AE Monthly

Article Archives Search

AE Reviews


Some Fascinating Looks at History from Stuart Lutz Edison items on cover of Stuart Lutz's catalogue. By Michael Stillman Stuart Lutz Historic Documents offers a wide and fascinating collection of autographs and signed documents. Included are both the famous and near famous, along with some interesting letters from ordinary people concerning historic events. Just reading the descriptions in this latest catalogue is an entertaining and informative way to spend some time. If you find something you would like to own, that's better still, because the vast majority of these items are affordably priced. The following are a few samples of the items to be found within the pages of this Lutz catalogue. There are several Thomas Edison items offered (see the pictures on the catalogue's front cover). Item 39 is an application Edison made and signed for a Canadian patent in 1888. This patent was for an improvement in the process of "duplicating phonograms." Of course, phonographic recording was one of Edison's most notable inventions, one that was still in its infancy at the time. Shortly thereafter, Edison would develop cylinders which could play up to two minutes of music. This signed patent letter is priced at $7,500. Item 40 is the signed photograph of Edison seen on the catalogue's cover. It is a large photo (15 1/2" x 18 1/2") and is inscribed to one J.G. Monahan. $1,500. Item 41 is a ten-year lease dated August 1, 1843, for 32 acres of land in Milan County, Ohio, granted to Samuel Edison. Samuel Edison was Thomas' father, who bought land and built a home in Milan in 1841. The leased property was probably used for business. Thomas was born in the Milan home is 1847. $1,500. Thomas Edison devised some of the most important advances on earth, but contemporaries Wilbur and Orville Wright did their inventing in the skies. It was in December of 1903 that they made their flight into history from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In early 1909, the Wright brothers and their sister Katharine got together to spend part of the winter in France. It was during this time that item 151, a photograph of Orville and Katharine in a field with some cows, was taken. They look more like rural farmers than pioneering aviators. The picture is signed by all three Wright brothers and sisters. $12,500.
Some Fascinating Looks at History from Stuart Lutz Orville and Katharine Wright in France, signed by Orville, Wilbur and Katharine. A year after his election as president, Richard Nixon sent a note of thanks to Roger Lapham, Jr., son of a mayor of San Francisco. This was likely something of a form letter, but is signed "RN." In it, the President states that "I shall do everything I possibly can...to make these years a time of which America as a nation, and we as Americans, can be truly proud." It didn't work out quite as well as the new President hoped. Item 111. $450. On then eve of the 1960 presidential election, President Harry Truman sent out an appeal to congressmen on behalf of John F. Kennedy. Item 137 is the signed former president's letter to South Carolina Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn. In it, Truman notes that Kennedy "was not my first choice for the presidential nomination." However, he sees the Republicans as backward ("could only be expected to continue an 1896 program and this is 1960"). He asks pointedly, "I wonder if you want another 1929?" He also claims, interestingly, "With Nixon in the White House, there will be a complete breakdown in the domestic and foreign affairs of our Government." Nixon lost, but would be elected eight years later, only to see a breakdown unlike the one Truman probably imagined, but a fulfillment of his prophesy nonetheless. $2,250. Utah Congressman Abe Murdock was not exactly a progressive on women's rights. In 1942 he penned this letter to Utah State Senator Elise Musser. In speaking out against an equal rights amendment, Congressman Murdock writes, "I have continuously and invariably taken the position with them that, instead of a movement such as they were sponsoring, what this country needed, was a movement in just the opposite direction - a movement which would interest the women of the world in the creation and establishment of ideal homes, in the rearing...of children for life...women like my grandmother." Murdock goes on to predict that if women are allowed to compete equally in business, science, and the professions, traditional America "will be replaced by public nurseries." Item 153. $300. The website for Stuart Lutz Historic Documents is www.HistoryDocs.com, phone number 973-275-9699.

Some Fascinating Looks at History from Stuart Lutz

Edison items on cover of Stuart Lutz's catalogue.

By Michael Stillman

Stuart Lutz Historic Documents offers a wide and fascinating collection of autographs and signed documents. Included are both the famous and near famous, along with some interesting letters from ordinary people concerning historic events. Just reading the descriptions in this latest catalogue is an entertaining and informative way to spend some time. If you find something you would like to own, that's better still, because the vast majority of these items are affordably priced. The following are a few samples of the items to be found within the pages of this Lutz catalogue.

There are several Thomas Edison items offered (see the pictures on the catalogue's front cover). Item 39 is an application Edison made and signed for a Canadian patent in 1888. This patent was for an improvement in the process of "duplicating phonograms." Of course, phonographic recording was one of Edison's most notable inventions, one that was still in its infancy at the time. Shortly thereafter, Edison would develop cylinders which could play up to two minutes of music. This signed patent letter is priced at $7,500.

Item 40 is the signed photograph of Edison seen on the catalogue's cover. It is a large photo (15 1/2" x 18 1/2") and is inscribed to one J.G. Monahan. $1,500.

Item 41 is a ten-year lease dated August 1, 1843, for 32 acres of land in Milan County, Ohio, granted to Samuel Edison. Samuel Edison was Thomas' father, who bought land and built a home in Milan in 1841. The leased property was probably used for business. Thomas was born in the Milan home is 1847. $1,500.

Thomas Edison devised some of the most important advances on earth, but contemporaries Wilbur and Orville Wright did their inventing in the skies. It was in December of 1903 that they made their flight into history from Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. In early 1909, the Wright brothers and their sister Katharine got together to spend part of the winter in France. It was during this time that item 151, a photograph of Orville and Katharine in a field with some cows, was taken. They look more like rural farmers than pioneering aviators. The picture is signed by all three Wright brothers and sisters. $12,500.

Some Fascinating Looks at History from Stuart Lutz

Orville and Katharine Wright in France, signed by Orville, Wilbur and Katharine.

A year after his election as president, Richard Nixon sent a note of thanks to Roger Lapham, Jr., son of a mayor of San Francisco. This was likely something of a form letter, but is signed "RN." In it, the President states that "I shall do everything I possibly can...to make these years a time of which America as a nation, and we as Americans, can be truly proud." It didn't work out quite as well as the new President hoped. Item 111. $450.

On then eve of the 1960 presidential election, President Harry Truman sent out an appeal to congressmen on behalf of John F. Kennedy. Item 137 is the signed former president's letter to South Carolina Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn. In it, Truman notes that Kennedy "was not my first choice for the presidential nomination." However, he sees the Republicans as backward ("could only be expected to continue an 1896 program and this is 1960"). He asks pointedly, "I wonder if you want another 1929?" He also claims, interestingly, "With Nixon in the White House, there will be a complete breakdown in the domestic and foreign affairs of our Government." Nixon lost, but would be elected eight years later, only to see a breakdown unlike the one Truman probably imagined, but a fulfillment of his prophesy nonetheless. $2,250.

Utah Congressman Abe Murdock was not exactly a progressive on women's rights. In 1942 he penned this letter to Utah State Senator Elise Musser. In speaking out against an equal rights amendment, Congressman Murdock writes, "I have continuously and invariably taken the position with them that, instead of a movement such as they were sponsoring, what this country needed, was a movement in just the opposite direction - a movement which would interest the women of the world in the creation and establishment of ideal homes, in the rearing...of children for life...women like my grandmother." Murdock goes on to predict that if women are allowed to compete equally in business, science, and the professions, traditional America "will be replaced by public nurseries." Item 153. $300.

The website for Stuart Lutz Historic Documents is www.HistoryDocs.com, phone number 973-275-9699.