A hard cover book with dust jacket, "HANS ERNI", 1979, Zurich, by Walter Ruegg, edited by Ernst Scheidegger, featuring a comprehensive look at the life and work of the only recently deceased important Swiss modernist artist, HANS ERNI (1909-2015). The book contains an original soft pencil drawing of a young nude female, dedicated by the artist "Cordially to Lennye", dated 14 Juillet 2002, and signed Erni...

An page from a fifteenth century "Book of Hours", DOUBLE SIDED, page 6 3/4" by 4 3/4, framed with glass on both sides to facilitate viewing. There are 16 lines of text in Latin, decorative borders and capitals with extensive use of gold. According to Wikipedia, books of hours were Christian devotional books popular in the Middle Ages. They are considered the most common type of surviving medieval illustrated manuscripts. Generally they contained prayers and psalms...

Early 19th century map of the world, in Mercator projection, the Pacific Ocean at center, titled at upper right "Mappemonde sur la Projection de Mercator", measuring 10" by 14 1/2" inside the double mats, and 16" by 21" as nicely framed. The map might date to about the 1820's. The United States is shown as "Etats Unis". There are numerous picturesque early geographic names like "Is. Sandwich/Owhyhee", "Othahiti", "Nouvelle Hollande" for Australia, The map is printed on old style paper...

Rare original handwritten letter, apparently dating to the year 1801, by the famous, iconic English-language historical novelist, playwright, poet, and judge SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832). This is a folded sheet of ancient paper, measuring 8" by 5", two sides of which bear writing. When acquired it was in a frame with the engraved image of him, as autograph materials are often framed...

A pair of typed letters on White House vice-presidential stationery, one dated October 27, 1972, the other dated August 27, 1973, each addressed to Beverly Hills, CA friends of the 39th Vice President of the United States, SPIRO T. AGNEW (1918-1996)...

A black and white 1950's photo of the famous Argentine, Juan Peron (1895-1974), inscribed in ink at bottom "al senor Herbert He. Jillson, con gran afecto/Buenos Aires, 18 febrero 1955/Juan Peron". The piece measures 14" by 9" inside the mat and 18 1/2" by 13 1/2" framed (no glass, as found). This is a fascinating piece of history. Peron of course was a world-famous figure at mid century...

Ballpoint pen inscribed and signed black and white photograph of quarterback Bill Nelsen of the Cleveland Browns, circa early 1970's, the dedication reading "--Bob-- Best of luck in your future/your cousin Bill Nelsen". The photo measures 9 7/8" by 7". It is loose but protected in a simple inexpensive frame...

Original, HAND SIGNED AND INSCRIBED black and white photo from 1965, of the 36th president of the United States, LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON (1908-1973). Johnson became president upon the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. He was elected to the office on his own in 1964. A Democrat, he oversaw the ramping up of the war in Vietnam and landmark social legislation. The photo is inscribed to one Ellen Oshim. The writing reads "To Ellen Oshim/with best wishes. / Lyndon B Johnson"...

Original faded green ink pen signature and dedication by the famous heavyweight boxing champion and cultural icon of the 1920's, JACK DEMPSEY (1895-1983). The dedication reads "To the Old Boy himself my friend John Early Best Wishes Jack Dempsey Nov 22 -22 Memphis. Tenn", all written on top of a sepia-toned photo of the champ in his boxing days...

A miniature size hand written in Latin manuscript page, double sided, measuring 4 1/4" by 3", and 8 1/2" by 6 1/2" nicely framed, likely of religious content. Written neatly in brown ink with red capitals in places, much as would be seen in an antiphonal sheet. Condition of this little item, a survivor at many hundreds of years old, is excellent.

Antique early map of central England's Oxfordshire county, by cartographer Robert Morden, originally published in 1695. This map is nicely hand colored. It measures 17" by 15" inside the green mat and 24" by 22" framed (no glass). The mat was seemingly permanently affixed over the margins of the map by the framer, but the central portion of the map does not appear to be laid down as there is play to the surface...

A group of 21 handwritten, typed and printed documents from northern Mexico, dating to the turn of the century, (the earliest, 1885, the latest, 1905, with most clustered between 1896 and 1901), one of those documents actually signed in ink by Porfirio Diaz, (1830-1915), the Mexican general and politician who for seven terms totaling over 30 years was the president of Mexico. Diaz led troops against the French-imposed rule of Emperor Maximilian, and his success in the 1862-1867 campaign was int...

A letter typed on US Senate stationery, dated June 3, 1966, hand signed in brown ink by Ted Kennedy (1932-2009) when he was on the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare. The senator was responding to correspondence from a George McCullough of New York City, which evidently dealt with McCullough's concerns about sharply increased LSD use in the United States. This letter was written about three years before the infamy of Chappaquiddick, when Kennedy would have been a senator for only about four...

An original sepia-toned photograph of a middle aged man and his bicycle, with pencil note on the reverse side "Taken on Riverside Park/July 1898 by Sadie Coger", and again on black backing paper "My Dad taken/N New Jersey". The bicycle certainly seems to be quite an advanced model for its time, resembling strongly today's models. There is no glass, frame is simple strip wood, and photo is loose. Small framing nail penetrates wood of frame. A charming survivor of an earlier age, from a South ...

Of considerable historical interest, a black and white photograph of renowned American late 20th century political figure EDMUND MUSKIE (March 28, 1914 – March 26, 1996), inscribed at bottom margin in felt tip pen "To Steve/with the bet wishes of a friend/Ed Muskie". Muskie was an American politician with a long record of public service. He served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives from 1946 to 1951, was the 64th Governor of Maine from 1955 to 1959, a United States Senator fro...

An albumen photograph of an entrance and most of one wing of the Louvre from the roof of another wing. Titled in the negative 0n the lower close to center, “LE LOUVRE,” and with the photographer’s red stamped signature, “Achille Quintet” on the backboard just below the photograph on the lower right, Faintly in the lower right corner in the negative is the number 62. The photo is 7 3/8 x 9 5/8 inches (19 cm x 24. 5 cm) mounted on white thin cardboard 11 ¼ x 15 inches (28.5 x 38 cm).

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An albumen photograph of a gargoyle located high on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Unknown photographer. Written in the negative in the lower right, “1003, Paris Notre Dame.” The gargoyle emerges from the waist up with a human torso, a dragons ridge on the back of the elongated neck, pointed ears, deep sunk eyes and a slit for a nostril in a rounded snout. 10 ½ x 8 inches (27 x 20 cm) mounted with transparent corners in a 16 x 20 inch (40.5 x 51 cm) mat. The photograph is stuck to a slightl...

An albumen photograph of the Arc de Triomphe at the top of Champs Elysée in Paris France. It is by the unknown photographer E.F.. Titled in a thin margin at the bottom of the negative, “26 (E.F.) Paris – Arc-de-Triomphe.” The photograph is mounted on thin white cardboard. On the back is stamped, November Club, presumably the owner at one time. The image is 8 5/8 x 11 1/8 inches (22 x 28.5 cm). the backing is 14 x 17 ½ inches (35.5 x 43 cm).

Condition: the image is clean and without t...

For the collector of Victoriana or autographs of noted writers, here is an authentic signature of the English 19th century novelist and satirist WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY (1811-1863), found on what appears to be a library slip. The writing on the slip refers to the borrowing of the book "Histoire de la Reine Zarah et les Zarasiens", 1712. This little piece of history gives some indication of the reading habits of the famous author. Condition of the slip is typical of what would be expected...

An original copper plate engraved map, with hand coloring of country outlines, and also in the cartouche, titled there, at lower left, "A Map of Turky, Arabia and Persia", the first edition by Georges de l'Isle in 1701, this being the somewhat later revised 1721 edition by noted cartographer of the day John Senex (1678-ca. 1740). This map, 19" by 23" (22 1/2" by 26 1/2" as framed) was considered to be the first modern map of the Arabian Peninsula before the middle of the 18th century. The geog...

An albumen photograph of the Swedish flagged Olga on the Nile river. The riverboats were known as dahabiya and typically travelled from Cairo upriver to either Luxor or Aswan on a forty or fifty day journey. Travel on one of these dahabiya was usually luxurious, for the times. The flag on the stern mast is that of Sweden, the one on the foremast is that of Egypt, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Very faintly signed in the negative lower left, “Lengaki” and in the lower right, “No. 613. Dah...

An unsigned albumen photograph titled in the negative in the lower left, “590. Shachem (Nablous).” The photograph depicts trees in the foreground, a crumbling square stone tower, the city of Nablus and the hills beyond. It is mounted on tan paper. The image is 6 1/8 x 8 1/8 inches (15.5 x 20.5 cm) mounted in a 10 x 13 inches (25 x 33 cm) mat.

Condition: Good with small surface imperfections and a little discoloration along the left edge.

An albumen photograph of the Ghats from across the River Ganges. On the shore below the photographer is a man in the stern of a small boat and another boat to the far left with a large expanse of river dividing them from the bathing Ghats lined up on the far bank of the Ganges. The studio stamp for Thomas A. Rust (English, 1841-1904) is on the back. Also, on the back in pencil, “General view of Bathing Ghats Benares.” 8 1/8 x 10 7/8 inches (20.5 x 28 cm). Unmounted.

Condition: Foxing ...

Very nicely presented, wall-ready antique map centered on the Americas, 1784, by Paris-based late 18th century cartographer Jean Janvier. The map, 19" by 25 3/4"inside the mat and 30 3/4" by 36 3/4" in new black ornate frame, is generally in fresh, clean condition, with center fold and some unevenness of the paper, which photographs as shadows or brown areas. The map features an interesting cartouche at upper left, including a beaver dam along a stream, which is bordered by palm trees on one s...

A handwritten letter mounted on an old board, along with old photographic reproductions of two of the artist's works, by well listed French 19th century artist JEAN-JACQUES HENNER (1829-1905). The letter is entirely in French, written in old brown ink, on one page (though there are three other unused sides), and is undated. An old mat with hand-drawn and painted borders (removable) is fitted over openings made for the letter and photos. Henner is renowned for his portraits and depictions of a...

A sepia toned silver print of a Bedouin shepherd with his flock grazing on sparsely covered ground below a hill. In the lower right corner is the blind stamp, “American Colony/Jerusalem.” The original dates from around 1920 and this would appear to be a print of roughly that age. The Number 161 is stamped on the back. The photograph is 8 ¼ x 11 ¼ inches includes a thin margin.

Condition: excellent. There are a few minor creases in the interior of the image, probably from being rolled ...

An albumen photograph by Felis Bonfils (French 1829-1885) showing a group of dahabiya moored on Gezira Island with the original Kasr el Nil bridge over the Nile at Cairo showing in the background. The bridge opened in 1872. Dahabiya were boats for tourists cruising up the Nile to either Luxor or Aswan on trips lasting respectively about forty or fifty days. These were luxury tourist accommodation and the central experience of a tour of Egypt in the late 19th century. At the time of this photogr...

An albumen photograph of the Kas Mahal, the Royal residence inside the Red Fort at Agra built by Shah Jahan from 1632 to 1640. The photo shows the building and in the distance on the right the Taj Mahal. Signed in the negative, “Rust,” and possibly with the number 8. Also, on the reverse is the photographer’s stamp. Thomas A. Rust (English, 1841-1904). The image is 8 x 9 7/8 inches (20.5 x 25 cm). the mat is 16 x 20 inches (40.5 x 51 cm).

Condition: generally good with some internal c...

Albumen photograph of the quay from across the water at Port Said with what is, I think, the light house that was built in 1869 and architecturally important because of the early, if not the first, use of reinforced concrete. Written in the negative, lower left, “Lankaki” and lower right, “Quai du Port Said.” The Zangaki brothers who often wrote Langaki were among the early photographers of Egypt. Photograph mounted on thin card and matted. Image 8 5/8 x 11 1/8 inches (22 x 28.5 cm). Mat...

Albumen photograph depicting the city of Damascus in the distance with a town in the middle distance and a man standing in a graveyard toward the foreground. Written in the negative lower left, “Bonfils” and lower right, “402. Damas-Vue general de Damas prise de ‘Sulkirk’(?)” Laid on paper and matted. Image 8 ¾ x 11 ¾ inches (22 x 30 cm). Mat 16 x 20 inches (40.5 x 51 cm). Felix Bonfils (French 1831-1885) was one of the early photographers of the Middle East. A similar view is at t...

Fine antique copper engraving map of Asia from the eastern Mediterranean to the western Pacific, with hand coloring, by Dutch cartographers Gerardo and Leonardo Valk, circa 1710. The map measures 20" by 24" and is laid down to a board as is often seen. Margins are adequate. The map is I believe in overall good condition for a collector looking for a display item, though there are condition issues to be noted, such as some foxing, discoloration, margin wear, stubbed corner, a slight abraded ar...

This is a HAND DRAWN map, not a print of any kind, probably crafted, with great care, by an American school child, who did not add his or her name, but did date this in the year 1809. The title is "A Map of SPAIN & PORTUGAL from the best Authorities". Unframed, it measures 16 1/8" by 20 3/4". The work contains amazing, loving detail, with towns, rivers, provinces, even mountain ranges, drawn in. The provinces are outlined and colored, creating a patchwork effect that adds to the appeal. The...

A well composed albumen photograph of the Mosque of Sultan Sulieman with the Golden Horn in the distance. In the distance to the very far left of the photograph is the Hagia Sophia. In the golden Horn are both sailing ships and steamers. Written in pencil on the mount in the lower left is, “Constnatinople/Mosque of Sultan Suleyman/& the Golden Horn.” The image is 6 x8 inches (15 x20 cm). The card, with a shaded area for the image is 12 x15 inches (30.5 x38 cm).

Condition: the card has nu...

An albumen photograph of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque also known as the “Blue Mosque” in Istanbul (Constantinople), Turkey by Pascal Sebah taken circa 1880. The photograph is 10 ¼ by 13 ¼ inches (26 by 33.5 cm). It is mounted with clear photo corners in a 16 by 20 inch mat (40.5 by 50 cm). Printed on the photograph from the negative in the lower left, “58. Mosquee Sultan Akmed” and in the lower right “P Sebah.”

Condition; generally excellent. Slight foxing in the sky and along the u...

An oversize albumen photograph of the exterior of the Hagia Sophia, Istanbul by the photographer Pascal Sebah. The view is taken from outside a stone wall pierced with grilled windows. The monumental structure rises behind the wall. Pascal Sebah (1823-1886) was born in Constantinople. His photographic studio there opened in 1857. In the lower left in the negative, “68. Mosquee St. Sophia” and lower right “P. Sebah.” The image is 10 ¼ x 13 1/8 inches (26 x 33 cm). The mat is 16 x20 inche...

An oversize albumen photograph of the exterior front of the Beylerbeyi Palace on the Bosporus Strait in Istanbul. The palace was built from 1861 to 1865 as an Imperial summer residence. The photograph is by Pascal Sebah. In the lower left in the negative, “38. Palais du Sultan a Beyler Bey,” on the lower right also in the negative, “P. Sebah.” 10 ¼ x13 ¼ inches (26 x33.5 cm) in a 16 x20 inch (40.5 x50 cm) mat.

Condition: good, with some wrinkles, a spot of discoloration in the s...