Another of my passions...

[Catfish]

Over the years I've collected a fairly decent number of books and sets of books, most from auctions, garage sales, and flea markets. I find that this is an area that most people have little interest and it provides the opportunity to find some historical items. This item cost me two bucks and was at the bottom, no one wanted. I started the bid at that amount and there was no one else that wanted that box. It had some other goodies as well.

During the civil war a man from Quincy was a cannon manufacturer and Abe had a contract to buy cannons from him. It's known as, The Woodruff Gun. In the bottom of that box I found a unique set of the first edition ever published by Congress of messages and papers by Presidents - 1789/1897 - compiled by James D. Richardson, published in 1896. I was thrilled to find them, but there was another surprise when I got home and had the opportunity to really look them over. I discovered a couple of papers, one being an original copy of a speech printed during Lincolns campaign in 1960. The other was a letter from Marsh to Woodruff concerning the set.

http://home.earthlink.net/~turnerbrigade/woodruff.htm



I am sure some of you out there have found some interesting things if you would like to share them with me, I'd appreciate seeing.

 

[03VolusiaTrike]

Catfish my fellow Illini,
* * My daughter is a huge JFK fan, if you have anything related to him that you would like to show off that would be real interesting. Thanks and ride safe.

 

[Catfish]

Wish I could Russ, but a lot of JFK collectors out there looking. I would love to open a book someday and find unique JFK papers. You never know what you might find at the bottom of a box no one else wants to take the time to rummage though. I found this gem and bought the entire box for a half a buck. I donate what I don't want either to a library or resale book store. If you pull out a single item at an auction people take notice so that is a no no.

 

[Phu Cat]

Nothing I found. But my boss brought in his great, great, great uncles discharge paper from the Union Army signed by Abraham Lincoln for all of us to see. He was making a trip to Washington DC to have it authenticated that summer.

PC

 

[Catfish]

That would be a neat document for anyone to possess - considerably more so if family ancestry.