A special presentation copy of the book Tenth Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China signed by Mao Zedong, an autograph letter signed by Thomas Jefferson from Monticello in which he mentions Napoleon Bonaparte, and a Mathew Brady carte de visite of George A. Custer, boldly signed by the ill-fated commander, are a few of the expected highlights in University Archives’ online auction slated for Wednesday, December 14th at 11 am Eastern time.

The Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books auction features historical material from multiple collecting categories. All 383 lots are up for viewing and bidding now (on the University Archives website: www.UniversityArchives.com), plus LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids will be taken, but there’s no live gallery bidding.

“Our December sale is especially strong in U.S. Presidential, Science/Space, Militaria, Early American, and International/World Leaders,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives. “The sheer variety and scope, from Civil Rights and Judaica to literature, art and music, guarantees that there is something for everyone, especially holiday gift-givers.”

Mr. Reznikoff added, “If buyers pay with cleared funds by December 16th, their items will be shipped by December 21st and will hopefully arrive by Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa.”

Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong signed a special presentation copy of a Russian book celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in October 1959, dedicated to Soviet Civil War hero Marshal Semyon Budenny. Mao autographs are extremely rare and intensely coveted by collectors. This book carries an estimate of $80,000-$100,000.

The two-page Jefferson autograph letter signed and dated October 11, 1812 describes how Napoleon’s “capricious passions and commercial ignorance” threatened American access to some European ports, but that America’s enemies, Britain and France, were fighting each other, and so, “the English armies…although our enemies, are really fighting our battles.” (est. $35,000-$45,000).

The Mathew Brady sepia-colored albumen carte de visite depicting George A. Custer, undated but circa 1865-1866, is one of the best combinations of bold signature and assertive pose that University Archives has ever offered. It’s PSA/DNA slabbed and graded Mint 9 and should finish at $20,000-$30,000. The photo is signed verso, “Sincerely your / friend / GA Custer / B Maj Genl / USA.”

Benjamin Franklin was a young, 27-year-old printer when he witnessed a Philadelphia real estate transaction dated May 15, 1733. The result is one of the earliest known Franklin signatures ever documented, and is singularly elegant, as “B. Franklin” (est. $12,000-$15,000). Franklin had just published his inaugural edition of the iconic Poor Richard’s Almanack just six months earlier.

Abraham Lincoln signed a July 26, 1862 letter on Executive Mansion stationery for an autograph seeker in the Union stronghold of Louisville, Kentucky. The letter is beautifully matted to a completed size of 23 ¼ inches by 13 inches alongside an unusual 1864 Vinton County, Ohio Union presidential ticket promoting Lincoln and Johnson. The lot should bring $10,000-$15,000.

George Washington boldly signed a free frank addressed to Benjamin Tallmadge, Culper Ring spymaster. The free frank is undated, but originally contained a Dec. 26, 1782 letter commending the “signal gallantry of Capt. Caleb Brewster,” referring to Caleb Brewster, one of the underground’s principal couriers, who often undertook covert missions in his whaleboat on Long Island Sound (est. $12,000-$14,000).

There are four letters written by Albert Einstein in the auction, including a two-page letter, in German, responding to a request to visit the German Society at Oxford University, addressed to Society secretary Esther Sacher Einstein talks about his ill health and says, “I am happy to see that a Jew is always ‘en famille’ wherever his steps land him on this earth.” (est. $5,000-$6,000).

A 120-page daily sales record book (or ledger) of Livingston, Kinkead & Co., the storekeeper at Camp Scott (established by the U.S. Army expedition to Utah) and the rebuilt Fort Bridger (located nearby), for the years 1857 and 1858, during the Mormon War period, should command $10,000-$12,000. The ledger documents colorful frontier life, and also mentions future Confederate officers Lewis A. Armstead, killed in action at Gettysburg; Barnard Bee, Jr., slain at First Bull Run; and “Rooney” Lee, Robert E. Lee’s son, among many others.

Apollo XI mission memorabilia dominates the sale’s Space/Aviation category. One lot certain to draw attention is the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Stamp Club insurance cover (“First Manned Lunar Expedition”), signed by all three of the Apollo XI crew members: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. It’s PSA/DNA slabbed and graded Mint +9.5 and comes from the Buzz Aldrin Family Space Collection. (est. $8,000-$10,000).

Seventeen pages of notes, handwritten by the African American leader and educator Booker T. Washington – likely either speaking points for speeches or points to stress in reports – have an estimate of $8,000-$9,000. A few of the notes can be tied to specific speeches that Washington gave in the mid-1890s. A previous consigner purchased this manuscript for $12,500 in 1999.

A one-page document, in Hungarian, functioning as a Schutz-Pass (protective passport), issued by the Royal Swedish Legation in Budapest, Hungary on September 22, 1944, boldly signed by Secretary of the Royal Swedish Legation Raoul Wallenberg, in a rare full signature lower left, issued to Zsuzsanna Steiner, partly printed / partly typed, should reach $7,000-$8,000.

Sigmund Freud and his protégé Carl Jung appear in a vintage group photo taken of members of the Third International Psychoanalytic Congress, circa 1911, in Weimar, Germany. The friendship-ending ideological schism between the two co-founders of modern psychology occurred the following year, in 1912, making this probably the most important photograph in Psychology. It has an estimate of $6,000-$7,000.

The two co-founders of modern psychology’s ideological schism occurred the following year, in 1912. This is probably the most important photograph in Psychology. It has an estimate of $6,000-$7,000.

For more information about University Archives and the Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books auction on Wednesday, December 14th at 11 am Eastern time, visit www.universityarchives.com.

A GOLD Coast art exhibition opening on November 17 supports the Women, Life, Freedom movement, which began after the brutal police killing of a young girl in Iran for wearing a loose hijab.

After the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurd, who died on September 16 after she was detained and beaten by police in Tehran for ‘inappropriate attire’, thousands of women and men have been chanting Women, Life, Freedom in Iranian streets ever since. 

Gold Coast Multicultural Arts (GC MAGIC) director Nasrin Vaziri said the art exhibition, Pomegranates Connection, at Robina art gallery from November 17 to 28 featured some protest art, which sees people raise their voices through arts including design, painting  and performances.

“Protest arts is a platform that creative talents use to share their opinions on social, gender and other issues and involve the public to understand the issues,” Mrs Vaziri said. 

“An example is the Iranian women’s movement, Women, Life, Freedom, when artists create epic artworks to send their messages to the world beyond the verbal language.”

The Pomegranates Connection project includes an invitation only Voices of Women event, featuring music by four performing artists and video journey by documentary filmmaker Jeff Licence of eight Queensland migrant artists at Parliament House in Brisbane on November 16.

The Pomegranates Connection art exhibition includes artwork by seven women and one man from Afghanistan, Uruguay, Israel, Iran and Mongolia.

“Art is not limited to just decorations,” Mrs Vaziri said.

“Our passion is about arts, women and social issues. It is not limited to any specific nation or region. Through the universal language of arts, we can increase our understanding and connection with each other, which in turn will foster more unity, peace and social harmony worldwide.

“I’m really amazed and impressed by how arts in general - graphic arts, paintings, singing - can help cheer up people to raise their voices, speak up for themselves and involve other nations and what they believe in to the rest of the world.”

This project has been supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

The Pomegranates Connection art exhibition will be launched at Robina Art Gallery on November 17 from 5-7pm. Entry is free and includes live music and refreshments. 

The gallery is open from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more details, call Nasrin on 0434 932 537 or visit the Facebook page Gold Coast Multicultural Arts.

VDOSH, a Los Angeles-based venture capital firm, has announced its investment in Conektto. Co-Founders Ram Sathia and Amol Dewhare have developed the first and only platform that provides end-to-end API lifecycle artifacts generation with a single click. This simpler, smarter, cost-effective, and faster way to manage API projects will positively impact the way digital transformation professionals approach the work they do.

Built from the ground up, the Conektto platform allows users to build and test API effortlessly through hyper-automation. With a single click, IT processes are automated utilizing patent-pending technology. "As a primarily tech-focused venture capital firm, VDOSH recognizes how Conektto's platform will dramatically improve the API process, which will create a significant demand in the marketplace for their technology,” says Managing Partner, Vishal Arora.

85% of internet traffic is all API. Designing, building and testing API has to be simple and collaborative. Amol Dewhare, Chief Executive Officer of Conektto states "drawing on our decades of experience in designing, building and testing API, we knew there was a much simpler, smarter and more importantly collaborative way. Hence we built our platform for Product Managers, Architects, Developers, Testers and DevOps to come together to build API effortlessly. The investment by VDOSH enables us to grow and scale our company at a faster pace." He continues to share, "great things happen when you bring great people together and our team is excited to change the way that professionals approach their API needs."

VDOSH is a venture capital firm, which gives investors the opportunity to invest in promising new startup companies alongside major players in the industry through VDOSH Fund. For its entrepreneurs, it provides an efficient funding process and instantaneous access to a well-established network of investors and influencers.
 
You can find more information on VDOSH at www.vdosh.com.

Green Goddess Supply, a Massachusetts-based “cultivation to consumption” cannabis lifestyle brand, today announced the acquisition of Pot Pockets, a line of premium hand-crafted wooden carry cases for cannabis joints and pre-rolls. Founded in 2013, Pot Pockets were originally a labor of love, created to assist the owner’s sister with carrying her medicinal cannabis while undergoing cancer treatments. The small family-owned business has been hand-making Pot Pockets in Wrentham, MA, spreading the love to patients and recreational consumers alike.

“We absolutely love this product line,” says Green Goddess Supply CEO Eric Robichaud. “We have been reselling the Pot Pocket product line since 2017, and folks just love them. When we heard that the effort had become overwhelming and that the owner was winding it down, we reached out and started a conversation.” Robichaud said that the owner really wanted to see the product line live on indefinitely, but wasn’t able to continue herself, so he began exploring options to acquire the operations. “We have been able to setup manufacturing capabilities ourselves now, to replicate the same end product from the same process and materials.”

Green Goddess Supply has now produced its first batch of Pot Pockets made in-house, and has started reaching out to former customers to let them know that after a very brief pause, the product line is now available again. Green Goddess Supply is now working on some new varieties and options to expand the product line options going forward, with additional announcements imminent.

Both Pot Pockets and Green Goddess Supply are private, Massachusetts companies. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

About Green Goddess Supply:
Green Goddess Supply, is a “Cultivation to Consumption” cannabis technology lifestyle brand offering a line of high-quality products to grow, store, prep and consume hemp flower and cannabis products. The company sells direct to consumers at MSRP through its website, and also offers wholesale and distributor accounts to brick and mortar storefronts and industry distributors. Green Goddess Supply strives to exceed expectations and delight customers with quality products and amazing customer service. Green Goddess Supply is a privately held company headquartered in Hopedale, MA with a satellite office in California. For more information about Green Goddess Supply, visit the website at https://www.GreenGoddessSupply.com

Green Goddess Supply Contact:
Eric Robichaud
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
617.765.2334 x100

An Ansel Adams signed and framed Yosemite photo from around 1959 sold for $38,750 at a four-day Western Frontiers auction held October 13th-16th by Holabird Western Americana Collections, LLC, online and live in the Reno gallery. The 2,100-lot sale featured Native and general Americana, mining, Express, numismatics, art, bottles, stocks and more.

There were five lots of Ansel Adams framed prints (and several for images taken in the manner of Adams – a testament to his enduring popularity), but it was lot #3022 – the large print of a snow-covered tree at Yosemite, thought to be part of Adams’s late 1950s winter shots that led to his signed and numbered edition series – that brought $38,750, making it the auction’s top lot.

Headlining the auction was Part 3 of the Gary Bracken collection. Parts 1 and 2 (also held by Holabird) were huge successes, and more great rarities from the collection of the Ponca City, Oklahoma lawyer featured Native Americana (to include baskets and pottery), Colorado and Oklahoma tokens, foreign coins, Colorado whiskey jugs, and saloon ephemera and billheads.

Following are additional highlights from the auction. Internet bidding was provided by iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids were also accepted. All prices quoted include the buyer’s premium.

Day 1, on Thursday, October 13th, showcased Express and philatelic and general Americana, geographically sorted and including miscellaneous categories such as gaming, tobacciana and musical instruments. A Gibson model ES175 Sunburst electric guitar with a factory Bixbee whammy bar and a dark swirl pick guard was a true beauty and changed hands for $3,500.

Also bringing $3,500 on Day 1 was an original ledger containing the Laws for the Governing of the Virginia City (Nevada) Fire Department, circa 1862-1877, signed into law by the Nevada territorial governor, James W. Nye, in 1864. Also, a full-face Wells Fargo advertisement for Adler & Galinger Wholesale Dealers in General Merchandise (Treasure City, Nev.), addressed to James A. Read of San Jose, who was a member of the tragic Donner party, gaveled for $2,375.

A Tonopah and Goldfield Railroad lantern with the original lock and key and red embossed Southern Pacific globe, 10 inches plus the handle and no patent info on the lamp, made $2,000.

Day 2, on Friday, October 14th, included political collectibles; militaria, firearms and weaponry; mining artifacts and ephemera; and stock certificates and bonds (with Colorado and Nevada mining, railroad and miscellaneous). A Colt Lightning model carbine rifle chambered for .44 caliber on a medium frame, having an 1887 birthdate and a 20-inch octagon barrel, hit $2,000.

A chunk of banded and dendritic gold and quartz pulled from the Sleeper main vein in Humboldt County, Nevada, boasting a beautiful cross-sectional cut face exposing native gold (electrum), in the banded quartz sequence, realized $1,562. Also, a suite of seven different buttons, badges and ribbons from Teddy Roosevelt’s presidential campaign, including a Progressive Party button and a delegate ribbon from the Republican State Convention of 1904 in Billings, finished at $1,375.

A rare stock certificate for the Upper San Miguel Gold & Silver Mining Company (with offices in Colorado and Michigan), certificate #389, issued for 500 shares to Henry Gerbs in May 1881, signed by company president A.T. Nichols and secretary John B. Corliss, hammered for $1,220.

Day 3, on Saturday, October 15th, highlighted art, Wild West and law and order, cowboy and numismatics (to include coins, currency and scrip, medals and exonumia, and tokens). Six items relating to the Lincoln County (N.M.) War, an Old West conflict between rival factions that began in 1878 in the New Mexico Territory (prior to statehood) and continuing to 1881, famous because one of the participants was William H. Bonney (aka “Billy the Kid”), sold for $5,000.

A letter written and signed by the famous lawman Sheriff Seth Bullock, written on “Sheriff’s Office” letterhead and dated July 3, 1874 from Helena, Montana, addressed to Geo. Callaway (Virginia City, Mont.), with Bullock thanking Callaway, earned $3,250. Also, a typed 1908 Wild West Show contract signed by both William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) and Gordon W. Lillie (Pawnee Bill), plus Ruth L. Bailey (signed by someone else), all signatures clear, rose to $3,125.

A .9999 one ounce of fine gold 1914 $50 American Buffalo coin, in brilliant uncirculated condition, as new from the U.S. Mint, in a hard plastic case, designed to look like the Buffalo nickel, went to a determined bidder for $2,250. Also, a group of six tokens from the Ouray County town of Russell Gulch, Colorado, all six good for five cents each, achieved $2,375.

A collection of nine silver coins of Emperor Trajan (the Roman emperor from 98 to 117 AD), two cistophorus, two tetradrachms, 2 provincial denarii (Lycia and Bostra), two Roman denarii, Pax and Spes., all fine or better, went for $3,294; while two circa 1620 gold escudo dubloons, with a certificate of authenticity from Collectible America, found a new owner for $2,750.

Day 4, on Sunday, October 16th, was led by Native Americana (baskets, pottery, jewelry, rugs, apparel and artifacts, and art and ephemera); saloon and brewing ephemera; and bottles. A beautiful circa 1900 red mesa chief pattern rug, 6 feet by 6 ½ feet, left the gallery for $4,000.

A heavy vintage (probably old pawn men’s) turquoise and silver cuff probably Zuni (but could be Navajo), having an unusual inlay with an amazing variety of 42 turquoise pieces, the sides hand-etched with silver, coasted to $2,250. Also, a pictorial Apache basket, 4 inches tall on a three-stick foundation, having a waterfall design with four crosses and eight human figures that are symbolic to the land, made from willow (or sumac) and Devil’s Claw, hammered for $1,562.

A Mike Fisher jug (“Mike Fisher / Wine, Liquors, Cigars / Crested Butte, Colo.”), J28 in Preble, 11 inches by 9 inches, the cork possibly original, with a sloped shoulder, commanded $2,625.

Holabird has auctions lined up for December and February that will feature items from the S.S. Central America. The firm is seeking treasure-related items, ingots, gold nuggets and Gold Rush collectibles to add to these sales, which will feature “Treasures from the Land & Sea”. It is also looking for consignments from mining, railroadiana, Native Americana, numismatics and bottles.

To learn more about Holabird Western Americana Collections, visit www.holabirdamericana.com. Updates are posted often.