Search Results: Authors starting with B from Stuart Lutz Historic Documents, Inc.

ROGER BABSON (1875-1967). Babson was an American entrepreneur, economist, and business theorist who founded the Babson Institute, later Babson College, in 1919. ALS. 8” x 10”. Massachusetts. June 11, 1931. An autograph letter signed “Roger W. Babson” to “NW Miller”: “I thank you for your note. Don’t holler to thank me but do something for some other fellow when you have a chance”. The letter is in fine condition with mailing folds.

PS. Bailey, an African American entertainer, made her Broadway debut in 1946's St. Louis Woman and went on to win the prestigious Tony Award for the titular role in Hello, Dolly!. PS. 1pg. 8" x 10". No Date. No Place. An early photograph signed "To You My Best Pearl" in blue ink. There is a small tear in the lower right margin, but it is in fine condition

LÉON BAKST (1866-1924). Bakst was a Belarusian Modernist painter who did extensive design work for the Ballets Russes. ALS. 1pg. “This Thursday”. N.p. An autograph letter signed “Leon Bakst” written in French. In translation, it reads: “Dear Mr. Levy: I don’t know if you have already returned my watercolors to the Marsan Pavilion; in any case, if it hasn’t been done yet, I very much beg you to send them directly to the Marsan Pavilion – at the latest by 2 pm tomorrow since I have to hand them up and it has to be done while everything else is being arranged. Cordially devoted to you, Leon Bakst”. The Marsan Pavillion is a wing of the Louvre building in France; it houses the Museum of Decorative Arts. The letter is in fine condition. It is attractively matted and framed with a black-and-white photograph of Bakst, and a typed translation is affixed to the back of the frame.

ALS. 1pg. 4 ½” x 7 ¼”. July 31, 1980. New York, NY. An autograph letter signed “Whitney” on stationery of The New Yorker, the magazine for which Balliett wrote for almost five decades. The letter is addressed to fellow jazz critic Joe Goldberg (1932-2009), author of Jazz Masters of the Fifties: “Dear Joe: Thanks. And thanks for warning me about sly old Konitz, about whom I’ve been thinking of doing a piece. He must have been trying to say something, and maybe that’s the way it came out. Hope you are well. Yours, Whitney”. Konitz refers to jazz composer and saxophonist Lee Konitz (b. 1927). The letter is in fine condition with very minor wrinkling.

DS. Haifa. A partly printed document signed "Olga Polok" regarding moving funds from her bank fund just four days after the start of World War II: "I... have conferred general authority upon Olga Polak (whose signature please find below) to administer - as he may think fit - all funds or securities now or in future lying for my (our) account with yourselves or with any other offices of the Hollandsche Bank Unie N.V., or with any one of their correspondents; to dispose of same, to receive the countervalue of all securities, moneys, deposits, bills, cheques and promissory notes, telegraphic and letter-payments... to give discharge for same, to give all kinds of instructions and to sign as my (our) mandatory receipts... It is hereby expressly stipulated that I (we) waive the right to notarial notices in connection with any matter arising out of these presents... ". The document has a few light toning patches, and is in fine condition overall. An unusual Holocaust-era document.

SIR FRANCIS BARING (1740-1810). Baring was an English banker and baronet. LS. 1pg. October 21, 1802. London. A letter signed “F Baring”. Baring wrote in French to Parisian banker Jacques Récamier (1751-1830), husband of the more famous Juliette Récamier, regarding a substantial payment to French diplomat Louis-André Pichon (1771-1854). In translation, it reads in part: “I have received today a letter from the United States dated September 9. Our friends there receive an order that my house sent them, paying one million livre tournois to Mr. Pichon. They add that the money is ready, except for Mr. Pichon is then at the Washington government residents, and that he was waiting two days. … I [am] happy, Sir, to take this occasion to offer you my sincere thanks for all the attentions and marks of friendship that I feel for your Lady, you and your son during my stay in Paris…F Baring”. The international business requiring this large transaction, about which Baring requests Récamier’s… Read More

ALS. 8pp. 5" x 7". Oct 4 99. Armstrong, Fla. An autograph letter signed "Marcel", with a very early mention of a baseball game. The sports content states: "...the Rail Road team came out on the train to play Ball and of course they won the game 7 to 5 in favor of the R.R. and I was truly glad they won but of course I could not say such out here as these folks would kill me... until the game started which was half pass [sic] two they ate dinner and the two boys and I sat together under the shed until time to go over to the Ball grounds so these the three of us walked... ". An early baseball letter

ALS. This letter was penned in 1907, just 15 years after Naismith's invention of the game. The student, named Glenn, states in part: "...Our class practices for basketball tonight but I don't believe I will go out for the team I don't care enough for it. I like to see the game but I don't believe I will play even if I was sure of making the team...". The letter is in very fine condition overall and accompanied by the original envelope. I have never seen an earlier dated basketball letter

(SUTRO BATHS). Located in San Francisco, Sutro Baths was the largest indoor swimming venue in the world when it opened in March 1896. It was owned by San Francisco mayor Adolph Sutro (1830-1898). Sutro Baths burned to the ground in 1966. An advertisement for an August 30, 1896 swimming tournament at the newly-opened Sutro Baths in San Francisco. The headliner of the event was Charles Cavill (1870-1897), a member of the noted Australian Cavill family of champion swimmers. This was Cavill’s first American appearance; he would drown in California the following year. Prominent American swimmers were also featured. The poster is in good condition with several water stains and chipping to the margins.

An archive of six postcards from Beatty to Mabel Dupuy of Glendale, Massaschusetts: 1) TLS. 1pg. 5 ½” 3 ¼”. December 10, 1940. New York. A typed letter signed “Bessie Beatty”: “How good of you to send not one but three card! They will make an awfully nice spot in the collection…Thanks too for your vote on the theme song – they’re still coming in so we shall see later.” 2) TLS. 1pg. 5 ½” 3 ¼”. December 27, 1940. New York. A typed letter signed “Bessie Beatty”: “Thank you so much for your Christmas card and for the six pictures of your town. They make a big showing in my collection. Your little family sounds so cozy there around you, the working daughter not very far away…”. 3) TLS. 1pg. 5 ½” 3 ¼”. March 12, 1941. New York. A typed letter signed “Bessie Beatty”: “It was a very slight scowl but even so I knew I wasn’t your disposition but the very bright sun!...I wonder if you still have the snow that blocked our streets for a few days…”. 4)… Read More

GORDON LEE “TEX” BENEKE (1914-2000). Beneke was an American saxophonist, singer, and bandleader best known for his work with Glenn Miller. PS. 4” x 6”. N.d. N.p. A photograph signed “Sincerely Tex Beneke”. The photograph is a black-and-white image of Beneke holding his tenor saxophone and smiling while he looks slightly off to the right. The photograph is printed on cardstock and in excellent condition.

HENRY BERGH. Bergh was Lincoln’s Minister to Russia. When he saw a master beating a horse in St. Petersburg, he resolved to protect animals. When he returned to America, he founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in 1866. ALS. 3pg. 6 ¼” x 8”. December 13, 1869. New York. A lengthy autograph letter signed “Henry Bergh” on stationery with the ASPCA logo atop it. He wrote to Mr. Bedford: “I feel that it is due to myself to say to you, that the case which you so kindly took charge of for the Society; but which terminated, I am sorry to add, adversely for the race of dumb creatures, we strove to protect today, was not brought into the Court of General Sessions through any act or desire of my own. On the contrary, I caused it to be taken to the Special Sessions, but Mr. Spencer discovered a trifling error in the spelling of the defendants name, moved for a dismissal, which was granted, and on making a new complaint for reasons best known to himself, advised… Read More

LOUIS-HECTOR BERLIOZ (1803-1869). Berlioz was a French composer and conductor of the Romantic movement. ALS. 1pg. N.d. N.p. An autograph letter signed “H Berlioz”. Berlioz wrote a brief missive in French, asking the recipient to pass along a letter. “My dear Garcia Here is a letter addressed to…and that was addressed to me by accident. Will you be good enough to return it to his landlord whose address I don’t know. All to you H Berlioz”. It is matted and framed with a color engraving of Berlioz. In fine condition.

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (1856-1950). Shaw was an influential Irish playwright and social critic, best known for Pygmalion. He was the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature. ANS. 1pg. June 6, 1940. 4 Whitehall Court, London. A brief note signed “GBS”. On a note card printed “With Bernard Shaw’s compliments”, he wrote: “I am afraid this will take 20 minutes. But I have not experimented with it.”. The context of this cryptic comment is unknown. The note is handsomely matter and framed with a photograph of Shaw. It is in fine condition.

ALS. An autograph letter signed "Walter Besant" on "Incorporated Society of Authors" letterhead: "Will you kindly pay the enclosed for me? It looks better coming from you." There is a light tape stain to the upper left margin, and light soiling, but it is in fine condition overall with dark writing. The Sanders Price Guide to Autographs lists Besant's ALsS at $190.

CLEMENT BIDDLE (1740-1814). Biddle was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was a notary by trade and a Marshal after the war. DS. 1pg. September 11, 1793. Philadelphia. A partly-printed document signed “Clement Biddle Not Pub”. The letter of protest concerns the nonpayment of a note. Biddle transcribed the letter in his work as a notary. “On the Eleventh Day of September Anno Domini 1793 at the Request of The Bank of the United States I Clement Biddle, Notary and Tabellion Public for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, duly commissioned and qualified, dwelling in Philadelphia went with the Original Note whereof the foregoing is a true Copy to the Bank of the United States when the same was payable and demanding Payment receiv’d for answer from John Kean Esquire, Cashier, that there was not money of the said Drawers in Bank for the Payment of said note, whereupon I notified the Endorsers of the nonpayment of the same. Whereupon I the said Notary, at the Request… Read More

DR. GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL (1849-1938). Grinnell was an American naturalist, anthropologist, and author best known for his studies of Native American cultures of the Plains. He was also a Western historian. Archive. Approximately 66 pieces. 1903-1930 (majority 1910s and 1920s). An archive of letters to and from George Bird Grinnell, all relating to his studies of Plains Native Americans. Many of the letters comes from veterans of the Seventh Cavalry and describe Custer’s defeat at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Eyewitnesses include William O. Taylor (5 letters), E. S. Godfrey (11 letters), and Colonel Homer W. Wheeler (3 letters). According to Wheeler: “…In yours of the 15th instant you say, ‘I cannot understand why General Custer’s command did not cross the river at the ford and charge through the Indian Village’. At the time the fight occurred there was not any particular ford and if there was one at all the Indians were the only men who knew anything about it…I was on the battleground… Read More

PS. Lady Bird Johnson was First Lady, wife of Lyndon Johnson. PS. 11" x 14". No date [circa 1981]. No place. An oversized black and white photograph signed "For Catharine La Croix with all good wishes Lady Bird Johnson". The pose shows her sitting in a chair. It is accompanied by a 1981 letter from the LBJ Library. It is in extremely fine condition

WILMON W. BLACKMAR (1841-1905). Blackmar was a Civil War hero and Medal of Honor recipient from Massachusetts. TLS. 1pg. March 30, 1905. Boston, Massachusetts. A typed letter signed “Wilmon W. Blackmar” as Commander-in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic. On the official letterhead of that military fraternity, with depicts its official medal, Blackmar wrote to Colonel E. A. Chaffee in Las Cruces, New Mexico, making plans to meet him during on upcoming trip to Albuquerque: “My dear Comrade:- Your very welcome letter of march 19th is received. My present plan, which cannot now be changed, is to leave Dallas, Texas at 7.50 A. M. May 4th, arriving in El Paso the morning of the 5th, spending the day there, that my little party can look around the place and perhaps go over into Mexico, and take the 9.25 P. M. train for Albuquerque, reaching there the morning of the 6th. I have written the various parties interested that I shall take this train. I do not wish to cause you any trouble, but of… Read More

JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD (1753-1823). Bloomfield was a New Jersey lawyer and Revolutionary War soldier. He was Governor of New Jersey from 1801 to 1812. During the War of 1812 he was commissioned as a brigadier general and served until 1815. RICHARD HOWELL (1754-1802). Howell was the third Governor of New Jersey, serving from 1794 to 1801. ISAAC SMITH (1740-1807). Smith was a New Jersey Supreme Court Justice from 1777 to 1804. DS. 1pg. November 1789. A legal document signed “Isaac Smith”, “Richard Howell”, and “Joseph Bloomfield” by three New Jersey politicians. Smith signed as an associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; Howell and Bloomfield would later become Governors of New Jersey. The document concerns a real estate issue decided by the New Jersey Supreme Court. The document is written on vellum that has wrinkled along the left side. Some of the writing is affected.