• 1973 US Team Ryder Cup caddy bib signed by 21 of the world’s top golfers
• Includes autographs from Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino

The 1973 Ryder Championship took place at Murfield in Scotland. The US was the winning team, with a score of 19 to the British side’s 13.

One of the finest pieces of golfing memorabilia we’ve ever handled. This stunning bib displays a large US flag along with name Rodrigues and “Ryder Cup 1973”. Chi Chi Rodrigues' caddy wore it in the tournament. 

The signatures are an extraordinary who’s who of golfing talent. On the front is the US team: JACK NICKLAUS, ARNOLD PALMER, LEE TREVINO, JUAN “CHI CHI” RODRIGUES, BILLY CASPER, JC SNEAD, TOM WEISKOPF, GAY BREWER, TOMMY AARON, JACK BURKE, DAVE HILL.

The reverse features a collection of British stars: TONY JACKLIN, PETER OOSTERHUIS, BRIAN BARNES, NEIL COLES, BERNARD GALLAGHER, MAURICE BEMBRIDGE, PETER BUTLER, CLIVE CLARK, CHRISTY O’CONNOR, JOHN GARNER.

The provenance is excellent. The previous owner was a guest of Lee Trevino at a meal during the tournament. He received the bib as a gift from Chi Chi Rodrigues’ caddy. Trevino then passed it around the table for each golfer to sign. 

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• An original piece of cake from the "wedding of the century"

When Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer on July 29, 1981, the world was watching.

The fairytale wedding at St Paul's Cathedral gathered royalty from the four corners of the globe, and attracted an estimated TV audience of 750 million viewers.

Charles and Diana's marriage, and their subsequent separation and divorce, made them one of the most famous couples in 20^th century history.

Today the story of their turbulent relationship continues to fascinate historians and collectors alike.

This small piece of cake from Charles and Diana's wedding comes in a presentation box, measuring 3.25" x 2.5", complete with a bow and an original tag which reads:

"H.R.H. The Prince of Wales / The Lady Diana Spencer / 29^th July 1981".

Previous pieces of Charles and Diana's wedding cake have been known to sell at auction for upwards of $2,800 (£2,130).

• Half a letter from Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson to Captain William G Rutherford, commander of HMS Swiftsure
• Signed in June 1805, just over five months before Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar
• Written amidst the British pursuit of the French fleet to the Caribbean 
• Find out more about this fascinating letter here 

Nelson (1758-1805) was a British naval officer famous for his victories against the French during the Napoleonic Wars. He was known for his superb leadership skills and somewhat unconventional strategies. Nelson was involved in battle almost constantly between 1793 until his death in 1805. During this time he lost the sight in his right eye at the Battle of Calvi in Corsica and lost his right arm at Santa Cruz in Tenerife. Admiral Lord Nelson is remembered as one of the greatest British war heroes in history. He died during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

This is the bottom half of a letter Admiral Nelson sent to Captain William G Rutherford (commander of the HMS Swiftsure) in June 1805. That's five months before the Battle of Trafalgar. Rutherford took command of the Swiftsure in May 1805, after Nelson appointed him to the position during the blockade of Toulon.

The British blockaded the port, intending to draw out the French fleet. But the French, under Admiral Villeneuve, gave the British the slip and escaped through the Strait of Gibraltar – heading west to the Caribbean.

Nelson took several ships (including the Swiftsure) and set off in hot pursuit. On June 4, 1805, the British fleet arrived into Barbados. Nelson had received word from the governor of St Lucia that the French had gone to Trinidad and Tobago. He picked up troops from Barbados, intending to smash the French. But on June 9 he learned the information was incorrect. The French fleet had actually gone north to Martinique. There they'd captured a strategic sea fort (Diamond Rock) and headed home.

Dejected, Nelson ordered the fleet to return to Europe. They dropped the extra troops at Antigua on June 13.

But this 6.5 x 8 inch letter dates to June 4-9, when Nelson still believes he's on the tail of the French fleet. He orders Rutherford to give troops the full complement of food and provisions, to steel them for the battle ahead.

The letter is likely written by a secretary and reads: “…any distinction in victualling them would under the present circumstances be in my opinion very improper, it is my intention as we may soon be in Battle with the Enemy and the stay of the troops on board cannot be many days, that they shall be victualled the same as the respective ships companies.

“It is therefore my direction that you cause the troops who may be embarked from Barbadoes onboard his majesty’s ship under your command to be victualled at full allowance of all species of provisions the same as your ships company during their continuance on board.”

Below Napoleon signs “Nelson & Bronte”.

Spanish King Ferdinand III appointed Nelson First Duke of Bronte in 1799, in thanks for his help in subduing a rebellion in Naples. Nelson was proud of his new title and incorporated it into his signature. He tried out a few different ways of writing it (including "Bronte Nelson of the Nile”) before settling on the current form. He changed his autograph often throughout his life. This is the last variant he used.

The present example is clear and fine. Its connection to a key moment in British naval history provides enhanced appeal.

The flight of Admiral Villeneuve was the last major naval action before the Battle of Trafalgar. After arriving back to the UK in August, Nelson was hailed the saviour of the British colonies in the Caribbean.

On September 2, he was told the French and Spanish had combined fleets at Cadiz. So began the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Swiftsure would play a decisive role at Trafalgar, taking on four French ships and dealing the final blow to the Achille. After the battle it attempted to tow the Redoubtable, the French ship from whence Nelson’s fatal shot came, but cut it free when it started to sink.

Rutherford was a fascinating character and the only American-born commander at Trafalgar.

Born in North Carolina to loyalist parents, who fled to the Caribbean at the outbreak of the American Revolution, he rose quickly through the ranks of the British Navy – taking his first command post in 1794.

Nelson’s signature is in high demand, with letters relating to his naval career particularly sought after. This is a particularly important specimen, directly connected with the last manoeuvres before the Battle of Trafalgar.   

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• A 4.75 x 3 inch album page signed by Albert Einstein in 1925, during a lecture tour of Argentina
• The autograph appears alongside others by several Argentine intellectuals, including Mauricio Nirenstein and Jorge Duclout

Albert Einstein was one of the world’s greatest scientific minds. In the early 1900s he developed the Theory of Relativity, which remains a key tenet of modern physics. A German citizen, he left the country shortly before Hitler seized power and never returned – choosing instead to spend the rest of his life in America. He was instrumental in developing the first atomic bombs in the 1940s, in spite of his lifelong commitment to pacifism. 

Einstein travelled widely in the early 1920s, visiting countries in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.

In 1922, the University of Buenos Aires invited him to give a series of lectures on relativity. Einstein accepted and made the long journey out three years later, in 1925. He was warmly received in Argentina and gave a number of interviews with the press on a range of subjects - including politics, pacifism and Judaism.

Einstein signed this album page during this month-long trip. His autograph appears in the centre, surrounded by signatures from various Argentine intellectuals.

It’s a beautiful specimen, accompanied by PSA authentication and extensive information on his time in Buenos Aires.

Einstein is among the most sought after signatures on the market. In 2017, a note he signed for a Japanese courier sold for a world record $1.5m.

Free global shipping. 28-day returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included. 

• An illustrated portrait of Albert Einstein signed by Einstein himself

Albert Einstein was one of the world’s greatest scientific minds. In the early 1900s he developed the Theory of Relativity, a work that set the template for modern physics. A German citizen, he left the country shortly before Hitler seized power and never returned – choosing instead to spend the rest of his life in America. 

He was instrumental in developing the first atomic bombs in the 1940s, in spite of a lifelong commitment to pacifism. Over the course of his career he published hundreds of scientific papers. His name has become interchangeable with genius.  

This is a 4.9 x 3.9 inch illustration of Albert Einstein by the Danish amateur artist Carl Werner Skogholm. Skogholm drew portraits of celebrities and sent them off with a request they be returned with a signature. Einstein was one of those who obliged. 

Einstein has signed crisply in black pen, dating the piece "48". One of the nicest Einstein autographs you'll see. 

This is a unique piece of considerable charm. Demand for Einstein’s signature has been growing, with one inscribed paper selling for a record $1.5m in 2017.

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• A signed copy of Russian author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn’s acclaimed 1962 novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Alexandr Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) was born in Stavropol Krai in south western Russia shortly after the October revolution.

In 1945, he was sentenced to eight years in a gulag for complaining about the Soviet regime in a letter to a friend. The harshness of the labour camp served to compound his feelings about life under communism.

Solzhenitsyn wrote in secret for many years, including his time in the gulag. Following the death of Stalin in 1952, the climate of repression in Russia began to ease. 

In 1962, he published One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich in a literary magazine with the blessing of First Secretary Nikolai Khrushchev. However, that brief window of permissiveness closed soon after. This would be the first and last text Solzhenitysn was able to publish in the Soviet Union.

The rest of Solzhenitsyn’s catalogue was published in the West. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1970 and expelled from the Soviet Union in 1974. In 1990 he was permitted to return to Russia, where he lived out the rest of his days.  

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich follows the titular character through 24 hours in a typical gulag. The text exposes the cruelty of the system and the ways in which it crushes the human spirit.

This is a 1978 Penguin edition of the novel (measuring 4.6 x 7 inches).

Solzhenitysn has signed in blue pen on the title page. It’s dated 1980.

The book is accompanied by a note from Solzhenitsyn’s secretary (presumably in reply to a request) that reads: “I am very sorry, but Mr Solzhenitsyn does not grant any autographs (except on his books).”

This is a rare opportunity to own a signature from one of the most compelling and controversial writers of the 20th century.  

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• A March 26, 1965 clipped front page of Time Magazine signed by Alexei Leonov

Alexei Leonov is a Russian cosmonaut who in 1965 became the first person to perform a spacewalk. In 1975 he commanded the Soyuz capsule on the Soyuz-Apollo mission, the first collaborative mission between the US and the Soviet Union.

A March 26, 1965 front page cover of Time Magazine featuring a cover image of Alexei Leonov’s 1965 spacewalk. Leonov has signed on the white section of the image. Folded but in fine condition.

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• A superb autograph from legendary singer Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)

Amy Winehouse was one of the brightest stars of her generation. Her debut album Frank, released in 2003 when she was just 20, introduced listeners to her unique voice. The follow-up, Back to Black (2006), established her as a global celebrity.

Sadly Winehouse was unable to cope with the intense media scrutiny her success brought. She began drinking heavily and using drugs. The next five years were a chaotic downward spiral, interspersed with time in and out of rehab. She died of alcohol poisoning at her home in London in 2011, aged just 27.

This is a large and charismatic Amy Winehouse autograph inscribed: “Love Amy”. It's presented on a 19.7 x 11.5 inch white card backing along with an 8 x 11 inch photograph (circa 2007). 

Demand for Amy Winehouse memorabilia is extremely high given her global fan base and status as an early icon of the 21st century. This is a rare chance to acquire one of the best examples of her autograph on the market. 

Free global delivery. 28-day returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included. 

• A unique full Apollo 11 crew-signed block of 32 1969 10c "First Man on the Moon" stamps

The Apollo program was NASA’s third foray into human spaceflight and operated from 1961 through 1972. It succeeded in putting the first men on the Moon with the Apollo 11 landing in 1969, a defining moment in human history.

An original block of 32 1969 10c "First Man on the Moon" stamps signed by all three members of the Apollo 11 crew (Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins) in black ink on the left margin. It is the only known block of the stamps signed by any of the Apollo 11 astronauts. 

The Post Office released this commemorative issue on September 9, 1969. It proved hugely popular. The astronauts actually carried the master die with them on Apollo 11. 

Measures approx 9 x 10.5 inches. 

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A rare chance to own one of the notorious Apollo 15 covers (envelopes) carried to the Moon’s surface.

The story

In the spring of 1971, German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger approached Apollo 15 commander David Scott. Sieger offered Scott and fellow Apollo 15 crewmembers Jim Irwin and Al Worden $7,000 each to carry 100 covers to the Moon. The crew agreed, on condition that Sieger would not sell the covers until the end of the Apollo programme. The crew decided to add a further 300 covers to Sieger’s 100 for their own use.

The Kennedy Space Center post office cancelled the 400 covers on the morning of the launch. The covers were then vacuum-packed and stored in a Beta fire-retardant cloth bag and delivered to Scott at the astronauts’ room at the Launch Complex. Scott stored them in a pocket of his spacesuit. The astronauts would later maintain they believed the covers were declared in the manifest of the mission.

After splashdown in the Pacific and rescue by the USS Okinawa, the envelopes were cancelled the same day (August 7, 1971).

Upon receipt of the 100 covers, Sieger went back on his word and immediately began selling them, for $1,500 each. In mid-1972, the world’s press discovered the story. The furore prompted a government investigation that saw the confiscation of the 298 astronaut covers (two had been damaged pre-flight).

NASA stated: "The Apollo 15 crew exercised poor judgment in their actions. Therefore, astronauts Scott, Worden and Irwin will be reprimanded and their actions given due consideration in their selection for future assignment."

NASA's rules didn't forbid Apollo astronauts from carrying items to the Moon for personal profit. In fact, previous missions had done it and NASA had turned a blind eye. But NASA had been embarrassed by the episode so it made an example of the three astronauts. They never flew again.

In 1983, after learning the US Postal Service planned to fly 260,000 covers on a space shuttle mission, Al Worden successfully sued the government. NASA returned the 298 covers to the three astronauts.

This envelope is one of the 298 confiscated covers.

The mission

Apollo 15 (July 26, 1971 – August 7, 1971) was the fourth manned mission to land on the Moon. The mission was notable for the first use of the Lunar Rover, enabling the crew to explore further than previous missions.

Commander Scott and Lunar Module Pilot Irwin spent two days and 18 hours on the Moon, including 18.5 hours outside the Lunar Module.

The crew discovered the Genesis Rock – a 4.5 million-year-old rock, dating to around the time the Moon formed. It was the oldest rock found on the Moon at that point.

During the return to Earth, Command Module Pilot Al Worden performed the first deep space spacewalk.

Irwin suffered a “minor” heart attack during the return to Earth.

Despite the significant scientific achievements of the mission, it is today best known for the stamp scandal that broke following splash down.  

Full details

The envelope measures 6.5 x 3.5 inches. It bears a cachet of the Apollo 15 emblem.

It includes three stamps. A single 10c “First man on the Moon” stamp is cancelled by a postmark from the Kennedy Space Center, dated the morning of launch - July 26, 1971.

A pair of 8c “A decade of achievement / United States in Space” stamps is cancelled by a postmark from the USS Okinawa and dated the morning of August 7, 1971 – the date of splashdown and recovery of the crew from the Pacific.

The cover is signed attractively and clearly in black fountain pen by the three astronauts: Dave Scott, Jim Irwin and Al Worden.

The upper left corner reads: "This envelope was carried to the moon aboard the Apollo 15. #26 of 400 to the lunar surface in L.M. Falcon."

The reverse features the handwritten initials “SNH” of NASA’s general counsel S Neil Hosenball and serial # 075. These relate to NASA’s confiscation of the covers in 1971.

Included is an affidavit signed on July 19, 1983 by Scott, Irwin and Worden, confirming the cover is genuine.

Also included is an October 10, 2011 letter of authenticity from Jim Irwin’s wife, Mary Ellen, certifying the Jim Irwin estate owned the envelope from July 19, 1983 onwards.

A hugely rare, hugely desirable and hugely storied piece of space memorabilia. 

Detailed solid mahogany 1/32 scale model of the Apollo 17 command module, signed on the side in black felt tip, “Gene Cernan, Apollo XVII.”

In fine condition. A large signature on a visually impressive and interesting item.

PT623

• A globe of the Moon signed by 15 Apollo astronauts, including six of the 12 “Moonwalkers”
• Accompanied by a photograph album of each astronaut signing

Truly one of the most exciting pieces of space memorabilia we’ve ever offered.

The Apollo program was NASA’s third foray into human spaceflight and operated from 1961 through 1972. 

It succeeded in putting the first men on the Moon with the Apollo 11 landing in 1969, a defining moment in human history.

This Moon globe is signed by 15 astronauts, from Apollo 7 (1968) through to Apollo 17 (1972).

Those signatories include: Al Worden (Apollo 15), Dick Gordon (Apollo 12), Charlie Duke (Apollo 16), Ed Mitchell (Apollo 14), Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11), Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Jim Lovell (Apollo 13), Fred Haise (Apollo 13), Rusty Schweickart (Apollo 9), Dave Scott (Apollo 15), Gene Cernan (Apollo 17), Jim McDivitt (Apollo 9), Tom Stafford (Apollo 10), Walt Cunningham (Apollo 7) and Ken Mattingley (Apollo 16).

That list includes six of the 12 “Moonwalkers” (Aldrin, Bean, Scott, Mitchell, Duke and Cernan).

The globe measures 12 inches in diameter and rests on a clear plastic stand. It features topographic information on the lunar surface and notes on the Apollo landing sites.

Incredibly, this piece is accompanied by a photograph album showing each of the astronauts signing it. This level of provenance is extremely rare in the industry.

All of the astronauts have signed in black pen on the Moon’s near side (the side facing Earth). Buzz Aldrin has signed next to the Apollo 11 landing site, close to the Sea of Tranquility.

The globe has been very well cared for and the condition is excellent. A wonderful display piece with great eye appeal.  

• A beautiful autograph book containing more than 170 superb autographs from celebrated actors, musicians and other notables of the 20^th century.   

The book is a big 8.5 x 6 inches – enabling many of the signers to provide exceptionally large examples of their autographs. 

Each autograph is wonderfully crisp in blue ballpoint pen. Many of the signatures are rare.

Actors include Sean Connery, Christopher Reeve, Tony Curtis, Oliver Reed, Tim Curry, Raquel Welch, Edward Woodward, Omar Sharif, Rod Steiger, Howard Keel and Donald Sinden. 

Musicians include Glen Campbell, Shirley Bassey, Brenda Lee, Barry Manilow, Lulu, Suzi Quatro, Helen Shapiro, Cilla Black and Freddie and the Dreamers. 

Comedians include Ernie Wise, Ronnie Corbett, Tommy Cooper, Larry Grayson, Tracey Ullman, Billy Connolly, Victoria Wood and Julie Walters. 

It also features the superb and scarce autograph of celebrated ballerina Margot Fonteyn. 

Margaret Thatcher – the first British female prime minister – has also signed attractively. 

The book has impeccable authenticity. The autographs were personally collected in 1984 by the chief accountant of London Weekend Television (LWT), John Donovan. The stars all appeared in television programmes broadcast by LWT in 1984. 

The total value of the signatures is far more than our asking price of £1,995. As such this offers an excellent investment opportunity.

Impossible to recreate today. In superb condition.

Free global shipping. 28-day returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included. 

The full list of signers: 

Politics

Margaret Thatcher

Denis Healey

Dance

Margot Fonteyn

Film and theatre

Sean Connery

Christopher Reeve

Tony Curtis

Oliver Reed

Tim Curry

Raquel Welch

Edward Woodward

Omar Sharif

Rod Steiger

Howard Keel

Donald Sinden

Brian Blessed

Barbara Windsor

John Pertwee

Lionel Blair

Clive Dunn

Tim Piggott-Smith

Joanna Lumley

John Thaw

Frankie Howard

Nigel Hawthorne

Diana Rigg

Christopher Biggins

Bonnie Langford

George Segal

Gary Wilmot

Robin Askwith

Dermot Crowley

John Schneider

Angus Lennie

Robert Powell

Anna Neagle

Michael Brandon

Geraldine McEwan

Anthony Calf

Alec McCowen

Denis Lill

Jill Gascoine

Christopher Cazenove

Angela Douglas

Jeremy Sinden

Raymond Francis

Sheila Steafel

Sandra Dickinson

Roy Kinnear

Kathy Staff

Michele Dotrice

William Franklyn

Shirley Anne Field

Pat Phoenix

Sheila Keith

Richard Pasco

Morris Perry

John Grillo

Diana Solomon

Anna Dawson

Shaughan Seymour

Morris Perry

Lionel Jeffries

Daniel Massey

Simon Williams

Music

Glen Campbell

Shirley Bassey

Brenda Lee 

Barry Manilow

Lulu

Suzi Quatro

Helen Shapiro

Cilla Black

Freddie and the Dreamers

Donny Osmond

Engelbert Humperdinck

The Drifters

Paul Young

David Essex

Paul Jones

Shakin Stevens

Beverley Sisters

Bucks Fizz

Eartha Kitt

Charley Pride

Johnny Moore

The Stylistics

Stutz Bear Cats

Danny La Rue

Vince Hill

Barbara Dickson

Lorna Dallas

Rose Marie

Joe Brown

Patti Gold

Pearly Gates

Dana

John Hanson

Lena Horne

Eve Ferret

Lynsey de Paul

Richard Clayderman

Simon Rattle

TV and radio

Michael Parkinson

Bruce Forsyth

Michael Aspel

Clive James

Nicholas Parsons

Roy Walker

Floella Benjamin

Jeremy Beadle

Gloria Hunniford

Dickie Davies

Jim Rosenthal

Matthew Kelly

Dave Lee Travis

Brian Hayes

Sally James

Kenneth Kendall

Toni Arthur

Peter Price

Ted Moult

Ed Stewart

Nerys Hughes

Robin Houston

Shaw Taylor

Comedy

Ernie Wise

Ronnie Corbett

Tommy Cooper

Tracey Ullman

Larry Grayson

Billy Connolly

Victoria Wood

Julie Walters

Charlie Williams

Bill Oddie

Rod Hull and Emu

Bobby Davro

Les Dennis

Bernard Manning

The Krankies

Adrian Walsh

Pamela Stephenson

Su Pollard

Brain Conley

Stanley Baxter

Carol Lee Scott

Ray Alan

Roy Hudd

Lance Percival

Jerry Stevens

Dustin Gee

Bernie Winters and Schnorbitz

Faith Brown

Norman Vaughan

Jimmy Cricket

Bob Carolgees and Spit

Lennie Bennett

Football

Jimmy Greaves

Ian St John

Trevor Brooking

Emlyn Hughes

Steve Perryman

Bruce Grobbelaar

Writing

Jackie Collins

Jeremy Lloyd

Barry Cryer

• An exceptional signature and display from Bela Lugosi, legendary star of Dracula (1931)

Hungarian born Bela Lugosi (1882-1956) left school early in the 1890s. By the turn of the century he began taking roles in local theatre productions. He starred in several movies in Hungary but fled the country in 1919 as the communist regime fell.

Lugosi travelled to New York in 1920 to continue his stage career, playing to audiences who remembered him from the old country. That same decade he starred in a touring production of Dracula and was awarded the role in the onscreen adaptation of the play in 1930. A brief but glittering career in horror followed.

Sadly Lugosi became addicted to painkillers in the 1940s, which effectively ended his career – although he had a reprisal in Ed Wood’s cult series of B-movies in the 1950s (including Glen or Glenda and Plan 9 From Outer Space). Lugosi died in 1956. He was buried in the cloak he wore in Dracula.

A huge pencil autograph from actor Bela Lugosi on an off-white 5 x 6.75 inch album page. Very rare, especially in this size.

The piece is mounted in a 19.7 x 22.7 inch black frame alongside a print of the poster for Dracula (1931). A stunning item that celebrates a giant of Hollywood’s golden age.

Free global shipping. 28-day no quibble returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included. 

• A Bill Gates signed Microsoft business card dating from his tenure as CEO 

Bill Gates is the founder and former CEO of the Microsoft Corporation, one of the world’s biggest technology companies. Since stepping down in 2000, he has devoted himself to his philanthropic interests with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

A personal 2 x 3.5 inch business card from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, signed just below the company logo.

It identifies Gates as “Chairman & Chief Executive Officer” and dates from 1987-2000. Gates’ business cards are highly prized and signed specimens are rare.

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• A 1940s-era guest book from the famous Café Chambord in New York, signed by its celebrity clientele 
• Signatures include Hollywood stars such as Alfred Hitchcock, Gene Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and Natalie Wood

The Café Chambord was a New York restaurant famous for its French haute cuisine, and an intimate atmosphere which attracted celebrity diners.

The restaurant was established in 1936 by Roger Chauveron, who began his cooking career in Paris at the age of 12 and immigrated to the U.S in 1924.

Unlike many of the city's most glamorous restaurants, the Café Chambord was simply-decorated with a rustic charm, and a glass wall which allowed diners to watch their food being prepared in the kitchen.

It was renowned for serving simple French country cooking, and first became popular with wealthy European emigrants fleeing the Nazis during the late 1930s.

As its reputation grew, it became a destination for sophisticated diners and celebrities alike - although rarely appeared in the society gossip columns, and remained a place to escape from the spotlight for the evening.

Chauveron sold the restaurant in 1950, and having moved from its original location on Third Avenue in 1963, the Café Chambord eventually closed its doors in August 1964.

This Café Chambord guest book includes numerous signatures, with entries dating from October 12, 1944 until June 3, 1948.

Notable autographs include Alfred Hitchcock, who signed alongside a sketch of his famous profile; Gene Kelly; Ingrid Bergman; Edward G. Robinson; Natalie Wood; Mary Pickford; Alan Ladd; Olivia de Havilland; Charles Coburn; heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey; and film producer Michael Todd.

A superb set of autographs from Hollywood's Golden Age, and an evocative piece of New York history.

• A menu from a 1942 dinner at the Chambre de Commerce Francaise in London signed by Charles de Gaulle
• At the time of signing de Gaulle was leader in exile of the Free French resistance
• An extraordinary piece of WW2 memorabilia from a towering figure in French history

Charles De Gaulle (1890-1970) was a fascinating and controversial figure. He graduated from France’s prestigious Saint Cyr military academy in 1912 and became a decorated hero during the first world war. When WW2 broke out, he was appointed Undersecretary of War. He fled to England after the French government surrendered to the Nazis in 1940, becoming leader of the French resistance. After the war he was appointed chair of the transitional government. He was prime minister from 1948-49 and elected president of France from 1958-1969, establishing the Fifth Republic and carefully piloting the nation through the cold war. As a result, De Gaulle is seen by many as the founding father of modern France.

In 1940, Charles de Gaulle broadcast his celebrated Appeal du 18 Juin across the English channel to the people of France. The general had been forced to leave the country after the invasion of Germany made him a target for arrest and possible execution.

In his speech, De Gaulle exhorted French soldiers to continue the fight against the invaders. This put him in opposition with the ruling Vichy government, which signed an armistice with Germany and began working in collaboration. This included adopting the Nazis' cruel persecution of Jews and other minorities.

This meal took place at the Chambre de Commerce Francaise at Grosvenor House, London on January 6, 1942. De Gaulle signs the 4.1 x 6.7 inch menu in bold black pen to the top left.  

At this date he has been living in London for two years, masterminding the French Resistance’s guerrilla war against the occupying German army. He was backed in his efforts by Winston Churchill, who agreed to loan him the funds for the fight, to be paid back by France after the war.

When you buy this item you also get a July 1, 1941 Chambre de Commerce Francaise menu signed by Alfred Boucher (president of the Free French Chamber of Commerce), Greek diplomat Charalambos Simopolous and Yugoslavian attaché MN Domovic.

Free global shipping. 28-day returns. Certificate of Authenticity and our Lifetime Moneyback Guarantee of Authenticity included. 

• A Coutts cheque signed by the great Victorian author and social reformer Charles Dickens on March 27, 1861

Charles John Huffman Dickens (1812-1870) is regarded as the greatest English writer of his age. His broad body of work includes some of the most celebrated novels ever written - including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol.

Dickens was born into a middle class family in Portsmouth, but his circumstances changed dramatically when his father was slung into a debtors’ prison in 1824. Dickens was forced to leave school and start work in a boot polish factory to support his family.

While his father was freed a few months later, allowing Dickens to return to school, this formative experience left him burning with a righteous anger at the conditions the working classes had to endure.

Dickens purchased Gads Hill, his country home in Higham, Kent, in 1856 and spent a considerable sum refurbishing it over the next few years.

This cheque for £30.12s.6d is made out to carpet and curtain makers James Shoolbred & Co.

Dickens writes out the date, the recipient and the sum in blue ink. His signature, with its characteristic multiple underlines, is to the bottom left. 

The piece is displayed in an attractive 14.1 x 8.2 inch gold frame along with an antique photograph of Dickens, depicting him in 1861. The reverse is fixed with a card displaying information from Louise Ross & Co. Auctioneers. 

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• A Charles Schulz signed copy of Charlie Brown & Charles Schulz 

American cartoonist Charles Schulz (1922-2000) is best known for his comic strip Peanuts which featured the now iconic characters Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

Peanuts was published in over 2,600 newspapers, in 75 countries and 21 languages and reprints of the strip regularly appear in newspapers today.

• An ink portrait of Charlie Chaplin signed by Chaplin himself
• Dated to 1952, around the release of Limelight

Charlie Chaplin was the biggest star of the silent era. Born into poverty in Victorian London, he found his way to the stage and on to Hollywood. He came up with the character of the Tramp in 1914. By 1918 he was a household name. A string of classic movies followed, including The Kid (1921), Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940).

This is an ink portrait of Charlie Chaplin in character as the Tramp by the Danish artist Carl Werner Skogholm. The drawing is dated 1952. Chaplin has signed to the right of his portrait “Yours truly, Charlie Chaplin”.

The date means Chaplin likely signed around the release of Limelight (1952), in which he stars as a washed up former comedian. This is around the time he was barred from America for being a suspected communist. 

The item is fixed to a paper backing with tape to the top left and bottom right corners. 

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