^Lot 1 American Presidents and Notables

An amazing red velvet hardcover autograph album, 8.5 x 5.5, signed inside by 12 United States presidents, five first ladies, and an eclectic collection of other notables. Most signatures are single page, with the exception of some presidents and their wives, with a couple back-to-back. Many of the signers have added the date and location of their signing, with a few adding poetic quotes. Presidential signers are: Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Calvin Coolidge, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Benjamin Harrison, Herbert Hoover, Lyndon B.Johnson, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Harry S. Truman, and Woodrow Wilson. The five first ladies are: Francis Cleveland, Caroline Lavina Scott Harrison, Ida Saxton McKinley, Helen Taft, and Edith Wilson.

Other notable signers include: Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Francis Hodgson Burnett, Richard J. Gattling, Queen Lilivokalani of Hawaii, D.L. Moody, Benjamin Perley Poore, Gene Stratton Porter, Charles P. Taft II, Alfred H. Terry, Oliver O. Howard, John Schofield, Winfield Hancock, Wesley Merritt, John J. Pershing, and Joaquin Miller. In very good to fine condition, with all pages loose and separated from binding, and light wear to covers. Sunning and wear to edges and spine, and some light pencil notations to some of the pages. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the great-grandson of the album’s original owner, which states: “This autograph…book passed down from my Great Grandfather Thomas L. Tally. Already a wealthy man as a Texas oil wildcatter, T.L. (who coined the phrase ‘moving pictures’) was also organizer and owner of a coast to coast theater chain and creator of the First National Exhibitors Circuit. Contracts with Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford made him a very ‘sought after’ man and he mixed it up in some very interesting circles as shown by the contents of this single book. Passed down to my Grandfather, Grandmother, Mother and Father who were also very affluent and world travelers, they continued the tradition of ‘passing the book’ and sharing the signatures of previous individuals who had signed the book and subsequently having others sign it." An incredible, one-of-a-kind autograph collection, assembled with great care.