Franked Envelope, 3 ¾” x 8 ¼”, “Free, R.H. Bayard, U.S. Senate,” also addressed by Bayard, to “Herman Cope, Esq[uire], Bank U.S., Philadelphia,” with stamped free designation and a Washington, D.C. postmark, May 8, no year, and a red wax seal on the reverse.

Well-worn, with light toning; numerous edge chips and tears, all away from the signature and address.

Signed Photograph, 6” x 8”, a silver-print image of Blanchard as a young man, circa 1900.  Signed in pencil on the reverse, “J.H. Blanchard, Greenwood, Miss[issippi],” with pencil notations in another hand just above, seemingly indicating an obituary or biographical placement in a local newspaper.

Excellent, with light toning and old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, front and reverse of the first leaf of an imprinted, folded 4 ¾” x 8” letter-sheet, expressing condolences to a friend upon the death of a brother.

“September 18, 1889.  My dear Bob, I did not know when I wrote today what you were passing through.  I had not heard about your brother’s death.  May I tell you how I am sorry for everything which brings you pain with all my heart & will you believe how earnestly I ask for the highest help.  God bless you & give you His best light.  You will not want me to care to you on Monday as I proposed.  If so, you will tell me so & I shall wholly understand.  Be sure that I am always Your old friend, Phillips Brooks.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a horizontal fold at the center; pencil notations in the upper right corner.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages on front and reverse of a single imprinted 3 ½” x 4 ¼” card, declining a request to attend a meeting.

“March 28, 1886.  My dear Mr. Bertrand, I am sorry to say that all my Tuesday Evenings now are hopelessly engaged, so that I must not hope to be at your meeting, which I doubt not will be very interesting & successful.  Yours most sincerely, Phillips Brooks.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with several minor stains and light creases.

Signature, “Aaron Brown,” on a ½” x 2 ½” portion of a document, signed as U.S. postmaster general.  Affixed to a heavier card.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed - from Leavenworth, Kansas

Autograph Letter Signed, 5 ¼” x 8 ¼”.  From Leavenworth, Kansas, the vicinity of his father’s actions at the Pottawatomie Massacre and the Battles of Osawatomie and Black Jack in 1856 “Bleeding Kansas,” Brown conveys details of his return home to his wife in Ohio.  Accompanied by the transmittal envelope, imprinted “R. Stevenson, Photographic ARTIST, 40 Delaware Street, Leavenworth, Kansas”; addressed by Brown, to “Mrs. Wealthy C. Brown, Jefferson, Ashtabula Co[unty], Ohio, Box 125,” with a three-cent U.S. postage stamp and a June 6, 1862, Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory postmark at the upper right corner.

“Leavenworth City Kansas, Thursday, June 5 1862.    

My Loved Wife,

I have this moment got yours of the 28^th.  All in a hurry this morning as a Boat for St. Louis has just come and is off in a few minutes.

It will take me about five days to Chicago including one Sunday – say two days there then, one perhaps at Cleveland when I will be home as fast as I can.  Every thing is waiting and I must say good bye. 

Your own, John.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few minor stains and smearing of ink to several characters; chipping at the upper right corner and at the edge of the lower of two horizontal folds detracts very little.  The envelope has the expected wear at the edge and the right edge has been torn somewhat irregularly in opening.

Signature, with date and place of residence, “O.H. Browning, Quincy, Illinois, Aug[us]t 10, 1874,” on a 3” x 7 ¾” slip of lined paper; affixed to heavier backing.

Excellent.

Letter Signed, on imprinted stationery as U.S. Interior Secretary, promoting a clerk in the General Land Office.

“Washington, D.C., March 24^th 1868.  L. Harreson of Pennsylvania, is hereby promoted to a Clerkship of the Second Class in the General Land Office to take effect from the first instant.  O.H. Browning, Secretary of the Interior.” 

Lightly toned, with a few stains and two horizontal folds; trimmed slightly at the left edge; old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Signature, with sentiment and date, “very Respectfully yours, O.H. Browning, Feb[ruar]y 1, 1867,” on a 2 ¼” x 4 ¾” slip of lined paper; penned as U.S. Interior Secretary.

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor show-through of old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Signature, as U.S. Senator, “B.K. Bruce, Miss[issippi],” on a 1 ½” x 4 ½” portion of an album page.

Excellent.

Franking Signature, “Free, S. Cameron,” on a 3 ¼” x 5 ¾” portion of a postal cover; also addressed by Cameron, to “Dr. H. Byerly, Linglestown, Dauphin Co[unty], Penn[sylvania].”

On brown paper, with an obscure early postmark at left; old mounting remnants on the reverse.

Signed Card, 2 ¼” x 3 ½”, “Very respectfully & truly, James Campbell, March 26, 1875.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with old mounting traces and pencil biographical notations on the reverse.

Signed Index Card, 3” x 5”, dated as governor on the blank reverse, “LeRoy Collins, Governor of Florida, 1959.”

Excellent, with light, even toning.

Signature, “Stephen Decatur,” a frank on a 1 ¼” x 2 ¾” portion of a postal cover; with rank in another hand above and the pencil notation “1819” written vertically at the upper right corner.  A stamped “FREE” partially intersects Decatur’s signature.

Lightly toned, with a stain at the left edge; affixed to heavier backing.

Autograph Note Signed, 4 ¾”x 7 ¼”, undoubtedly a page from her book, “McLoughlin and Old Oregon.”  Published in 1900, the book portrayed and romanticized the life of Dr. John McLoughlin, early Oregon settler later known as “The Father of Oregon,” whose general store in Oregon City was the last stop on the Oregon Trail.

“May we all emulate the virtues of this benevolent despot.  Your friend, the author, Eva Emery Dye.  Oregon City, Oregon, July 31, 1924.”

The page is lightly and evenly toned, with minor staining in the margins and at the edges.

Signature & Rank, “Edmund P. Gaines, Major General,” on a 1” x 3 ½” slip of paper, removed from a larger document; affixed to slightly larger backing.

Lightly toned, with light soiling and wear.

Signed Card, 3 ½” x 5 ¼”, as U.S. Senator from Georgia, “I am, Sincerely Yours, Walter F. George, U[nited] S[tates] S[enate], G[eorgi]a.  Sept[ember] 4, 1937.”

Very good condition overall, with several small stains.

Signature, “Horace Greeley, 6am, Amherst, N[ew] H[ampshire],” on a 2 ¾” x 3 ¾” slip of paper.

Franked Envelope as Civil War Congressman

Franked Envelope, 3” x 5 ½”, “John B. Haskin, M[ember] C[ongress],” with stamped free designation and February 19, 1861 New York City and Williamsburgh, New York postmarks; addressed in another hand to a Westchester County, New York resident.

Smearing of ink in the New York postmark and in portions of the address; heavier soiling and wear at the edges.

Signature, “Ebenezer Hazard,” on a 1 ¼” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, an uncommon full signature removed from a larger letter or document.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a slightly irregular right edge; old pencil biographical notations on the reverse.