Lot 685. Handwritten Letter Signed by Capt. James Verinis, “Memphis Belle” Co-Pilot. In May of 1943, the B-17 Bomber known as “Memphis Belle” became the first U.S. Army Air Forces heavy bomber to complete 25 missions in Europe and return to the United States. Her entire crew was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. This 1998 letter on Verinis’s Company letterhead is inspirational in nature and is signed “Capt. Jim Verinis, co-pilot, ‘Memphis Belle’.” The signature is a 10, and the letter itself ex-m with expected folds. Verinis passed away in 2003. Uncommon autograph of a real American hero. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $40.
Lot 686. 1950s Photograph of Lyndon B. and Lady Bird Johnson Signed to Penn Jones. The 8” x 10” b&w photo is signed by the future President “The LBJ’s.” The signature is a nm 7, and the photo vg with a crease that runs through the signature. Jones operated the Midlothian Mirror, a small newspaper in Waxahachie, TX, and wrote extensively about the JFK Assassination. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $55.
Lot 687. 1989 Howdy Doody Creator “Buffalo Bob Smith” Signature on Letterhead. Smith signed this short letter to a fan “Good Luck, Bob Smith.” Letterhead includes his name, a ½” x 3” area of partially erased pencil, and a printed drawing of Bob and Howdy at the bottom. Vg. Letter and signature in black fountain pen grade 10. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $25.
Lot 688. B&W 8” x 10” Photo Signed by Jack Lemmon. Excellent photo of the award-winning actor with a personalized 10 signature. Lemmon died in 2001. Letter of authenticity from Collectible Classics.
Minimum Bid $20.
Lot 689. B&W 10” x 13” Photo Signed by Arthur Godfrey to Boxer Lew Tendler. Godfrey, who passed away in 1983, achieved great success in radio and television in the 1940s-60s. He was one of the first to recognize the “personal” nature of radio. His signature is a mint 9, personalized to “My Friend – Lew Tendler.” Called “the greatest southpaw in ring history” by Nat Fleischer, Tendler later became a successful restaurant owner. He died in 1970. Great photo of Godfrey with a vintage signature. Letter of authenticity from Collectible Classics.
Winning Bid $25.
Lot 690. 8” x 10” B&W Photos Signed by 1940s or 1950s Republican Elected Officials. Both vintage autographs are from the collection of Jimmy Bigelow, “The Banjo King.” Personalized to Bigelow and his wife, they come with a Collectible Classics Letter of Authenticity. John W. Bricker, Ohio governor 1939-45, signed his photo in white. His signature is 8 of 10. Bricker ran unsuccessfully for U.S. vice president in 1944. Subsequently, he served two terms in the U.S. Senate. He died in 1986. William C. Cramer represented Florida in Congress from 1955-71. He died in 1983. The photo has a significant chip, which does not affect his signature, in the lower right corner. The signature is a 7. Letter of authenticity from Collectible Classics.
Minimum Bid $15.
Lot 691. Photo Signed by Composer Gene Austin, Opera Singer Lawrence Tibbett. One of the original crooners, and the best of the lot, Austin was one of the most popular singers of the 1920s and 1930s. He also wrote “My Blue Heaven,” which was the second biggest seller among non-holiday records prior to 1955. He died in 1972. His signature is on a 5” x 7” photo that has had the background cut away. The personalized signature is a 6-7 of 10. Generally regarded among the best of the classical baritones, Tibbett was a leading performer at the Metropolitan Opera from the mid-1920s through the 1930s. An excellent actor, he was successful in films too. He died in 1960. Tibbett’s autograph is a personalized 10, dated 1944, on a 7” x 8” photo with some surface loss that only minimally affects the singer’s image. Both signatures are personalized to Jimmy Bigelow, “The Banjo King,” and his wife, Martha. The autographs come with a Letter of Authenticity from Collectible Classics. Accompanying the signed photos are seven other photos from Bigelow’s collection picturing Denis Morgan, Austin, Henry Bussey and others. They generally are about 4 ½” x 6 ½”, sepia and average g. Bigelow is in most of the photos. Morgan was one of the premier actors of the 1940s and 1950s. Bussey was a popular band leader and excellent trumpet player. Herb Alpert credits him with influencing his hit recording “The Mexican Shuffle.” Bussey and his band are pictured in an 8” x 10” sepia photos. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $25.
Lot 692. Oct. 22, 1973 Time Signed by Gerry Ford as the Future 40th U.S. Vice President. Nominated by President Nixon Oct. 13, he appeared on this cover dated the following week. The signature is a somewhat cramped nm-m 8 as Ford signed on his shirt collar, one of the few places where the autograph would display well. Magazine cover only with folds, mailing label and minor edge chips. Striking image! Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $25.
Lot 693. 1976 Time Cover Signed by Future President Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn and Amy. On the heels of Watergate, Carter’s perceived distance from the politics of Washington, D.C., gave him an advantage with a weary public and allowed him to rise from a virtual unknown to a real contender in the space of months. This July 26, 1976 Time cover pictures Carter with his wife, Rosalynn, and daughter, Amy, at the Democrat’s National Convention. Each signed the first and last name. Their autographs are strong and appear as nm-m 8s on a somewhat dark background. Magazine cover only, with folds from mailing, imperfections to the margins and mailing label. We have never seen this cover before signed by all three Carters. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $61.
Lot 694. Time Covers Signed by President Carter, 4 Cabinet Members, Jordan, Powell. President Carter signed the Mar. 8, 1976 cover, which has fabulous Jack Davis artwork, “J Carter.” The signature is a 10. Cover has mailing folds and label, but is pristine otherwise. 2. Cyrus Vance, April 24, 1978, 8-9. 3. James Schlesinger, April 4, 1977, a 10. 4. June 12, 1978, Joseph Califano, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, an 8. 5. May 23, 1977, Harold Brown, Secretary of Defense, an 8. 6. June 6, 1977 “The President’s Boys” cover signed by both Jody Powell and Hamilton Jordan, both 8s. This cover is accompanied by a letter on White House stationery signed by Jordon. These covers have mailing folds and labels. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Minimum Bid $60.
Lot 695. 10 Time Covers Signed by Democrat Leaders – Byrd, Dukakis, Moynihan, Dean, Etc. Feb. 1, 1971, Speaker Carl Albert (d. 2000), mint 9 signature. Cover has a 2” tear outside the image area in the lower right. 2. Robert Byrd, “Majority Leader, U.S. Senate” added, 10, on Jan. 23, 1978 cover. 3. May 2, 1988, Mike Dukakis, personalized 8-9. 4. Pat Moynihan (d. 2003), Jan. 26, 1976 with him as the U.S. representative to the U.N., mint 9. The cover is missing a corner; the image is unaffected. 5. Pete Rodino (d. 1989), Aug. 5, 1974 cover on “The Vote to Impeach,” 8-9. 6. Paul Tsongas (d. 1997), Mar. 23. 1992, vg 3. 7. Wendell Anderson, Minnesota governor, a 9 signature, Aug. 13, 1973. 8. Oct. 21, 1974, Jerry Brown, the California governor. Signature is a 10 dated 1992. 9. Howard Dean, Jan. 12, 2004, a 9-10. 10. Mario Procaccino, (d. 1995), Oct. 3, 1969 cover, a 10. Procaccino, who ran for New York City mayor, is best remembered for coining the term “limousine liberals.” Magazine covers only, all folded for mailing; they have partial or full mailing labels, as well as possible edge chipping or wear. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $40.
Lot 696. Autographs of Democrat Running Mates Dukakis and Bensten on a Time Cover. Time labeled them “The Odd Couple” on the cover of the July 25, 1988 issue as they sought to regain control of the White House for their party. The signatures present as ex-m 6 to nm 7 against their respective backgrounds. Also included is a 1992 TLS from Bentsen on his Senate stationery. The signature is a bold 10. Magazine cover only folded for mailing, label removed, minor imperfections that leave the image area unaffected. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $15.
Lot 697. George C. Wallace Autograph on the Oct. 18, 1968 Cover of Time. Wallace and Gen. Curtis LeMay are featured in a satirical likeness on this cover, which most likely commemorates their Presidential run on the American Independent Party ticket that year. Four-time Governor of Alabama, Wallace is primarily remembered as an anti-Civil Rights leader and in fact, hoped that through his Presidential bid that the Southern states could use their clout to end federal attempts at desegregation. The signature is a strong 7 that shows against a dark background. The cover has mailing folds, a label and staple holes. Wallace passed away in 1998. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $20.
Lot 698. Time Covers Signed by Alex Haley, Carl Stokes, Whitney Young, the Davis Family. Alex Haley (d. 1992) signed the Feb. 14, 1977 cover from the height of Roots’ popularity. His signature is a 10. 2. Carl B. Stokes (d. 1996) signed the Nov. 17, 1967 issue, dated one week after he was elected the mayor of Cleveland, and the first African-American mayor of a major U.S. city. Ex-m 6 to nm 7 signature. 3. Aug. 11, 1967 cover signed “Best Wishes, Whitney Young,” of the National Urban League. His signature is a beautiful 10. 4. June 17, 1974 cover announcing the arrival of “Middle Class Blacks,” signed by all four members of the Davis family. For anyone trying to collect signed covers for all of 1974, this one is rare. The signatures average ex 5 to ex-m 6. Magazine covers only, folded for mailing, showing various imperfections not affecting the signatures. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $25.
Lot 699. Bold Flip Wilson Signature, with “Honey” Added, on the Jan. 31, 1972 Time Cover. This cover is from midway through the four-year run of the Flip Wilson show on NBC. The signature is a large, bold nm-m 8 to mint 9. Wilson passed away in 1998. He was the first African-American host of a top tv variety show. Cover only, folded for mailing, mailing label present, one stain in the margin. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $20.
