and papers drawn by 230 horses, the books were lumbered from Middle Hill top their new estate in nearby Cheltenham. It is said that for years afterwards the countryside was littered with the remains of carts that had collapsed under the sheer weight of the Phillipps collection. Sir Thomas continues to add to his library until his death in 1872. After Sir Thomas's death, his immediate family had no room for his collection. So vast was the library that although individual items and large sections were sold privately or through numerous auction sales, the Phillipps collection is still being sold more than a century after the death of its owner. In the course of its sales, many treasures have come to light. As late as 1964, part of the long-lost and unique medieval manuscript of the Roman poet Ovid's Metamorphoses appeared and was subsequently reunited with its other half at Magdalen College, Oxford. Once destined for destruction as worthless wastepaper, this and many other priceless works were saved by the single-minded obsession of the greatest bibliomaniac of all time. Autograph.

Manuscript. Condition: Fair. Two rare documents, purple-stained, partly-printed, ink signed, dated, 1808, each headed IL PREFETTO E ASSISTENTI, DELLA VENERABILE CONGREGAZIONE E COMPAGNIA, DEL SANTISSIMO SACRAMENTO, ERETTA NELLA PARROCCHIA DI SANT'EULALIA DEL QUARTIERE DELLA MARINA.The ink has really lightened on one of these except for the signature. The original file folder contained a very old collection of foreign autographs and documents which indicates: "Spanish War - rare watermarks - unusually good." Documents relating to the 1808 - 1814 Spanish War, or the Peninsula War as is called Spain's War of Independance are very, very scarce. Four bold signatures and the fact that it is dated squarely at the beginning of the conflict make for a very interesting pair of documents that require further research. Autograph.

Manuscript. Condition: Very Good. Large archive of handwritten letters, dates ranging from 1848 to 1869 but most in the mid-50s, addressed to important French nobleman, the Marquis de Beaumont. Most are of a personal nature, intimate nature: Leopold de Carayon writes with humour: "If you are lying, I will catch you, my old friend.and this Pauline who supposedly is holding you back from coming, I will make her pay!.Come see me soon." Beaumont's godson writes, other nobility and there is one letter of condolence regarding the Marquis' mother's death. A certain concierge in Paris also writes of some intrigue. Very, very interesting archive showing an intimate glimpse of French nobility. Autograph.

Condition: Good+. Important archive of post Civil War GAR letters of the Chicago Mercantile Battery Light Infantry , Chicago, Illinois including two Medals of Honor winner's autographs [Kretsinger and Stevens]. This archive comes from the Dick Ransom estate from his former Civil War comrades specific to the GAR activities for the "Battery Boys." 1) Letter written on behalf of battery mate Dick Ransom by Gardner Willard and signed by 8 additional Chicago Mercantile Battery boys. Two of these signatures belong to Medal of Honor winners William Stevens and George Kretsinger. Other signatures include David Crego, Orin Nash, W. Brown, Richard Powel, Florus D. Meachem. Dated 1891. 2). Hand written letter in support of Dick Ransom and signed by battery mate J. H. Swan. 1891. 3). Dec. 15th 1890 carbon-type copy of a letter Ransom had sent to fellow battery comrade, George Kretsinger. 4). great personal letter, from fellow Battery comrade, Henry C. Gray .single page, ink, dated Feb. 13 ,1888. 5). Wonderful period civil war letter from Battery Comrad to Ransom from Gardner G. Willard, single sheet and dated during the civil war, April 18th, 1863. 6) wonderful 4 page letter from former Battery mate Chapin. Letter in ink, dated Jan. 1876, being sent to Dick Ransom sharing Chapin's heart felt concern over the recent loss of Ransom's wife. 7). typed letter by Battery Mate James H. Swan in support of Dick Ransom. BIO NOTES: Dick Ransom; Residence Chicago IL; Enlisted on 8/7/1862 as a Private. On 8/29/1862 he mustered into Illinois Chicago Mercantile Light Artillery. He was discharged for disability on 3/24/1863. David R. Crego; First Lieutenant 8/29/62 through 2/6/63. Orrin Nash: 8/29/1862 through 7/10/65. William L. Brown : 8/29/1862 through 7/10/65. Richard Powel; On 10/5/1863 he mustered into IL Chicago Merc He was discharged for disability on 6/17/1864. Florrus D. Meachem; Served 8/29/1862 through 7/10/65. James H. Swan; Enlisted on 8/29/1862 as a 1st Lieutenant. George Kretsinger; Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Birth: Herkimer County, N.Y. Date of issue: 20 July 1897. Citation: Carried with others, by hand, a cannon up to and fired it through an embrasure of the enemy's works. Medal of Honor Winner. Henry C. Gray; Enlisted on 8/15/1862 as a Private. Gardner G. Williard; Enlisted on 8/5/1862 as a Private. James H. Swan; Enlisted on 8/29/1862 as a 1st Lieutenant. Generally very good+ though a stain has affected a few items none touching signatures. Size: 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Manuscript.

Condition: Good+. A wonderful archive of historically significant with detailed civil war content: 1) Two detailed Civil War diaries; 2) Ransom's first war letter home; 3) superb signed Ransom Civil War cartes des viste,[cdv]; 4) Other photos: a tintype cdv, gem photo, and another hand colored cdv of his wife Louie (Lucy) Perham; 5) A book titled "Sacred Poems"; 6) Ransom's business card and property tag and lastly but of huge importance to genealogists; 7) Early name and address book of Dick Ransom mentioning many family members and Battery mates. Dick Ransom was from Chicago, Illinois; enlisted on 8/7/1862 as a private. On 8/29/1862 he mustered into Chicago Mercantile Light Artillery. He was discharged for disability on 3/24/1863. Specifics: Diary #1 1861, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, full year January 1st through December 31st 1861, 120 pages of which approx. 250 days with entries recorded, dark brown period ink, very legible. Great war content, and a number of remarks made in great excitement; Lincoln as President; death of Col. Ellsworth, and Steven Douglas. Battle excitement and the rout of the federal army at the first battle of Bull Run at Manassas. Diary #2 1862 : 3 x 5 inches, entries from Aug. 7th 1862 through Mar. 6th 1863. 29 pages, brown period ink, very legible. Cover reads " Dick Ransom mercantile Battery Chicago Artillary 100 Washington Street Chicago". Signed in ink in Dick Ransom's hand on first page; "Dick Ransom 100 Washington Street Chicago Ill." Also included: 3 wonderful cdv/tintype of Lucy Ransom. [Dick speaks of his proposal for marriage to Lucy in his 1861 diary.] First is a tintype/cdv format of Lucy backmark Chicago, dated Aug 19th, 1866 and signed on reverse in Dick's hand,in brown ink "Louie Perham 1866 Dick Ransom". Secondly, mounted Gem Albuman photo of Lucy on cdv mount, ca. 1865. Cdv is handcolored image of Lucy, dated Jan 23rd 1868. The address book includes all of Dick's friends and family and many of Mercantile Battery mates including Sinclair, Willard, Gunlock, and Medal of Honor winner James Dunne. 3 x 5 inches, many pages of entries, mouse chew on cover edges. The date of 1883 can be found on the fep. Brown ink inscriptions, this book is an important genealogy record and helps to identify all the people referred to in the diaries. Here are some snippets: " January 9th "my Birthday 19 years old born at South Woodstock Vermont"march 4th Abe Lincoln President of the United States" Mar 19th " wrote a long letter to Lucy . with a proposal for marrige which I am sure will be accepted.I am in great anxiety for an answer". (tintype of Lucy included) "rec'd an answer alright = O.K." April 25th -Intense excitement about . voluteers companies forming and drilling constantly all over the North"." May 2nd - douglas was received here by republicans and Democrates unanimously " May 3 - great war excitement for some time - volunteerism all over the country - great excitement". " May 5th - volunteers drilling in the streets " May 8th - Lucy went for me to get a flag for the volunteers ." May 9th - great war excitement companies guarding and driling". " May 24th - war message regarding the good and efficient commanders." " may 25th - Scott and President Lincoln col. Ellsworth the Zouave huro of Chicago killed in Alexandrea yesterday for tearing down a secsession flag. " June 3rd - Stephen A Douglas died at the tremont house this A.m. at 48. The city draped very very heavily mourning. col. Ellesworth funeral yeaterday at Bryan hall". " May 4th - Douglas laid in state at Bryan Hall all day." " May 5th - Douglas still in Bryan Hall ". " May 5th - Douglas still lies in state at Bryan hall is to be burried at Cottage Grove tomorrow ". "May 7th- Douglas funeral stores all shut up largest funeral ever in Chicago ". " June 10th - War excitement continues usual small battles and skirmishes but no large ones some expected soon". " June 20th - war and rumors of war some great battles expected soon in vicinity of Washington Sucession." " June 2. Manuscript.