Search Results: Titles starting with S from Stuart Lutz Historic Documents, Inc.

SAM SNEAD (1912-2002). Snead was one of the world’s top golfers, winning seven majors including three Masters. ALS. 2pg. 5” x 8”. 1947. South Africa. An autograph letter signed “Sam” to John and Peg Derr of New York City. Snead wrote from South Africa on “Deal’s Central Hotel Co. Ltd.” stationery: “Well we are having a hot time and a fairly good one. Only we don’t stay put long enough to get acquainted. My golf has been good except putting. That department stinks. There are certainly enough black men. Gosh, what a place. Outside of Johannesburg & Cape Town you can give it back to the blacks. I received a terrific sun burn on my arms. However they are O.K. at present. We leave today for Queens Town and then Port Elizabeth, after which we come to Durbin and a few more places before heading back to Joe burg. Then we go to Salsberry. Leaving for the States nite of the 27th of Mon. Do hope to see you on my return. I haven’t run into any of your girl friends. You must… Read More

SAMUEL COLT (1814-1862). Colt established Colt's Patent Fire-Arms Manufacturing Company in 1854 and was one of the first to use the assembly line. ALS. 1 pg. 5” x 7”. April 24, 1860. Hartford. An autographed letter signed “Sam Colt”: “I am not well & Cannot to go from home for several days you had better call & See Mr Coleman”. Colt crossed off “enough” and replaced it with “& cannot”. William T. Coleman was a New York based investor and vice president of a Colt enterprise. The letter is in very good condition.

TLS. 1pg. 7 ¼” x 10 ½”. August 28, 1934. Los Angeles. A typed letter signed “Sam” to the soprano and actress Grace Moore: “I received the very beautiful flowers and you were so sweet to send them to me. I wish you could see them – they completely dominate my office. The only thing I need now is a beautiful picture of you, which I wish you would please send me so I can have your lovely face in front of me at all times.” The letter has two mailing folds and is in fine condition.

DS. 2pg. 8 ¼” x 4 ½”. August 26, 1936. Los Angeles. A partly printed loan document signed “Samuel Goldwyn” three times, twice on the front and once on the back. It was a $100,000 promissory note, promising to repay the Bank of America with five percent interest. The document was faintly stamped “Renewed” and has a couple of embossed seals, but it is in very fine condition.

DANIEL SULLY (1855-1910). Sully was an American actor, circus performer, and playwright. AQS. 1pg. April 16, 1892. N.p. An autograph quote signed “Daniel Sully”. “The dutch do the voting while the Irish hold the offices Yours T. B. Sure Daniel Sully”. The quote seems to have come from an autograph album, as there are two more signatures on the verso. One is by Louisiana author George Washington Cable (1844-1925) – “Yours truly, G.W. Cable”. It is dated January 1885, and a pencil notation at the top of the page suggests that it was signed while Cable was on a literary tour with his friend Mark Twain. In very good condition.

JOHN SULLIVAN (1740-1795). An American Revolution general, Sullivan fought at the siege of Boston in 1775 and 1776, as well as Long Island, Trenton, Princeton and Brandywine. In 1778, he headed the forces that sieged Newport. After the war, he served in the Continental Congress, New Hampshire’s attorney general and President, and a Federal judge. ALS. 1pg. 7 ½” x 9”. Jany 14, 1779. No place. An autograph letter signed “General Sullivan” to Colonel Henry Jackson: “General Sullivan presents his Complimts [sic] to Colo Jackson begs the favor of him to order the two Boxes be Sent Down to be opened & the fowles exposed to the Air to present their being Sported also the two Barrels belonging to a Brother Taylor.” The document has Sullivan’s writing on the back, addressing it to Jackson; Jackson (1747-1809) was made colonel of the 16th Massachusetts regiment, fought in Rhode Island in 1778, and was Major General of Massachusetts militia. Less than six months after this letter,… Read More

THEODORE VAIL (1845-1920). Vail was an important early telephone pioneer. He was hired by the Bell Telephone Company, and he expanded the business before turning it into the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. Through Vail, the telephone business was dominated by AT&T. Signed bond. 10 ½” x 15 ¼”. 3pg. August 1, 1890. New Jersey. A $1,000 gold bond for The Accumulator Company signed by “Theo N Vail” as President and co-signed by the secretary. The corporation was an early battery company. The bond was issued on August 1, 1890 and paid six percent over thirty years. There were originally sixty coupons, but seven on the first page have been clipped out. Vail’s autograph is scarce, and this signature is dark. The bond is in very fine condition with three horizontal folds.

ALS. An autograph letter signed "Betty Blythe" to "Richard Suter": "Indeed I am very pleased to write you personally & thus comply with your request & I hope the short note makes you as happy as yours made me when you express so much gratitude for my picture. I hope you have secured any & all other stores pictures you wish for and I wish you continued health, happiness & success." The letter is in very fine condition and is accompanied by the original envelope.

GEORGE H.W. BUSH (1924-2018). Bush was the Forty-First President. ALS. 2pg. 8” x 5”. June 20, 1989. No place [likely Washington]. An autograph letter signed “George Bush” as President on a White House card. He wrote to Barry: “Dear Barry, Thanks for much for those two lovely sweaters. Barbara & I were touched by our ‘fellow Gemini’ present. Incidentally, Rich was great at the White House photo dinner. Sincerely George Bush”. The letter is framed in black with two openings to show the letter. The lower display is a color photocopy so both sides of the letter can be shown.

BARONESS EMMA “EMMUSKA” ORCZY DE ORCZI (1865-1947). The Hungarian-born Orczy is best remembered for The Scarlet Pimpernel. TLS. 1pg. 8” x 10”. January 2, 1922. Villa Bijou, Monte Carlo. A typed letter signed “Emmuska Orczy”. It is written on her stationery from the Villa Bijou, Orczy’s home in Monte Carlo, and is addressed to Mr. Charles Wilson of Willington, Durham, England. Wilson was an author and teacher who maintained correspondences with many notable writers of the period: “Dear Mr. Wilson, I thank you very much for your kind letter of December 13th, and for your many kind wishes for the New Year which I heartily reciprocate. I am so glad you enjoyed your visit to Rome and I am sure you will like the second visit even better, because you will be more familiar with the ordinary circumstances of life in the city and will not have to worry about them and just be able to give yourself over to the enjoyments of the place. With renewed best wishes for your happiness and prosperity in… Read More

ALS. 4pg. 5 ½” x 7”. December 5, 1948. Scotia. New York. A lengthy autograph letter signed “Saul” to Dr. Willis R. Whitney: “…Like you, I was greatly impressed by Mr. Wilson’s talk. I wish that his ideas could be more widely propagandized, and at times I feel like Moses in my inability to go out and preach the gospel of brotherhood to all men (What a mixed metaphor!). Have just received, through the library, a copy of a book entitled ‘Half hours with great scientists, the story of physics,’ which seems to be just the book for the purpose you have in mind. I sent for the book because the author, Dr. C.G. Fraser, was one of my early students when I was still with the University at Toronto…’Every part,’ he writes, ‘of the vast edifice of science is necessarily the work of some human being, and most of us become more interest in the building, and are able to understand and appreciate it better when we know who were the architects and the builders and when, how and why they… Read More

(WORLD WAR II IN SCOTLAND). ALS. 6pgs. October 5, 1940. Drummakill, Alexandria, Dunbartonshire. An autograph letter signed “Hector” and written during World War Two. The author discusses hosting evacuated children and the fact that Scotland has so far been lucky in avoiding air raids. “…Our first lot of 3 boys are no longer with us. One of them the nicest lad died last Xmas from appendicitis – the other two took themselves off to a farm, as they objected to being kept in order! But lately I hear they returned home to Clydebank. Whether we get others depends on the severity of air raids! So far Scotland has really been lucky in this respect. Of course there are some here & there. We hear the hum sometimes usually at night, and have heard bombs exploding, but quite a bit away! But you never can tell when it might not be a bigger affair!! It is wonderful how England is standing up to her ordeal, & the amazing cheerfulness of people with it all. I have a cousin & her husband in London & she… Read More

DAVID HUME (1747-1838). Hume was a Scottish lawyer and nephew of the famous philosopher by the same name. LS. 2pgs. November 22, 1810. Edinburgh, Scotland. A letter signed “David Hume” and by three others. In their roles as estate trustees, Hume and other signatories seek a pension on behalf of a widow. “Sir You was so good as to say sometime ago, that you would make enquiry whether His Majesty’s Ministers were inclined to recommend to his Majesty, to continue any part of the Pension enjoyed by the late Mr. John Home, to his widow Mrs. Home. The Pension was £300 yearly from the Kinds Privy Purse, and the particulars of Mrs. Home’s situation are mentioned in a Memorial transmitted in the month of December 1808, to Lord Melville, and handed to you by his Lordship. As Trustees appointed by Mr. Home’s Settlement, we are directed, in the event of no sufficient part of the pension being continued to Mrs. Home, to vest such a sum of money as should appear necessary, on a liferent annuity to… Read More

GEORGE GILFILLAN (1813-1878). Gilfillan was a Scottish poet, author, and minister. ALS. 1pg. May 26, 1869. Dundee, Scotland. An autograph letter signed “George Gilfillan”. “Dear Sir You ask for my Autograph. This I cheerfully give and am Yours very truly George Gilfillan”. It is in very good condition with light toning.

(PORNOGRAPHIC WATERCOLORS). Album. 9pgs. 7” x 5”. No date [circa 1950s]. Cleveland. A scrapbook of nine pornographic watercolors, probably dating from the 1950s. On the back of the last page is a pencil note, “Drawn by an artist named Ganzman of Cleveland”. Without giving away too many details, the illustrations concern a “relationship” between Elsie May and Zeke, and the drawings get more obscene as the book progresses. Finally, Elsie May’s father, a farmer, shows up with a shotgun on the last page. Based on the misspellings, the artist either wasn’t a native English speaker or a poor speller. I do not believe this is the work of a teenage boy. The scrapbook is held together by two clasps and the edges have some wear and folds.

ALEXANDER J. DALLAS (1759-1817). Dallas was the first Reporter of Decisions of the United States Supreme Court from 1790-1800 and the sixth United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1814 to 1816. His daughter, Sophia Bache, married the grandson of Benjamin Franklin and his son, George Dallas, served as Vice President under James K. Polk. JOHN STEELE (1758-1827). Steele served as customs collector of Philadelphia from 1808 until shortly before his death. DS. 1 pg. 5” x 7”. April 28, 1815. Treasury Department, Washington. A document signed by “A.J. Dallas” to “John Steele, Esq., Collector, Philadelphia”: “Sir, I have received your letter of the 25. Instant. You will be pleased to pay Debentures with Treasury Notes”. In the United States, a debenture is an unsecured corporate bond that does not have a line of income or piece of property to guarantee repayment. In urging these relatively risky investments to be supported by public treasury notes, Dallas is both expanding the use of… Read More

OLIVER WOLCOTT, JR. (1760-1833). Wolcott served as the second Secretary of the Treasury from 1795 to 1800, as a Judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit from 1801 to 1802, and as Governor of Connecticut from 1817 to 1827. LS. 2 pg. 8” x 10”. November 5, 1798. Treasury Department. A letter signed by “Oliv Wolcott” as Secretary of the Treasury to “Waterman Thomas Esq. Collector Waldoborough”: “Sir, I have to request that you will retain in your hands a sufficient Sum of the monies arising from the duties of Imports & Tonnage for the purpose of discharging the allowances to fishing vessels, which will become due in your District on the 31st of the ensuing month and which are to be paid agreeably to the instructions heretofore given for that purpose. If the funds accruing in your Office should fall short of the amount required, you will pay the deficiency by drafts…in which case it will be necessary that you transmit your signature to the said Collector and furnish… Read More

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was the Twenty-Seventh President, serving from 1909 to 1913, and Supreme Court Chief Justice, from 1921 to 1930. DS. 1pg. 8” x 10”. March 11, 1908. Washington. A West Point appointment signed “Wm. H. Taft” as Secretary of War. Taft appointed Pearl Lee Thomas a cadet. The vellum document has a couple of folds and wrinkling, but is in very good condition with a relatively dark autograph.

ANDREW W. MELLON (1855-1937). Mellon was an extremely wealthy and successful businessman who made his fortune in banking and industrial ventures. He was also a prodigious philanthropist and a politician; he served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1921 to 1932. TLS. 1pg. 6” x 8 ¼”. May 11, 1929. Washington D.C. A typed letter signed “A. W. Mellon” as Secretary of the Treasury. On “The Secretary of the Treasury Washington” stationery, the letter is addressed to “Lowry Gillett Esq” of Syosset, Long Island. Mellon thanks Gillett for a prior correspondence and his approval in general: “Dear Mr. Gillett: I have your letter of May 5th and thank you for the inclosed clipping. I also wish to thank you for the approval which you expressed of my work at the Treasury. Sincerely yours, A. W. Mellon”. The letter is in good condition with some ink smudges, bleeding of the ink from where the letter was folded and light fading. The condition is very good.

GIDEON WELLES (1802-1878). Welles was Secretary of the Navy during and after the Civil War. ALS. 3pgs. June 21, 1862. Brooklyn. A lengthy letter addressed to Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, concerning the construction of ironside ships for the Federal Government. The writer, an A. G. Tillinghast (probably not the same one who opened a seed company later in the Nineteenth Century) warns Welles about contractors looking to profit exorbitantly from government contracts. He mentions that the Lincoln administration will look bad if it is taken advantage of in this way: “Dear Sir One word more to the Hon Secretary of the Navy. The extraordinary high prices that are to be paid for the iron batteries will be your political ruin. Ericksons batteries will cost to construct them all expenses included – Not over two hundred & twenty five thousand dollars ($225,000) – the contract price be Four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) leaving a profit of one hundred & twenty five thousand dollars ($175,000)… Read More