A Look Back at Our Historical Discoveries & Highlights of 2024
Throughout 2024, The Raab Collection had the honor to do what we do best: discover and acquire historical documents from all over the world and then put them in the hands of private and institutional collectors. We also celebrated the firm’s 35th anniversary, marked with a series of exciting exhibitions and the launch of our Guest Curators program. It was a year filled with inspiring discoveries, major sales, and exciting media appearances. Below are some of the highlights.
Historical Discoveries
Raab is on the front line of historical discovery. Many of the pieces we sell are unpublished or were acquired directly from descendants or heirs, meaning they have not been seen by the general public or research community before. In 2024, Raab unveiled letters and signed documents of Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon, Mary Todd Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy, among others, all of which were not previously known to exist.
The discovery and acquisition of an archive related to the assassination of President William McKinley. This important piece of American history, documenting one of the four presidential assassinations in our nation’s history, contained the original autopsy report and unpublished medical notes belonging to Dr. Herman Matzinger, who conducted McKinley’s autopsy. It was acquired by the Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection at the University at Buffalo.
An unpublished document signed by Abraham Lincoln just four days before his untimely death. This document, a treasury appointment to an anti-slavery ally, was discovered in an antique desk, where it had been kept by the family of the previous owner for decades. This was not only one of the last official actions of Lincoln’s presidency, but a powerful relic from his final week. Until its discovery, the document’s contents were known to the scholarly community only through a transcribed copy.
A copy of George Washington’s 1793 Rules of Neutrality signed by Alexander Hamilton. This find came to light via the connections Raab has fostered over the past three decades. Perhaps the only such copy in private hands, the “Rules” are part of a letter from Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, who had helped to draft the Rules. A true rarity revealing the real history made famous in the Broadway musical Hamilton.
The historic letter of President Andrew Jackson. Another major presidential document also found a new home: Jackson’s historic letter, written in 1829, instructing Native Americans to leave the American South and move west of the Mississippi. This decree was read aloud to Native groups, which rejected his plan, initiating the U.S. Government’s “Indian Removal Policy” and the Trail of Tears. This document was originally discovered by Raab more than a decade ago and went on exhibit at the National Constitution Center.
A rare memento of the Oslo Accords on Middle East Peace. Signed at the 1993 White House ceremony by Bill Clinton, Yasser Arafat, Yitzak Rabin, and other world leaders, this unique and significant document was acquired from one of the participants in the event.
A handwritten quotation of Albert Einstein. In an unpublished and defining quotation, the world-renowned scientist states the purpose of the pursuit of knowledge: “The greatest value of knowledge lies in knowledge itself.” This signed quotation, so central to Einstein’s beliefs and contributions to knowledge, was among the most important ever offered for sale.
Sales of Historical Documents and Autographs
We search the world to offer our clients the best and most important historical documents. Our customers include institutions and private individuals, all of whom have a passion for preserving and safeguarding history.
To share just a few high spots of our institutional sales:
- Lafayette College, named after the Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette, acquired from us a letter dated May 14, 1824, in which Lafayette called America “the land of genuine freedom.”
- We placed the remarkable 12th-century Italian manuscript leaf pictured above with a major private university in the northeast.
- An East Coast museum purchased a rare document signed by John and Abigail Adams, the only one we have ever had signed by both.
Among private sales, several stand out. Amelia Earhart’s Certificate of Landing for her groundbreaking solo transatlantic flight, signed on her arrival in Europe and submitted to the National Aeronautic Association for Official Recognition–a true American treasure–was acquired by a private collector.
In another remarkable private sale, Raab sold an archive of “jailhouse letters” of Wild West outlaws, Jim and Cole Younger, which had been acquired from descendants of the original recipient and never before offered for sale.
Raab in the Media
During this year in which historical dramas like “Manhunt” and “Franklin” engaged audiences, a broad and increased interest in Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, and Ronald Reagan specifically was, perhaps, inevitable. In all three cases, Nathan Raab, president of The Raab Collection and author of The Hunt for History, was called upon to comment on these historical figures: on Lincoln in the Guardian, Franklin in The Times of London, and Reagan on Fox Business channel’s “The Big Money Show.”
Most recently, we welcomed veteran CBS newsman Barry Pedersen to our Philadelphia gallery to explore the world of historical documents.
As 2025 gets underway, we are ever hopeful for the next big discovery. We are also working on new initiatives to help our clients build and cultivate world-class collections. Join us to stay informed about new historical documents, historical discoveries, and information for the educated collector.
