Lot 102

Dealer's Lot of 19th/20th C. Notables! 15+ Signed FDCs, Incl. Truman, E. Roosevelt, Marshall, Doolittle, Glenn, Salk & More! Ca. 1885-1962

Previous image preload Next image preload

Dealer's Lot of 19th/20th C. Notables! 15+ Signed FDCs, Incl. Truman, E. Roosevelt, Marshall, Doolittle, Glenn, Salk & More! Ca. 1885-1962

Estimate: $300 - $400

Current Bid: $220

(4 Bids)

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

19th/20th C. Presidents & Notables
various, ca. 1885-1962
Dealer's Lot of 19th/20th C. Notables! 15+ Signed FDCs, Incl. Truman, E. Roosevelt, Marshall, Doolittle, Glenn, Salk & More! Ca. 1885-1962
Archive, majority signed FDCs

A group of autographed material, with 17 out 18 total pieces being First Day Covers and special commemorative covers signed by 19th/20th C. notables. Ca. 1885-1962, with the bulk postmarked in the 1950s. Various places in the United States. Signers represent important historical figures from the Political, Military, Space, Science, Business, Literature, and Entertainment fields, including: Harry S. Truman; Eleanor Roosevelt; George C. Marshall; James H. Doolittle; John Glenn, Jr.; Jonas Salk; John L. Lewis, and more. The signed covers are postmarked and bear cancelled U.S. commemorative stamps of various shapes, sizes, and colors, ranging in denomination between 3-6 cents; and most are addressed to the same recipient, Joe I. Wilford of Williamsburg, Virginia. Expected surface wear including weathering and isolated scuffs. Please refer to catalog photos for additional information related to condition, which is overall very good to near fine. The average size of the signed First Day Covers is 6.5" x 3.75".

The signers include (in alphabetical order):

- James H. Doolittle (1896-1993), mission commander of the 1942 Tokyo Raid, signed as "J.H. Doolittle" vertically oriented along the left edge recto. Postmarked August 1, 1957, [Washington, D.C.] First Day of Issue commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the United States Air Force in 1957.

- Benjamin F. Fairless (1890-1962), American steel industry executive, signed as "B.F. Fairless" at upper left. Postmarked May 22, 1957, [New York, New York.] First Day of Issue celebrating the 1957 Steel Centennial.

- James A. Farley (1888-1976), 50th U.S. Postmaster General during the Roosevelt administration, signed as "James A Farley" vertically oriented along the left edge recto. Postmarked May 17, 1947, [New York, New York.] Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition Station issue commemorating the U.S. Postage Stamp Centenary in 1947.

- Henry Ford II (1917-1987), American automobile executive, signed as "Henry Ford II" at upper left. Postmarked March 4, 1952, [Chicago, Illinois.] First Day of Issue celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the American Automobile Association in 1952.

- John Glenn, Jr. (1921-2016), American astronaut, signed as "JH Glenn, Jr." at lower left. Postmarked February 20, 1962, [Cape Canaveral, Florida.] First Day of Issue commemorating Project Mercury and the First Man in Space.

- Arthur M. Godfrey (1903-1983), American radio and television broadcaster, signed as "Arthur Godfrey" vertically oriented along the left edge. Postmarked April 12, 1949, [Lexington, Virginia.] First Day of Issue celebrating the bicentennial of Washington & Lee University in 1949.

- Paul Green (1894-1981), Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright, signed and inscribed as "Best wishes Joe! / Paul Green" at upper left. Postmarked June 10, 1957, [Norfolk, Virginia.] First Day of Issue marking the 1957 International Naval Review and 350th anniversary of Jamestown.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894), American writer and poet, signed and inscribed as "Oliver Wendell Holmes, / Boston, Jan. 8th 1885." On a cream card measuring 4.125" x 2.5".

- Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958), American inventor of multiple automotive advances including leaded gasoline, signed as "C.F. Kettering" at left center. Postmarked March 4, 1952, [Chicago, Illinois.] First Day of Issue celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the American Automobile Association in 1952.

- John L. Lewis (1880-1969), long-time President of the United Mine Workers of America, signed as "John L. Lewis" at upper left. Postmarked January 27, 1950, [Washington, D.C.] First Day of Issue celebrating American Federation of Labor founder Samuel Gompers.

- George C. Marshall (1880-1959), World War II general and 3rd U.S. Secretary of Defense, signed as "G.C. Marshall" at left center. Postmarked September 28, 1945, [Washington, D.C.] First Day of Issue commemorating the U.S. Army, with the 3-cent stamp depicting Allied troops liberating Paris.

- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), former First Lady, signed as "Eleanor Roosevelt" vertically oriented along the left edge. Postmarked January 30, 1957, [Frankfort, Kentucky.] Pen-inscribed "Franklin D. Roosevelt Day" at top.

- Jonas E. Salk (1914-1995), developer of one of the first successful polio vaccines, signed as "Jonas E. Salk" at upper left. Postmarked January 15, 1957, [Washington, D.C.] First Day of Issue commemorating the polio vaccine.

- Arthur E. Summerfield (1899-1972), 57th U.S. Postmaster General during the Eisenhower administration, signed as "Arthur E. Summerfield" vertically oriented along the left edge. Postmarked April 30, 1956, [New York, New York.] First Day of Issue marking the Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition.

- Lowell Thomas (1892-1981), American writer and broadcaster, signed as "Lowell Thomas" at upper left. Postmarked October 4, 1952, [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.] First Day of Issue celebrating "Newspaperboys."

- Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), 33rd U.S. President, signed as "Harry Truman" in the postage section. Postmarked April 25, 1945, [San Francisco, California.] First Day of Issue "Toward United Nations, April 25, 1945."

- Nathan F. Twining (1897-1982), U.S. Air Force general, signed as "N.F. Twining" at upper left. Postmarked August 1, 1957, [Washington, D.C.] First Day of Issue commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the United States Air Force in 1957.

- Charles E. Wilson (1890-1961), 5th U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Eisenhower administration, signed as "C.E. Wilson" at left center. Postmarked October 27, 1953, [Los Angeles, California.] First Day of Issue commemorating the 50th anniversary of the trucking industry in 1953.

Please see our terms and conditions for lots of 5 items or more.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: average size: 6.5" x 3.75"
  • Medium: Archive, majority signed FDCs

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000