Americana
Rare Americana Books, Manuscripts & More for Sale Online
If you’re looking for first edition books celebrating the American experience, you’ve come to the right place. At Raptis Rare Books we maintain an extensive collection of rare Americana, books, manuscripts and more. Browse through our entire collection online, use our sorting tools or search to find exactly what you’re looking for then call with any questions you may have or order online today.
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Rare Stock Certificate for the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railway Company; Endorsed and Signed by Andrew Mellon
MELLON, Andrew.
Andrew Mellon Signed Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railway Company Stock Certificate.
Philadelphia: American Bank Note Co, 1890.
Rare Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railway Company stock certificate endorsed by the commanding American banker Andrew Mellon. Oblong quarto, one page partially printed and accomplished in manuscript, the certificate is dated April 10, 1890 and issues 21 shares of the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railway Company stock to A.W. Mellon. Signed by Mellon on the verso, "A.W. Mellon." In near fine condition with a vertical crease and signature cancellation hole punches along the bottom edge. Matted and framed with a portrait of Mellon and an informational placard. The piece measures 17.5 inches by 28 inches.
Price: $3,000.00 Item Number: 146771
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Rare United States Navy Ensign Appointment; signed by Theodore Roosevelt as president
ROOSEVELT, Theodore.
Theodore Roosevelt Signed Presidential Appointment.
1906.
Rare original Presidential appointment signed by Theodore Roosevelt as twenty-sixth President of the United States. One page, partially printed, the document is dated 18 January, 1906 and appoints Fred H. Soleel as "an Ensign in the Navy." Signed by President Theodore Roosevelt and countersigned by Acting Secretary of the Navy Truman H. Newberry. Handsomely cloth-matted and framed with a portrait of Roosevelt and an informational plaque. In near fine condition.
Price: $1,750.00 Item Number: 147219
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Rare United States Second Regiment of Artillery Presidential Appointment; signed by Ulysses S. Grant as president
GRANT, Ulysses S.
Ulysses S. Grant Signed Presidential Appointment.
1875.
Rare original Presidential appointment signed by Ulysses S. Grant as the eighteenth President of the United States. One page, partially printed, the commission is dated 25 March, 1875 and appoints John H. Calef as "Captain in the Second Regiment of Artillery in the service of the United States." Signed by Ulysses S. Grant as President and countersigned by Secretary of War William W. Belknap. Retaining the original gold foil seal. Handsomely matted and framed with a portrait of Grant and engraved informational plate. In near fine condition. The entire piece measures 30 inches by 26 inches.
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 147217
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Rare Ulysses S. Grant Autograph; Additionally Signed by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish and U.S. Generals Leonard Wood and Joseph Wheeler
GRANT, Ulysses S.; Hamilton Fish; Leonard Wood; Joseph Wheeler.
Ulysses S. Grant, Hamilton Fish, Leonard Wood and Joseph Wheeler Autographs.
N.p., [1874-1902].
Autographs of President Ulysses S. Grant, Secretary of State Hamilton Fish, and United States Army Generals Leonard Wood and Joseph Wheeler. Octavo, one page. Signed by Grant, "U. S. Grant." Additionally signed and dated by Wheeler ("Joseph Wheeler Genl. USA. Apl. 11. 1902"), Wood (Leonard Wood Army Genl USA June 30th 1902"), and Fish ("Hamilton Fish Sect of State June 5/74"). In very good condition with light toning to the edges. Rare and desirable.
Price: $3,500.00 Item Number: 146684
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Rare Original The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Annual Award Dinner; Signed by John F. Kennedy as President
KENNEDY, John F.
The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Annual Award Dinner [John F. Kennedy Signed Program].
1961.
The National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Annual Award Dinner held at The Waldorf-Astoria in New York City on December 5, 1961, boldly signed by President John F. Kennedy and college Hall of Famer Marshall Goldberg below. President John F. Kennedy gave the address at the annual awards dinner for the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. During the banquet the President received the National Football Foundation’s Gold Medal for his promotion of the role of athletics in the development of civic and political leadership. In his speech President Kennedy congratulated the University of Alabama’s football team for…
Price: $6,000.00 Item Number: 124804
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"THE MOST FAMOUS AND INFLUENTIAL AMERICAN POLITICAL WORK”: VERY RARE AND IMPORTANT SECOND American EDITION OF THE FEDERALIST
HAMILTON, Alexander; James Madison; John Jay.
The Federalist, On The New Constitution. By Publius. Written in 1788. To Which is Added, Pacificus, On The Proclamation of Neutrality. Written in 1793. Likewise, The Federal Constitution, With All The Amendments.
New York: Printed and Sold by George F. Hopkins, 1802.
Second American edition of The Federalist, "without question the most important commentary on the Constitution, the most significant American contribution to political theory, and among the most important of all American books" (Reese). Octavo, bound in full tree calf with elaborate period-style gilt tooling to the spine, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, gilt scrolling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins. marbled endpapers. This is the first edition in which Hamilton, Madison, and Jay are attributed as the original authors in this Preface (though attribution for individual essays were not published until Gideon's 1818 edition) and the last…
Price: $16,000.00 Item Number: 147202
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First edition of J.B. McClure's Stories, Sketches and Speeches of General Grant at Home and Abroad, in Peace and War
MCCLURE, J.B. [Ulysses S. Grant].
Stories, Sketches and Speeches of General Grant at Home and Abroad, in Peace and War.
Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, Publishers, 1879.
First edition of McClure's compilation of the speeches, wartime and travel memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. Octavo, original publisher's pictorial green cloth stamped in black and gold, peach endpapers, illustrated, frontispiece portrait of Grant. In very good condition with light rubbing to the extremities, name to the front endpaper. A bright example.
Price: $250.00 Item Number: 146820
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“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly": The Enemy Within; Inscribed by Robert F. Kennedy
KENNEDY, Robert F.
The Enemy Within.
New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1960.
First edition, early printing of Robert Kennedy's compelling account of one of the most famous, consummate, and effective Senate investigations in modern Congressional history. Octavo, original cloth, illustrated with photographs. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "For Louise Jennings with Best Wishes Robert Kennedy." Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Accompanied by an envelope from the Attorney General's office, containing a paid check for two dollars dated 1964 which was endorsed to the Kennedy Library by the Justice Department. Foreword by Arthur Krock. A very sharp example, with noted provenance.
Price: $1,500.00 Item Number: 147087
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Rare 19th Century English Map of the State of Florida
North America XIV Florida: Published Under the Superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.
London: Baldwin & Cradock, 1834.
Rare 19th century English map of the state of Florida, published by Baldwin & Cradock under the superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. One page, the map shows the placements of Indian lands just before the second Seminole war and contains full margins showing all of the Florida Keys. In near fine condition. The entire piece measures 16.5 inches by 13.9 inches.
Price: $2,800.00 Item Number: 146853
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First Edition of Baseball: An Illustrated History; Inscribed by Ken Burns
WARD, Geoffrey C. and Ken Burns.
Baseball: An Illustrated History.
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.
First edition of this companion book to the classic documentary series. Quarto, original cloth, illustrated throughout. Boldly signed by the author on the title page, "Go Sox Ken Burns." Fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket.
Price: $475.00 Item Number: 144549
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"There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice": First Edition of Grant’s Memoirs; In exceptional condition
GRANT, Ulysses S. [U.S.].
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant.
New York: Charles L. Webster & Company, 1885-86.
First edition of the autobiography of Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, which focusing mainly on his military career during the Mexican War and the Civil War. Octavo, 2 volumes, original green cloth with title and front panel in gilt, illustrated with numerous steel engravings, facsimiles, and 43 maps. In fine condition with a touch of shelfwear. An exceptional set.
Price: $1,950.00 Item Number: 147123
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W. Birkbeck Wood and James E. Edmond's The Civil War in the United States; From the Library of Philemon Tecumseh Sherman
WOOD, W. Birkbeck and James E. Edmonds [William Tecumseh Sherman].
The Civil War in the United States: With Special Reference to the Campaigns of 1864 and 1865.
London: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1937.
Revised edition of this British account of the American Civil War; from the library of Philemon Tecumseh Sherman. Octavo, original brown cloth, illustrated with in-text maps and maps at the rear. P.T. Sherman's bookplate to the front free paper beneath his ownership inscription dated July 1938, a few annotations by Sherman throughout the text. In near fine condition with slight bumping to the crown and foot of the spine, light rubbing to the extremities and rear panel. General William Tecumseh Sherman’s son P.T. Sherman was a lawyer in New York, specializing in labor and insurance, and was elected a member…
Price: $375.00 Item Number: 145994
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"In this world, no one is all knowing, and therefore, all of us need both love and charity": First Edition of If You Ask Me; Warmly Inscribed by Eleanor Roosevelt with a Lock of Her Hair
ROOSEVELT, Eleanor.
If You Ask Me. [AND] Eleanor Roosevelt Lock of Hair.
New York: D. Appleton-Century Company, 1946.
First edition of this discussion of socio-political questions. Octavo, original cloth. Presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, "To Olga with good wishes Eleanor Roosevelt." Near fine in a very good dust jacket. Accompanied by a group of ephemera which includes: an autograph note signed by the recipient, the note reads in full, "I took care of her hairstyle for this picture! Olga Meyer;" a newspaper clipping featuring a photograph of Mrs. Roosevelt talking with Professor Harold J. Laski, chairman of the British Labor Party, at an atom bomb forum; and an autograph envelope which reads,…
Price: $1,800.00 Item Number: 146912
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Rare Ulysses S. Grant Autograph Document Signed
GRANT, Ulysses S.
Ulysses S. Grant Autograph Document Signed.
1871.
Autograph document signed by Ulysses S. Grant as President of the United States of America. Quarto, one page, partially printed, the document reads, 'I hereby authorize and direct the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to a Warrant for the commutation of the sentence of Charles Purdue dated this day and signed by me and for so doing this shall be his warrant. "U.S. Grant" Washington May 2 1871.' The man referenced here, Charles Purdue, was a seaman aboard the Robert Edwards in the spring of 1871 who was accused of inexplicably setting fire to…
Price: $2,000.00 Item Number: 146683
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'Earthrise' Photograph Inscribed by Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman
BORMAN, Frank.
Frank Borman ‘Earthrise’ Photograph Signed.
Glossy color photograph of the iconic 'Earthrise' image taken by Bill Anders during the Apollo 8 mission, signed by mission commander Frank Borman, "Apollo 8 Earthrise, Frank Borman, 1968." In fine condition. The photograph measures 10 inches by 8 inches.
Price: $1,850.00 Item Number: 146733
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Rare Trustee's Deed signed by famed American abolitionist Frederick Douglass
DOUGLASS, Frederick.
Frederick Douglass Document Signed.
July 6, 1881.
Rare Trustee's Deed signed by famed American abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Manuscript document signed, "Fred'k Douglass, Recorder," three pages, 8 x 12.5 inches, July 6, 1881. Trustee's deed for a transaction between William Taylor Snyder and Nelson A. Ryon, signed on the docketing panel by Douglass as recorder of deeds, beneath a manuscript endorsement. Douglass served as the Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia from 1881 to 1886. This role involved overseeing the recording of property deeds and other legal documents. His appointment to this position was a notable achievement, reflecting his prominence and the respect he had garnered…
Price: $1,750.00 Item Number: 146954
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Rare First Edition regarding President Abraham Lincoln's new proclamation of Thanksgiving
HOWE, Wolfe [Abraham Lincoln].
Loyalty in the American Republic, What is it? And What its Object? A Discourse Delivered in St. Luke’s Church, Philadelphia, on Thursday, November 26, 1863.
Philadelphia: J. S. McCalla, PR, 1863.
Rare first edition of this printed oration regarding President Abraham Lincoln's new proclamation of Thanksgiving. Octavo, original wrappers. In near fine condition with a small loss to the bottom right corner of the wrapper. An exceptional rarity.
Price: $7,500.00 Item Number: 146847
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Rare 19th Century Creek Indian Land Grants for River Sections in Muscogee County, Georgia
WATSON, James C; Charles J. McDonald.
Creek Indian Muscogee County, Georgia Land Grants.
1826-1839.
Four rare 19th century Creek Indian land surveys and lottery winning land grants. Octavo, partially printed and accomplished in manuscript, each with the official wax seal attached by a pale red ribbon, the collection includes: a Creek Indian document from Washington County, Georgia dated 1827 and signed by Governor Schley; a Creek Indian document from Muscogee County, Georgia for Sara McIntosh, the daughter of Creek Nation chief William McIntosh by his first wife Eliza Grierson; a Cherokee Indian land grant signed by Governor Gilmer; and a Cherokee Indian land grant signed by Governor Mc Donald. In very good condition. The pieces measure…
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 146855
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Rare 19th Century Creek Indian Land Grants for River Sections in Muscogee County, Georgia
LUMPKIN, Wilson; George M. Troup; George Gilmer.
Creek Indian Muscogee County, Georgia Land Grants.
1826-1832.
Four rare 19th century Creek Indian land surveys and lottery winning land grants signed by 3 different Georgia Governors. Octavo, eight pages partially printed and accomplished in manuscript, the collection includes: grant for land lot 156 in Muscogee County, Georgia, surveyed in 1826 and granted in 1832 to David Maw, signed by Wilson Lumpkin at the bottom edge, official wax seal attached by a pale red ribbon; grant for land lot 167 in Muscogee County, Georgia, surveyed in 1826 and granted in 1832 to James Bridges, signed by Wilson Lumpkin at the bottom edge, official wax seal attached by a…
Price: $3,000.00 Item Number: 146854
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Rare 19th Century Creek Indian Land Grants for River Sections in Muscogee County, Georgia
WATSON, James C; Charles J. McDonald.
Creek Indian Muscogee County, Georgia Land Grants.
1826-1839.
Rare 19th century Creek Indian land surveys and lottery winning land grants. Octavo, four pages partially printed and accomplished in manuscript, the surveys are dated December 7th and 9th, 1826 and sketch out the areas of land in Muscogee County, Georgia purchased by James C. Watson. Signed by then Governor Charles J. McDonald with the state wax seal attached by a pale red ribbon. The grants are dated December 13th, 1839 and grant lots 164 and 186 mentioned in the surveys to James C. Watson. The lots referred to in these grants are valuable pieces of land with direct access…
Price: $2,500.00 Item Number: 146848