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

W. AVERILL HARRIMAN (1891-1986). Harriman was an American politician and diplomat. He was Secretary of Commerce under President Truman. WILLIAM McCORMICK BLAIR, JR. (1916-2015). Blair was U.S. Ambassador to Denmark and the Philippines. PS. 9 3/8” x 7 ½”. N.d. N.p. A black-and-white photograph signed “W. Averill Harriman”. The photograph depicts Harriman overseeing William M. Blair Jr. being sworn in as Ambassador, and he inscribed the photo to Blair. “All best wishes to out superlative Ambassador with my warm regards W. Averill Harriman”. The image probably dates from Blair’s appointment as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines in 1964; Harriman was Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the time. The photo is in fine condition, but there is not a lot of contrast between the inscription and the dark background on which it was written.

TLS. 1pg. 8 ½” x 11”. October 2, 1939. Framingham, Massachusetts. A typed letter signed “Wallace Nutting” on his decorative letterhead. He wrote to Mrs. Frederick Delavan about an order of furniture: “The chest of drawers with the quarter and fluted columns is $130. Without the fluted columns, otherwise the same, it is $104 in mahogany. In maple it is $98. All the brasses are hand made, about $12 worth of brasses alone. The size is 37” high, 38” long and 19” deep at the top. We have a smaller one block front and very exquisite and dainty 30” high, 35” long and 30” deep at the top. The price on that is also $130. We have a Sheraton turned leg piece about the size of the former quoted at $60.” The letter is in fine condition with mailing folds, a large signature and a small stain near the lower margin.

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON (1731-1796). Huntington was a Declaration of Independence Signer from Connecticut, and he also signed the Articles of Confederation. He also served as Governor of Connecticut. ADS. 1pg. 8” x 12”. November 17, 1778. New London. An autograph document signed “Saml Huntington Assist”. The document states “State of Connecticut New London Norwich the seventeenth day of November 1778 personally appeared Daniel Lathrop & Joshua Lathrop the Signers and Sealers to the within written Instrument and Acknowledged the same to be their free aid and Deed.” Huntington wrote on the back of a real estate document signed at the conclusion “Daniel Lathrop” and “Joshua Lathrop”. Dr. Joshua Lathrop was the first pharmacist in Connecticut, and he owned a home in Norwich that is currently on the National Register of Historic Places. Daniel was his brother and business partner. The document has been lightly silked, there is a mounting remnant and there are professional… Read More

A WEEK AFTER THE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION, FIVE BOSTONIANS CONTRIBUTE TO AN ABRAHAM LINCOLN MEMORIAL (ABRAHAM LINCOLN). DS. 1pg. April 21, 1865. Boston. A document pledging one dollar apiece to a Massachusetts memorial to President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had been assassinated one week prior. “Enclosed please find the pledge of myself and family to the cause […] for our late Presidents memory….” Five signatures follow by T. Clement, Mary A. Clement, Clement O Jordan, Elisa M. Huston and one more. The document is in very good condition with some smudges. I am uncertain if the funds went to the controversial Boston statue of Lincoln that was removed in 2020.

WILL ROGERS (1879-1935). Rogers was the pre-eminent American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator of the early Twentieth Century. ALS. 1pg. No date. No place. An autograph letter signed “Will Rogers” to the playwright Edward E. Kidder: “Mr. Kidder. My dear Sir, Got your letter but have been waiting till I got some time. Could you meet me around 2PM Friday at Astor Hotel and I could hear that play. Yours Will Rogers”. It is accompanied by a small note on Astor Hotel letterhead: “To Mr. Kidder who will enquire for me. W.R.”. In 1921, Rogers starred in Kidder’s silent film A Poor Relation. The two manuscripts are matted in gray and framed with a colorized portrait of Rogers.

WILLIAM COLEMAN (1766-1829). Coleman was the first editor of the New York Evening Post (today’s New York Post) from 1801 until his death. He was an ally of both Aaron Burr and, later, of Alexander Hamilton. ALS. 2 pg. 8”x 10”. July 11, 1809. New York. An autographed letter signed by “Wm. Coleman” to “Stephen Titus Hosmer Esqr”: “You did not inform me when your next Supreme Court at which my question would come up, would be in Session. I would thank you to let me know as I Shall try to be present” Stephen Hosmer was a Connecticut lawyer soon to be named Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. At this point, he seems to be referencing Coleman in some legal dispute, as the letter summarizes some of the legal research Coleman completed. “I only hope, permit me once more to repeat, that your practice will allow you to Spread all the facts of the motion or in Some other way get them before the Court, as our’s will. Pray find time to write me before long”. One of the… Read More

PS. 4” x 6 ¼”. No date. No place. A photograph signed “William Cullen Bryant” on the mount of a carte-de-visite holder. The image of an older, bearded Bryant was slipped into the holder. There is minor browning to the holder, and the signature is dark. There is a similar photograph signed “John P Hale” on the lower margin; he was a prominent New Hampshire Senator.

WILLIAM A. CLARK (1839-1925). Clark was an American industrialist and politician, best known for his copper interests out west. DS. 1pg. July 16, 1884. Butte City, Montana. A document signed “W. A. Clark” as President of the Moulton Mining Company. It is a stock certificate made out to Donnell, Lawson & Simpson for one hundred shares of capital stock. The certificate has a mining vignette in blue ink and is stamp cancelled. It is in fine condition.

WILLIAM WETMORE STORY (1819-1895). Story was an American sculptor, poet, and critic. AQS. 1pg. December 1889. An autograph quote signed “W. W. Story”. Story wrote out the last verse of his poem “Io Victis”. “Speak, History! Who are Life’s Victors? Unroll thy long annals and say, are thy those whom the world calls the Victors Who won the success of a day? The martyrs or Nero? The Spartans Who fell at Thermopylae’s tryst, or the Persians and Xerxes? His judges or Socrates? Pilate or Christ? W.W. Story”. It is in fine condition and the quote is attached to another sheet.

WILLIAM GLADSTONE (1809-1898). Gladstone was a British statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for four non-consecutive terms. ALS. 1pg. June 25, 1878. N.p. An autograph letter signed “W Gladstone”. “Sir, I have entered the meeting for Au 11th at 3 & will certainly appear for a short time unless prevented by courses I cannot control. Your faithful servant W. Gladstone”. Gladstone wrote this in between his first two terms as Prime Minister. The letter is in very good condition and comes with a transcript because Gladstone’s handwriting is a bit difficult to read.

WILLIAM K. VANDERBILT (1849-1920). William K. was the second son of William H. Vanderbilt. He began his railroad career at nineteen in the office of his grandfather, the Commodore. He remained in the business for life. ADS. 1pg. 8 ½” x 3 ½”. May 1st, 1875. New York. An autograph document signed “W K Vanderbilt” and completely filled out by him. It was a receipt, acknowledging that he “Received from E. Kingman & Co Thirty-Seven 50/100 Dollars being amount of rent due for quarter ending August 1st 1875”. It is on his own “W.K. Vanderbilt Grand Central Depot” form. The document is in very fine condition overall.

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN (1860-1925). Bryan was a Congressman, Secretary of State, and multi-time Presidential candidate. ALS. 3pgs. N.d. [1913-1914]. Washington D.C. An autograph letter signed “W.J. Bryan” as Secretary of State, on his official letterhead. Bryan wrote to a Mr. Bergen concerning his family and a trip to Asheville, North Carolina. “My dear Mr. Bergen, I enclose some pictures we have recd of the children and grand-children. Little Helen is presented in more attitudes than Mary – in one she reminds me of the way a militant suffragette might be supposed to look. They are all cute. If you have no duplicates of these you might return half and keep half. William got through his examination nicely, stood 87. I have sent him my congratulations. I find that it will be impossible for us to go to Ashville [sic] in the near future…I hope, however, that you can go. I am sure you will enjoy the scenery and be comfortable at the Grove Park Inn. I shall give you a letter of introduction to Mr… Read More

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was the Twenty-Seventh President. TLS. 1pg. December 28, 1907. War Department, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm H Taft” as Secretary of War. He wrote to Representative from Ohio Theodore Burton: “My dear Mr. Burton: I have your note of the 27th instant in respect to Colonel Kingman. I suppose his is one of a number of cases I shall not consider until the President returns which involve the discussion of a matter of broad policy. Very sincerely yours, Wm H Taft”. There have been several Colonel Kingmans. The letter is in good condition. The signature is faint, and there is waterstaining.

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT (1857-1930). Taft was President of the United States, as well as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court later in his career. TLS. 1pg. June 24, 1912. The White House, Washington. A typed letter signed “Wm. H. Taft” as President on “The White House” letterhead. Taft thanks Charles Sumner Hawkins for his words of support following the 1912 Republican National Convention, in which Taft controversially won the party’s nomination over Theodore Roosevelt; TR then formed his Progressive Party and ran against Taft. Taft lost the 1912 Presidential Election to Woodrow Wilson: “My dear Mr. Hawkins: I thank you for the kindly words of your letter of June 22d. The vindication that I have received is very gratifying. Sincerely yours, Wm. H. Taft”. The letter has a central mailing fold and light soiling and is in very good condition.

ALS. Upon the death of his father, Astor succeeded to the management of the family estate with a personal fortune estimated as $100,000,000. ALS. 1pg. 4 ½" x 7". September 6th, 1882. New York. A autograph letter signed "WW Astor" addressed to Henry I. Robinson. Astor apologizes for being unable to hire Mr. Robinson's brother: "Dear Sir, I have delayed answering your favor... I have no doubt of his qualification, I regret very much there is no vacancy to place at his disposal." The note was penned during Astor's appointment as Ambassador to Rome, from 1881 to 1885. The note is in excellent condition

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT (1794-1878). Bryant, a poet, is best remembered for “Thanatopsis”. He also spent time doing translations and was, for fifty years, the editor of the New York Evening Post. JAY COOKE (1821-1905). A prominent banker, Cooke helped finance the Civil War through the sale of bonds. After putting much of his money in railroads, the stock bubble burst, and Jay Cooke and Company failed. He soon began other ventures and recouped his fortune. ALS. 1pp. 5” x 8”. January 20, 1872. New York. An autograph letter signed “W.C. Bryant” to “Messrs Jay Cooke & Co.” about a loan: “I return my thanks for the Letter of Credit which you have so kindly send me and at the same time I send enclosed the three signatures which are necessary in order to avail myself of its advantages.” The letter has dark writing and white paper. The letter is backed to a larger sheet and is neatly separated down the middle, though the separation does not affect the signature.

WILMON W. BLACKMAR (1841-1905). Blackmar was a Civil War hero and Medal of Honor recipient from Massachusetts. TLS. 1pg. March 30, 1905. Boston, Massachusetts. A typed letter signed “Wilmon W. Blackmar” as Commander-in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. On the official letterhead of that military fraternity, with depicts its official medal, Blackmar wrote to Colonel E. A. Chaffee in Las Cruces, New Mexico, making plans to meet him during on upcoming trip to Albuquerque: “My dear Comrade:- Your very welcome letter of march 19th is received. My present plan, which cannot now be changed, is to leave Dallas, Texas at 7.50 A. M. May 4th, arriving in El Paso the morning of the 5th, spending the day there, that my little party can look around the place and perhaps go over into Mexico, and take the 9.25 P. M. train for Albuquerque, reaching there the morning of the 6th. I have written the various parties interested that I shall take this train. I do not wish to cause you any trouble, but of… Read More

JULIAN HAWTHORNE (1846-1934). Hawthorne was an American writer. He was imprisoned for mail fraud related to questionable stock sales in 1913. TLS. 1pg. March 21, 1910. A typed letter signed “Julian Hawthorne” on his personal letterhead. The missive likely concerns the fraudulent stock sales for which Hawthorne and his friend William J. Morton were imprisoned in 1913. “Dear Sir:- Now that you have read the little ‘Solomon’ story – which you have done, since you are reading this – you naturally want to know what is the object of it all. I wrote the ‘Solomon’ booklets in order of it all. I wrote the ‘Solomon’ booklets in order that we might make each other’s acquaintance; and what I have not to tell you will more than reward any attention you bestowed on them. I know something of you, because you have read them: and you know something of me, because I wrote them. Here is a 12-page document, on the composition of which – to render it as concise and explicit as possible – I… Read More

(REVOLUTIONARY WAR REQUISITION). ADS. 1pg. 8” x 5”. July 11, 1776. Philadelphia. An autograph document signed “Alexr Wilcocks” addressed to John Nixon and the Pennsylvania Committee of Accounts: “Pay Messrs Robt Smith Wm Ball & Benj Haberon or either of their order Twenty five Pounds to be by them applied to the purchase of Awnings to be converted into tents for the use of this Committee…”. Wilcocks was a prominent patriot leader acting as Chairman of the Committee of Safety. The document mentions John Nixon who, on July 8, made the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. There is overall browning and chipping to the left margin that affects one word.