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Portfolio of historical documents

 

 

EDWARD IV -- Royalty & Aristocracy

Twice King of England (1442 - 1483), Edward IV's reign began during the tumultuous period of the War of the Roses, a dynastic struggle between the Yorkists and the Lancastrians. Edward was the son of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, who was the leading Yorkist during this push for power. Plantagenet was killed at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460 and Edward inherited his claim. With the support of the powerful Earl of Warwick, known as 'the Kingmaker', Edward defeated the Lancastrians in a series of battles, culminating in the Battle of Towton in 1461. With the Lancastrian king, Henry VI, overthrown, Edward was crowned Edward IV. Warwick believed he could continue to control the new king. He was keen to negotiate a foreign marriage for Edward, but in 1464 Edward secretly married Elizabeth Woodville, a commoner. Warwick was furious and allied himself to Edward's brother George, Duke of Clarence, leading a revolt against the king. Warwick and Clarence then fled to France, where they joined Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. Margaret's Lancastrian army invaded England in September 1470. Edward fled to the Netherlands until March 1471, when he and his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, returned to England. Edward defeated and killed Warwick at Barnet before defeating the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury in May. Henry VI was put to death in the Tower of London. The years 1471-1483 were relatively placid in comparison to his early reign, and Edward became known for his successful economy and establishing peace with France. A remarkable original engrossed royal proclamation of the conclusion of a treaty of peace for thirty years with Francis Duke of Brittany. Signed by the King at the close as 'EdowardR' (thought to be the French form of his signature) and with stated warranty of Parliament. The treaty which is the subject of the proclamation was the first of an extraordinary series of treaties between England and Brittany designed for their mutual support against Louis XI of France. As part of the conditions of the treaty each party agreed to abstain from acts of aggression on the other as well as allowed the merchants and men of religion travel freely between the two countries.The document is dated 8th June 1468 (in fact 1467), written in French and is accompanied by a full translation. It is in superb condition and measures 15.25x23.25 inches. Documents signed by Edward IV are the earliest royal signatures that a collector can ever realistically expect to obtain.

£175,000.00

EINSTEIN, ALBERT -- Miscellaneous

German-born physicist, humanitarian and Nobel Prize winner (1879-1955). We have an exceptionally rare typed letter from Einstein to Murray B. Loss in State College, Pennsylvania. In full [spellings and punctuation retained]: "I am, of course, tired of explaining the same thing to hundreds of people separately. The essential point is this that the stationary clock U1 and the travelling clock U2 are not physically equivalent. For U1 has not been accelerated but U2 has. Treated according to the special theory of relativity there is no inertial system relatively to which U2 is continually [handwritten above a stricken phrase: 'at rest']. This may suffice to give you the possibility to analyze the case yourself." The clocks that Einstein refers to, one stationary and one moving, are a classic illustration of the principle of time dilation, one of the consequences of his theory. In simplified summary, Einstein posited that from the point of view of a stationary observer, a moving clock would appear to run more slowly as it approached the speed of light. One page, Institute for Advanced Study letterhead, January 5, 1951. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope. With intersecting mailing folds and subtle toning with a few small, faint marginal stains, otherwise very fine condition.

£49,500.00

HENRY VIII, KING OF ENGLAND -- Royalty & Aristocracy

King of England and Lord (later King) of Ireland (1491-1547) from 1509 until his death. The second monarch of the Tudor dynasty, Henry attained the status of legend among British monarchs, not only for his virtually untrammeled power (including the break with Rome that led to the formation of the Anglican Church), but for his six marriages. An incredible signed document dating from July 1 1534. Written from his home at Hampton Court on July 1 1534. A document signed 'Henry R' at the head, to Lord Windsor, Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. In the document Henry orders Lord Windsor to summon Richard Gibson, son of the Sergeant at Arms, and with his advice and council...."do cause our Toile to bee sufficiently repayred in everything nedefull, so that it may bee with us the sixth day of this instant moneth of July". The document is trimmed at the edges and slightly cockled. It is in attractive condition and measures 160x220 mm. Attractively framed and presented together with a portrait of Henry VIII.

£48,000.00

EDWARD VI -- Royalty & Aristocracy

King of England and Ireland (1537-1553), Edward was the son of King Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Edward became king at the age of nine, when his father died in January 1547. His father had arranged that a council of regency should rule on his behalf, but Edward's uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, took power and established himself as protector. Somerset and the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, were intent on making England a truly Protestant state, supported by the young king. We have a magnificent letter to the dean and chapter of Exeter, forwarding a grant by the Bishop of Exeter to Sir William Paget and asking him to confirm it under the cathedral chapter's seal and to return it by the same messenger. The document was created at Westminster, 10th February, 1548 and is countersigned by Lord Protector Somerset. The grant by Bishop John Veysey concerns the acquisition of his house in London by Sir William Paget, one of Edward's governors during his minority and a close ally of Somerset. The letter is mentioned in the King's confirmation of 19th July 1548 of the Grant of Exeter Place to Paget ('Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward VI, 1547-1548, page. 295'). The document is in very fine condition. There is some expected paper loss to the right which has been professionally repaired and does not affect the writing. Letters by Edward VI are very scarce due to the King's short reign (1547-1553). This example is presented in a fine buckram box with leather label, gilt to the lid, accompanied by a full transcription.

£39,500.00

ANNE - QUEEN OF ENGLAND -- Royalty & Aristocracy

Queen of Great Britain (1665-1714), Anne reigned for 14 years. We have a signed letter from Anne to Lothar Franz, Archbishop of Mainz, countersigned by her Secretary of State Robert Harley, formally pledging her amity towards the German confederate states and earnestly warning them about the calamitous threat posed by France. One page (written on 3 sides), address panel, papered seal, Kensington Palace, 21 February 1706/7. Accompanied by a typed translation of the letter. Measures 285x175mm and is unframed. With expected mailing folds, light pencil notations and a seal tear, otherwise excellent condition. Translated in part: "...France, joined with Bavaria, considers carrying war into the Heart of the Empire: what great difficulties will arise for all of us from this...even at the very thought of all the miseries under which Germany will then labour our mind shudders...with accustomed bravery let us repel their troops...[let] the promised troops be prepared as quickly as possible and money be provided for all the expenses and equipment of war...".

£6,950.00

GUEVARA, ERNESTO 'CHE' -- Politics

Argentine-born Marxist political activist (1928-1967) who played a central role as Fidel Castro’s most trusted associate during the Cuban Revolution. After serving in various positions in Castro’s government, Guevara organized and led guerrilla efforts to overthrow the corrupt regimes of the Congo and Bolivia. Captured during a 1967 campaign in Bolivia, he was executed on the following day and instantly attained status as a martyr and one of the most revered and influential political revolutionaries of the 20th century. Rare DS, in Spanish, signed (as usual) Ché, one page, 14 x 11, January 22, 1960. A provisional certificate for a $300,000.00 bank bond from the Cuban National Bank, registering the terms and conditions of the issuance of ‘Bonds of the national Institute of Savings and Housing, 1959-1979.’In fine, clean condition, with cancellation stamp to body, as well as two neat rows of machine cancellations, and some minor light haloing to signature. Guevara was at the very top of Castro’s government when this document was signed, serving not only as minister of industries but as president of the Cuban National Bank and by default the island nation’s finance minister. In that latter capacity, Guevara was required to authorize financial-related documents, which he dismissively and diminutively signed solely as ‘Che,’ symbolically showing the Cuban financial sector his distaste for money and the class distinctions it brought about. Presumably, that disdain included bank bonds, such as the one offered here.

£5,950.00