Items signed by many famous names in human history will be auctioned May 15th by University Archives

WILTON, Conn. - May 1, 2024 - PRLog -- An 1864 autograph endorsement signed by President Abraham Lincoln celebrating hard work; a 1981 speech draft extensively annotated by President Ronald Reagan relating to Reaganomics; and a Type 3 Apollo XI insurance cover boldly signed by all three crew members of the first moon-walking NASA mission postmarked July 16, 1969 are just a few of the expected top lots in University Archives' online-only auction slated for Wednesday, May 15.

The Rare Signed Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Memorabilia auction will start at 10:30 am Eastern time. All 433 lots in the catalog are up for viewing and bidding now – on the University Archives website – www.UniversityArchives.com – as well as the platforms Invaluable.com, Auctionzip.com and LiveAuctioneers.com. Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted.

"Our May auction contains over 430 lots of unique and outstanding historical items, including many from U.S. Presidents and First Ladies – from James Madison to Joe Biden and Frances Cleveland to Laura Bush," said John Reznikoff, the president and owner of University Archives.

Lot 81 is the autograph endorsement signed by Abraham Lincoln dated August 15, 1864, in part: "I am always for the man who wishes to work." The endorsement is believed to be associated with a now-missing recommendation letter addressed to military authorities at a Washington, D.C. cavalry depot. Since many horse-wranglers at Giesboro Point were freedmen, it's possible the unknown jobseeker was a freed slave (est. $18,000-$24,000).

Lot 112 is the 10-page, partly typed speech draft extensively annotated by Ronald Reagan, with over 450 words in his hand, plus edits, cross-outs and arrows. Many of Reagan's handwritten additions went directly into the final draft of his "Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the Program for Economic Recovery," presented on April 28, 1981, in which Reagan outlined his ambitious plans to reduce taxes as part of Reaganomics (est. $12,000-$15,000).

Lot 180 is the Type 3 Apollo XI insurance cover signed by all three crew members of the first moon-walking NASA mission: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, postmarked July 16, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center. It was the first time NASA introduced signed insurance covers to protect astronauts' families against death or injury (est. $9,000-$12,000).

To learn more, visit www.universityarchives.com.