Historical Memorabilia

Red leather pouch to carry or deliver the mail with flap, decorated with gilt fleur-de-lys arabesques. Interior, two pockets, and a smaller one with flap. A folding gusset allows to ...

A set of 4 vintage Keith Haring Pop Shop lapel pins, circa 1986-1987 featuring some of the artist's most iconic images. Original circa mid-late 1980s (Not later reproductions) Smal...

“Iggy Pop Invites You To Join Him for a Private New Year’s Eve Celebration at The Hard Rock Cafe.” Extremely rare vintage announcement card; New York City c.1981. 4x6 inches. Good overall vintage condition. Unsigned. Iggy Pop is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, and occasional actor, who is often referred to as the godfather of punk. His role as the outrageous and unpredictable frontman of protopunk band The Stooges...

This color print of On The March to the Sea by Felix O.C. Darley, and engraved by A.H. Ritchie, is a stunning portrayal of William T. Sherman’s notorious Georgia Campaign. Originally...

20th Century solid silver mounted on mahogany auctioneers gavel and stand, comes in the original retail case. Hallmarked English silver (925 standard), London, year 1989 (P), Maker P...

Original Lebanese film poster for Tim Burton's 1989 Batman staring Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton and Kim Basinger. The artwork on this poster is very dif...

A very rare US Air force base metal sign, with reflective red paint and white reflective lettering to read 'USAF Strategic Air Command Task Force' with dimensions of 114cm by 71.5cm....

Identical on both front and back, this brown gutta percha case has a lovely floral design with minimal geometric designs. The gilt stamped brass inne...

(7) 19th century British real estate land indentures lease documents 1867 framed 1860s European land indentures. Each is neatly framed with mat allowin...

Presented is an original pair of Civil War-era field glasses. The glasses, an intricate example of brass and glass technology, were made in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by the company Queen & Co. The glasses are stamped “Queen & Co., Phila” along the eyepiece. They are housed in the original leather hard case. The glasses were most likely made in the early 1860s. Binoculars were first invented in France in the 1840s. They started small, primarily as opera glasses, but by the Civil War, they were being used in battle. Larger versions, like the pair seen here, became known as field glasses. Unlike Civil War uniforms...

Three mortice chisels, all with sturdy ash handles by Sorby & Co with steel blades, two stamped T. Turton & Sons, another by Sorby & Co, one also stamped Sheaf Works and all bearing the initial W.D for the War Department, dated 1862. English. Footnote: These three chisels represent three of the most famous firms from the great age of steel manufacturing in Sheffield. Sorby & Co was founded in 1828 and remains a world leading manufacturer and exporter of specialist woodworking tools and equipment. William...

This program was autographed by Lauren Bacall (1924-2014) in Australia in 1986 when she played the part of The Princess Kosmonopolis in Tennessee Williams' play "Sweet Bird of Youth...

Presented is a much sought-after, limited edition lithograph entitled Moonwalkers by Ron Lewis. This piece of space history contains the original signatures of eleven of the twelve American astronauts who stepped onto the Moon's surface. Signed in felt tip blue ink by their portraits are the original autographs of Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean...

This original wood engraving is titled “The Lobby of the House of Representatives at Washington During the Passage of the Civil Rights Bill.” ...

A vintage 1980 Harper's Bazaar magazine cover signed by Hollywood legend Sophia Loren Sophia Loren (1934 -) is an Italian actress, renowned as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood cinema. Loren starred in almost 100 films during her career, and won multiple awards including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Actress and an Academy Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award. A cover of Harper's Bazaar Magaine dated October 1980 featuring an attractive portrait of Sophia Loren. Cover measures approx. 9" x 10.75", and is in fine condition. Loren has signed the cover in the lower right-hand portion in crisp black ink. A good autograph from one of the most famous female movie stars...

A very fine antique Italian attributed grand tour bronze lidded censer applied with birds dating from around 1860. The censer stands raised on a square ba...

7 bastoni da passeggio + portabastoni, anni 90 7 bastoni da passeggio + portabastoni. impugnature in vari materiali, steli in vari legni. usati ma in ottimo...

bastone da passeggio di ispirazione Massonica. in legno ebanizzato, con intagli in filigrana di ottone . manico con intagli a forma di pesci. stelo in legno ebanizzato con intagli a ...

Antique Vintage Harper's Weekly Journal of Civilization New York, 1864. Measures: 15.75 x 11 Total 8 sheets. Preowned vintage unrestored antique condi...

Ayrton Senna signed photograph A postcard size colour photograph of F1 motor racing champion Ayrton Senna. Autographed across the lower right corner o...

A Royal Naval ship’s elm companionway board, of rectangular form with an arched top and two sturdy brass rings, naively carved with a crowned coat of arms flanked by a lion and unicorn...

This bronze is the maquette for a sculpture of Lord Louis Mountbatten wearing a naval duffel coat, peaked cap and sea boots and holding a pair of binoculars. It is set on a highly polished black stone base and inscribed on the back ‘Mountbatten Study, G. Berlin no. 3 of 3’. English, 1989. We are indebted to Ms Berlin for her kind help in supplying the following information. “I made this piece as a working model, maquette, to show, along with another image, to the clients who were offering the commission for the nine-foot bronze of Lord Mountbatten...

A set of 5 vintage Keith Haring Pop Shop lapel pins, circa 1986-1987 featuring some of the artist's most iconic images. Original circa mid-1980s (Not later reproductions) Small coin sized pins in good vintage condition Pop Shop History: In 1986, Keith Haring opened...

Antique print titled 'Je Mantiendrai'. Coat of arms of the Netherlands, also includes coats of arms of the individual Dutch provinces. This print origi...

Ferraro, Geraldine, with Linda Bird Franke. Ferrero: My Story. New York: Bantam Books, 1985. Signed by Ferrero on free front endpaper. Octavo. In publisher’s original cream cloth spine over cream boards and original pictorial dust jacket. Presented is a signed, first edition of Geraldine Ferraro’s memoir, Ferrero: My Life. The book was published by Bantam Books in New York, in November of 1985. It is signed “Geraldine Ferrero” on the free front end page, in black felt-tipped ink. The book also has a lovely gift inscription to the previous owner, explaining the circumstances and date of the signing, as well as a color photograph of Ferraro signing books. The book is presented in its publisher’s original cream cloth spine over cream boards, with copper embossed titles to the spine, and original pictorial first edition dust jacket. The book is protected with a new, archival slipcase. In this memoir, Geraldine Ferraro reflects on her experience as the first woman nominated by a major party to run on the presidential ticket. This book reveals the process that led to her nomination as the 1984 Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate with Walter Mondale and gives a revealing behind-the-scenes look at campaign politics, especially the criticism directed at her and her family throughout her campaign. Ferraro shines a light on the dynamics of women in Congress and discusses how their different life experiences affect the policy making process. She also gives thanks and credit to the pioneering women, like Bella Abzug...

A certificate of recognition awarded to a member of Cuba’s Committee for the Defence of the Revolution (CDR) in 1982 Featuring a fine signature from Fidel Castro...

This iconic Mercury Seven color lithograph, by artist George Bishop, is a signed limited edition collector's piece celebrating America's seven first space pioneers; the seven chosen astronauts for Project Mercury and the race to space with the Soviet Union. This poster was issued in two limited editions; one edition of only 125 prints and one edition of 1500 prints were created. This lithograph is numbered "513/1500", making this the 513th print in the larger edition. This large lithograph was conceived to raise seed money for the Mercury Foundation. The poster vividly depicts an historic Redstone rocket at the moment of lift off. In the plumes of the rocket's exhaust are the portraits of these seven courageous men, with the Moon in the upper background. The Mercury Seven were made up of Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, John Glenn, Deke Slayton, Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, and Gordon Cooper. This poster has been hand signed in pencil by six of these seven astronauts for Project Mercury. Gus Grissom did not have the opportunity to participate in the signing, having died tragically in 1967 in the fire that consumed the Apollo 1 team during a pre-flight simulation. Instead, his wife, Betty Grissom, has signed the lithograph over his mission patch in his memory and for the benefit of Mercury Foundation. The astronauts signed largely and clearly next to each of their mission patches. Before Project Mercury, no person had even attempted to reach space. There was no guarantee that the project would work, yet these men volunteered to put their lives on the line for their country and science. The Mercury Seven were devoted, fearless, diligent, and bold — all the heroic attributes that Tom Wolfe waxes poetically about in “The Right Stuff.” Condition: The condition of this lithograph is excellent. Paper is healthy with no tears. The original color is still intact with no fading. The signatures at bottom have been verified as original signatures, not copies or autopen reproductions. Signatures are in pencil. Numbered #513/1500 in bottom margin. The poster is artfully presented framed with two additional photographs of the original Mercury 7...

Unusual and rare French Parisian hairdressers advertising framed hair display marked Edmonds and dated 1868. Of hairdresser interest the hand crafted oak frame has a bow glass front and displays three locks of hair tied with a silk ribbon and set against glass back set against white. The glass is marked Edmonds and is dated 1868. The frame has an original French Parisian printed...

Description: Antique print titled 'The Spirit of - 76'. Original engraving showing a scene of the American Revolution. Made after a painting by Tompkins Harrison Matteson. Ar...

This very handsome pair of French toleware lidded urns, in a deep red color with gold gilt accents, feature lion head handles on either side and artichoke finials atop the lids. Each...

A very finely carved marble bust of William Ewart Gladstone dated 1868 and signed W.Theed SC William Theed was born in Staffordshire, his father, William Theed the elder being a sculptor and a craftsman at Wedgwood, known for his major work, Hercules and the Thracian Horses for one frontage of the Buckingham Palace complex. The younger Theed studied at the Royal Academy Schools, then worked for the sculptor E. H. Baily. Five years on, in 1826, he went to Rome, where he was to stay a total of 22 years, during that time working in the studios of Thorwaldson and John Gibson. Returning to London in 1848, Theed enjoyed a good reputation, being a favoured sculptor of Queen Victoria, and was commissioned to produce many portrait statues, busts, and large monuments. He showed work in the 1851 Great Exhibition, and among other high points were a group for the Albert Memorial, and five standing figures on the Inland Revenue side of Somerset House, representing Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin. Theed's statues may be seen in St Paul's (Henry Hallam), Manchester (Monument to Chetham in the Cathedral, Gladstone and Thomas Bright for the Town Hall, and James Watt in Piccadilly Gardens), Huddersfield (Robert Peel), Winchester (David Williams monument in the Cathedral), and Prince Albert statues for Grimsby, and in Australia in Macquairie Street, Sydney. He was also responsible for three of the portrait statues (Bacon, Locke, Adam Smith...

19th century cast iron boot jack, with jacks on both ends and legs on both sides. Brown Brothers Foundry, patented May 18, 1869. 12" x 5". Collector's p...

High Styles : Twentieth-Century American Design, Introduction by Lisa Phillips with Essays by David A. Hanks. New York : Whitney Museum Of American Art In Association With Summit Boo...

An '80s Late-20th century 'Andy Warhol A Retrospective' hard-cover library or coffee table book by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1989...

Rare factory made stand up beetle boot jack with toe grip and spindled ash pole ending in round knob. PERIOD: Last quarter 19th Century ORIGIN: United States SIZE: 32"H Family Owned & Operated Cisco’s Gallery deals in the rare, exceptional, and one-of-a-kind pieces that define the history of America and the Old West. Our pieces range from American Indian to Cowboy Western and include original items of everyday life, commerce, art, and warfare that tamed America’s frontier. Our 14,000 square foot gallery opened in 1996 in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Personal Service Cisco’s operates on old fashioned values – honesty and integrity, and all of our items are backed by our money back guarantee. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Whether you desire assistance with a jewelry purchase, choosing a gift, identification, or even selling – we hope to be your trusted source. Cast Iron, Boot Jacks, Bootjacks, Antique, Vintage, Brown Brothers...

Presented is a Proclamation of Emancipation wood engraving by W. Roberts. The engraving was published in 1864, just one year after President Abraham Lincoln signed the original Proclamation. W. Roberts was the artist and engraver and Corydon Alexis Alvord was the printer. The engraving was published by R. A Dimmick, in New York, 1864. The text of the Proclamation is set in a variety of typefaces, which is encased in a pictorial border. The border is decorated with a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and seven other vignettes, including the horrors of slavery at left, the bombardment of Fort Sumter at bottom, and scenes from a prosperous and united nation at right. On September 22, 1862, five days after the Union victory at the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln issued a preliminary decree stating that, unless the rebellious states returned to the Union by January 1, freedom would be granted to slaves within those states. No Confederate states took the offer, and on January 1, 1863 Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation...

Presented is an elaborate engraved broadside presentation of both the preliminary and final Emancipation Proclamations, dated September 22, 1...

Presented is a lithographic broadside of the text of the Emancipation Proclamation issued on January 1, 1863. This broadside was published in...

Presented is a wonderful inscribed color photo of the inauguration of George H.W. Bush as the 41st President of the United States held on January 20, 1989. The inauguration marked the commencement of the four-year term of George H. W. Bush as President and Dan Quayle as Vice President. The photograph is signed and inscribed to Ron Wade, who once served as a White House page for President Nixon. Inscription reads, "To Ron Wade/ Sincerely /George Bush" Mr. Wade then scripted a note on the verso of the photo, stating "Signed as President, week of 6-1/-89". The inauguration of George H. W. Bush as the 41st president of the United States was held at the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 51st inauguration. Chief Justice William Rehnquist administered the presidential oath of office to Bush and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor administered the vice presidential oath of office to Quayle. Bush was the first sitting vice president to be inaugurated as president (not due to his predecessor's death or resignation) since Martin Van Buren...

"RALLY FREEMEN! …COME ONE! COME ALL! AND SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR THE BEST COUNTRY ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH." A CIVIL WAR RECRUITMENT BROADSIDE FOR THE...

LARGE CIVIL WAR RECRUITMENT BROADSIDE FOR THE 53RD NEW YORK VOLUNTEER INFANTRY, 5th REGIMENT, "EAGLE BRIGADE," WITH AN ATTRACTIVE AND COMPELLING ...

This 1865 engraving features the Emancipation Proclamation in elaborate calligraphic text, with five patriotic vignettes and a small portrait...

This 1865, hand-colored engraving by A. H. Ritchie is entitled Lady Washington's Reception and is based on Daniel F. Huntington's original painting "Th...

Presented, is an exciting 1981 color lithograph by William “Billy” Phillips. Titled Through the Back Door, the lithograph depicts an American P-47 Thunderbolt pursuing a Luftwaffe bomber on the famous D-Day of WWII. Also referred to as a “Jug,” the P-47 was the largest and heaviest fighter aircraft powered by only one reciprocating engine. It was armed with four machine guns on each wing making it lethal for ground attacks. The busy scene focuses on the diving P-47 with “Miss Behave” painted on the side, but is full of action throughout the work. Providing a sense of movement, the background is blurred with multiple airplanes both in flight and on the ground. Fire and smoke billow from the field putting the viewer in the middle of the dramatic scene. The artist, William “Billy” Phillips is a renowned aviation and landscape artist. He is well-recognized and has received many awards for his artwork. Early in his career, Phillips was commissioned by the Royal Jordinian Air Force as an artist and later served as the U.S. Combat Artist. The U.S. awarded Phillips the Navy’s Meritorious Public Service Award and the Air Force Sergeants Association’s Americanism Medal. The celebrated artist additionally won the Art History Award twice and is one of the few individuals to be exhibited in a solo show at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. William Phillip...

The stars of this extremely rare, Civil War-era flag are arranged in what is sometimes called the "Great Flower" pattern, a large star made out of smaller stars -- named as such beca...

Offered is a map of North America entitled Amerique du Nord from 1864. This rare, separately published wall map was produced by Adolphe Hippolyte Dufour. This map includes vibrant an...

Alaska is an original decorative silver object realized and created by Ettore Sottsass in the 1980s. Original silver candlestick realized in 1981. Made in Italy. The label...

Set of three antique tintypes of women. Price is for all 3 as a set. A tintype is a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of m...

Presented is an original map of Albert Boschke's extremely sought-after "Topographical Map of the District of Columbia Surveyed in the Years 1856 ...

Original US film poster for Bruce Weber's 1988 Jazz documentary about the life of the Jazz trumpeter Chat Baker. The image used on the poster was taken by the American photographer ...

A wonderful signed photograph of Karen & Richard Carpenter for sale Musical duo Karen (1950-1983) & Richard Carpenter (1946-) were the number one American singing act of the 1970s. Their soft pop sound captivated the hearts of the millions worldwide who hung on every note of their 11 albums. They have sold over 100 million records to date. Karen Carpenter...

This is the 1892 artist proof edition of 200 signed by the artist, Douglas Adams. Douglas Adams (1853-1920) was a London based landscape painter exhibiting at various galleries betwe...

This handwritten (it appears with quill) letter was addressed to the Governor of the state of Ohio in 1861- the beginning of the Civil War. Tyler Davidson, one of the major Colt distributors, is offering the Ohio Militia one to two thousand Colt Navy revolvers. They "can provide 100 per day at a cost of $22.50 each." This document from the files of Civil War General...

Flamboyant star Elton John (1947-) is a multi-award winning British musician, receiving a knighthood in 1998 for his talents and charitable work. Working as a prolific singer and songwriter, he has seen success in both fields, becoming a Fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters and Composers in 2004. He is patron to the arts and numerous charitable foundations. Elton has played to over 2 million people across four continents. To date, his 1997 single Candle in the Wind is his biggest selling with over 33 million copies sold. This is Elton's jumpsuit from his 1982 Jump Up tour. The metallic green, flying style jumpsuit with red fleece interior has 'Everest' printed down one arm and '29028' printed down one leg. Owned and worn by Elton. A rare piece of music memorabilia.

Lakota Sioux child's dress quilled on buffalo hide; collected and entered into the Maryland Academy of Art and Science prior to 1880. It was deaccessioned...

Antique American flag with 13 hand-sewn stars in an extremely rare lineal configuration of 5-3-5, probably made with the intent of use by local militia or private outfitting of a vol...

13 star antique American flag in the Betsy Ross pattern, one of just three examples that I have encountered that pre-date the 1890’s; an extraordinary find, civil war period (1861-1865) or just after, extremely large among its counterparts of all periods in this design: Exceptional, early, American national flag, with 13 stars arranged in the circular wreath pattern most often attributed to Betsy Ross. Since there was no official configuration for the stars of the American flag until 1912, when our nation received its 47th and 48th states, the design, before that time, was left to the whims of the maker. This led to an almost unimaginable spectrum of star arrangements on the American flag during the 18th and 19th centuries. Even within the 13 star count, alone, there are at least 80 known patterns—more than the average person would even think possible. 13 star flags have been made throughout American history, from at least June 14th, 1777, when the first Flag Act was passed by Congress, until the present. They have been continuously produced for reasons both patriotic and utilitarian. Because this was the original number of stars on the American flag, representing the 13 colonies, it was appropriate for any device made in conjunction with celebrations or notions of American independence. 13 star flags were thus displayed at patriotic events, including, but certainly not limited to, such occasions as Lafayette’s final visit, in 1825-26, the nation’s centennial in 1876, and longstanding celebrations of Independence Day. From at least 1840 onward, 13 star flags were produced for presidential campaigns, drawing a parallel between the past and present struggles for freedom, and were carried by soldiers, during the Mexican and Civil Wars, for the same purpose. Throughout history, and even today, they are boldly displayed at every presidential inauguration. 13 star flags were flown by American ships both private and federal. The U.S. Navy used 13 stars on the ensigns made for small boats, because they wished the stars to be more easily discernable at a distance. Private ships often copied Navy practice, and when commercial flag makers first began to produce flags with pieced-and-sewn construction, in small sizes, in large quantity, they frequently employed the 13 star count. Flags in the Betsy Ross design are widely admired, due to the longstanding popularity of the Ross family myth. While many Americans learned in grammar school that Betsy Ross made and designed our first flag, and that the stars appeared in a circular fashion, there is, unfortunately, no way to prove the claim. No colonial examples have survived with this pattern of stars. In fact, while arranging the stars in a single circle seems quite logical, among the various choices that might come to mind, early American flags with this star pattern are curiously absent. One of the interesting misconceptions about 13 star flags is that the Betsy Ross pattern, even if not the original design, must have been common in early America. Logic would suggest this, given the frequency with which it appears in modern times, but this isn’t actually the case. In fact, the pattern is seldom encountered anywhere until much later. In more than 30 years of buying and selling early Americana, and over 20 years of extensive focus on the American flag specifically, through aggressively buying, researching, evaluating, restoring, and curating exhibitions, I have thus far encountered just three examples of Betsy Ross pattern flags that I can confidently date prior to the 1890's. No one knows what the first flag looked like. While there is no precise reason that the Betsy Ross design could not have been the first, one of the best arguments against it, is illustrated by the simple fact that so many 13 star flags exist without it. If the Ross configuration was the original, it stands to reason that the pattern would have been reproduced with at least some degree of frequency. Research conducted by the National Museum of American History notes that the story of Betsy Ross making the very first American flag for General George Washington, in the company of George Ross and Robert Morris, entered into American consciousness about the time of the 1876 centennial. The tale was immensely popular among an American public eager for stories about the Revolution and its heroes. The first documentation of it appeared shortly beforehand, in 1870, in a paper written by Betsy’s grandson, William Canby, for the Pennsylvania Historical Society. At the time, Canby made no mention of how the flag was designed, save for the fact that it had 5-pointed stars, per his grandmother’s suggestion. Because no earlier documentation supports the story, most flag scholars feel it was a grand hoax, fabricated by Canby for his own interests. Nothing survives in the collective writings of the three men, for example, nor in records of their words and deeds, which are fairly extensive. As with most things, reality is perhaps somewhere in the middle ground, with some of the details based on fact and some on fiction, made up, misinterpreted, or imagined from family accounts. The first time that a star configuration gets attached to the Ross story appears to have occurred during the last decade of the 19th century. In 1892, Charles Weisgerber painted a nine-by-twelve-foot rendition of the fabled meeting between Betsy and George Washington, in which there is a flag with a circular wreath. Shortly afterwards, in 1898, Betsy’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter began to make flags in the East Wing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, selling them to tourists while disseminating the family folk tale. In that same year, Weisgerber and a “group of concerned citizens” sought to preserve Betsy’s former Philadelphia residence at 239 Arch Street, where she lived at the time the flag would have been sewed. Weisgerber moved his family into the house and immediately opened to the public the room in which Betsy was said to have worked her magic. Ten-cent memberships were sold to fund renovations and donors received a small calendar, to which a cotton 13 star Betsy Ross pattern parade flag was affixed. The effects of these events caused the Ross legend to stick and the story, with the corresponding flag design, has appeared ever since in more places than one could ever hope to count. The stars of this particular flag are made of cotton, hand-sewn, and double-appliquéd (applied to both sides). The canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced and joined with treadle stitching. There is a sailcloth canvas binding along the hoist, with two brass grommets, one each at the extreme top and bottom. Along this, on the obverse, near the bottom, are two, unusual characters, embroidered with brown thread. These may be letter “I’s,” possibly forming a the Roman Numeral “II.” They are followed by an inscription, in blue ink, that appears to read “A. N. Smith.” The first character is stylized, and may alternatively be a “D,” “H,” or perhaps a “J.” Note how the binding is extended beyond the top and bottom-most points. Though quite unusual, this is sometimes encountered in early examples. The folding of the wool bunting back onto itself, with the binding stitched so that part of the fold is exposed, tends to be an early characteristic. Common in Civil war flags...

Italian modern plexiglass and glass mercury wall thermometer, 1980s Old mercury thermometer for wall, Coming from an old doctor's office site in Mil...