Skip to content
Circa-1938 manuscript handwritten in German by Albert Einstein, with several lines of mathematical equations, est. $40,000-$50,000

University Archives delivers honor roll of history’s finest, Jan. 6

Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Sheila Gibson Stoodley
Circa-1938 manuscript handwritten in German by Albert Einstein, with several lines of mathematical equations, est. $40,000-$50,000
Circa-1938 manuscript handwritten in German by Albert Einstein, with several lines of mathematical equations, est. $40,000-$50,000

WILTON, Conn. – A signed manuscript handwritten in German by Albert Einstein, with several lines of mathematical equations; a check made out to a charter airline by John F. Kennedy during his 1960 presidential campaign; and a handwritten document signed by the legendary lawman Bat Masterson when he was just 25 years old will all be part of University Archives’ next online-only auction scheduled for Thursday, January 6, at 10:30 am Eastern time. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.

Taking center stage will be the circa-1938 Einstein autograph manuscript, which bears the signature “A. Einstein.” It carries a pre-sale estimate of $40,000-$50,000. The manuscript constitutes part of Einstein’s attempts at developing a unified theory of electromagnetism, gravitation and quantum mechanics; he later co-authored a paper exploring this topic titled On a Generalization of Kaluza’s Theory of Electricity (1938).

1960 check that John F. Kennedy signed to a Massachusetts charter airline company, est. $15,000-$16,000
1960 check that John F. Kennedy signed to a Massachusetts charter airline company, est. $15,000-$16,000

The check that JFK made out to a Massachusetts charter airline company for a trip to the Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport, Massachusetts during his 1960 presidential campaign carries an estimate of $15,000-$16,000. The check is boldly signed and signature PSA/DNA slabbed and graded NM-MT 8. Also up for bid is a first edition copy of The President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, signed by all seven commission members and general counsel J. Lee Rankin.

Autograph document signed by lawman Bat Masterson, est. $27,500-$30,000
Autograph document signed by lawman Bat Masterson, est. $27,500-$30,000

An autograph document signed by Bartholomew “Bat” Masterson, with more than 30 words, numbers and figures written in his hand, is PSA/DNA slabbed and graded Mint 9. When he signed this receipt, the 25-year-old Masterson was serving as Sheriff of Ford County, Kansas and was just months away from being defeated in the Royal Gorge War, fought between two rival Western railroad companies. The document should finish at $27,500-$30,000.

1852 letter signed and handwritten by Abraham Lincoln, est. $12,000-$15,000
1852 letter signed and handwritten by Abraham Lincoln, est. $12,000-$15,000

A letter handwritten by Abraham Lincoln, dated March 25, 1852, is boldly signed and addressed to the Hon. William Thomas regarding real estate business in Shawneetown, Illinois. The letter is PSA/DNA slabbed and graded Mint 9 and estimated at $12,000-$15,000.

One page of a bifolium from Dec. 1792, signed by Alexander Hamilton as Treasury Secretary, est. $9,000-$10,000
One page of a bifolium from Dec. 1792, signed by Alexander Hamilton as Treasury Secretary, est. $9,000-$10,000

One page of a bifolium dated Dec. 12, 1792, signed by Alexander Hamilton as Treasury Secretary, and addressed to Sharp Delany, Esq., Collector of Customs in Philadelphia, instructing him, ironically, to order pistols, should finish at $9,000-$10,000. Also, a one-page note signed by Thomas Jefferson as president, dated Sept. 13, 1808, written from his home in Monticello and addressed to Edgar Patterson, a government contractor, regarding a letter from Patterson that was forwarded to James Madison, has a pre-sale estimate of $8,000-$9,000.

Archive of handwritten documents and printed journals relating to John Peter Zenger, the German printer accused of seditious libel in 1734, est. $10,000-$12,000
Archive of handwritten documents and printed journals relating to John Peter Zenger, the German printer accused of seditious libel in 1734, est. $10,000-$12,000

In addition, an archive of handwritten documents and printed journals relating to John Peter Zenger, the German printer accused of seditious libel in 1734, including material signed by New York Gov. William Cosby and other trial participants, should command $10,000-$12,000.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-signed record cover, with an original recording of his “The American Dream” speech delivered at Syracuse University in July 1961, est. $6,000-$7,000
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-signed record cover, with an original recording of his “The American Dream” speech delivered at Syracuse University in July 1961, est. $6,000-$7,000

A Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-signed and -inscribed record cover, containing an original recording of his “The American Dream” speech delivered at Syracuse University in July 1961, the precursor of King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, should realize $6,000-$7,000.

University Archives is actively seeking quality material. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111 or email john@universityarchives.com.

[av_button label=’Click to view the auction catalog and sign up to bid’ icon_select=’no’ icon=’ue800′ font=’entypo-fontello’ link=’manually,https://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/230457_rare-autographs-photos-books-psa-slabbed/?page=1&sort=lotNumber’ link_target=’_blank’ size=’small’ position=’center’ label_display=” title_attr=” color_options=” color=’theme-color’ custom_bg=’#444444′ custom_font=’#ffffff’ btn_color_bg=’theme-color’ btn_custom_bg=’#444444′ btn_color_bg_hover=’theme-color-highlight’ btn_custom_bg_hover=’#444444′ btn_color_font=’theme-color’ btn_custom_font=’#ffffff’ id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-6asgbed’ admin_preview_bg=”]

 

View top auction results on LiveAuctioneers here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/pages/recent-auction-sales/