ephemera

Haverstraw Orange County New York 18th Century Deed

A very old deed, dated June 11, 1743, is being auctioned on eBay. The deed is an exchange of a parcel of land on the Kings Highway, Haverstraw, Orange County, New York. According to the listing, the people involved in the transaction are named Remson (an old Dutch name).

The seller says, "After immigrating to Brooklyn in the 1650s, they moved and settled in Orange County and remained there for generations. This appears to be an exchange from Josias Remson to either his wife or his daughter. It is written in beautiful hand script with lots of flourishes. There are two red wax seals at the bottom [of the document]."

Bob Palmer Political Cartoonist Artwork

An original Bob Palmer cartoon is being offered on eBay. According to the detailed listing, Bob Palmer's editorial cartoons poked fun at everyone from Presidents Nixon and Reagan to local politicos such as Mel Hancock and Jean Dixon. Little known fact about Palmer: He also helped the later, great Will Eisner out on the Spirit. Robert Palmer began his career drawing cartoons in 1945, when he worked in New York as a ghost artist on the comic strip "The Spirit." Shortly thereafter, he also drew political cartoons for the New York Daily News. In 1953, he came to Springfield, Missouri, to draw political cartoons for the Springfield News-Leader, where he continued until his retirement in 1991. He won several awards for his work, and his cartoons were often reprinted in larger publications, such as in the New York Times. Mr. Palmer passed away in 1999. This particular Artwork is titled, "A candid peek at the victors in council race," signed and dated 1963.

Washington Hebrew Congregation 19th c. Ketubah

This Jewish marriage contract, called a ketubah, was issued in 1866 at the Washington Hebrew Congregation, Washington, D. C. , according to the eBay listing. The seller says that the ketubah is "an extremely rare and historical antique American marriage certificate."

It is completely handwritten and states:

This is to certify that Mr. Leopold Simon a Native of Langen (Hesse, Darmstadt) was duly married to Miss Hanchen Boettigheimer a Native of Eichelsheim (Baden) by Jacob S. Jacobsen, Hazan of the Washington Hebrew Congregation at Washington D. C. on Sunday (Heshvan 19th, 5627) corresponding with October 28th 1866, as per Record Page II. No.II. Witnesses (signatures unclear, probably M. Oppenheim & J. H. Henlim) - Washington DC, Octobr 28. 1866 (right bottom signature) Jacob S. Jacobson - Hazan & Registrar.

Below is a short biography of Rabbi Jacob Samuel Jacobson from "The Jews of Illinois", published in 1901:

Rev. Jacobson was born in Rendsberg, Schleswig-Holstein, October 4, 1840. His parents were Samuel and Caroline Jacobson, natives of Schleswig-Holstein. . He received his education abroad, and was a teacher at Flensburg 1862-1863, coming to America in 1865. In 1866 he was elected Rabbi of the Washington Hebrew Congregation at Washington, D. C., where he remained until 1870. From 1870-1872 he was Rabbi of B'nai Jeshurum Congregation of Paterson, N. J., and from 1873-1881 of B'rith Scholem Congregation of Easton, Pa. He was Rabbi of Congregation G'miluth Hesed of Atlanta, Ga., from 1881-1888, and of Congregation B'nai Israel of Natchez, Miss., from 1888-1896. He has recently been elected Rabbi of Zion Temple, Ogden Ave. and Washington Boulevard. Rev. Jacobson married Miss Rosa Hannah Ulman and has six children living.

Charles Bukowski Signed Letter

An enterprising eBay seller is offering a letter and envelope from cult-hero Charles Bukowski to Carl Weissner. Both the letter and envelope are hand-written by Bukowski, who signed the letter "Hank". 

The letter is not dated but the envelope is postmarked September 1987.

As loyal readers will recall, Bukowski is my favorite poet. I've written several Buk-related posts, including the following:

• Bukowski ephemera collector interview
• Sunless Sea Poet Compared to Buk

Gay Historical Ephemera Collection - Harvey Milk

An important collection of well over 1,000 vintage gay/homosexual historical memorabilia, ephemera, photos and other pieces is being sold on eBay.

According to the seller, These are the estate papers of Gay Rights Activist Don Amador via his sister in Troy, NY, who acquired them after his death. "This wonderful old collection includes pieces from the 70's and early 80s...all from the personal collection of Don Amador...almost all are related to the Gay community...[the collection] is of monumental importance to the Gay community, especially in California...[it] would be a wonderful addition to any collection or institution."

Further, the seller adds, Don Amador was a figure in the California and worldwide Gay Rights Movement. He was to Los Angeles what Harvey Milk was to San Francisco, and the two men were colleagues on several projects and friends. Don is actually portrayed in the Sean Penn "Milk" movie by Real Life Gay Rights activist, Cleve Jones. Amador was a Sociology Professor at Los Angeles City College and California State University where he taught a class on Gay History. In addition, he was an appointed member of L.A. Mayor Tom Bradley's staff, the Liaison to the Gay Community, and he was even featured in People magazine on more than one occasion for his work in creating a Gay History, Gay Education, and for his 10+ year relationship with his "husband" Tony Karnes. Amador passed away in the 80's from an AIDS related illness.

 

Edgar Allan Poe Club Charter 1930

Being offered on eBay is a charter record of the First General Meeting of Edgar Allan Poe Club in 1930. According to the listing, this meeting was held at the Poe House in Philadelphia on September 26. 

The seller says, "In 1977, I bought the contents of the Poe House from Mrs. Frayne the long-time curator of the house. The fabulous collection of Poe Memorabilia was given to the Philadelphia Public Library in 1970, and the rest of the contents were willed to Mrs. Frayne. Mr. Richard Gimbel bought the rundown Poe House in 1928, to restore it and make a monument to Poe. He decided to contact the most illustrious literary figures in Philadelphia and proposed the formation of the Edgar Allan Poe Club.They agreed to meet at the House in 1930 and become Charter Members of the Club.  They each signed this document: 16 of them, plus the signatures of Mr. Gimbel and his wife. Two of my favorites are on here: Agnes Repplier the wonderful short story writer and Ellis Paxson Oberholtzer, one of the first historians to concentrate on the history of the PA   German culture. This charter was never on display in the House, but hung proudly on the wall of Mr. Gimbel's office."

Madison and Monroe’s Schooner Cruise

I imagine it was a blustery day on January 9, 1812, when James Madison and James Monroe set sail out of Massachusetts on the schooner Polly of Marblehead, captained by Daniel Thomas. The document being offered by an eBay seller doesn't describe the weather conditions, but the Mediterranean ship's paper is signed by the President and Secretary of State.

According to the seller, the vellum document has a scalloped top, an intact sunburst paper seal, folds, and dark writing.

As all will likely recall from High School history class, James Madison (1751-1836) was the 4^th President of the U.S. and the "Father of the Constitution." James Monroe (1758-1831) was the 5^th President.

Three Stooges Shemp Howard Paycheck Columbia Pictures

Filling the shoes of Curly had to be a thankless job for Shemp, but he helped The Three Stooges continue doing their fine work. And he did it for about $500 bucks a week as you can plainly see in his Columbia Pictures paystub from 5/31/47, which is being offered on eBay.

The paystub's seller provides a little back-story, "Shemp was in the Stooges from the beginning and then went on to make movies with Abbot & Costello, WC Fields, John Wayne, and many more, but returned to the Stooges after Curly Howard died from a stroke. Shemp continued with the Stooges until his death in 1955. He made more than 250 movies and was quite the family man."

I was a regular Stooges viewer throughout my youth, and I continue to think of them as one of the pillars of 20th century comedy. Shemp deserved every penny!

John Keats Gravestone Rubbing

"Twelve summers ago as an art history student in Rome Italy," says the eBay seller offering a graphite rubbing of Keat's gravestone, "I used the Protestant cemetery as a quite respite from the hectic city. I was enchanted by the text which read: 'This Grave contains all that was Mortal of a Young English Poet, Who on his Death Bed in the Bitterness of his Heart at the Malicious Power of his Enemies, Desired these Words to be engraven on his Tomb Stone - Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water - Feb 24 1821.'"

According to Wikipedia, during his very short life, Keat's work received constant critical attacks from periodicals of the day, but his posthumous influence on poets such as Alfred Tennyson and Wilfred Owen would be immense. The poetry of Keats was characterised by elaborate word choice and sensual imagery, notably in a series of odes that were his masterpieces, and which remain among the most popular poems in English literature. The letters of Keats, which expound on his aesthetic theory of "negative capability", are among the most celebrated by any writer.

Here's a snippet of Keat's poetry:

Sign of the enchanter's death;
Bane of every wicked spell;
Silencer of dragon's yell.
Alas! thou this wilt never do:
Thou art an enchantress too,
And wilt surely never spill
Blood of those whose eyes can kill.

Two Doctors Correspond for 50 years

This box of letters sent between two doctors over the course of 50 years is being offered by a seller on eBay. The letters were sent between a doctor in Toronto and a doctor in Sandborn, NY. The letters were written, according to the seller, from 1900 to 1950.

Perhaps these correspondences, depending on what they contain, would make for a fascinating book.