University Archives is excited to announce its next sale. The 490+ lot auction will feature two notable and largely unreserved collections:
- Part I of A Superb Space Collection, a particularly fine assortment of Space autographs and memorabilia assembled by a Texas gentleman (40+ lots)
- Part III of A Top-Notch Collection, curated by a sophisticated California connoisseur, who purchased rare and desirable autographed items from Charles Hamilton, Joe Rubinfine, Kenneth Rendell, and other legendary dealers (40+ lots)
Plus our usual assortment of exceptional items from U.S. Presidents, Science, Space, Music, Civil Rights, World Leaders, Literature, and many other popular collecting categories!
U.S. Presidents
Lot 159 is a vintage Spaulding No. 1 baseball signed by President Woodrow Wilson, Vice President Thomas R. Marshall, House Speaker Champ Clark, and a handful of U.S. Congressmen, later sold at a World War I fundraising benefit auction hosted by the Red Cross, ca. 1917-1918. Woodrow Wilson was a former collegiate baseball player and started the beloved presidential tradition of throwing ceremonial pitches. From the collection of Steven Forbes and accompanied by a PSA/DNA LOA.
Lot 159, Woodrow Wilson signed baseball
Lot 152 is a Revolutionary War discharge certificate signed by George Washington, dated June 9, 1783. The certificate released a private named George Denicott in the 5th Massachusetts Regiment from all future military obligations. Denicott’s regiment was raised before the Lexington Alarm, and saw action at the Battles of Concord, Bunker Hill, Trenton, and Princeton, as well as during the New York and Saratoga Campaigns. 5th MA Regiment veterans were furloughed in mid-June 1783 and the battle unit was disbanded in November 1783.
Lot 88 is an Abraham Lincoln signed military appointment, dated March 4, 1862, promoting one Edward Ball to the rank of Second Lieutenant of the 2nd Regiment of Cavalry. Ball was a Mexican War veteran who was active on the West Coast before the Civil War brought him back East.
Lot 79 is a John and Jackie Kennedy co-signed 1963 Christmas gift – an engraving of an Andrew Jackson statue near the White House – signed and presented to family and close friends in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The print was gifted to Joan Braden, a close Kennedy Family friend who had worked on JFK’s campaigns and accompanied Jackie to the Indian subcontinent in 1962.
Lot 84 is a 3pp autograph letter signed by Lee Harvey Oswald, sent from Minsk, Soviet Union on November 20, 1961 – almost two years to the day before Kennedy’s assassination. In the letter to older brother Robert Oswald, living in Texas, Lee reported that he was trying to obtain exit visas and seeking financial aid from the U.S. Embassy to secure plane tickets. He also discussed Russian-language children’s books for Robert’s children, and a genuine pair of Russian winter boots he could get for Robert. Lee, his Russian wife, and young daughter flew back to the U.S. in Summer 1962.
Science
Lots 447 and 448 are both autograph manuscripts by Albert Einstein, representing original working drafts of what would become parts of “A Generalization of the Relativistic Theory of Gravitation” (1945). The two pages – offered separately in back-to-back lots – related to Einstein’s Unified Field Theory. Together, the pages represent a combined 440+ words and 29 equations in Einstein’s hand, and show extensive edits; parts of Einstein’s first version were not included in the published version.
Lot 455 is an autograph manuscript penned by Sir Isaac Newton, ca. 1690s-1710s, featuring over 350 words in his hand. Newton’s non-scientific writings concentrated on theological studies, and this heavily edited draft is no exception. The manuscript fragment examines the continuity between Judaism and Christianity. Interestingly, Newton posits that immutable divine law is “revealed” while ephemeral human laws are “invented.” Newton’s manuscripts with religious content are scarce in private hands.
Space
Lot 188 is a monumental Apollo XI display, including two complete sets of Apollo XI astronaut signatures, and one complete set of Apollo XI wives’ signatures in a signed photo, signed cover, and invitation. The showstopping lead item, the crew photo, has been signed by Armstrong and wife Janet; Collins and wife Patricia; and Aldrin and wife Joan Aldrin. The items date from the 1969 Giantstep Apollo XI Presidential Goodwill Tour undertaken by the crew between late September and early November 1963, specifically their visit to Mexico City.
Lot 219 is a massive meteorite (lunar feldspathic breccia) retrieved from Laâyoune, in the Western Sahara Desert, in January 2022. The meteorite measures 371 grams, and features a scattering of desirable white and red clasts.
Music
Lot 308 is Bob Dylan’s signed and handwritten lyrics to “Just Like a Woman,” a song featured on his seventh studio album, Blonde on Blonde. Accompanied by a COA from Jeff Rosen, Dylan’s tour manager, as well as a PSA COA.
Lot 324 is a John Lennon signed check, PSA/DNA slabbed and graded GEM MT 10. The check is dated June 16, 1971 and was drawn from the account of Apple Records, Inc. We are unaware that any other Lennon 10s have ever been on the market. The item would pair nicely with Lot 314, a George Harrison signed check, PSA/DNA slabbed and graded GEM MT 10, drawn from the account of Apple Corps Limited.
Civil Rights
Lot 265 is a Martin Luther King, Jr. signed typed letter, dated March 6, 1961, and addressed to his literary agent, Marie Rodell. The letter discussed the attempts of Educational Communications Corporation, a California-based non-profit media company, to obtain film rights to King’s first published book: Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story (1958).
Lot 265, Martin Luther King, Jr. TLS
These are just some of the many fascinating lots in our upcoming sale.
We hope you can join us on November 19, 2025!
