1898 Autograph Collector’s Letter w/ Historical Mentions – John Paul Jones, Sir Walter Scott, William Penn, Bonaparte, Cornwallis, Civil War & Revolutionary Figures
Approximately 9" by 6.5"
Offered here is an original 3-page handwritten letter dated January 29, 1898, sent from Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania.
The writer—an enthusiastic collector—discusses autograph collecting in great detail, mentioning numerous major historical names and the excitement of expanding his collection.
This is a wonderful window into late-19th-century autograph collecting, filled with references of significant historical interest.
The writer mentions acquiring, trading, or desiring signatures from several important figures, including:
Sir Walter Scott – describes receiving a “lovely ALS”
William Penn – mentions a 1691 document “as clear as when first written”
Sir Henry Vane (born 1612, executed 1662)
Lord Cornwallis
John Stark – letter written just days before the Battle of Bennington
Lord Richard Howe
Nathaniel Gorham – Continental Congress
Thomas MacDonough
James MacDonald, author of “Wigfield v. Wantley”
Louis Bonaparte – Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Italy
Nicholas Biddle – prominent American statesman
J.R. Paulding – author, one of the “Knickerbocker Group”
Mentions interest in acquiring John Paul Jones material
And additional Revolutionary War, early American, and Civil War era personalities
The letter also discusses the financial challenge of pursuing rare signatures, the thrill of adding “specimens,” and the temptation collectors feel when encountering catalogues of names they do not yet have.