Sell or Auction Your Set of All of The US Presidential Signatures for up to Over $20,000 or More at Nate D. Sanders Auctions
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Sell Your Set of All of The US Presidential Signatures
Below is a recent realized price for a Set of all of the US Presidential signatures. We at Nate D. Sanders Auctions can obtain up to this amount or more for you:
Set of All of The US Presidential Signatures. Sold for over $20,000.
Nate D. Sanders Auctions has sold the following similar items:
Norman Rockwell oil on canvas painting of Richard Nixon, signed ”Norman / Rockwell” at lower right. Painting is the study for ”Mr. President (Richard Nixon)”, which resides in the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, and was published in the 4 February 1969 issue of ”Look” magazine, captioned ”Weighed, yet buoyed, by the American past and present, Richard M. Nixon, 37th President, faces the future in this Rockwell portrait”.
Rockwell painted this study in late 1968 of then President-Elect Richard Nixon, a man whose portrait he found ”elusive” but whose features here are unmistakenly Nixon, revealing at the same time both the guardedness and warmth of the 37th President. As the premiere portraitist of the 20th century, one would expect no less from Rockwell. Oil on canvas measures 14” x 11”. Provenance is from Judy Goffman Fine Art of New York, and then subsequently the Charles E. Sigety Collection. Exhibited at the Mississippi Museum of Art in ”Norman Rockwell: The Great American Storyteller” from 2 March-15 May 1988, no. 64. Painting is in very good condition, with a stretcher bar mark along upper edge. Wax lined, with no inpainting. Sold for $125,000.
John F. Kennedy’s Rocking Chair, Used by JFK as President
One of the few rocking chairs owned and used by John F. Kennedy as President, who famously relied on his rocking chairs to relieve back pain resulting from his WWII injuries. Kennedy’s personal physician, Dr. Janet Travell, first treated JFK as a Senator in the 1950s, where she prescribed the use of rocking chairs custom-made to his specifications.
This stylish mid-century rocking chair is upholstered in orange-brown leather against a rattan backing and wood frame, with a leather cushion that snaps into place. Attached with upholstery nails to the underside of one arm is the business card of Larry Arata, who Jackie Kennedy recruited from Hyannis, Massachusetts to work as the White House upholsterer. Arata’s business card shows a McLean, Virginia address and “White House Upholsterer – 1961 to Present” at bottom, though with some paper loss to the card. Also present on the arm of the chair is John F. Kennedy’s Senate business card, signed “Jack Kennedy”, indicating this chair was likely taken from Kennedy’s Senate office and reupholstered for Kennedy to use as President. According to what Jackie Kennedy has said about the chair, it was used by JFK at the Hyannis Port compound.
Rocking chair originates from Jackie Kennedy, who gifted it to New York City Mayor Ed Koch in December 1984 on the occasion of Koch’s 60th birthday. The Mayor, in turn, gifted it to his executive assistant Rose Mintzer, who passed it down to her son, whose notarized LOA accompanies the chair. Chair measures 44″ tall, 28″ wide and 33″ deep. Chair displays beautifully, with light wear from use. One of the more personal belongings of John F. Kennedy. Sold for $90,000.
Abraham Lincoln Personally Owned and Worn Spectacles — With Provenance From Lincoln’s Family
Spectacles worn by Abraham Lincoln, photographed with the President in the portrait taken by Alexander Gardner in Washington, D.C. in 1865 (O-116D in ”Lincoln in Photographs”). With provenance from Abraham Lincoln’s great grandson, Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith. As his last direct descendant, Beckwith writes in an ”Affidavit and Deed of Gift”, signed and dated 16 August 1977 (a photocopy of which is included in the lot): ”I, Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith of Washington, D.C., certify that among the contents of a trunk located and unopened until recently, and placed in the attic of Hildene, the estate of my grandfather Robert Todd Lincoln, Manchester, Vermont, by my grandmother Mary Harlan Lincoln (Mrs. Robert Todd Lincoln), and the said contents being awarded to me by the Estate of my sister Mary Lincoln Beckwith, were found two pair of eye glasses which had belonged to my great grandfather President Abraham Lincoln, and so marked by my grandmother Mary Harlan Lincoln. I further give one pair of these eye glasses to Margaret Fristoe of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and one pair to James T. Hickey of Elkhart, Illinois.” Hickey was the Curator of the Lincoln Collection of the Illinois State Historical Library, now the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. The pair given to Hickey is still in the Library’s collection. Two years after gifting the glasses to Fristoe, Beckwith married her and upon her death the glasses were passed to her daughter from a prior relationship, Lenora Fristoe Hoverson. Her affidavit is also included. Also included is a signed letter from a board-certified optician attesting to the prescription of the glasses as +2.12, a match to Lincoln’s known prescription strength in the 2.00 range. An amazing piece of personal history from one of America’s greatest presidents. Sold for $84,422.
Blanket from John F. Kennedy’s limousine, stowed in the vehicle at the time of his assassination. Navy blue woolen blanket bearing a large embroidered Presidential seal is one of two that were fixtures of the custom limousine, literally built into the doors of the back seat on each side for ready use by chilled passengers. Blanket features a grey plush lining to the reverse side and snaps along the edges for securing to interior door panels. Measures 50.5” x 41”. Embroidered seal measures 7” in diameter. Some patches of wear to fabric surface along center, else fine. With excellent provenance, including an LOA from Burke Reilly, the first owner of the blankets after their removal from the limousine, which was dismantled during Johnson’s administration. Reilly was the manager of the White House Vehicle Program for Ford Motor Company’s Washington Affairs Office, in charge of the care and service of the automobiles in the federal fleet, including ”100X”, the Presidential limousine. His LOA specifies the names of the people he worked and interacted with, including the name of the Secret Service agent that gave the blankets to him. Includes copies of Reilly’s Ford ID and his security clearance pass. Mr. Reilly is reportedly still alive today. More information regarding the “lap robes,” as they were called, comes from Ford employee F. Vaughn Ferguson whose 18 December 1963 memo to Ford lobbyist R.W. Markley Jr. is housed at the National Archives. This memo reads in part, ”…on the 2nd of December I noticed that the two lap robes had a few blood spots on them, but, more than that, were soiled from handling and required cleaning. The White House chauffeurs were detailed to take the lap robes to Fort Myer for cleaning. These persons remained with the lap robes until they were cleaned and returned the same day…” An impossibly rare relic from the last moment of JFK’s presidency. Sold for $61,599.
Abraham Lincoln Signed CDV as President — John Hay Certifies Signature as Authentic on Verso
Exceptionally rare Abraham Lincoln signed carte-de-visite photograph, taken by Alexander Gardner in 1861 and signed as President. Signed ”A. Lincoln” below the seated portrait of Lincoln. John Hay, Lincoln’s private secretary, authenticates the signature upon the verso by writing, ”I certify that the President’s signature is genuine / John Hay”. With ”Brady’s National Portrait Gallery” backstamp. Measures 2.5” x 3.75”. Very good with some foxing and wear, but with a strong signature by Lincoln. With provenance from Profiles in History and with a COA from Charles Hamilton. Sold for $49,913.
Extraordinary collectible from the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln, a personally owned and used pen by Lincoln, given to him during his service as President. Steel-nib fountain pen, lightly worn from use, is evocative and notable for the gold-colored star pattern upon its barrel, calling forth the patriotic Union sentiment at the heart of the Civil War, clearly intended to inspire the President and reminding him of the War’s noble and patriotic purpose.
Pen (not including ink cartridge) measures 7.25” long. Light scratching to the nib from use, and some light rubbing to the barrel. Overall in near fine condition, an evocative piece from Abraham Lincoln, likely used for importance during the Civil War. Sold for $41,250.
Large Collection of Presidential Eyeglasses — Nine Pairs Belonging to Nine U.S. Presidents, Including Truman, Reagan, LBJ, Clinton, Bush 41 and Bush 43, Carter, Nixon & Ford
Impressive set of nine eyeglasses owned and worn by nine U.S. Presidents, with many accompanied by signed photos and letters from the Presidents. Set includes eyeglasses worn by nearly every post-WWII President, including: Harry S. Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, all gifted to the Museum of Ophthalmology, and each framed in its own presentation shadowbox.
Eyeglasses worn by President Richard M. Nixon, who ”used the reading glasses…on a five-week around-the-world trip I made in 1985. They are perhaps the best-traveled glasses in your collection!” Pair of reading glasses with black plastic frames have flared endpieces decorated with oblong metal cartouches, and measure 5.25” wide from endpiece to endpiece. Framed with a letter signed ”Richard Nixon” to Dr. Spencer Sherman, dated 13 January 1994 from Nixon’s home in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, referencing the trip where Nixon wore these glasses. During this trip, Nixon traveled to China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Pakistan, Turkey, and Great Britain. Glasses are nicely framed in a shadowbox measuring 29.5” x 16.5” x 3.25” deep, in near fine condition. Sold for $31,250.
George Washington document signed as President, appointing an Inspector of the Revenue, and countersigned by Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. The men sign ”Go Washington” and ”By the President / Th Jefferson”, dated 8 March 1792, promoting William Lewis of Virginia from Surveyor to Collector of the Port of Entry for the Port of Fredericksburg, as part of the U.S. Customs Service. Document measures 15.75” x 12.5”, beautifully framed with portraits of Washington and Jefferson to a size of 40” x 30.5”. Small tears at folds archivally repaired on verso, and paper seal replaced. Some discoloration to lower section and slight fading to signatures. Overall very good condition. A rare Presidential appointment signed by both Washington and Jefferson. Sold for $21,875.
George Washington autograph letter signed, dated 24 September 1777 at a tenuous moment in the Revolutionary War and only two days before the British captured Philadelphia, birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the symbolic seat of Revolution. Washington writes from his ”Camp near Pots Grove” near the Schuylkill River to Brigadier General Alexander McDougall, who was moving west from New York to join Washington during the Philadelphia Campaign. Concerned with the safety of McDougall’s troops, Washington here writes a detailed letter, warning him of the enemy lurking in this ”most disaffected Country”. Certainly, the Paoli Massacre, in which British troops completely ambushed Brigadier General Anthony Wayne only four days earlier, must have weighed heavily on Washington’s mind.
Two page letter on a single sheet measures 7.875” x 9.5”. Letter is well preserved, with intact fold lines and bold writing. Expected toning, a few small holes from pen indentation, and browning along center fold. Overall near fine condition given age. Accompanied by a 7” x 10” engraving of Washington. Sold for $21,000.
President Barack Obama autograph White House leaderboard, with his handwritten picks for the 2012 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. On 13 March 2012, Obama met with ESPN reporters at the White House to fill out his bracket, choosing Kentucky, Ohio State, Missouri and North Carolina to make it to the final four; the actual four teams were Kentucky, Ohio State, Louisville and Kansas, placing Obama in the 63.6th percentile according to ESPN. Signed ”Barack Obama” at center in black ink. Large 63” x 36” leaderboard has ”Presidential Bracket” and official White House seal to bottom. In near fine condition with a strong, clear signature by Obama. Obtained directly from ESPN in its annual V Foundation auction. Sold for $20,206.
John F Kennedy Autograph on a 1944 PT-109 Document
Historically significant John F Kennedy autograph World War II document regarding torpedo boat training, after his command of PT-109, the torpedo boat that was hit by a Japanese destroyer in 1943. Dated 1 March 1944, Lieutenant Kennedy signs a military “Report of Compliance With Orders” at the “Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons Training Center” after the famed PT-109 affair that distinguished Kennedy as a war hero and set the stage for his future political career. Beautifully signed in bold black ink, “John F. Kennedy.” Framed and matted with a photograph of JFK in uniform and a plaque. Very early John F Kennedy autograph. Measures 22″ x 20″ overall. Fine condition. Sold for $14,670.
Collection of three items signed by four Presidents: Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Woodrow Wilson. Lot includes:
1) Scalloped ship’s paper signed by Thomas Jefferson as President and James Madison as Secretary of State. Attractive document features two nautical vignettes, undated, likely signed by the men prior to intended use as was the custom. With intact red wax-backed paper seal. Vellum document measures 10.25” x 15.5”. Folds, else near fine.
2) Abraham Lincoln autograph note signed as President, dated during the Civil War on 16 September 1861. Lincoln writes in full, ”I approve the within, if no objection is known at the War Department. / A. Lincoln / Sep. 16, 1861.” Visible portion of note measures 3.125” x 2”. Not examined out of frame, but appears near fine.
3. Large Woodrow Wilson signature, measuring 5” x 3”. Not examined out of frame. Some haloing to signature, else near fine. Sold for $13,750.
Handsome vellum document signed by Abraham Lincoln as President, with Lincoln appointing Speed S. Fry Brigadier General of Volunteers. Dated 22 March 1862, Lincoln signs with his full name, ”Abraham Lincoln” at lower right. Countersigned by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. Folds and light dampstaining along bottom and right edge. Overall very good condition with fully intact blue paper seal. Sold for $10,588.
John Adams land grant signed as President on 19 January 1801, countersigned by Secretary of State and future Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. Signed prominently ”John Adams”, document grants land to two soldiers for their service in the Revolutionary War. Partially printed document measures 13” x 15”, framed to 34.25” x 33”. Weighs 20 lbs. Folds and some creasing, otherwise near fine condition. Sold for $10,525.
John F. Kennedy Handwritten Speech
On 30 April 1957, a special five-man Senate committee headed by 38 year-old freshmen Senator John Kennedy chose five “outstanding” senators of the past after almost two years of study. The committee names John Calhoun, Henry Clay, Robert LaFollette, Robert Taft and Daniel Webster. Pictures of these exceptional senators would eventually be placed in a Senate reception area. On March 12, 1959, the unveiling of the portraits took place. This lot contains a colossal amount of handwritten notations on 29 pages from Kennedy for the speech or for notes regarding the five outstanding senators. At the 1959 unveiling ceremony, Kennedy reminded his audience that these long-dead senators were controversial figures in their day. Their own colleagues might not have been as quick as later generations to induct them into a senatorial hall of fame. Kennedy reported that one contemporary said of Henry Clay, “He is a bad man, an imposter, a creator of wicked schemes.” Who made those remarks? None other than Clay’s fellow honoree, John C. Calhoun. Enjoying the audience’s appreciative laughter, Kennedy continued, “On the other hand, who was it who said that Calhoun was a rigid fanatic, ambitious, selfishly partisan and a sectional …turncoat,’ with …too much genius and too little common sense,’ who would either die a traitor or a madman? Henry Clay, of course.” Kennedy then concluded his joking references to the Great Triumvirate with the help of a quote by John Quincy Adams, who viewed with alarm “the gigantic intellect, the envious temper, the ravenous ambition, and the rotten heart of Daniel Webster.” When Senator Kennedy announced his committee’s selections, he expressed frustration over the exclusion from the list of his three personal favorites. If the decision had been entirely up to him, he told his audience, the Senate Reception Room would include Webster, Taft, and Norris, along with Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut and Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. As an outlet for the frustration of passing over these and other strong candidates, the committee included in its final report the names of fifteen other senators. “Perhaps some future committee of the Senate, meeting at some future date, will find occasion to honor additional names.” These 29 pages have thousands of words in Kennedy’s hand, mostly illegible to the common eye, but worthy of further deciphering from a Kennedy handwriting expert. Also included are two original Government printed booklets regarding detailing of the unveiling, and a typed letter from another Senator to Kennedy dated just days before the unveiling about the Proceedings booklet mentioned above. (Similar to John F. Kennedy Autograph Letter Signed). Sold for $10,408.
Abraham Lincoln Document Signed as President — Near Fine With Full, ”Abraham Lincoln” Signature
Elegant document signed by Abraham Lincoln as President, appointing Joseph Wilbar as Postmaster in Taunton, Massachusetts. Signed with his full name, ”Abraham Lincoln”, document dated 18 December 1861 is countersigned by Secretary of State William Seward. Measures 13.5” x 9.5” with paper covered red wax seal to verso. Folds and small repair to fold on verso. Overall near fine. Sold for $10,210.
Excellent-content Barack Obama autograph letter signed on his health care legislation. On official White House stationery, undated but likely early 2010, Obama writes in full, ”Beth – I received your letter, and want you to hear back from me. We are at the brink of historic health care reform legislation that gives 30 million people coverage and curbs major insurance company abuses. There’s nothing weak about it – which is why the insurance companies are fighting it so hard. So don’t lose faith so quickly – no change happens overnight, but it is happening! Barack Obama”. Letter on cardstock measures 6.5” x 4”. In fine condition. Includes original blank White House envelope. Sold for $9,799.
Large collection of clipped Presidential and historical signatures, including two by Abraham Lincoln. Lot includes: (1-2) Two Lincoln signatures, each signed ”Abraham Lincoln” measuring 6” x 1.25” and 4” x 1”. (3-5) Three signatures by James Madison, each signed ”James Madison”, measuring 5” x 2.5”, 5” x 2” and 4.75” x 1.25”. (6-7) Two signatures by James Monroe, each signed ”James Monroe”, measuring 5.75” x 3” and 5” x 1”. (8) Andrew Jackson signature signed ”Andrew Jackson”, measuring 6” x 1.375”. (9) Martin Van Buren signature signed ”M Van Buren”, measuring 5” x 2”. (10-11) Two signatures by Ulysses S. Grant, each signed ”U.S. Grant”, measuring 4” x 2.5” and 5” x 1.5”. (12-13) Two signatures by James Polk, each signed ”James K. Polk”, measuring 5.25” x 2” and 4.25” x 1.5”. (14) Signature by Vice President John Calhoun, signed here ”J.C. Calhoun” as Secretary of War under James Monroe. Measures 4.625” x 2”. (15) Signature by William L. Marcy, signed ”W.L. Marcy” as Secretary of War under James Polk, measuring 3.5” x 1.25”. All measurements are approximate, most with irregular edges. Most signatures are on vellum, likely taken from documents signed as President, and remain in very good to near fine condition. The taller U.S. Grant signature has a closed tear affecting the ”t” in Grant. An excellent Presidential collection. Sold for $9,375.
Photo of Eisenhower’s presidential inauguration signed by four U.S. Presidents: Eisenhower, Truman, Hoover and Nixon, framed in wood taken from the inauguration stand. Special photo is signed ”Dwight D. Eisenhower” boldly in black across the lower border’s center. Signature is flanked on the right by that of ”Richard Nixon” and on the left by ”Herbert Hoover” and ”Harry Truman”. Image depicts Eisenhower taking the Oath of Office in the presence of the signers; with Hoover as former President, Truman as Ike’s immediate predecessor and Richard Nixon standing by as the new Vice President. Hoover’s face is hidden by Truman in the photo. Matte photo measures approximately 10” x 8” and is framed in wood from the stand. Toning, else near fine. With Provenance from White House Journalist Stephen V. Feeley. Also with a COA from PSA/DNA for all four signatures. Sold for $4,000.
Chester Arthur Document Signed as President — Very Bold Signature
Chester A. Arthur document signed as President. Dated 17 September 1883, document appoints Louis A. Barnes as Register of the land office in Gainesville, Florida. With very strong ”Chester A. Arthur” signature in black ink at bottom. Measures 18” x 14”, matted to a size of 20” x 16”. Light foxing and toning, otherwise in near fine condition. Sold for $1,078.
FREE APPRAISAL. To buy, auction, sell or consign your Set of all of the US Presidential signatures that is for sale, please email your description and photos to [email protected] of Nate D. Sanders Auctions (http://www.NateDSanders.com).