SOLD
10,000.00USD+ (1,750.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2011 Nov 30 @ 12:41UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
Did you win this lot?
A full invoice should be emailed to the winner by the auctioneer within a day or two.
Bidding is available now!
A lot of 3, including 2 letters by Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, and a photo that he sent to his friend William C. McRae in Philadelphia, 1865. Morse arguably one of the most important scientists and inventors of the 19th Century, is responsible for the telegraph, the device that changed the world by opening the door to mass communication.
The photo of the great inventor was taken by the photographer of Presidents and the Civil War, Mathew Brady, who was introduced to the Daguerreotype process by Morse, a longtime friend.
McRae, also a friend of Morse, invented the Railroad Safety Telegraph which at that time was being used on the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, among others.
Morse had been awarded several important international medals and this photo shows off those awards. In one of the letters he calls it the “family photograph” but said that he has since been awarded more medals in Europe and will have a new photograph taken by Brady with all the medals, which he did a year later.
The two letters and one cover here, all written by Morse in his hand, are dated Jan 23, 1865 and Feb. 2 1865, datelined New York. The first letter discusses sending the photograph which is in this lot, and the fact that he had since received another award from the King of Italy “which of course does not appear in the portrait.” “Viewing it as a specimen of photographic art, I have not seen a better one.” He further comments that his fan club is large “my telegraph children have multiplied to such an immense family that I should need the memory of a Brigham Young to count the individuals of so numerous a progeny, and yet I feel paternally for each and all.” (2pp)
The second latter dated Feb 2, 1865 discusses the laying of the Atlantic cable by the British, and their jealousy that only Brits be on board when it is laid. McRae was clearly looking to tag along on the ship, but Morse doubted he would be allowed. (1pp)
The photograph is signed and measures 10 x 14”. It shows Morse with 6 medals. It is framed in a period black wood frame, though the photo itself was oval, begging for an oval frame originally. Slightly faded, as might be expected. This photograph just predates a more famous photo of Morse with all of his medals, with this one not showing the Italian medal.
This is a rare instance where a small original archive has been retained. The signed photograph is a true rarity. We were unable to find a comparable sale.
Auction Location:
Atlantis Casino Resort 3800 S. Virginia St., Reno, Nevada, 89502, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview is available at our Reno office located at 3555 Airway Drive Suite #308 by appointment only, anytime. Call 775-852-8822 to schedule a preview. Space is limited. Preview is open to
the public on 10/28/2010 from 12:00pm to 6:00pm at the Atlantis Casino Resort located at 3800 South
Virginia Street in Reno, Nevada.
Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to Nevada or California or are picked
up at our Reno, Nevada location, unless a current, valid re-sale certificate is provided at the time of
purchase.
Taxes:
| Tax | Rate | Desc. |
| NST |
7.725% |
Nevada Sales Tax: |
| CST |
9% |
California Sales Tax: |
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
17.5% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
Shipping will be calculated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. A $5
handling fee will be included in the shipping charge. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges.
We do not ship any purchases until the auction invoice is paid in full. Purchases will be shipped via
our approved, insured carriers, Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal
Express will be insured for the full value determined at auction by Holabird-Kagin Americana at no
extra cost to the buyer. Federal Express shipments will be sent the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday
following receipt of payment. Pick up is available from our Reno Office the next business day after
the auction. NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension or weight) may require special
handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice.
Payment Details:
A 3% discount is applied to all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal.
(PayPal/Credit Card Purchases - 20.5% Buyers Premium)
Accepted Payment Methods:
- VISA
- Master Card
- Money Order/Bank Draft
- Check/Cheque
- PayPal
- See Payment Details
- Wire Transfer
1. This is a Live Auction.
2. Live (Floor) Bidding: Please arrive a few minutes early to check in and receive your bidding paddle. We will open lots with more than one bid at the current high absentee bid or 50% of the low estimate at the auctioneer’s discretion. Please be sure to bid on the correct lots during the live auction. Our auction progress is at a rate of between 100 and 200 lots per hour. When the auctioneer says “sold”, he will identify the successful bidder by number and announce the winning bid amount. If you are not sure whether you won the lot or not, it is your responsibility to ask for clarification immediately. Tie bids are awarded to the first absentee bid placed if not advanced on the floor, or by a phone bidder, whoever is first. Auctioneer reserves the right to reopen the lot in the case of an immediate dispute at the actual time of the sale.
3. Telephone Bidding: Telephone bidding requests MUST be scheduled prior to this auction. If you do not schedule in advance, and choose instead to call on the day of the auction to request a line for bidding, you may find that we are unable to accommodate your request. Please limit your telephone bids to items of value greater than $500, or a string of items with a similar total.
4. Agent Bidding: There are numerous professional agents available to assist you should you require this service. Please contact the office for a list or to arrange for representation on the floor during the live auction.
5. Live Auction Absentee Bidding: Absentee bids for the live auction will be accepted until two hours prior to the start of the live auction. After that time only bids from one of the specified auction networks will be accepted. You must register to bid PRIOR to the live auction if you wish to bid live. Registration will be accepted up until the start time of the live auction. You can register in person the day of the event, over the phone, by email, or on any of our online auction sites. It is your responsibility to place and verify receipt of all absentee bids for the live auction by the specified deadline. We are not responsible for honoring absentee bids not received or placed late. You may bid on items in the sale by mail, email, phone, fax or via the internet. It is your responsibility to submit all lot numbers and bid amounts accurately. Absentee bids should be equal to at least 50% of the low estimate if an estimate is provided. At the auctioneer's discretion, some lots may start at some minimal amount during the live sale. It is your responsibility to call us to make sure that we received your bids. Bids on "No Lots" or "Withdrawn" Lots are considered no bids
6. Internet Bidding: Absentee and Live internet bidding are both available through our live auction network. If you wish to bid LIVE via the internet, you MUST pre-register. Online bidding remains open through the live auction and absentee bids may be placed anytime. Live bidding will open when the auction starts. Internet bidding is offered as a convenience for those who cannot attend the live sale. Please note that there may be delays or interruptions in internet connectivity that are beyond our control. Attending the live auction or arranging for an agent is the most reliable way to secure your bids.
WARNING: Auction participation through the live internet bidding site is not 100% foolproof. The technology for this process is still under review and development, and the operation of it, and the corresponding internet connectivity issues are far beyond our control. Some folks have attempted to use the live internet bidding process as their primary method of bidding, and have been quite successful. Others have failed completely. Depending upon your computer, server, host and other factors, internet signals may be delayed, such that bids may not be received in time. We cannot be held responsible for these delays, or for the lack of placed bids in a timely manner, or any other factors leading to unaccepted bids that are far beyond our control. Bidders should always have a backup plan for lots they highly desire. Live participation is best, followed by phone participation. We will not reopen lots for missed bids.
7. Reserves: Most of the lots in this auction are unreserved. Gold is generally reserved at or near spot, though it could be slightly below spot.
8. Bidding Increments: All bids must be submitted in U.S. dollars and in whole dollar amounts only in the appropriate increments as outlined below. IF you choose to submit bids in an increment not listed below, your bid will be rounded to the nearest increment and you will be expected to pay the amount to which the bid was rounded should your bid be the winning bid. If you have any questions about an appropriate bid amount, please call us.
From: To: Increment:
$0 $29 $1
$30 $95 $5
$100 $190 $10
$200 $475 $25
$500 $1,450 $50
$1,500 $3,400 $100
$3,500 $9,750 $250
$10,000 $max $500
9. Bid Reduction: All winning absentee bids will be reduced, if necessary, to the next bidding increment up from the last competing bid, as long as the minimum bid requirement has been met. For example, if you submit an absentee bid of $1000 and the next highest competing bid is $250, then you will win the lot for $275.
10. Bid Information: Collectors often ask in advance the price level of a particular lot. We will give out the current high absentee bid until we close the day before the live auction. You may also view absentee bids online at www.holabirdamericana.com.
11. Bid Cancellation: If you wish to cancel or change a bid after you have submitted your bids to us due to an error, you MUST PHONE us to advise us of this. Bid cancellations through mail, email or fax are not advisable. Errors are easy to make and we are happy to assist all callers.
12. All stock certificates, checks, warrants and other financial documents sold herein are sold as antiquities, and have no financial, securities, or public trading value whatsoever.
13. We reserve the right to reject any bid we feel is not made in good faith.
14. The placing of a bid shall constitute the bidders acceptance of these terms of sale.
15. Buyers Premium: There will be a 17.5% Buyer’s Premium added to each lot. This premium includes a 3% discount for transactions paid with cash, checks, money orders or wire transfers. All other forms of payment are not subject to the 3% discount and the Buyers’ Premium will be calculated at 20.5%.
18. Sales Tax: Sales tax will apply, according to state law, for any items that ship to Nevada (7.725%) or California (9.0%) unless a current, valid re-sale certificate is faxed to us at 775-852-8866 before bids are placed.
19. Invoicing: Shipping charges will be added to all invoices. Invoices are mailed or emailed within two business days after the close of all portions of the sale. Payment is due in full within 15 days of receipt of invoice to Holabird-Kagin Americana, 3555 Airway Dr., #308, Reno, NV 89511. We accept cash, personal checks, money orders, wire transfers, etc. All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Cash received in amounts greater than $10,000 is subject to the filing of IRS 8300 forms, as required by law. Sales tax will be added to all sales picked-up after the auction or shipped to California or Nevada addresses, according to state law, unless a resale certificate is provided.
20. Payment: We accept Visa, Master Card, Money Order/Cashiers Check, Person Check, PayPal: HKAEbayRep@yahoo.com. A 3% discount is applied to the Buyer’s Premium on all sales. That discount will be reversed if payment is made with a credit card or through PayPal.
21. Shipping: Shipping will be calculated prior to invoicing, based on the size and weight of your purchase. A $5 handling fee will be included in the shipping charge. The customer is responsible for all shipping charges. We do not ship any purchases until the auction invoice is paid in full. Purchases will be shipped via our approved, insured carriers, Federal Express or the US Postal Service. All items shipped Federal Express will be insured for the full value determined at auction by Holabird-Kagin Americana at no extra cost to the buyer. Federal Express shipments will be sent the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday following receipt of payment. Pick up is available from our Reno Office the next business day after the auction. NOTE: Some shipments (of unusual size, dimension or weight) may require special handling for which individual costs will be calculated and applied to the shipping charge on the invoice.
22. Return Policy: All items are guaranteed to be authentic. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. You may return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within one week of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. We have attempted to describe the items and their condition accurately. If no condition is given, assume average. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. NGC certified tokens that are returned must be original, unaltered NGC holders. Any tokens removed from the original NGC/NCS certification holders or items returned in an altered condition are deemed not returnable under any circumstances. When we receive your bids we will assume you have read the description in the catalog, viewed the image of the item, have contacted us regarding any questions you may have on any lot and/or have previewed the lot in person. Therefore, returns are only accepted if prior approval is given by Holabird-Kagin Americana.
23. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada and California.
24. Kagin’s, Inc. nor its subsidiary auction company Holabird-Kagin Americana shall not be held responsible for any problem due to the bidders failure to follow the rules, terms and conditions of this sale, or any failure to bid due to the loss of the online auction process provided by any of the online auction networks; or missed bids, changed bids or cancelled due the bidders failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.