Auction amazement: British man to sell off collection of autographs from all 46 US presidents

Rare collection of American presidents' autographs expected to fetch $50K at auction

A private collector in the U.K. is auctioning off what is said to be an impressive collection of autographs from all 46 U.S. presidents.

The rare collection is expected to fetch around $50,000 at auction, which will take place at Dominic Winter Auctioneers in Cirencester in Gloucestershire, England, on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24.

The set includes signatures from every single commander-in-chief — from George Washington to Joe Biden, according to a press release.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, NOV. 21, 1864, ABRAHAM LINCOLN ‘PENS’ LETTER TO MRS. BIXBY

The autographs are scribbled on various items.

The array of items include official documents, military appointments, photographs, portraits, financial records and White House cards, the press release noted.

The bold, dark-ink signature of George Washington (1732-1799) on a clipped Mountain Road Lottery ticket, with printed design and the date, 1768, 2 x 1.5 cm, neatly laid down with a thin border of discoloration to extremities, only very slightly touching Washington’s signature. (SWNS)

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), 3rd president of the U.S., signed a free-franked address panel on April 22, 1826, addressed in another hand to "Messrs Cummings Hillian & Co." and franked in the upper left, "Free Th: Jefferson." (SWNS)

"It's very uncommon for a complete set of U.S. presidents' autographs to be offered for sale, and we expect it will attract prospective bidders worldwide," a spokesperson said in a statement.  

"Collecting a full set of U.S. presidential autographs is one of the great ambitions for many autograph collectors."

Document signed "Abraham Lincoln," Washington, March 1, 1864 — a pre-printed military appointment with manuscript insertions, appointing Gilbert L. Parker to assistant quartermaster of volunteers, with the rank of captain. (SWNS)

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919), 26th president of the U.S., signed this partly printed document as president on March, 21, 1902, for a commission for Edward T. Hoopes as assistant paymaster in the Navy. (SWNS)

The items were all purchased from "bona fide sources," according to the spokesperson.

Certificates of authenticity are provided with "nearly every autograph."

The collection includes George Washington’s signature on a lottery ticket, Abraham Lincoln’s signature on a military appointment — and John F. Kennedy’s autograph on a portrait.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, NOV. 22, 1963, JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH PRESIDENT, IS ASSASSINATED

Signatures from other presidents, such as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, are included on photographs in the collection.

Photograph signed "John F. Kennedy" (1960), a vintage half-length gelatin silver print portrait of Kennedy at his desk by Alfred Eisenstaedt, taken after JFK was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate in August 1960. Sized 24 x 19 cm, on original mount with signed inscription in fountain pen ink, "For Ambassador Armin Meyer, With esteem and warm regards, John F. Kennedy," 36 x 28 cm, in fine condition. (SWNS)

James Monroe (1758-1831), 5th president of the United States, signed a partly printed document on June 26, 1820, granting 160 acres of land in Ohio to William Crooks. (SNWS)

President Joe Biden’s autograph was collected on a 2020 presidential campaign sign, the press release noted.

The collection forms part of Dominic Winter's auction of "Photographs, Autographs and Historical Documents, British Royalty & World Leaders," on Nov. 24, 2022.

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The auction brochure states, in part: ''US Presidents Collection. A comprehensive collection of the autographs of all 46 presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden …comprising 17 Documents Signed, 1 Typed Letter Signed and 1 Autograph Note Signed, 12 Signed Photographs and 1 signed engraved portrait, 14 signatures including six signed free fronts and four signed White House cards, plus an additional 9 autograph items for Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, George Bush, George W. Bush and Joe Biden (Quantity: 55)."

The brochure continues, ''Provenance: a private British collector — all autographs guaranteed genuine.''

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Founded in 1988 by Dominic Winter (1953-2014) and based in the Cotswold Water Park in Gloucestershire, the U.K., Dominic Winter Auctioneers is an independent specialist auction house. 

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