Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-23
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AN AUTOGRAPH MARKET,
Prices Range in Eastern Cities From 10
Cents to S1OO.

Cents to 500.
From the New York Collector.
Values are not determined by the quality of
the paper or the legibility of the handwriting.
or even by the fame of the writer or the scare
ity Of the article.
Exactly what does determine prices nobody
knows, but if q man has autograph for sale
he generally gets all he can for it.
Why the autograph of Gen. Francis S. Bar
tow, a confederate killed at Bull Run, should be
quoted at SO, while President John Quincy
Adams sign manual is in the market for 81 ~,
and ar autograph letter by Queen Adelaide of
England can be had for 81. 50. is not apparent
Yet such is the case, and the catalogue is full of
similar discrepancies Here are some examples:
An autograph document signed by John Bal
lsntine Who was clerk OF Suffolk county In
III, may be procured for 50 cents.
A letter by John Wesley costs Sl250 Ma
thaniel Bowditchs signature is quoted at IS
cents.
\. p. Willis the poet would have been glad
many time TO get the $3.50 which is now
asked for his autograph and the SIS which il
set az the price of one rage of a manuscript by
Edgar Allan Poe would more than once have
come handy to him.
Fifty cents for q letter bv Gov John
Breathitt of Kentucky. a stanza by Margaret
Deland for 80 cents, a letter by Thomas
Flucker {John Hancock's fsther-in-Iaw) for So
q war letter by Gen. Garfield for 81 so, letter
from Oliver Wendell Holmes (Which the ata-
logue naively saws is 'rare') for So Helen
Hunt Jackson's signature TO letter for 81. so,
the same price for document signed by
Spencer Phips, colonial governor of Massachu-
sets in 1856: letter from Wendell Phillips on
Bismarck for as cents, $50 for a letter from
"Ouda," IS for letter by Robert Morris who
signed the Declaration of independence; 81 for
oh NsitOn'a he of
paradise Lost" but now forgotten worthy
who ran against Washington for President and
only got two votes), 80 for Gen. McClellan's
autograph, 50 for a document signed by King
Louis XVIII, $50 for letter from Abraham
Lincoln and $40 for one from his wife, $40 for
the signature OF Gen. Robert E. Lee, only so
cents FOR letter from J. Armory Knox, the
TerdS Sifinqs man; the same price for one
from Mrs. Darlington" $3.50 for a Every
nice autograph letter from Thackeray and "a
from one of James sullivan. who was a Con-
gresham from this state in l783-these are
few of the quotations.
A letter from Gen. Sherman arranging the
details for the trip of President Hayes party to
the west ia offered for So 1t says:
II want good excursion on the bay. No
balls or dancing or frollicking-for the Hayeses
are not OF that sort-but Il small, quiet, gcnteel
party. ! am escort not master and if
the President is scared at the heat Of Arizona
and the Indians will cast loose about Los An
geles and let him 60 home as he pleaoes."
In the 25-cent list are letters from Senator
Carlisle, Chateaubriand, Oliver Wendell Holmes
John Jay, Thomas Mast, Henry George and
Hoyt Sherman, brother of the general besides
a score or more from illustrious unkaowns
Some OF the fancy prices are $3.50 for an
original plan and survey made by Washington
when he Was only eighteen years old: Si00 for
a land deed signed by Augustine Washington.
father OF the father of his country; the same
price for magnificent letter" written by
Gen. Joseph Warren. who fell Mt Bunker Hill;
$50 for an autograph check signed by J. Wilkes
Booth (amoun: Of check not given, and $40 for
an excessively rare letter from Francis Marion
a revolutionary general
Sarah Bernhardts autograph for -, Gen.
Israel Putnam's for S35. Gladstones for IS.
Zolas for So, Christine Wilson's for IS, Talley-
rand's for SIS. Marie Antoinette's for S25, are
few of the bargains offered.
Ii you have a leaning toward royalty You can
become the possessor Of document signed by
King Charles ii for $40, or you can get letter
from Marie de Medici. Queen OF France, for
SIS, or document signed by Marie Antoinette
for SIS.