Items signed by John Hancock, MLK Jr., Babe Ruth, Charles Dickens, others are in University Archives' October 21 auction

The auction has outstanding historical material in many collecting categories, from autographs, documents, and archives, to books, photos, artwork, and relics.

WILTON, CT, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A John Hancock signed document dated January 1, 1776; a Martin Luther King, Jr. typed letter signed and dated January 16, 1964; a Babe Ruth signed newspaper clipping; and a Charles Dickens signed cabinet card portrait photograph from 1868 are just a few of the highlight items in University Archives’ online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Photographs auction slated for Wednesday, October 21st, beginning at 10am Eastern Time.

The auction is filled with rare and highly collectible items in a variety of popular categories. The catalog in its entirety – 448 lots – is up for viewing and bidding now on the University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as the popular platforms Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

“The October auction provides even the most discriminating collector with an unparalleled opportunity to enlarge and deepen existing collections,” said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives. He added, “The catalog contains the second installment – more than sixty lots - from The Douglas Wertman Collection, majority political items personally collected and curated by the longtime Secretary of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club.”

The John Hancock signed document, dated New Year’s Day, 1776, promotes a New Hampshire minuteman, William Scott, to the rank of Captain in the 16th Regiment of Foot. Scott had been wounded during the Battle of Bunker Hill, refusing to desert his command even though he was seriously injured. He later escaped a Canadian prison and avoided British capture at Fort Washington. Estimate: $12,000-$15,000

The Martin Luther King, Jr. typed letter signed, dated January 16, 1964, thanks a California professor for congratulating him on having been named as TIME magazine’s “Man of the Year” for 1963 in a seven-page spread. As the first black man to receive the honor, King interpreted the award as a step in the right direction for the Civil Rights Movement. Estimate: $5,000-$6,000

The Babe Ruth signed newspaper clipping is headlined “Babe Takes a New Grip After Signing.” It’s PSA/DNA slabbed and certified authentic. The photo caption was probably an illusion to the Sultan of Swat’s ambidexterity: the southpaw wrote with his right hand. Another lot from the same autograph collection is a Lou Gehrig signed card, PSA/DNA slabbed and graded MINT 9.

The Charles Dickens signed cabinet card portrait photograph was autographed on April 20, 1868, the very last day of Dickens’s 1867-1868 American Reading Tour. On this date at New York City’s Steinway Hall, Dickens read selections from “A Christmas Carol” and Pickwick Papers, promising his American audience he would cherish their memory. Estimate: $15,000-$18,000

Lot #1 in the sale is a John Adams signed presentation copy of Jonathan Mayhew's A Discourse, Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers; with Some Reflections on the Resistance Made to King Charles I (Boston: Re-Printed by Hall & Goss, 1818.) This sermon originally published in 1750 affirmed and legitimized the concept of political resistance against tyranny, as guided by Romans 13:1-7, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.” Estimate: $20,000-$30,000

An Abraham Lincoln one-page autograph letter, PSA/DNA slabbed and graded PSA Mint 9, is signed and addressed to Pennsylvania Gov. Andrew G. Curtain, dated July 25, 1864. Lincoln asks Curtain to forward a thank-you note to a well-wisher who had presented Lincoln with a cane made from wood salvaged from the wreck of the Confederate ironclad vessel the U.S.S. Virginia, which fought in the naval Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862. Estimate: $20,000-$30,000

A George Washington signed three language partial ship’s passport dated February 4, 1796, counter-signed by Secretary of State Edmund Randolph, contains safe conduct papers - in English, French, and Dutch - safeguarding Henry Tredick’s brig Drake on its passage from Portsmouth, N.H. to the British West Indies, most likely Martinique. Estimate: $18,000-$25,000

The capstone item of an archive related to Harry Truman is a Truman-signed Citation for a Medal of Merit which refers to the “Manhattan District Project in development of the atomic bomb.” The award was posthumously bestowed upon Charles M. May, Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of the War Manpower Commission, 1943-1945. Estimate: $15,000-$25,000

A Thomas Jefferson signed document, dated November 8, 1791, approves a Congressional act granting an extension to the state of South Carolina so that it could complete the U.S. Census of 1790. The census enabled the activation of the 1787 Three-Fifths Compromise - which counted non-whites as 3/5 of a white person. Included is a PSA/DNA LOA. Estimate: $12,000-$15,000

An Edgar Allan Poe carte de visite after Mathew Brady, as published by Edward Anthony in New York, not dated but probably from the early 1860s, is known as the “Ultima Thule” portrait. The original photograph of Poe was taken by Edwin H. Manchester in Providence, Rhode Island, just four days after the poet’s attempted suicide in November 1848. Another lot in the sale is a rare Nathaniel Hawthorne signed carte de visite.

A remarkable 21st-century artifact is an entrance ticket to the World Trade Center’s “Top of the World” Observatories, located on the 107th Floor of the South Tower in New York, date- and time-stamped September 10, 2001 at 12:16 pm. Less than 24 hours later both of the Twin Towers had collapsed after being struck by two hijacked passenger airliners. Estimate: $8,000-$10,000

A circa-1956 Marilyn Monroe autograph manuscript consisting of a statement of 130+ words describes her impressions as an “observer student” permitted to audit Lee Strasberg’s acting classes at the Actors Studio. Monroe’s manuscript shows contemporaneous edits and is accompanied by a typed transcription by her publicist Pat Newcomb. Estimate: $8,000-$10,000
Here is a link to the catalog on the University Archives website: https://www.universityarchives.com/auction-catalog/rare-autographs-manuscripts-books-photographs_6G2EXM32T1
University Archives has become world-renowned as a go-to source for rare items of this kind. It is actively seeking quality material for future auctions, presenting a rare opportunity for sellers. Anyone who has a single item or a collection that may be a fit for a future University Archives auction may call John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111; or email him at john@universityarchives.com.

University Archives was founded in 1979, as a division of University Stamp Company, by John Reznikoff, who started collecting stamps and coins in 1968, while in the third grade. Industry-wide, Reznikoff is considered the leading authenticity expert for manuscripts and documents. He consults with law enforcement, dealers, auction houses and both major authentication companies.

University Archives is located at 88 Danbury Road (Suite #2A) in Wilton, Conn. To learn more about University Archives and the online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Photographs auction scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, visit www.UniversityArchives.com.

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John Reznikoff
University Archives
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