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Explorers/Inventors, Financiers |
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| Lot 375 |
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Byrd, Richard E (1888-1957) American naval officer and explorer. Check Signed ("R E Byrd"), New York, March 28, 1928. Drawn on Liberty National Bank and paid to Kidder Peabody & Co. for $1502. Usual bank cancellations, not affecting Byrd's signature. Fine condition. Byrd made his first explorations of Antarctica and established his "Little America" base in 1928. He would make the first flight over the South Pole the next year (Photo).
Estimate $250-300. |
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| Lot 376 |
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Edison, Thomas A (1847-1931) American inventor. Autograph Letter Signed ("E"), September 5, 1922, no place, 1 page octavo, on lined paper. To Wolnitzky, an employee in Edison's phonograph record division. The letter concerns marketing strategy for Edison records, involving comparison of the same song on Edison and Victor recordings. Edison writes: "I have two Records both same tunes on Victor & Edison. One is a Banjo one a song both sung by Elizabeth Spencer. These with 2 or 3 of good Edison Records could be used by your Canvassers. Paullin will let you listen, see what you think of the 2. E." Two tiny tape hinges in left margin, penciled notes on verso, else Fine. Interesting content (Photo).
Estimate $700-900. |
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| Lot 377 |
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Edison, Thomas A (1847-1941) American Inventor. Check Signed ("Thos A. Edison"), as president and vice president of Edison Botanic Research Corporation, West Orange, N.J., October 22, 1928. The pale green check is drawn on the Savings Investment & Trust Co. and paid to Owens & Phillips Inc. for $4.50. Perforated bank cancellation lightly touches top of "h" in "Thos". As usual, Edison's signature is beautiful. Fine condition (Photo).
Estimate $600-800. |
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| Lot 378 |
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Fargo, William G. Founder of the American Express Company with Henry Wells. American Express Stock Certificate Signed as President, February 3, 1881, New York City, 1 page oblong quarto. William J. Vincent buys 20 shares of stock. The attractive certificate is printed in orange and black, with a small round vignette of a dog in the center. Neither the cancellation hole nor the stamped cancellation affects the large bold signature. Fine condition. Scarce (Photo).
Estimate $600-700. |
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| Lot 379 |
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Getty, J. Paul (1892-1976) American businessman and oil mogul. Check Signed, Santa Monica, California, July 11, 1946. Drawn on Security-First National Bank of Los Angeles and paid to Walter E. Smith for $196.10. Getty's printed address is lined out and a new one stamped at the top; likewise, the bank's address has been changed at lower left. File holes at left margin, minor ink blots in upper left corner, and one small edge tear. A small bank stamp touches the tail of the "y" in "Getty"' otherwise Good condition (Photo).
Estimate $500-600. |
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| Lot 380 |
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Huntington, C.P (1821-1900) American railroad builder. Stock Certificate Signed as president of the Newport News and Mississippi Valley Company, New York, February 7, 1887, small oblong folio. A green and white certificate issued to I. Wallach for 100 shares. All 20 coupons are attached and all are cancelled. Small area of paper loss at upper left and some toning; overall Very Good. Huntington was involved in the building of the transcontinental railroad, was president of the Sourthern Pacific RR, served as a lobbyist in Washington for favorable railroad legislation, and held interests in the Chesapeake & Ohio RR, as well as in several steamship companies (Photo).
Estimate $300-500. |
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| Lot 381 |
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Lansky, Meyer (1902-83) Gangster; "Mogul of the Mob." Check Signed, Boston, Mass., June 4, 1939. Drawn on The National Shawmut Bank of Boston, and paid to Taff & Co Inc. for $300. Lansky engrossed and signed the check in black ink. One ink smear; small bank stamp lightly affects the "y-e-r" in "Meyer." Very Good. Unlike his crime associates Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Luciano, and Albert Anastasia, Lansky lived to a ripe and wealthy old age in Miami (Photo).
Estimate $600-800. |
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| Lot 382 |
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Vanderbilt, Cornelius (1843-99) Grandson of "Commodore" Vanderbilt; head of Vanderbilt family from 1885. Document Signed ("C. Vanderbilt") as Vice President of The Michigan Central Railroad Company, n.p., March 1, 1883. 1 page, folio. A stock certificate for $5,000, bought by The Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company. With stamp cancel by Union Trust Co. of N.Y. on May 8, 1901. The document is brown and cream, with a decorative border and three lovely vignettes at the top. Vanderbilt's signature is affected by three punched holes from the cancellation; otherwise, Very Fine (Photo).
Estimate $1,000-1,500. |
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