Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-11-24
INTERESTING SALES OF AUTO
GRAPHS.
The Memory of Statesmen, Generals,
Authors and Politicians Financially
Observation-Disclosures in a Name!

Authors and Politicians Fin anciaIIy
Observation-Disclosures in a Name!
From the New York Herald, Nov. 8.
The sale of autographs is always an in
teresting occasion, not only on account OF
the inspection of the letters and signatures
of the great men of the nation and the
world from which an idea may be cleaned
how they welded the pen, whether the big,
firm strokes of a Hancock or the hen-like
scratch of Napoleon, but also to learn
from the bids how this or that famed char
acter stands in the estimation, not of the
public, but generally only of the bidders
Such an auction, givin seuch opportunities,
was opened last evening, at the rooms of
Messrs, Leavitt, Stfebeigh & Co., at Clinton
Hall, in this city. The catalogue embraced
822 ''lots." Among them were, as was sup
posed, highly valued relics Of the penman-
ship of George Washington, John Adams,
Andrew jackson, Jean jacques, Roussea,
Thomas Jefferson, Edward Lytton Bull
wer, Earl Derby, Charles Dickens
the Duke of Wellington, and many others,
some more, some less prominent in the
history of the world. The attendance was
not very large, and consisted Of but a small
portion of those known as amateur collec-
tors of autographs, many of those present
boing professionals" or regular dealers
in these literary and historic relics of the
past. The bidding was only occasionally
spirited, and most of the autographs went
offat, one may almost say, beggarly prices.
A reference to what several of these bro't
will fully illustrate this: A letter written
from Fort Mifin, in 1777, by Baron d
Arendt, French General, serving in the
American Revolution, brought only ten
cents; another of Moses Ashley, Revolu-
To1N Ia4a
sold for the same sum. One of Thos. Bee,
member of the Continental Congress,
touching ON the military affairs in 1881,
went off for twenty-five cents One of
George Washington Park Custis, stepson
of General Washington, and dated in 1920,
brought fifty cents. A document signed
by Robert Dinwiddie in 1776, with auto
graph of John Blair and Th. Dawson sold
for seventy-five cents. W. F. Fraklins au-
tograph, grandson of Benjamin Franklin,
brought one dollar. A letter of Patrick
Henry, written in 1774, was bid in at ST. SO,
and when another, dated 1885, was offered,
the bidding grew more spirited, and it went
off at So rs. While one letter of General
Henry Knox, dated in 1887, brought 25
cents. another of the year 1856 reached so
cents; letter from his wife, Mrs. Lucy
Knox, of 1907, went as high as ST. 10. One
from Henry Laurens, the President of the
Continental Congress, dated 1863, went up
to 1926, and one of James Monroe, writ
ten in 1887, was bought for so cents. Chief
Justice Marshals autograph letter, writ
ten in 1926, brought 81 rs, and one
of Hiram Powers, the sculptor, of 1910,
rose in price to $3.50. An official letter,
signed by General Washington, at head
quarters, Morristown, in 1880, was sold for
Of of 7,
bull of Connecticut, dated IL, ,78, for S2.125.
Beverly fuckers letter brought 60 cents,
and one from Henry A. Wise the grand
sum of 10 cents Two of John Quincy
Adams, both of 1896, sold for 50 and
50. 129, respectively. Andrew Jackson's
sold for So; Thomas Jeffersons, of 1779,
for 81; James Madison for 81. 12a; James
K. Polk's, ST, and John Tylers so cents ::
the same price was reached by a letter of
George NJ Dallas and one of Daniel Web
ster's, while another one of the same states
man went off for 81, and an autograph let
ter of Henry Clay, dated 1907, was knock
ed down at the magnificent price of 10
cents. Think of it +! Henry Clay and
Henry A. Wise on the same standard in the
memory of autograph hunters A
letter of Alexander Hamilton, con-
tanning interesting particulars from
washington neadQ uafterS, was IN demand
at $1.25, and one from Benjamin F. Butler
of 1886, enjoyed the same favor at cents.
One of Albert Gallatin, of 1901, went off for
25 cents, and one of Jonn Buchanan FLOYD,
late Confederate General, reached $1.75,
and Amos Kendall's autograph letter came
to three cents. J. K. Paulding's sold for
S5.75, John jays for $4.25, and Justice
John McLean's of the Supreme Court, for
three cents each. Two letters of Charles
Dickens brought So each; one of Edwin
Dytton Bulwer, 50. IS; of the Countess of
Blessington, S1.50; of Nathaniel Haw-
thorne, S1.37; of Theodore Hook, SLIP; of
Leigh Hunt, $1.75; three of Walter Savage
Landor's, Sc; 2 of Washington Irvings' ST; 1
of Longfellow's, rs cents; two of Mr.. Glad
stone, the British Premier's, Is cents each
one of the Earl of Derby, while yet Lord
Stanley, two cents; Jean jacques Rous-
seau's, So so; Edgar A. Poes, SIS; Nc
Cready's, So. 25; the Duke Of Wellington's,
S1.25; John Wilkes, So; Wilberforce, the
great English anti-slavery agitator's, brought
Is cents; Sir Walter SCOTS, SIS; and Bay
ard Taylor's, 10 cents.
These prices, taken at random from the
list of 349 sales, should suffice. They
show great divergence in the opinion OF
the bidders of the value of the memory OF
great men. The sale will be continued
this evening.