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Non-Sport Autographs and Memorabilia
4 Lots
 Lot 186. Roy Pitts’ Autograph and Ephemera File with Hundreds of Signatures in All Fields! UPDATE: There are approximately 200 autographs in this collection. The autograph of Hank Ketcham shown in our photo is printed on; it is not an acutal autograph.
Veteran collectors are familiar with Pitts’ name. He was a pioneer collector who began writing to personalities in multiple fields in the 1930s. He continued his pursuits until his death in 1998. During that time, he claimed that he acquired more than 1 million autographs through various means, but mostly through the mail. While Pitts often traded duplicates to other collectors, he was also one of the first collector-dealers. By the time of his death, most of his collection had been long dispersed by sales and trades. Offered here is a random box of “stuff” from the final Pitts hoard. Most of the items are signed and include representations from baseball, hockey, boxing, basketball, figure-skating, and football, as well as politics, entertainment and such miscellaneous categories as writers, cartoonists, religious leaders, historians, sociologists, physicists, musicians and others. Though far from comprehensive, here is a representative cross-section of the overall group: 1. Sports Autographs: Baseball, Joe Oeschger vintage photo, Bruce Connatser TLS, Garland Braxton 1936 ALS, Johnny Moore, Davey Lopes, Rip Sewell ANS, Whitey Ford photo, Ray Collins ALS, Lee MacPhail, Bill (Wamby) Wambsgnass on a “1920 World Series Scrap Book” published in 1953. Boxing, Jack Sharkey photo, Frankie Garcia photo, Clarence Snell ALS. Basketball, Sean Elliott photo, Willis Reed photo, Al Cervi photo, J. Dallas Shirley photo. Football, Fran Tarkenton photo, Tom Hamilton TLS, Rodney Peete photo. 2. Miscellaneous Autographs: William Buckley photo, Art Buchwald photo, Ring Lardner Jr. 3x5, Betty Crocker photo, Eve Queler handwritten music sheet, F. R. Pemberton 1912 document, Clarence Allen published original 9” x 11” political cartoon art, artist Carmello Cappello signed book of works, book titled Hallerlooga, The Story of a Little Arkansas Negro Boy Who Took a Ride With Santa Claus by Bernie Babcock, seven more misc. books/booklets, and intriguing documents or letters dating 1861, 1894, 1899, 1913 and 1924, A.G. Spalding Bros. letterhead dated 1890. 3. Political Autographs: Dean Rusk photo, Alexander Hamilton Rice 1884 ALS with mailing envelope, Bob Kerry photo and TLS, Chris Dodd TLS and photo, George Wallace photos (2), Hale Boggs TLS, Robert McNamara photo, Barry Goldwater, Al D’Amato photo, three unsigned Christmas cards with an original photo of Dean and Alice Acheson (signed by Alice Acheson only), 1965 facsimile signed White House Christmas card (LBJ and Ladybird), etc. 4. Entertainment Autographs: Joanne Woodward photo and four index cards, Nina Foch photo, Raquel Welch photo, Ruth Dunning TLS, Walter Brennan Jr., Fess Parker and more. 5. Unsigned Items: Multiple uncatalogued files, notes, and printed material, brochures, booklets, photos, etc., including Chicago Cubs 1941 Players’ History and Record Book, 1947 book The Rose Bowl, 1949 Putnam book The Cleveland Indians, 1982 World’s Fair guide book, a near set of Pure Oil Co. Atlanta Braves and various media guides. Important Note: We have done our best to pull and identify any secretarial or autopen examples; nevertheless, a few may remain. The group is un-researched, presenting the winner with a good possibility of some significant “sleeper” items! A fun-time lot for collectors with excellent potential break-up value for dealers. Autographs authenticated by Kevin Keating
Winning Bid $763.
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 Lot 250. Civil War Major General William Henry French Autograph Dated Jan. 1, 1864. The signature, with a “Head Quarters 3d Army Corps” notation, is matted and shadow-framed with an authentic Civil War mini ball, a photo of French, and a brief biography focusing on his military service. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, Capt. French, with his “1st U.S. Artillery,” was stationed at Eagle Pass, Texas, at the start of the Civil War. He refused to surrender his garrison to the Confederate-aligned state authorities as they requested. Instead, he moved his men to the mouth of the Río Grande in 16 days and sailed to Key West, where he quartered at the Federal military post there. Shortly thereafter, he was elevated to major and assumed command of the base. In conjunction with the Union Navy, he was instrumental in shutting off Key West to slave traders. He was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers as of Sept. 28, 1861, and was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, where he commanded a brigade of the II Corps in the Peninsula Campaign. He was engaged at the battles of Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Oak Grove, Gaines’ Mill, Peach Orchard, Savage’s Station, Glendale and Malvern Hill. He received praise in official reports for his actions and leadership, and was promoted to command a division during the Northern Virginia Campaign. French commanded the 3rd Division of the II Corps at the Battle of Antietam, making the first attack on the Confederate Division in the Sunken Road. He was promoted to major general on Nov. 29, 1862. He led his division in the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. During the Gettysburg Campaign, French commanded elements of the VIII Corps and the District of Harpers Ferry. Shortly after Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles was wounded at Gettysburg, he assumed command of the battered III Corps. His military reputation was ruined during the Mine Run Campaign in Nov. 1863 when Maj. Gen. George G. Meade claimed that French’s corps moved too slowly to exploit a potential advantage over Gen. Robert E. Lee. This engagement was the last for the III Corps, which was reorganized out of the Union Army in the spring of 1864, and French was mustered out of volunteer service on May 6, 1864. French died in 1881 at the age of 66. His signature grades nm 7 to nm-m 8. The handsome display containing his signature measures 15” x 15”. It will look great on a wall and will likely be an excellent conversation starter. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $110.
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 Lot 251. 100+ Pieces of 1940s-60s Sheet Music Featuring Singing and Movie Stars. This collection is loaded with stars of the era, including Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, the Mills Brothers, Perry Como, Kay Starr and many more. Here is a list of the artists and most of the songs: Ames Brothers, It Only Hurts for a Little While. Ray Anthony, Signpost. Eddie Arnold, Turn the World Around. Tony Bennett (5), including I Left My Heart in San Francisco and a 16-page program A Swingin’ Evening with Tony Bennett. Connie Boswell, If I Give My Heart to You. Teresa Brewer (7), incl. Bo Weevil, Ricochet and Till I Waltz Again with You. Rosemary Clooney (2), incl. Half as Much. Perry Como (6), incl. And I Love You So, Hot Diggity and Just Born to be Your Baby. Bing Crosby (8), incl. 1949 Song Hits issue (p-f), The Emperor Waltz, Galway Bay, The Iowa Indian Song and May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You. Vic Damone, If. Doris Day, Everybody Loves a Lover. Johnny Desmond (5), incl. Daddy’s Little Girl and The Yellow Rose of Texas. Tommy Edwards, Take These Chains from My Heart. Eddie Fisher (8), I Need You Now and Turn Back the Hands of Time. Georgia Gibbs (3), incl. Happiness Street and Seven Lonely Days. Arthur Godfrey, Dance Me Loose. Gogi Grant, Suddenly There’s a Valley and The Wayward Wind. Kitty Kallen, Little Things Mean a Lot. Kay Kyser, Don’t Believe Everything You Dream. Frankie Laine (2), Hey, Good Lookin’ and Hey Joe. Laurie London, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. Frances Langford, cover of Song Hits, Oct. 1945, f. Johnny Mathis (2), incl. Gina. McGuire Sisters, Just for Old Times’ Sake. Glenn Miller, Serenade in Blue. Mills Brothers, The Glow-worm. Guy Mitchell (6), incl. My Truly, Truly Fair, Rock-A-Billy and Singing the Blues. Lou Monte, Lazy Mary. Jane Morgan, With Open Arms. Patti Page (7), incl. Allegheny Moon, I Went to Your Wedding and That Doggie in the Window. Les Paul and Mary Ford (3), Humming Bird, I Really Don’t Want to Know and Tiger Rag. Johnny Ray (2), Cry and Just Walking in the Rain. Nelson Riddle, Lisbon Antigua. Dinah Shore, Blues in Advance. Frank Sinatra (2), Goodnight, Irene and Young at Heart. Jo Stafford (2), incl. Wind in the Willow. Kay Starr (3), incl. My Heart Reminds Me and The Rock and Roll Waltz. Dodie Stevens, Pink Shoe Laces. Joan Weber, Let Me Go, Lover! Margaret Whiting (2), incl. C.O.D. Also, nine pieces of music from movies picturing such stars as MacDonald Carey (Song of Surrender), Janis Paige (Romance on the High Seas), Rita Hayworth (Cover Girl), Mitzi Gaynor and Dale Robertson (Golden Girl), Esther Williams (Easy to Love) and Elizabeth Taylor, Wallace Beery and others (A Date with Judy). About one-half of the pieces have a number or other writing added to the front cover, usually in the upper right corner. Otherwise, the sheet music ranges from p-f to ex-m and averages vg-ex.
Winning Bid $88.
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 Lot 252. 1983 Star Wars C-3PO Carrying Case, 35 Figures and Original Paper Insert. It is the insert that makes this lot special. Few have survived. Die-cut in the shape of the carrying or storage case, it pictures 65 of the Star Wars collector figures. This example has multiple creases, some small tears and a half dozen or so small holes. Despite these conditions, it displays well. The storage case is complete and intact. The gold-toned exterior exhibits scratches and scuffs. The interior is designed to hold 44 figures. Among the 35 present are two Gamorrean Guards, R2-D2, Princess Leia Organa (Boushh Disguise) and Squid Head. These figures show average use and generally are without their weapons.
Winning Bid $125.
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