• A rare signature by one of the most significant political leaders of the 20th century

Fidel Castro (1926 – 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who led the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976, and then as President from 1976 to 2008.

Castro was the architect behind the Cuban Revolution in 1959, which overturned the right-wing authoritarian government and turned the nation into a one-party socialist state.

Castro remains one of the most divisive political figures of the 20th century, revered by many as a champion of social justice and anti-imperialism, and hated by others as a brutal dictator.

Prior to his death in November 2016, Castro was listed on the PFC40 Autograph Index as the world's most valuable living signature, with the price of his autograph having risen 16.9% per annum since 2000.

This printed booklet contains the text of a speech by Fidel Castro entitled "Pay tribute to the empire or pay tribute to the motherland".

Castro gave the speech on July 18, 1985, during the final session of the Latin American and Caribbean Workers Trade Union conference in Havana.

The conference was held at the peak of the Latin American debt crisis, which saw many countries crippled by billions of dollars in foreign debts far outweighing their national GDP.

Many delegates, including Castro himself, called for the debts to be cancelled to help the Central American economy to recover.

"I like the total cancellation of the debt more than a mouse would like a ton of Swiss cheese,' said Castro during the conference, and later suggested "the debt will never be paid anyway...it's mathematically impossible".

During the conclusion of his stirring speech, Castro declared:

"I have sometimes been accused of being an optimist.  Some companeros remember when we met for the first time, and we were seven guerrilla members carrying rifles...

"I told them: We have won the war.  We were only seven men.  Some companeros said that out of respect for me, they said nothing, but they disagreed...Anyway, time went by and we won the war.  So, do not be afraid to be optimistic.  Life has shown me that we must not be afraid to be optimistic. 

"I told you that I know this continent, this region of the world can become free and lead the struggle.  Today, we are also fully convinced that the workers will also be leaders of this struggle between the different levels and sectors of the population.  They will be the vanguard of this struggle."

The booklet is signed boldly by Castro in black ink on the title page, and remains in good condition, with light creasing to the front cover.

Booklet measures 5.5 x 8".

• A guaranteed genuine strand of hair from Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) was a Danish author, best known for his genre defining fairy tales. 

His work includes Thumbelina, The Snow Queen, The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid - stories that are still delighting children to this day. Many have been adapted as classic Disney films. 

A guaranteed genuine half inch strand of Hans Christian Anderson's hair. 

Superb provenance; the hair originates from the famed collection of Margaretta Pierrepont, wife of President Ulysses S Grant's Attorney General.

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• A one-of-a-kind miniature handwritten manuscript from Harry Potter author JK Rowling
• Consisting of 31 pages bound in green and gold hardback
• Bearing a signature from Rowling on the title page

J.K Rowling (1965 -) is an English author, screenwriter, producer and philanthropist. She's the creator of the Harry Potter series of children's novels, which to date has sold a record 400 million copies worldwide.

The seven best-selling books also spawned a series of blockbuster Hollywood movies, video games, several theme park attractions, and an empire of merchandise worth an estimated $25 billion.  

Aside from her literary career, Rowling has also been praised for her philanthropic work, and has raised tens of millions for good causes including Comic Relief and her own children's charity Lumos.

A unique handwritten book by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, listing everything a Hogwarts student will need for their first year at Hogwarts.

The final page bears the inscription: "From Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by me."

This is the only example of this book ever created. A handwritten copy of Rowling's The Tale of Beedle the Bard sold for £1.9m ($2.4m) in 2007.

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• A rare, unpublished and illustrated work by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling
• Find out more about this piece here 

J.K Rowling (1965 -) is an English author, screenwriter, producer and philanthropist. She's the creator of the Harry Potter series of children's novels, which to date has sold a record 400 million copies worldwide.

The seven best-selling books also spawned a series of blockbuster Hollywood movies, video games, several theme park attractions, and an empire of merchandise worth an estimated $25 billion.  

Aside from her literary career, Rowling has also been praised for her philanthropic work, and has raised tens of millions for good causes including Comic Relief and her own children's charity Lumos.

The document

J.K Rowling's fascination with astrology can be seen throughout the Harry Potter series of books, in characters such as Professor of Divination Sybill Trelawney and Firenze the star-gazing centaur.

Whilst writing her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Rowling also produced highly detailed personal horoscopes for some of her friends.

This horoscope was written for Roger Julian Tosswill, who Rowling first met along with his partner Kate Buchanan during ante natal classes.

Rowling also wrote a similarly detailed horoscope for their newborn son Jack Buchanan, which we are able to offer for sale here.

Tosswill is a Libra, born October 13, 1966 at 11.05pm, and the horoscope covers his personality traits, relationships, potential careers and compatibility with his partner.

The close relationship Rowling shared with the family is evident throughout the horoscope.

When comparing the couple, she writes: "I should say at the outset that these two horoscopes (Roger and Kate) could have come straight out of an astrological text-book, captioned 'compatible partners'."

And in reference to young Jack Buchanan, she writes: "The words 'isn't he like his father?' are likely to be repeated with tiresome regularity throughout Jack's childhood."

Throughout the 12 page document Rowling displays a strong knowledge of astrology, referencing texts such as the influential 15^th century French work 'The Kalendar and Compost of Shepherds'.

The strength and humour of her writing also clearly shines through, particularly during a passage in which she images the couple escaping from international terrorists, using hand grenades made from Coke cans and Semtex "weaselled out of a guard who was no match for his Machiavellian Mars".

The 12-page folio document features Rowling's cover illustration in pen, ink and coloured pencil, mounted on a sheet of blue card.

The horoscope is a double-sided typescript on yellow card, and the astrological chart is printed on white paper with annotations in Rowling's hand, laminated with a sheet of plastic.

The entire document is hole-punched, and bound together with gold and silver ribbons.

Two of the pages feature small tears around the hole punches, and the cover displays signs of wear around the edges.

A unique document, written and illustrated by the world's most successful living author.

NB: Please note copyright remains with J.K. Rowling and no permission is granted for reproduction

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• A pair of handwritten letters by one of the most influential writers of the 19th century.
• You can learn more about this piece here 

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898), known more commonly by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was a renowned English writer, mathematician and photographer.

As Carroll he wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865), its sequel Through the Looking-Glass (1871), and the epic poem The Hunting of the Snark (1876), all of which are classic examples of the literary nonsense genre.

To date his works have sold millions of copies around the world, and have inspired countless adaptations on the stage and screen.

Dodgson was also a highly skilled amateur photographer, who took up the new art form during the 1850s and established his own studio, creating an estimated 3,000 photographs during his life.

In January 1877 Dodgson began a correspondence with Edward T. Draper, an agent for the Royal Marines and a fellow amateur photographer.

Draper sent Dodgson several photographs, including some of his 13-year-old daughter Dolly, telling him she was a fan of his books.

Dodgson then wrote in return to Dolly Draper, and struck up a friendship with the family.

These two handwritten letters are part of that correspondence.

Dodgson's first letter, dated February 5, 1877, included a photograph of himself and poked fun at his famous 'alter ego' of Lewis Carroll:

"Here is the portrait of the man I told you about. He is no relation of mine (but I have known him all my life)—at least, if he is a relation, I don’t know what sort of relation you would call him—He is about the same age as I am, but he certainly isn’t my brother, nor any kind of cousin."

The four-page letter is written across two adjoining sheets, and measures 3.25 x 5.25". In fine condition, with a rusty paperclip mark on the top of the front page.

In the second letter, dated April 12, 1877, Dodgson mentions sending Draper and her family copies of his most famous books, and also includes a piece of nonsense wordplay typical of his work:

"I think the only way to prevent you all forgetting me again…is to send each a copy of some one of my 3 books…I’ll tell you what I was thinking of sending…—For Jessie, Alice’s Adventures…for Roger, the Snark…& for you, the Looking-glass…

"With these helps, you may perhaps remember me for a while, but it will give a far better chance if you would put me in among your Modern History dates…—And then if even Roger says ‘Why, I don’t believe you care a fig for Mr. Dodgson,’ you can say ‘Ah, but I care a date for him!’"

The three page letter is written on two adjoining sheets, measuring 4.5 x 7", and is in fine condition. Dodgson's signature at the bottom of the letter has been clipped, and replaced with a facsimile.

Both letters are written in Dodgson's trademark violet ink, an unusual colour which he used for the majority of his correspondence throughout his life.

Additionally, the second letter is contained in its original folder from Walter Benjamin Autographs, the renowned US autograph dealership established in 1887.

Benjamin is recognized as playing a significant role is the development of the autograph collecting hobby in the late 19^th and early 20^th century, and the company continued to trade for 121 years.

Later typed copies of both the letters are also included.

• A significant historical document signed by Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the most influential military and political leaders in human history.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 - 1821) was a French military and political leader who ruled over much of Europe during the early 19th century.

Having risen to prominence during the French Revolution, he engineered a coup and became Emperor of France in 1804, whilst his armies swept across Europe creating a new empire for him to rule over.

Napoleon is regarded as one of the finest military commanders in history, and his tactics and campaigns are studied at military schools to this day. When once asked to name the greatest military general of the time, the Duke of Wellington replied: "In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon."

Napoleon's dreams of conquering Europe finally ended in June 1815, when the French were defeated at the Battle of Waterloo, and he was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena where he died in 1821.

Many of the ideas that underpin modern society, such as meritocracy, religious tolerance, property rights, secular education, and the encouragement of science and the arts, were firmly established across Europe during Napoleon's reign.

He remains one of the most influential and controversial leaders in human history, whose political and cultural legacy can still be felt more than 200 years later.

Having conquered most of Italy during the early years of the 19th century, Napoleon decided to convert the republic into a kingdom, and crowned himself as King at the Cathedral of Monza in Milan on May 26, 1805.

Napoleon was crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy, a medieval gold crown said to include iron from a nail used at the crucifixion of Jesus, and proclaimed: "God gives it to me, beware whoever touches it".

Napoleon's full title became Emperor of the French and King of Italy, signifying the importance he placed on the role.

To commemorate his coronation, Napoleon also established the Order of the Iron Crown on June 5, 1805. This chivalric order of merit was divided into three classes, consisting of 20 grand cross knights, 100 commander knights, and 500 ordinary knights.

Initially, Napoleon bestowed the honours on members of his French army who had distinguished themselves in battle. However, he quickly began awarding titles to Italian officials such as bishops, judges and mayors, in a bid to legitimise the order and entrench support for himself as King.

The order was disbanded after the collapse of the French Empire in 1814, but was later re-established in 1815 by Francis I, Emperor of Austria, when Imperial Austria regained control of Lombardy.

This manuscript document is dated February 14, 1809, and was signed by Napoleon at the Imperial Tuileries Palace in Paris.

The document is a decree presented to the Grand Chancellor of the Order of the Iron Crown, naming 19 men as Knights of the Order of the Iron Crown.

The list includes officers from several military regiments, such as the 1st Regiment of Italian Light Infantry, the 4th Regiment of Italian Infantry of the Line, the Royal Italian Chasseurs, the Napoleon Regiment of Dragoons and the Italian Regiment of Sappers.

Signed boldly by Napoleon, the clean and crisp document measures 20 x 30.5cm and is in good condition.

•  An illustrated presentation copy of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, signed by the author
• You can discover more about this item here 

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a South African politician, anti-apartheid revolutionary and philanthropist, who spent his life battling racial injustice.

He spent 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid and opposing the South African government, and was initially labelled a terrorist by some Western governments.

Mandela was finally released from jail in 1990 and helped negotiate the end of apartheid, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1993 along with President F. W. de Klerk.

This is a limited edition copy of The Illustrated Long Walk to Freedom produced by Chinthurst Fine Books in 2003 to celebrate Mandela’s 85th birthday.

The edition is bound in brown morocco with marbled end papers and housed in a cloth solander box measuring 8.7 x 11.5 inches.

Nelson Mandela’s attractive signature appears in black ballpoint pen on one of the title pages.

A pull out compartment contains an 8.4 x 8.4 inch portrait of Mandela by the photographer Greg Bartley (signed by the artist).

Numbered 175 of 250.

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• A touching handwritten love letter by one of the most legendary outlaws of the Old West, Frank James
• Find out more about this item here 

Frank James (1843 – 1915) was a U.S Civil War Confederate guerrilla and notorious Old West outlaw.

Together with his younger brother Jesse James, he helped established the James-Younger Gang, which robbed banks, trains, and stagecoaches throughout the southern states.

The gang cultivated a reputation as folk heroes, with help from the editor of the Kansas City Times, who published Jesse James' letters and proclaimed him to be a modern-day Robin Hood.

The gang's spree of robberies and murder lasted from 1866 until 1876, when several members were killed or captured during a disastrous raid on the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota.

Frank James retired from his life of crime soon after, but his brother Jesse struggled to adapt to normal life, and formed a new gang which continued to operate for several years.

Following the murder of Jesse by fellow gang member Robert Ford in 1882, Frank James feared for his own life and surrendered to the authorities, stating:

"I have been hunted for twenty-one years, have literally lived in the saddle, have never known a day of perfect peace. It was one long, anxious, inexorable, eternal vigil."

He was tried for his roles in two robberies/murders in Missouri and Alabama, and was acquitted in both cases, before returning to Oklahoma to live with his family.

For the next 30 years Frank James held a variety of jobs, including a shoe salesman, an AT&T telegraph operator and even a ticket taker in a burlesque theatre.

He also gave public lectures on the Old West, invested in Buckskin Bill's Wild West Show, and gave tours of the James family farm, where he eventually passed away in 1915 at the age of 72.

Frank James and Ann Ralston

The story of how Frank James first met Ann Ralston remains somewhat of a mystery.

She was the highly-educated daughter of a wealthy businessman, and was working as a teacher when she suddenly eloped with James in the summer of 1875.

Her parents received a letter which read simply "Dear Mother: I am married and going West. Annie Reynolds", and were distraught at her disappearance.

It wasn't until several months later that they discovered their new son-in-law was one of the country's most wanted men.

In 1876 Ann's father arranged for a New York newspaper article about the marriage, to ensure his family was not linked to the criminal gang

"The James brothers, who are, with the Younger boys, creating so much stir just now, have had a love scrape, or at least one of them has. But this love affair is different from all other love affairs. No one who knows anything of the career of the James brothers would expect them to woo, win and marry like other people...

"Mr. Ralston has had no connection or communication with the train robbers whatever. His daughter he has not seen since she left home, a year and one month ago.

"If she is alive she will not write home, lest her letters should guide the officers to her husband's retreat. If she was dead Frank James would have notified her parents. So they can only rest patiently in the uncertainty of perhaps seeing their daughter again."

Ralston never returned home, but despite the dramatic nature of their courtship and Frank's life of crime, they maintained a happy and stable marriage.

They had a son, Robert Franklin James, and following Frank's surrender and subsequent acquittal for murder in 1883, they remained together until his death in 1915.

Ann Ralston James lived out the rest of her days on the James family farm, before passing away in 1944, and the couple's ashes were buried together at Hill Park Cemetery in Jackson County, Missouri.

The letter

The letter, dated July 7, 1883, was written by James to his wife whilst he was in jail in Gallatin, Missouri.

James was awaiting trial for murder and robbery of the Rock Island Line train at Winston, Missouri, in which the train engineer William Westfall and a passenger Frank McMillan were killed.

Having spent a year in custody, James' trial began on August 20, and lasted just three days, before the jury returned a resounding verdict of 'not guilty'.

The tender love letter reveals James to be both highly romantic and highly literate.

Although he lived much of his life as a violent outlaw, he had been raised as a preacher's son surrounded by books, and during his youth developed a love for the works of Shakespeare.

James was said to always carry a book in his saddle bag, even when he was on the run from the law, and he shared this passion for literature with Ann throughout their 40-year marriage.

Here's the text in full:

My dear wife,

Your dear letter of the 1st was handed to me not exceeding an hour ago. It arrived here on the third, at least it is as marked. Now I sent foreword .. in this manner. There are very few men in this world that care anything for their wives, that they naturally suppose that all men are alike.

How badly they are deceived. If there is anything on this earth that is half as dear to me as my wife I have failed to find it. You are everything to me and the only living human being that has ever possessed my whole love, my entire confidence, the only one that ever will and I feel as that love and confidence will never be abused.

I have lived as I think to see all my fondest hopes realised. Long years ago I hoped and prayed that god would give me a true woman for my wife and i feel as if he has done so and anyone who has had a chance for happiness in this belief is more fortunate than the possessor of a thousand worlds.

I am trying to pass the time reading and writing - I regret that I am deprived of your beauty and I am writing to suffer that I have no visitors as told you in last.

Enclosed I send you an editorial from the trenchant pen of Rob M Yast that I think a grand effort.

I suppose you remember the circumstances of Jarvis shooting Englehart. Yast talks of love and forgiveness & Jarvis has shown that he possessed both - as also has Yast. He’s shown himself to be a true friend of me and mine.

Yast seems a man of most liberal whims. I dare say nine out of every ten would say that they would not forgive Jarvis for what he has done. Yet if it is the means of reclaiming the human I don't think he will ever regret it.

Regarding mamma, this may not be interesting to you but it has been to me. I had a letter from ma today, she feels disappointed as you did not visit...

I supposed it was useless to ask you again so will end further requests. I also had one further service. she also sends her kindness in regards to you and asked why you did not write. Please write her and let her know I will write Monday again.

When you write, write me care of Sherriff - I don’t think he will read them.

He has not opened any of my letters for a long time and if he should that would be better than not to get them so long after they’re written. I will kiss you both good night - write often your loving Ben/ f**k it is raining hard at this time.

James autographs the letter as 'Ben', a protective alias that he used when writing to his loved ones.

The single page letter, with text on both sides, measures 203 by 126mm, with fold creases and bleeding of ink in some sections.

A remarkable piece of history, which offers a personal insight into one of the Old West's most legendary figures.

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• A rare printing of the Peter Force Declaration of Independence 
• Still contained within Volume I of Force’s classic nine-part publication 

Politician and archivist Peter Force (1790-1868) amassed one of the most extensive collection of documents relating to the American Revolution. He published his archives across nine volumes between 1837 and 1853 . The Library of Congress bought his full collection for $100,000 in 1867.  

This is a rare copy of Volume I of the Fifth Series of Peter Force’s American Archives (1848), with a printing of the full Declaration of Independence still bound into the book. Many examples of this sought-after print have long since been removed and framed.  

Force made the print from William J Stone’s original 1823 copper plate, produced on the orders of Congress, sometime between 1833 and 1848. However, his much-lauded American Archives were not a success. Only the Fourth and Fifth series entered publication and few buyers were prepared to pay the expensive subscription.  

It’s estimated that Force printed 500 or fewer copies of the Declaration of Independence.  

This is a rare opportunity to own the definitive printing of the founding document of the United States.  

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•  A list handwritten by Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 

Most famous for his 'Sherlock Holmes' detective stories, Scottish-born Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was an innovator of the crime fiction genre. His writing skills included works of science fiction, plays, poetry, historical novels, romances and non-fiction.

A string of recent Hollywood movies and a hugely popular BBC TV series have led to a revival of interest in Sherlock Holmes over the past few years, 

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has written the names of 14 notable people (and their professions) in bold black ink on an envelope. 

Among them are: writer Douglas Goldring; politician Ellen Wilkinson; journalist Holbrook Jackson; actor Leon M. Lion; painter C. R. W. Nevinson; and the actress Elsa Lanchester.

The envelope is accompanied by four other items (two typed letters, a handwritten letter and a menu) relating to Doyle's son Adrian Conan Doyle (1910-1970) and daughter Jean Conan Doyle (1912-1997). 

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• The Gambols comic strip by Barry Appleby, dated May 3, 1990

The Gambols first appeared in British tabloid the Daily Express in 1950. Husband and wife George and Gaye have been butting heads for almost 70 years. On creator Barry Appleby’s death in 1996, his friend Roger Mahoney took over the strip. It 1999 it moved to the Mail on Sunday and has stayed there ever since.  

This is an original work by Barry Appleby for his much-loved strip The Gambols.

It’s a classic edition that’s typical of his style. At a huge 16.75 x 9.5 inches it makes a wonderful display piece that would look superb framed.  

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