EDWARD F. SWIFT (d. 1932). A son of Gustavus Swift Sr, the founder of Swift and Company, Edward served as president of Compania Swift Internacional, S.A. and Swift Refrigerator Transportation Co. He also served as vice president of Swift and Company and a director of numerous corporations. A ""Proxy and Waiver Irving National Bank"" document signed ""Edward F. Swift"". The document assigned several other men to vote for Swift at the stockholders' meeting. It is in Fine condition, with the exception of two pin holes with a dark signature and a 10 cent red Document stamp.

[The James Franklin Printing Press] In 1717, James Franklin, older brother of Benjamin Franklin, returned home to Boston afer serving as a printer’s apprentice in England. He brought with him this printing press. Made in London of unseasoned English elm, probably about 1650, the press proved to be rugged enough to take over a century’s worth of continuous hard work. It was a “common press,” designed to be dismantled for easy transport. Upon his return to Boston with the press, James Franklin established one of the first newspapers in the American colonies, The New England Courant. Soon Franklin’s younger brother, Benjamin was place with Jams as an apprentice by their father. This relationship turned sour, however, and Benjamin ended his apprenticeship early by running away to Philadelphia.The strong political views that James expressed in the editorials of the Courant provoked the Boson authorities to censor him. Like so many before him, rather than submit to their authority, he left the restrictive atmosphere of Massachusetts and came to the more tolerant Rhode Island in 1725. James Franklin created printing history when he arrived in Newport. He became the most prolific printer in Rhode Island printing the currency of the colony, The Acts and Resolves of the General assembly, hundreds of broadsides, almanacs, and countless other printed pieces. He established Rhode Island’s first-if shore lived- newspaper, the Rhode Island Gazette, which was published between 1732 and 1733.By 1733, Benjamin Franklin had established himself as a printer in Philadelphia. James Franklin died in 1735, and Benjamin Franklin took his nephew, James Franklin, Jr., as his apprentice. Young James remained with his uncle until he was old enough to return to Newport and take over management of him family’s shop in 1748. In the meantime, Anne Franklin, James’ widow, and her daughter took over the shop.In 1758, after James, Jr. returned from Philadelphia, the Franklin family established the Newport mercury, which has been in continuous publication to this day. It is now published by the Sherman Family who also publishes the Newport Daily News, James Jr. died in 1762 and his mother once again took over the printing operation, this time with her son-in-law Samuel Hall.In 1768, Hall sol the press and the business to Solomon Southwick. In July 1776 Southwick printed copies of the Declaration of Independence for all the towns of Rhode Island. Southwick continued using the press until the American Revolution. During the war, Solomon Southwick buried part of the Franklin Press behind his house on Broadway in an attempt to hide from the British. A local Tory informed on Southwick and the British dug up the press for their own use during their occupation of the city.

(ELECTORAL COLLEGE). DS. 1pp. 7 3/4" x 5". Harrisburg. December 5, 1832. A rare Electoral College document paying "James Potter Esquire, the sum of eighty five &20/100 dollars being the amount of his pay as an Elector for President and Vice President of the United States of America." In the election of 1832, Jackson was re-elected. The piece has two "X" cut cancellations and is in very fine condition overall. A rarely seen piece.

WILLIAM BINGHAM (1752-1804). American statesman from Philadelphia who helped to found the first bank of the new nation. Autograph Pay Order Signed, “Wm Bingham.” One page, 7 ½” x 3 ¼”. “Black Point.” November 14, 1792. With docketing on verso. Bingham writes:   “Please to pay to Mr. William Lloyd on order five hundred & seventy dollars, for value received, which charge to Account   Your obed Serv. Wm. Bingham. Nicholas Law Esq. New York.”   A leading Philadelphia banker and financier who aided the Revolutionary cause, William Bingham was also a major land developer in the early years of the American nation, purchasing over 2 million acres in Maine in addition to land in upstate New York. Our note was drafted at Bingham’s recent New York purchase, where he established a country retreat on 200 acres of Black Point farmland that is today known as Bingham Hill. 

Clarence H. MacKay. S. 4 1/4" x 2 3/4". n.p. n.d. A signature of Clarence H. MacKay on a small card, inscribed to "Mr. Colville". It is in choice condition.

Elisha Whittlesey (1783 – 1863). Congressman from Ohio. He was appointed general agent of the Washington Monument Association in 1847. ALS. 1 page. 8” x 10” June 16, 1848. Whittlesey writes a fine letter concerning the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Monument and placement of an address within; Washington National Monument Office, June 16, 1848. J. S. Lyn, Esqr. No. 595 Broadway, New York. “You esteemed favor of the 13th is received and I thank you for the information communicated. The two pamphlets containing your address have not arrived. So soon as they come to hand, it will afford me much pleasure to present one of them to the Committee of arrangements to be placed in the Corner Stone of the Washington National Monument and you will be pleased to accept my thanks for your kindness in permitting me to retain the other copy. The Board of Managers and General Agent will be gratified by your company, on the occasion of laying the Corner Stone of the National Monument, on the 4th of July next. Most Sincerely Yours, Elisha Whittlesey”. After years of fundraising, design and development, excavation for the foundation of the Washington Monument began early in 1848. The cornerstone was ceremoniously placed on July 4, 1848. When the cornerstone was laid, a number of items including Bibles, pamphlets, addresses and other items were placed within for posterity. This letter refers to an address by J. S. Lyn which was to be placed in the cornerstone during the ceremony. This letter, written less than three weeks prior to the corner stone ceremony offers a seldom seen first hand account as to the workings of the committee preparing for the dedication of one of America’s most recognizable monuments. Accompanied by an early one page letter detailing the letter and Whittlesey.

Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974). Lindbergh was the first solo man to fly across the Atlantic nonstop. His 1927 flight to Paris in The Spirit of St. Louis took him thirty-three hours and made him a hero. His later life was controversial, as his first child was kidnapped and Lindbergh advocated American neutrality during World War II. Signed Photo. 8” x 10”. A Choice Portrait of Lindbergh wearing a suit. Boldly signed “C. A. Lindbergh”. The photograph is currently framed in an early, period worn, silver plated metal frame. A wonderful example for one seeking a nice Lindbergh signed photo. Excellent.

Amos Kendall (1789 - 1869 ) An American politician who served as U.S. Postmaster General under Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. Many historians regard Kendall as the intellectual force behind Andrew Jackson's presidential administration, and an influential figure in the transformation of America from an agrarian republic to a capitalist democracy. In 1857, Kendall's philanthropy founded the school in Washington, D.C. that later expanded and became Gallaudet University for the deaf. ALS. 1 page. Washington May 30th 1858. To Col. E. S. Sanford; “My dear Sir, I received yesterday your letter of the 28th inst, and in reply have to say that although I shrink from public displays in general it would give me pleasure to join in a welcome to Prof Morse With you in New York, [and] appropriately the fixing upon the programme of the reception should one be given , and although I am not felicitous in making speeches especially of a complimentary character, I will endeavor in my plain way to perform that on any other part of the drams which you may assign to me. With kind remembrance.Your friend, Amos Kendall.

[Robert Fulton]. London, 1796. Published by I. And J. Taylor. First Edition. 17 engraved plates. Contemporary cover boards, with significant wear. Worn spine. Robert Fulton was credited with the design for the first commercially successful steamboat. His breakthrough in this regard came in France 1803, when his steamboat went up the river Sienne. Earlier steam boat designs had been tested in the canals of England. Fulton also designed and built the world's first practical submarine, the Nautilus, launched in 1801. This work was Fulton's attempt to design a canal system that would be operational in hilly terrain and with little water, and concluded by advocating small canals. Fulton sent copies of his book to George Washington and other high government officials to demonstrate how the United States could benefit from canal navigation.