One would have thought that his terrible defeat at San Jacinto, just a few weeks after his great victory at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution, would have done in Mexican dictator Antonio de Santa Anna. To the contrary, Santa Anna kept fighting for power for the remaining 40 years of his life. He shifted several times between power and exile. In 1855, he was finally removed for good, but as we can see, he was still attempting to recapture his country in 1866. At that time, Mexico was ruled by the French installed Emperor Maximilian, and the Mexican people would probably have welcomed back even the unpopular Santa Anna if he could have thrown out the Emperor. Ultimately, someone else did that. Item 39 is a bond, in the face amount of $500, dated June 28, 1866, from New York. It is signed by Santa Anna. It was his attempt to gain funds to engineer an overthrow of Maximilian. Santa Anna's portrait is on the bond along with other usual flourishes. $750.

 

Only Franklin Roosevelt, and possibly John F. Kennedy, were known among presidents to collect autographs. Perhaps there was another. Item 12 is a 1913 letter from former President William Howard Taft to an autograph dealer who was offering a 1654 signature of Edward Rawson for $1.50. Writes Taft, "If you still have this on hand, please send it to me…& I'll remit it." The letter is typewritten except for the "& I'll remit it," which is in hand. Rawson was the Secretary of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1654. $500.

 

Item 8 is a photograph of the seven crew members of the Columbia Shuttle Mission, signed by each. The Columbia was one of the great tragedies of America's space exploration, disintegrating when it reentered Earth's atmosphere in 2003. All crew members were lost. This photograph is being sold by the family of astronaut David Brown with the proceeds to be donated to charities he supported. $15,000.

 

You may reach Joe Rubinfine at 321-455-1666 or Joerubinfine@mindspring.com.