Press Release

Wilton, CT, USA, June 20, 2024 -- A carte de visite photograph of Abraham Lincoln signed by him less than three weeks before his assassination, the lyrics of the song Tangled Up in Blue written in Bob Dylan’s hand and signed by him at the bottom, and a document in Russian signed by Peter the Great from 1717 are a few of the expected highlights in University Archives’ online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Space Memorabilia auction slated for Wednesday, June 26th.

The auction will start promptly at 10:00 am Eastern time. All 510 lots in the catalog are up for viewing and bidding now – on the University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. Items signed by many of history’s brightest stars will come up for bid.

“The earlier than usual start time to this auction is a concession to the monumental size – over 500 lots – of our first major online-only sale of the summer,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives. “We’re proud to announce that, once again, we’ve been chosen to catalog and offer at auction important items from the prestigious Forbes Collection.”

Mr. Reznikoff added, “University Archives regulars will recall that we last offered items deaccessioned from the Forbes Collection four years ago. We’re delighted to present more phenomenal ex-Forbes items in our June sale, with additional pieces to come throughout 2024.”

Highlighted collecting categories in the June sale include U.S. Presidential, Aviation / Space, Music, Entertainment, Early America, Military and Sports, plus many other desirable categories.

Lot 62 is the carte de visite photo of Abraham Lincoln, signed by him (as “A. Lincoln”) along the bottom, PSA/DNA graded GEM MT 10. The original photograph was taken by Anthony Berger on Feb. 9, 1865. A handwritten inscription on verso indicates the carte de visite was presented to a well-wisher on March 25, 1865, less than three weeks before Lincoln was killed. It may have been one of the last photographs that Lincoln ever signed. With outstanding provenance from Charles Hamilton; ex-Christie’s (est. $100,000-$150,000).

Lot 288 are the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s song Tangled Up in Blue, entirely inscribed in his hand on a leaf of London hotel stationery in 2013 and signed by him at the conclusion. Tangled Up in Blue was the opening song to Dylan’s best-selling, double-platinum album Blood on the Tracks, released in 1975. The lyrics are accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Jeff Rosen, Dylan’s longtime manager and president of the Bob Dylan Music Co. (est. $40,000-$50,000).

Lot 411 is an untranslated document in Russian signed by Peter the Great, dated December 17, 1717. In it, the tsar grants permission to Artillery Major Johnson Henning to obtain craftsmen from Germany, notably shipbuilders, in an effort to expand and modernize the Russian Navy (est. $14,000-$18,000).

Lot 250 is a signature clip from Thomas Lynch (as “Lynch”), considered the second rarest Declaration of Independence signer. The clip was likely removed from a book in Lynch’s personal library. Its provenance traces it to Goodspeed’s Book Shop (est. $12,000-$15,000).

University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111, or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

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