AFRICAN-AMERICAN PENTECOSTALS asked for FORGIVENESS by WHITES

Two rare pieces of ephemera related to the MEMPHIS MIRACLE, a conference where the WHITE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH asked AFRICAN-AMERICANS for Forgiveness, and set a path towards interacial reconciliation.

(1) PENTECOSTAL PARTNERS - A Reconciliation Strategy for 21st Century Ministry. Memphis, Tennessee, October 17-19, 1994.

A two-fold, six-panel (three on front, three on rear), 8.5x11 inch, announcement for the conference.

From the announcement: "October 17-19, 1994, will be 'red letter' days in the history of the Pentecostal Movement in America...The primary focus will be reconciliation of the African-American and Euro-American branches of the Movement...There is powerful evidence that God is answering the prayer of His Son, Jesus Christ, that His people may be one. A reconciliation dialogue will be open to the 200 participating leaders and pastors from both branches of the Movement and 1000 invited observers."

The conference of the ALL WHITE Pentecostal and Charismatic Church leaders and the ALL BLACK Pentecostal and Charismatic Church leaders went well. Some of the feet of Black church leaders were washed by White church leaders. The ALL WHITE and ALL BLACK Pentecostal Churches unified and became interracial under one umbrella, the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America.

This important meeting became known as THE MEMPHIS MIRACLE.

(2) MEMPHIS MIRACLE REVISITED - Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America, September 30 - October 2, 1996, Memphis, Tennessee.

A two-fold, six-panel (three on front, three on rear), 8.5x11 inch, announcement for the conference.

From the announcement: "Memphis was the site for the 1994 conference, as God shook the world with the MEMPHIS MIRACLE..."

CONDITION: Both items are in VERY GOOD condition, just some signs handling and use, still solid, bright, clean, clear and unmarked.

About the MEMPHIS MIRACLE (from Wikipedia):

******The Memphis Miracle was a 1994 meeting in Memphis, Tennessee, where representatives of Pentecostal and Charismatic denominations and churches came together to form the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), an interdenominational and racially inclusive partnership. The PCCNA was created to replace the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America (PFNA) which was formed in 1948 by White Pentecostal Churches, but excluded Black Pentecostal groups. The PCCNA was created to remedy the situation, and it was at the Memphis meeting that the PFNA and its members apologized to the Black Pentecostal bodies.******

GOLD PEAK 1997 SPECIAL STAMP PACK Commemorating the JULY 1, 1997 HANDOVER of HONG KONG to CHINA.

A lovely hardcover folder with art on the front panel opens to display a LAST DAY STAMP COVER POSTMARKED HONG KONG / JUNE 30, 1997 and a FIRST DAY STAMP COVER POSTMARKED JULY 1, 1997. June 30, 1997 was the last day that Hong Kong was governed by the United Kingdom, and the last day that stamps featuring Queen Elizabeth were usable. July 1, 1997 was the first day that Hong Kong was governed by China, and the first day that the new Hong Kong stamps could be used.

The folder measures 8.5x14.5 inches, the front panel has a lovely art design. The folder opens to present the first day and last day covers that are loosely mounted with clear corner holders. Laid-in the folder is a letter from Victor Lo, the Chairman & Chief Executive of Gold Peak Industries, a Hong Kong based international battery and technology company. The letter describes the "1997 Collectors' Stamp Presentation" which "are issued in a very limited edition".

All is in NEAR FINE condition, lovely.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO ASSESSOR'S MAP BOOK. Book 35, for the neighborhoods of Freeport Manor, Victory Acres, Fuller Town, and Golf Course Terrace.

Contains 37 Plat Maps, each 11x17 inches. The plats are 2-hole punched at their left side and bound with a metal bracket into flexible brown covers. There is a label on the front cover that states UNIT COPY 35.

The first two maps are heavily blued but the map and information is still visible with a bit of concentration, a few other maps are starting to turn blue but remain sharp and clear, the rest of the maps are yellow with toning at the margins and are bright, sharp and clear.

Published by the City of Sacramento Assessor's Office. There is a small date at the bottom of a few maps with the date "8-72" and one with the date "8-71", so I would assume these maps are mostly from August 1972.

FOUR TOWN TIGER YEARBOOKS - TOWN SCHOOL FOR BOYS, SAN FRANCISCO, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955.

Paper covers, three side stapled, one plastic spiral bound, 8.5x11 inches, approximately 50 pages each. Illustrated with b&w photographs, including a class photograph of each grade, including the Kindergarten Class.

GOOD condition. Chris Cutter, a Town School student, wrote his name on the front cover of each yearbook. There are lots of autographs primarily on the first and last few pages. Otherwise just light signs of age and handling, still complete, bright, clean and clear.

Town School is a boys' school that was established in San Francisco in 1939.

NOTE: John Rockwell, the noted New York Times Art and Music Critic, is a Town School alumni and is in the yearbooks. As an eighth grader he even wrote a review of an opera that is in one of the yearbooks. Possibly his first review!

Approximately 85 photographs and real photo postcards of female and male College of

Emporia students, circa 1909-1915.

Likely the collection of DELLA PEASE and/or JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS, as most of the photos are of her and her friends, and some others are of him and his friends. The two College of Emporia students may have taken these snaps of each other and their friends, and then combined the photos into this gathering when they later got married. The marriage turned Della Pease into Della Pease Ross. They both graduated from the College of Emporia in 1912. Most of the photos seem to be from that year or earlier. One photo is very old, the backside info indicates it is a photo of the parents of one or the other. Della Pease and John Ross were married in 1916, a few years after graduating.

The photos are various sizes, from very small up to 3.5x5.5 inches. Included are many real photo postcards that are truly RPPC because the images are mostly of the students themselves. Good condition, some with edge wear, some fading, signs of light handling, overall clear images and legible information where found on the backsides and margins.

Rich in KANSAS GENEALOGY. What makes this Emporia Kansas photo collection interesting is that many have the FULL NAMES of the people in the photo written on the backside, and sometimes information about where they are and what they are doing.. Some of the names include: Della Pease, John E. Ross, Katherine Polk, Claire Boyle, George Merritt Polk, Grace Smith, and many, many more. Some of the photo postcards are unused, others were sent and have writing on the backsides, all relate to Della Pease, John E. Ross, or others of the College of Emporia.

In the photos Della Pease and her friends seem to be doing the usual fun college stuff. The back of one of the photos reads: "A picnic supper at the Chautauqua grounds at one of the girls' tents. We had a great time. Can you find me?" After graduating in 1912 it wouldn't always be fun for Della Pease or her school mate and future husband John Elliott Ross...

About JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS (from his Obituary in the Princeton Theological Seminary Alumni Report of 1920-1929):

JOHN ELLIOTT ROSS, b.1883 d.1925, was born near Smith Center, Kansas, son of Wilson Erskine and Mary Frances (Elliott) Ross. He made a public confession of his faith in the United Presbyterian Church of Sterling, Kansas. His preparatory studies were pursued in the Franklin Academy, Kansas, and he graduated from the COLLEGE OF EMPORIA in 1912. He entered the Seminary at Princeton in the fall of the same year, remaining more than two years. He completed his theological course in the Western Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1916. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Osborne and ordained by the same Presbytery, September 19, 1916. He sailed for India October 10, 1916, and engaged in missionary work at Ludhiana, India, and then at Saharanpur, from 1918 to 1923. He returned to this country on furlough, remaining a year from 1923 to 1924. He died January 15, 1925, in Kasur, Punjab, India, of heart failure, while sleeping, in the forty-second year of his age. He was buried at Ferozepur, India. He received the degree of A.M. from Princeton University in 1914. He was married August 17, 1916, in Pittsburg, Kansas, to Della Pease, who with two sons survives him.

About DELLA PEASE ROSS (from her Obituary in the EMPORIA GAZETTE of 10 February 1930):

Word has been received in Emporia of the death of Mrs. Della Pease Ross, a graduate of the College of Emporia, in 1912. She died Friday, February 7, at the Lahore hospital in India. Her husband, the late John E. Ross, was also a member of the College graduating class of 1912. They had been doing missionary work in India for about 15 years.

To be clear, the photos in this collection are all pre India missionary work, when there was lots of laughter in their and their friends' eyes.

Original mounted albumen photograph, circa 1890 of a Ten Mule Jerk Line Wagon Stagecoach parked in front of an unidentified building somewhere in the Napa Valley. 7" x 5" photograph mounted on 9" x 7" mounting board with beveled edges. VERY GOOD Condition: antique photograph has a touch of surface wear and a few tiny stains, the mount has corner wear, otherwise an excellent image. The back of the mount has the ownership label of Helen Sturdivant.

The 10 mule jerk line transport wagon was the 18 wheeler of its time, transporting harvested grapes or prunes to their respective wineries or processing facilities. The term "jerk line" refers to the method used by the driver to steer the mules, that is, jerking the reigns. Men would earn $1.50 to $2.00 a day in the 1890's driving freight by jerk line.

From the collection of John Emmett Cakebread (1930-2022) Pioneering Napa Valley Winemaker, Philanthropist, and Bohemian Club Member. The Sturdivant family owned 22 acres in the Napa Valley, Sturdivant Cattle Ranch and vineyards, now Cakebread Cellars. In the 1970s the Cakebreads purchased the property from the Sturdivants.

ARCHIVE of original HAND SIGNED LETTERS from PRESIDENTS & EXECUTIVES of MAJOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COMPANIES, and others, in RESPONSE to an APPEAL by WILLIAM ZELLERBACH for DONATIONS to the UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND. The letters are all dated 1970 and are in response to an annual appeal for donations from William Zellerbach of Crown Zellerbach Corporation. Most letters are on printed company letterheads. The archive includes signed letters from: J. W. Hull, President, Pacific Telephone and Telegraph; Charles N. Huggins, President, SEE'S CANDIES; Peter N. T. Widdrington, President, LUCKY BREWERIES; Shermer L. Sibley, President, PG&E; Joseph E. Nolan, President, Weyerhaeuser Company; J.E. Gosline, Vice Chairman of the Board, STANDARD OIL COMPANY of CALIFORNIA; R.B. Sonne, Vice President, Del Monte Corp.; James R. Compton, Philanthropist; W. P. Murray Jr., President, Bank of Marin; Edgar F. Kaiser, Chairman of the Board, KAISER INDUSTRIES; A. B. Ordway, Executive, Kaiser, (Ordway Building in Oakland, was named after A.B. Ordway); Edward Bransten, President, MJB (Coffee); Edward J. Daly, President, WORLD AIRWAYS; Charles L. Gould, Publisher, San Francisco Examiner (Hearst Corporation); Richard E. Guggenheim, San Francisco, a partner in Heller Ehrman, White & McAuliffe; Morris Weisberger, Sailors' Union of the Pacific; JOHN F. HENNING, AFL-CIO; Werner Lewald, President, Transpacific Transportation Company; "Miss M. Conant" (Conant Family Foundation?); AND MANY MORE signed by various individuals working at a particular company, or not associated with any company. There are also copies of some of the letters sent out to various individuals and corporate heads. There are also some SIGNED typed notes, letters and hand written notes from William Zellerbach regarding various donations and letters received in response to the appeal for donations. In addition there are letters from JOHN PAUL, the Director of the UNCF Northern California Campaign, asking William Zellerbach if he would agree to be Chairman of the 1970 campaign, and telling him that it would take little work on his part (i.e. all the form letters would be written and printed for him, needing only his signature), and telling him that his name as Chairman would be of great help. It is clear that William Zellerbach took his position seriously, personalizing some of the appeals, and suggesting names for solicitation. The 1970 Northern California UNCF Campaign goal was $300,000 (equal to approximately $2 million today). The archive contains: (1) 45 SIGNED LETTERS written TO William J. Zellerbach in response to his (as Chairman for 1970) appeal for donations to the United Negro College Fund. Many of these letters are stapled to their envelopes. A few of the letters have handwritten notes on them by Bill Zellerbach. (2) 5 SIGNED typed letters BY William Zellerbach TO John Paul, Director of the UNCF campaign. The letters are Zellerbach's letterhead. They relate to various matters of the campaign. (3) 9 letters, some carbon copies, some original, regarding the recruiting of William Zellerbach to be Chairman of the 1970 campaign, his acceptance the position, and his approval of the form letter to be sent out. (4) A couple draft documents with numerous handwritten notes on them regarding how donations are to be handled ( i.e. accepted, put into the bank, etc.) (5) And some unsigned copies of solicitation letters that had been sent to various executives. All the letters are in generally GOOD condition, showing various signs of handling, but all remain bright and fully legible. A couple of the draft documents concerning the handling of donations were pieced together in strips, they are browned and show glue stains. A wonderful look at the Corporate and Individual Philanthropy in Northern California in 1970. The SIGNATURES of many of the areas Movers and Shakers make this quite a rare artifact. The generosity (and sometimes the amazing lack of it) is quite interesting.

HANDWRITTEN TWO PAGE LETTER by BOOTH TARKINGTON to SILBERMAN (Elkan or Abris of E. & A. Silberman Galleries). The brothers Elkan and Abris Silberman ran a major New York Gallery and were greatly responsible for building and caring for Booth Tarkington's art collection. Tarkington's letter references a number of artworks that are in need of repair. The letter is written in a friendly and jocular tone, reminiscent of much of Tarkington's writing.

The letter is long, written on both sides of a 9x15.5 inch piece of heavy stock paper. The letter has several folds where it was likely folded to fit into an envelope (no envelope is present). It is dated May 12, 1939. The letter comes with a two page typed transcript on onion skin paper. I don't know who made this early transcript, perhaps Silberman or another previous owner of the book and letter.

The letter is laid-into a special SIGNED, LIMITED, FIRST EDITION of "SOME OLD PORTRAITS", by BOOTH TARKINGTON. The limitation/signature page states this is copy #34 of 247 copies. Published by Doubleday, Doran & Co., New York, 1939. Hardcovers, 7.5x10 inches, xx +249 pages, Illustrated with portraiture plates.

Interesting that Tarkington's letter to his art dealer friend was written in the same year as his non-fiction book about art was published.

Condition: NEAR FINE book, sharp, tight, bright, clean and unmarked, one of the nicest copies I have seen. The letter is in GOOD solid condition, folds and signs of handling but still solid with handwriting that is bright and clear. The typed transcript of the letter has tears, creases and areas of the blank margin are torn away, but it is still textually complete and fully legible.

Booth Tarkington was a collector of art and was quite knowledgeable about the subject. He served for many years as a trustee of the John Herron Art Museum. The New York art dealers Elkan and Abris Silberman (E. & A. Silberman Galleries) helped build his collection and became his friend. Tarkington and the Silbermans corresponded for many years. He even used the brothers as the basis for nis 1934 romantic novel "Rumbin Galleries". In 2016 the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields held an Exhibition of works from Tarkington's collection, titled: "A Gentleman Collector from Indiana: Portraits from the Collection of Booth Tarkington".

About E. & A. SILBERMAN GALLERIES (from Wikipedia):

******E. & A. Galleries was founded in 1938 by brothers Elkan Silberman, d.1952, and Abris Silberman, d.1968, from Austria. In the 1920s, the Silberman brothers owned the E. & A. Silberman art dealership in Vienna. After the 1938 Anschluss their company was expropriated. Fearing persecution the Silbermans left for the United States where they founded a new art dealership in New York under the name E. & A. Silberman Galleries, Inc. They built a reputation as the art dealership "that had helped form museum collections", as well as the collections of G. H. A. Clowes, Dan Fellows Platt, Booth Tarkington, and L. M. Rabinowitz.******

In 1898 THROOP POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE was a high school and small college that later became CALTECH.

THE POLYTECHNIC, Vol. III, No. I., November 1, 1898.

Published by Throop Polytechnic Institute, Pasadena, California, 1898. Oliver Gale, Editor. First edition. Softcover, illustrated wraps, side staple bound, 10.75" x 8", 20 pages including covers, and with historic advertisements for local Pasadena businesses from confectioners to embalmers. Includes original subscription card. GOOD CONDITION: chipping to the covers mostly in the spine margin and a larger chip at the front bottom spine corner, some edge tears, light wear and age toning, internally some light wear from age and use, otherwise bright, clean and unmarked. Very scarce, the OCLC shows only one Collection with at least one volume of The Polytechnic (1892) worldwide.

In 1891 Amos Throop (1811-1894) founded the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which is today one of the world's top ten universities. It was known through its first thirty years as Throop University, Throop Polytechnic Institute, and Throop College of Technology, before they decided on its current name which took effect in 1920. Throop was a Universalist preacher and abolitionist politician who made his fortune in lumber and real estate in Chicago before moving to Los Angeles in 1880 where he bought orchards and farms. By 1898 his school offered courses in ancient languages, Romance languages, mathematics, science, art, and literature with a faculty of less than 20.

Uncommon 1958 Front Strike Vintage MATCHBOOK With ATOMIC BOMB EXPLOSION and U.S. Naval Ship Imagery. Unused and complete with all 30 blue tipped matches. Closed matchbook measures 2" x 2". VERY GOOD CONDITION: match tips and striker surface are clean, cover lightly age toned, an excellent example.

The Secret U.S. Military Nuclear Testing Program, OPERATION HARDTACK was conducted in the Pacific Ocean where a series of huge nuclear detonations were set on the Bikini and Enewetak Atolls in the Marshall Islands during 1958, some high altitude detonations could be seen from Honolulu. Unfortunately, many participants and ecosystems were exposed to lethal levels of radiation. Just seven years later President Kennedy signed the nuclear test ban treaty, banning all nuclear tests in the atmosphere, in outer space, and underwater.

DYING FOR A MENTHOL? A Rare and Hauntingly Disturbing San Francisco Bay Area Public Transit Anti-Smoking Advertising Campaign Poster. Using Ominous Imagery to educate African American smokers about the unique Dangers of menthol cigarettes, this Award winning Ad campaign featured Provocative Billboards and Bus Transit Posters showing an open menthol Cigarette Box packed with dead Black smokers instead of Cigarettes.

Scarce Original POSTER. Published by Crossover Creative Group, creative director Steve Climons, copywriter Terri Murray and photographer Sven Widerholt, for the California Department of Health Services Tobacco Control. 2005 First and only printing. 24" x 16" Photo Off-Set Lithograph on white paper. FINE CONDITION: carefully stored for the past 15 years, as new.

Crossover Creative Group is an independent award winning African-American owned urban advertising and marketing communications agency based in Richmond, California.

Will be shipped carefully rolled in a sturdy mailing tube.

EIGHT Original 1903 FOURTH OF JULY PARADE PHOTOGRAPHS from the San Francisco Bay Area Contra Costa Gold Rush Town of ANTIOCH. Each large photograph is different yet connected, like a parade!

The photographs were taken at the Antioch, California Fourth of July Parade along Second street across from the Arlington Hotel (of true crime fame in 1906 but that's another story) which is next door to the Antioch Shoe Store (R.H. Wall, Proprietor) with the edge of the L. Meyers Store showing farther down the street. From this same vantage point each richly detailed photograph shows different scenes of the parade. Festive horse drawn carriages, Western riders, beautifully dressed spectators, decorated floats, marching bands, flower and flag draped scenery.

Eight (8) original 7" x 10" card mounted photographs circa 1903. One mount has HOIEN, ANTIOCH, CAL embossed on the front, the rest are unmarked.

VERY GOOD CONDITION: The photographs are bright and clean, the card mounts have light edgewear, 1903 is written in pencil on the front bottom margins, one mount has a penned number beneath the penciled date, one has a corner chip, the backs of the mounts have black paper remnants from being removed from an album, and a few have a penned name to the back top margin, and the mounts are slightly warped, otherwise a unique collection of original photographs.

The San Francisco Bay Area town of Antioch is one of the oldest towns in California. Founded in 1850 just after gold was discovered in the region, it was incorporated in 1872 and flourished as a mining, farming, and dairy community tied to the region by the railroad and deep water ports.

FAHRENHEIT 451, the 1966 Film Directed by FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT based on the Novel by RAY BRADBURY. Archival collection of booklets, photographs, a poster, lobby card, and other ephemera - with Bradbury and Christie signatures.

Consists of:

**SIGNED BY RAY BRADBURY* - A promotional fold-open pamphlet printed for the release of the film. The pamphlet is accompanied with a COA from the original seller which includes a printed photograph of the seller and Ray Bradbury together at the signing.

**RARE ONE SHEET POSTER** - A rare French folded one sheet b&w film poster, 30 x 46 inches, featuring the image of Francois Truffaut and Julie Christie, and boldly displaying the name of Ray Bradbury, and even the cinematographer, Nicolas Roeg. I have never seen another copy of this particular poster.

**PHILIPPE HALSMAN PHOTOGRAPH** An original b&w photograph by PHILIPPE HALSMAN of Francois Truffaut directing Julie Christie and Oskar Werner in a Fahrenheit 451 scene. The photograph has Philippe Halsman's copyright stamp on the backside.

**U.S. PREMIERE INVITATION** - Announcement for the U.S. Premiere of FAHRENHEIT 451 that took place at the PLAZA THEATRE on Sunday, November 13th, 1966, the day before the film was released theatrically in the U.S. The Premiere was hosted by "The National Book Committee", "The American Book Publishers Council", and "Universal Pictures". Single-fold sheet to make 4 pages, covers printed in red and yellow, inner pages printed in red on a cream-colored background.

**11 PHOTOGRAPHS from Fahrenheit 451 w/ STUDIO STAMPS & INFO** - Eleven Original 8x10 b&w photographs from the film Fahrenheit 451, each with stamped and/or typed studio publicity and copyright information on the backsides, One image is a duplicate (the only duplicate in this archive) BUT the info on the backsides is different - one has Universal Studios stamped info and copyright info on the backside and the other has a variety of Mexican and Argentinian Stamps.

**3 PHOTOGRAPHS from Fahrenheit 451** - Three 8x10 photographs from the film Fahrenheit 451, two in b&w, one in color. Great photo of Truffaut talking up close with Julie Christie, a lovely color photo of Christie, and a photo of Oskar Werner.

**COLOR FRENCH LOBBY CARD** - Color Lobby Card, 9.25x11.5 inches (23x29 cm), featuring Julie Christie from the film. Quite unusual. The backside is stamped "Universal Film, Inc. / 33 Champs-Elysees, Paris".

**7 PHOTOGRAPHS of JULIE CHRISTIE** - Seven 8x10 b&w photographs of Julie Christie, most of her in various films other than Fahrenheit 451. Some have her name written on the backside (not her signature), a couple with a bit of information about the photo including the photographer's name. Included are film stills from Petulia and Demon Seed. Also included is a photo of Christie at home with her landlady. This photograph is accompanied with a handwritten note from the photo's previous owner that says he believes the photograph was made from an original negative.

**PINEWOOD STUDIOS PROMO for FAHRENHEIT 451** - A single 8.5x11 inch flyer promoting Fahrenheit 451.

CONDITION: Everything is generally in VERY GOOD condition, just mildly used - the photos are solid and bright, the signatures of Bradbury and Christie are bold, the Pinewood Studios promo sheet is folded else sharp and presentable, the rare one-sheet film poster has folds as normal but is brilliant.

With the unusual FILM POSTER, the SIGNED BRADBURY Film Release Pamphlet, the SIGNED JULIE CHRISTIE Film Flyer, the LOBBY CARD, the HALSMAN photograph, the 21 8x10 photographs, and more, this is quite a UNIQUE and RARE gathering. Some items I have never seen before.

About the 1966 Film FAHRENHEIT 451 (from Wikipedia):

****Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British dystopian drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Julie Christie and Oskar Werner. Based on the 1953 novel by Ray Bradbury, the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future.****

TYPED LETTER SIGNED from GOVERNOR NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER to MR. DAVID HYATT, Executive V.P. of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The letter is dated September 16, 1967.

Single page typed on the Governor's State of New York embossed stationery, 7.25x10.5 inches. The letter reads:

"Dear Mr. Hyatt: // Thank you very much for your letter of September fourteenth and for sending me the release on the appointment of Jackie Robinson as National Brotherhood Week Chairman. As you know, I am simply delighted that Mr. Robinson has been so honored. // I appreciate very much your more than kind comments about what my brothers and I have tried to do over the years. And I am grateful particularly for the support of the administration of the State of New York these last nine years of one "ardent Democrat!"// With best wishes, // Sincerely, // Nelson A. Rockefeller (signed)"

GOOD condition, two folds likely where the letter was folded to fit into an envelope (they don't really show in the photo, but are there), a bit of soiling to the upper corners, light signs of handling, still solid, bright, clean and clear.

Program for London's Royal National Theatre, 1970. HAND SIGNED on the front cover by LAURENCE OLIVIER, the National Theatre's founder and director.

Softcover program, side-stapled, 6x9 inches (15x23 cm), 20 pages including covers. The program includes lists of the actors in The National Theatre Company (listed alphabetically), The National Theatre Staff (Laurence Olivier listed as Director), some of the past roles of its key actors, etc. The middle two pages show the cast and staff for the current production of The Merchant of Venice (Olivier as Shylock).

VERY GOOD condition, just lightly used, bright, clean and clear.

Rare LAURENCE OLIVIER SIGNED LONDON NATIONAL THEATRE PROGRAM. This performance won't last long!

About The Royal National Theatre (from Wikipedia):

******The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre, is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House.

Founded in 1963 by LAURENCE OLIVIER,who became the first director of the company. Among the first ensemble of actors of the company were Robert Stephens, Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Lynn Redgrave and Michael Redgrave. The company performs at its main theatre in London, but also tours its productions at theatres across the U.K.******

Items include: (1) PHOTO ALBUM containing approximately 110 photographs, mostly of LENA BIRKOVA, both in theatrical scenes and in everyday life. Most appear to be from the 1950s to the early 1960s. Many are 3.5x5 inches, but there are also smaller and larger sizes. Many are mounted, others have become dismounted. It appears that most of the photos can be easily dismounted. Some have written notes on the backside. (2) Approximately 240 loose photographs of various sizes including many snapshots, of LENA BIRKOVA and her family, including daughter, grandchildren, husbands. Most photos include Lena in the photo, the majority being candid family photos, but there are some of Lena in various stage persona. Photos range from her younger days to her days as a grandmother. (3) Some larger 8x10 photos, and an identity card. (4) A group of postcards written to Lena in Praha by a grandchild. Lena Birková was born on September 16, 1925 in Chabarovsk, Russia.. She was a working actress with roles in numerous Czech and International theatre and film productions starting in the 1950s. One of her last films was a role in the Academy Award winning film Kolya (1996). She died on December 7, 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic. Photos of Lena Birkova are hard to find. INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This photo album and lots of loose photos will be somewhat heavy to ship and will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the additional charges and be able to accept or reject them before your payment is processed. Or you can contact us ahead of time to find out the shipping charge to your country. Thanks.

LENNY BRUCE - handwritten notes and typed letter, regarding HEROIN.

Includes:

Lenny Bruce's HANDWRITTEN NOTES to his SECRETARY, JAN MATTHEWS, with instructions for a letter to be sent to his ATTORNEY, Godfrey Isaac. The notes are written on both sides of four 5x8 inch notepad sheets and both sides of a cocktail napkin (i.e. on ten sides).

A typed, 8.5x11 inch carbon LETTER to his Attorney composed by Bruce's secretary from his notes.

The envelope Bruce used to send his notes to his secretary. The address is HAND WRITTEN by Lenny Bruce. The envelope is stamped and postmarked "Chicago November 13, 1962" then "Los Angeles, November 14, 1962". Interestingly, Bruce sealed the envelope with a "Solomon's Cedar Street Liquors / Chicago" sticker.

The notes and letter concern Bruce's upcoming Los Angeles trial on heroin charges. They contain ideas Bruce believed his attorney could use for his defense, such as: the heroin wasn't tested correctly, no one knows for certain if it was heroin, the lab tests were not done correctly, the powder was unidentifiable, etc.

Lenny Bruce must have come up with these ideas while drinking at a bar, as the cocktail napkin seems to contain his initial thoughts. It's amazing that his secretary was able to form these somewhat rambling notes into a sensible letter, but she did.

The LETTER is a carbon copy of the letter sent to Bruce's attorney, presumably a file copy. It is typed on Lenny Bruce's personal letterhead, and dated November 15, 1962 (the day after the envelope containing Bruce's notes was postmarked as received in Los Angeles). Typed at the bottom is "LB:JM", i.e. Lenny Bruce / Jan Matthews. It is an unsigned carbon.

The letter reads in part: "I was arrested for possession of a substance whose nature is not recognizable to the untrained eye - only an expert can give this report...Ask if there are any other chemicals that are not illegal in their natural state that might cause the powder to show...there is heroin in it...The expert witness, the chemist, didn't test it, else he would know what percent of heroin there was in it...Very truly yours, Lenny Bruce."

CONDITION: The four note sheets and cocktail napkin show some signs of age, handling and use, but are solid and the handwriting is bold, bright and clear; the carbon letter has its lower corner torn off and substantial edge wear, edge tears and creasing, though not significantly affecting the text which is clear and entirely legible.

Bruce's Los Angeles drug charges were dropped before they went to trial, but these notes and letter from November 1962 show the relentless hounding by the legal system that Lenny Bruce was having to bear. He died four years after writing these notes, in 1966, at the age of forty.

Attorney Godfrey Isaac died in 2015 at the age of 90. He represented some of Hollywood's elite in civil and family matters, including Judy Garland and Anthony Quinn. He was also a criminal attorney and, in addition to Lenny Bruce, represented Watergate defendant Charles Colson and RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan.