Johnson, Andrew.

Andrew Johnson Signed Engraved Portrait.

A large engraved portrait of Andrew Johnson, the seventeenth President of the United States, boldly signed by him with an exceptionally large and flourished autograph. The bust portrait, engraved from an 1864 photograph by A.S. Morse, shows Johnson in three-quarter view. Boldly signed by him in a commanding hand in the blank space just belowContinue reading "Andrew Johnson Signed Engraved Portrait."

Wilson, Woodrow; Raymond Poincare.

Woodrow Wilson and Raymond Poincare Signed Photograph.

1918.

Rare United States Army Signal Corps photograph of President Woodrow Wilson and President Raymond Poincaré of France taken in Paris during the peace negotiations that ended the First World War, signed by both. The half-length portrait, with the stamp of the United States Army Signal Corps at lower left, shows the two leaders seated togetherContinue reading "Woodrow Wilson and Raymond Poincare Signed Photograph."

Grant, Ulysses S.; L. T. Remlap [Editor].

General U.S. Grant’s Tour Around the World.

Hartford, Conn.: James Betts & Co., 1879.

First edition of this richly illustrated chronicle of the celebrated world tour undertaken by Ulysses S. Grant after leaving the White House, embracing his speeches, receptions, and travels across the globe together with a biographical sketch of his life. Octavo, original red brick cloth decorated in black and gilt, bright peach endpapers, with a wood-engravedContinue reading "General U.S. Grant’s Tour Around the World."

Young, John Russell [Ulysses S. Grant].

Around the World with General Grant.

New York City: The American News Company, 1879.

First edition of Young’s illustrated narrative of Grant’s international travel. Quarto, two volumes, bound in full brown morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, elaborate floral tooling to the front and rear panels, gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece portrait of GrantContinue reading "Around the World with General Grant."

Arsenault, Raymond.

Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice.

New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

First paperback edition of this definitive history of the 1961 Freedom Rides, in which hundreds of black and white activists risked their lives riding interstate buses into the segregated South to challenge Jim Crow. Octavo, original pictorial wrappers. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, “March 26, 2011. For Donna, with myContinue reading "Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice."

Franklin, Benjamin [Aimé-Ambroise-Joseph Feutry].

Oeuvres de M. Franklin.

Paris: Quillau, Esprit, et l'Auteur, 1773.

First edition in French of Franklin’s collected works, a rare presentation copy inscribed by Franklin to his friend and fellow polymath Aimé-Ambroise-Joseph Feutry. Quarto, two volumes bound into one in full contemporary French mottled calf, elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised bands, morocco spine label lettered in gilt, marbled endpaper,Continue reading "Oeuvres de M. Franklin."

Franklin, Benjamin.

Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of Our Public Affairs.

Philadelphia: Printed by W. Dunlap, 1764.

Rare first edition of Franklin’s influential pamphlet arguing for the replacement of Pennsylvania’s proprietary government by direct royal rule. Octavo, bound in full red morocco, the spine lettered in gilt, with a woodcut device to the title and ornamental head- and tailpieces. Published anonymously in 1764, Cool Thoughts sets out Franklin’s case that the AssemblyContinue reading "Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of Our Public Affairs."

Caniff, Milton. [Neil Armstrong].

Milton Caniff Signed First Day Cover, Inscribed to Neil Armstrong.

[United States]: 1979.

An extraordinary NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club First Day Cover for the First Man on the Moon issue, designed and inscribed to Neil Armstrong by its artist, the legendary cartoonist Milton Caniff. Caniff’s cachet depicts astronauts on the lunar surface, and beside it he has written to Armstrong in black felt tip, “Neil, drawnContinue reading "Milton Caniff Signed First Day Cover, Inscribed to Neil Armstrong."

[Burr, Aaron].

The Constitution of the United States of America as proposed by the Convention held at Philadelphia, Sept. 17, 1787, and since Ratified by the several States.

Philadelphia: John Fenno, 1791.

Aaron Burr’s personal copy of the ratified United States Constitution, with his ownership signature to the title page. Octavo, finely bound in full red crushed levant morocco by Zaehnsdorf with gilt titles and ruling to the spine, triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and dark olive full morocco doublures stamp-signedContinue reading "The Constitution of the United States of America as proposed by the Convention held at Philadelphia, Sept. 17, 1787, and since Ratified by the several States."

Roosevelt, Theodore.

Theodore Roosevelt Signed Return to America Photograph.

1910.

A remarkable photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, signed and dated by him aboard ship on the day before his triumphant return to America from Africa in 1910. The group portrait shows Roosevelt on the bridge of the SS Kaiserin Auguste Victoria with the ship’s captain and crew during the voyage home from the Smithsonian-Roosevelt African Expedition,Continue reading "Theodore Roosevelt Signed Return to America Photograph."

Kennedy, John F.

Pictorial Directory of the 81st Congress.

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1949.

Scarce original Pictorial Directory of the 81st Congress, which met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1949 to January 3, 1951, during the presidency of Harry S. Truman. The directory runs to 80 pages, featuring a portrait of the young Massachusetts congressman John F. Kennedy on the front cover. Kennedy is pictured again on pageContinue reading "Pictorial Directory of the 81st Congress."

Fodor, Eugene [Julia and Paul Child].

Fodor’s New England.

New York: David McKay Company, 1974.

Fodor’s 1974 guide to New England, covering Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Octavo, original cloth. Association copy, inscribed by the editor Robert Fisher to Julia and Paul Child on the half-title page, “With thanks to Paul and Julia Child, for their splendid hospitality, Bob Fisher.” Laid in is Fisher’s business cardContinue reading "Fodor’s New England."

Cooke, Alistair. [William Safire].

Alistair Cooke Typed Letter Signed.

New York: 1987.

A wonderful typed letter signed by the broadcaster and writer Alistair Cooke to the columnist William Safire, together with the annotated typescript of one of Cooke’s Letter from America broadcasts. One page, dated 27 August 1987 on Cooke’s Fifth Avenue stationery. The letter welcomes Safire back from his travels, praises his “Punish The Guilty” columnContinue reading "Alistair Cooke Typed Letter Signed."

Cordova, Antonio de.

Apendice a la Relacion del Viage al Magallanes.

Madrid: Viuda de Joaquin Ibarra, 1793.

First edition of the official Spanish account of the second expedition sent to complete the survey of the Strait of Magellan, printed by the celebrated press of the widow of Joaquín Ibarra. Quarto, written in Spanish, bound in contemporary tree calf, the spine gilt with a red morocco lettering piece, with folding engraved charts. CarriedContinue reading "Apendice a la Relacion del Viage al Magallanes."

Ford, Worthington Chauncey. [George Washington].

George Washington.

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1900.

Memorial edition of this biography of Washington from the turn of the 20th century. Quarto, two parts in four volumes, bound in full red morocco with gilt titles and tooling in six compartments within raised gilt bands, triple gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, floral tooling and a vignette of an American eagleContinue reading "George Washington."

Muir, John.

The Mountains of California.

New York: The Century Co., 1901.

Early printing of John Muir’s first book, his classic celebration of the Sierra Nevada. Octavo, original pictorial cloth decorated in gilt and green with a wreath of pine cones, top edge gilt, illustrated with photogravures and engravings. First published in 1894, this is the 1901 printing. Photogravure of Muir tipped in on the front pastedownContinue reading "The Mountains of California."

Frost, Robert; Louis Untermeyer [Editor].

Modern American Poetry and Modern British Poetry.

New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1930.

An extraordinary copy of Louis Untermeyer’s celebrated combined poetry anthology, containing an original autograph riddle-poem in the hand of Robert Frost. The three-line poem, titled by Frost “My What-is-it” and signed with his initials “R.F.,” is written on pale blue paper and mounted vertically on the front pastedown. It reads, “He has dust in hisContinue reading "Modern American Poetry and Modern British Poetry."

Muir, John.

Our National Parks.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1902.

First edition, early printing of John Muir’s classic celebration of the American wilderness, with an autograph quotation signed by Muir tipped in. Octavo, original gilt pictorial cloth, top edge gilt, with a tissue-guarded frontispiece engraving of the sequoias of the Mariposa Grove, a folding map, and eleven plates; this is the fourth printing, with theContinue reading "Our National Parks."

Garcilaso de la Vega.

Histoire de la Conquete de la Floride.

Paris: Jean Musier, 1711.

Rare early 18th century French edition of Garcilaso de la Vega’s celebrated history of Hernando de Soto’s expedition to Florida, one of the great narratives of the early European exploration of North America. Duodecimo, written in French, bound in full contemporary mottled calf, the spine richly gilt in six  compartments within raised gilt bands withContinue reading "Histoire de la Conquete de la Floride."

Roberts, John G.; Ruth Bader Ginsburg; David Souter; Clarence Thomas; Stephen Breyer; Antonin Scalia; John Paul Stevens; Sandra Day O'Connor; Anthony Kennedy.

Roberts Supreme Court Signed Photograph.

Washington: 2005.

An oversized color photograph of the Roberts Supreme Court, boldly signed by all nine justices. A full-length group portrait by the Court’s photographer Steve Petteway, showing the justices in two rows before the red velvet drapery of the Court. Boldly signed on the mat below the image, each justice near his or her own portrait,Continue reading "Roberts Supreme Court Signed Photograph."

Appel, Martin; Burt Goldblatt. [Sandy Koufax].

Baseball’s Best: The Hall of Fame Gallery.

New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1977.

First edition of this handsomely illustrated tribute to the immortals of Cooperstown, presenting a portrait and life story of every member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Quarto, original green half-cloth, illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Association copy, inscribed by Martin Appel to one of the greatest players ever to take the field, “To Sandy Koufax,Continue reading "Baseball’s Best: The Hall of Fame Gallery."

Murphy, Dale.

Dale Murphy Signed 1982 Sports Illustrated.

New York: Time Inc, 1982.

August 9, 1982 issue of Sports Illustrated signed by Atlanta Braves star Dale Murphy. Octavo, original wrappers with a photograph of Murphy at bat on the front panel, illustrated with advertisements and color photographs. Boldly signed by Dale Murphy in blue felt tip on the front panel. The issue’s cover story, America’s Team II, celebratesContinue reading "Dale Murphy Signed 1982 Sports Illustrated."

Kennedy, John F.

John F. Kennedy Unsmoked Cigar.

Rare unopened cigar given to 35th U.S. President John F. Kennedy by a Philippine Ambassador to the United States, handsomely presented with a portrait of Kennedy. The Coronas Alhambra cigar is mounted in a shadowbox opening and is still stored in a cellophane sheath printed in gold lettering: “Specially Made For President Kennedy.” Under itsContinue reading "John F. Kennedy Unsmoked Cigar."

Muir, John.

Travels in Alaska.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1915.

First edition of this classic work by Muir. Octavo, original grey cloth lettered in white, color illustrated paper cover label, top edge gilt, illustrated with several plates from photographs, including frontispiece with tissue-guard. Near fine in a very good dust jacket. BAL 14771.