Wilton, CT, USA, August 22, 2023 -- Singer Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics for the song Subterranean Homesick Blues, a letter typed in German and signed by Albert Einstein regarding clock time and the Theory of Relativity, and a circa 1848 William Stone/Peter Force copperplate engraving printing of the Declaration of Independence are just a few of the many desirable and highly collectible items up for bid in University Archives’ online auction planned for Wednesday, September 6th.
“This is one of our biggest auctions to date and certainly one of our most diverse,” said John Reznikoff, president and owner of University Archives. “Collectors will find more than five hundred lots of valuable historical items and collectibles. If we have ever put together a sale that has something for everyone, this is it.”
Lot 214 is Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics for Subterranean Homesick Blues from his album Bringing It All Back Home, with a certificate of authenticity from Dylan’s manager, Jeff Rosen. Dylan penned the words of the powerful counter-cultural anthem on Norwegian hotel stationery, circa 2013. The lyrics refer to the many cultural flashpoints of the 1960s, like the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement (est. $40,000-$50,000).
Lot 444 is a typed letter in German signed by Albert Einstein and addressed to astronomer Dr. Friedrich Archenhold, discussing the relation between clock time and the Theory of Relativity. He writes: "A pendulum clock alone is not a 'clock' in the sense of the theory of relativity, but the combination of a pendulum clock with a gravitating celestial body” (est. $28,000-$35,000).
Lot 198 is a William Stone/Peter Force copperplate engraving printing of the Declaration of Independence, circa 1848. Handsomely displayed in a large frame, the Declaration is in near fine condition and is accompanied by four assembled volumes of Peter Force’s American Archives, including one from the personal library of President James A. Garfield. (est. $20,000-$30,000).
Lot 55 is a remarkable autograph album, circa 1847-1848, signed by nearly 300 politicians including five presidents (former president John Quincy Adams, sitting President James K. Polk, and future presidents James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson) as well as president-for-a-day D.R. Atchison, Jefferson Davis (future president of the Confederate States of America), and legendary orators Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster (est. $20,000-$24,000).
Lot 368 is an autograph letter signed by author F. Scott Fitzgerald with great associations to Mark Twain. Fitzgerald proposes adding a preface to his soon-to-be-published short story The Case of Benjamin Button in which he paraphrases Mark Twain’s sentiments about aging: “it’s a pity that the best part of life came first and the saddest part afterward.” The Fitzgerald letter was recently discovered in a library donation box in Westport, Connecticut (est. $9,000-$10,000).
Lot 337 is a pair of signed presentation photographs, housed in the original Imperial frames with the Chrysanthemum seal, of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun of Japan, depicting the couple wearing Western dress and signed in bold Japanese calligraphy with black sumi ink by each one (est. $7,000-$8,000).
Lot 1 is a four-language ship’s passport boldly signed by then-President John Adams with a large signature measuring 3 inches by ¾ inches. The passport was issued to a Havana-bound ship commanded by Captain Charles Bulkley, an American Navy officer who would twice be a British prisoner-of-war and jailed for a time on a New York prison ship (est. $6,000-$7,500).
Lot 225 is a television contract for the General Electric Theatre episode I’m a Fool (aired Nov. 14, 1954), signed by one of its stars, James Dean. Dean played opposite a young Natalie Wood in this adaptation of Sherwood Anderson’s short story one full year before the pair reunited for A Rebel Without A Cause. It’s one of three James Dean items in the auction (est. $6,000-$7,000).
Lot 316 is a scarce and desirable World War I-dated photo postcard of Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the “Red Baron,” the German Air Force flying ace. The letter was signed along the Western Front on April 12, 1917, just after the Red Baron’s 40th kill. He would be shot down almost a year later to the day, on April 21, 1918, ending his killing spree (est. $5,000-$6,000).
Lot 330 is a two-page typed document signed by Winston Churchill, dated June 9, 1938, in which Churchill signs on to write about Russia but stops to placate Stalin. The memorandum was an agreement with his publisher for the rights to Churchill’s Europe Since the Russian Revolution, a project later abandoned because of Churchill’s obligations as wartime premier. Pencil notations are in the margins (est. $5,000-$6,000).
Lot 379 is a one-page typed legal agreement signed by American author Ernest Hemingway regarding the film adaptation of his Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning novella The Old Man and the Sea. The contract, dated Sept. 24, 1954, is beautifully presented and professionally matted, and signed a month before he received the Nobel Prize for the book (est. $5,000-$6,000).
Lot 459 is a photograph boldly signed by boxing champion Muhammad Ali as: "To Mike Caen / From / Muhammad Ali / after me there will never / never never be another to do / it 3 times / 2-11-88." The signed photo joins 50 lots of other fantastic sports memorabilia lots in the sale, with an emphasis on boxing, baseball, hockey, golf, chess, ballet and billiards (est. $2,000-$3,000).
For more information about University Archives and the online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Sports Memorabilia auction scheduled for Wednesday, September 6th at 11 am Eastern time, please visit www.universityarchives.com. Updates are posted frequently.
About University Archives:
University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. 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 him at john@universityarchives.com. University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies. University Archives’ offices are located at 88 Danbury Rd. (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives, visit www.universityarchives.com.