While browsing a recent auction at a noted auction house, I came across the following:

Timothy Pickering Autograph Letter Signed “T. Pickering” as secretary of state. One page, 9.75″ x 8″, January 10, 1799, n.p. The letter, addressed to Dwight Foster, asks, “Have you got the Bridget? - Please let me know by the Beaver.” Both the Beaver and the Bridget were undoubtedly ships. At the time Pickering was involved in procuring ships for the United States Revenue Cutter Service to limit smuggling. Folds and wax seal marks, else fine. Estimate: $400 – $600.

Screen shot of listing

Now, aside from the fact that the Secretary of State wouldn’t likely be out buying ships for the Treasury Department (the US Revenue Cutter Service was started by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790,) it took ninety seconds of research to determine that the recipient of this letter is Congressman Dwight Foster of Massachusetts, Chairman of the House Committee on Claims, thereby illuminating the correct reading of the letter:

“Have you got the Budget? Please let me know by the Bearer (of this letter)”

Scan of letter from auction website (click for full size)

Pickering was known for his strong pro-British sympathies, and was negotiating with Britain regarding the claims of Loyalists who lost property when run out of the Colonies during the Revolutionary War.  He is writing Foster, who as Chairman on the Committee on Claims, has finalized the budget for settling this year’s claims.  Coincidentally, the closest Pickering came to involvement with the US Revenue Cutter Service was having a cutter named for him since he was Secretary of State at the time it was built.

Unsurprisingly, the letter did not sell.

Then I found this in an article about Frederick Branch, the first-ever black Marine Corps officer:

(Montford Point was the camp 14 miles from Camp Lejune where all black recruits were segregated for basic training.)

Unfortunately, Branch was stationed at Montford Point when Major General Henry L. Larsen, a veteran of the Pacific theater, assumed command of Camp Lejeune. Later that summer of 1943, Larsen spoke to a large group of Montford Point Marines—men who fell directly under his command. Prior to the address, energy and enthusiasm filled the air. No general had ever spoken to the Montford men. They assumed Larsen would bring both news of the Pacific fight and a promise from the Marine Corps that black units would soon engage the enemy in combat alongside their white Marine brethren.

Larsen began. “I have been fighting day and night in the jungles. But I didn’t realize a war was on until I got back to the United States.” He paused. His warriors smiled; the general understood.

Or so they thought. “When I returned from overseas and found you people here at Montford Point wearing our Eagle, Globe and Anchor, I realized a grave state of war existed right here in America.” Insulted and furious, the recruits shouted Larsen down. The general left under armed escort without having an opportunity to finish his diatribe, according to the Inquirer .

Days before we see the first black man sworn in as President of the United States, the shock that someone in such a position of leadership as General Larsen could not only think, but say such a thing to men who were eager to lay their lives on the line for this country depresses me.

I hope that we truly have moved as far as it sometimes seems, in the intervening 66 years.

If anyone has a suggestion, post in the comments!

Alexander Autographs will be holding its Fall auction on November 6-7, 2008. We are very proud to present this auction, one of our largest ever, which will include over 1,800 fine lots of important historical autographs in all fields of collecting.

Including:

• Col. Paul Tibbets’ Flight Suit (Lot 963)
• Hitlers’ Order Firing Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (Lot 978A)
• A historic collection of material assembled by journalist William Woodfield concerning the uniquely notorious Jack Ruby. (Lots 731A, B, C, D & E)

We look forward to kicking off the bidding on November 6th.

While researching lots this week, I learned;

• A “matross” is the old term for artillery crewman- he helped load, fire and sponge out the cannon.
• “Diorama” was originally traveling theater presentation using painted linen panels and lighting to produce what was for then a stunning three-dimensional effect.
• and I learned about the “Freedman’s Bank” established to help ex-slaves learn how to save and manage their money after the Civil War. It unfortunately collapsed, as so many banks did back then, from chicanery and fraud.

In this case, the letter is postmarked before the Belasco Theater opened. Just a little research turns up the fact that there was a previous theater named the Belasco, which has its own interesting history.

The theater that this letter was sent from was originally designed for Oscar Hammerstein, Sr., and opened in 1900 in Times Square as the Republic Theater. David Belasco leased the theater in 1902, naming it after himself, and producing plays starring Mary Pickford, among others.  In 1910, he relocated operations to the Stuyvesant Theater, again renaming the venue after himself. This is the current Belasco Theater.

The original theater went back to being called the Republic Theater after Belasco left, eventually becoming a Minsky’s Burlesque Theater in 1931, then in 1942 was remodeled into a cinema named the Victory. After decades of neglect, the theater was chosen as the first revitalization project in the efforts to reclaim Times Square, restored to its former glory, and reopened as the New Victory  Theater.

The New Victory is a community-oriented theater, hosting childrens’ shows as well as recitals and concerts.

http://www.newvictory.org/

I have been lucky enough to be able to turn this lifelong interest and contacts made throughout my life into a career where people send me neat old things in the mail, and I get to research them! This blog is a place for me to share interesting things that cross my desk with friends, and whoever else wanders across this site.