Items Signed by Lincoln, Jefferson, Others are in University Archives

Posted by Dinesh Kumar on February 16th, 2021

An exceptional handwritten four-page presidential address signed by Thomas Jefferson and directed to the Cherokee Nation in 1806, a spectacular one-page document written and signed by Albert Einstein regarding his theories on gravity and relativity, and a two-page letter handwritten and signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 concerning the transportation of troops by rail during the Civil War are just a few of the expected top lots in University Archives’ online-only auction of rare manuscripts, autographs and books slated for Wednesday, March 3rd.

The auction starts promptly at 10:30 am Eastern time. The catalog is up for viewing and bidding now, on the revamped University Archives website (www.UniversityArchives.com), as well as on LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

It’s the first auction being conducted from University Archives’ new offices in Wilton, Conn., a 6,000-square-feet space in a Class A corporate building. In addition to more office space, the firm has acquired a 1,500-square-feet temperature-controlled and fully secured storage facility that can house bulkier consignments.

“Our March sale, which tips the scales at a healthy 408 lots, provides another great opportunity for aspiring and veteran collectors to enlarge and refine their collections,” said John Reznikoff, founder and president of University Archives. “We thought it would be appropriate in the weeks following Inauguration Day to offer a selection of U.S. Presidential and First Lady autographs.”

The result is a range of historical U.S. presidential material from George Washington (#1) to Joe Biden (#46); as well as an assortment representing First Ladies, from Martha Washington (#1) to Frances Cleveland (#22 and #24), and from Edith Roosevelt (#26) to Jacqueline Kennedy (#35).

University Archives’ new offices are located at 88 Danbury Rd. (Suite 2A) in Wilton, Conn. For more information about University Archives and the Wednesday, March 3rd online-only Rare Books, Manuscripts & Relics Auction at 10:30 am Eastern, visit www.universityarchives.com.