Items signed by many of history's most important figures are in University Archives auction April 14

WILTON, Conn. - March 27, 2021 - PRLog -- An exquisite portrait miniature of Thomas Jefferson along with two locks of hair (one of them Jefferson's), and a letter and photograph signed by Albert Einstein are just two of the superstar lots in University Archives' online-only auction of rare manuscripts, autographs and books scheduled for Wednesday, April 14^th. The auction will start at 10:30 am Eastern time.

The catalog is up for viewing and bidding now, on the revamped University Archives website (www.UniversityArchives.com), as well as the platforms LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. Phone and absentee bids will also be accepted. It's just the second auction that will be conducted from University Archives' new, 6,000-square-foot offices in Wilton, Conn.

"This sale is particularly strong in the presidential, science, foreign, and African American collecting categories, but maps, early American, literary, Civil War and World War II are also well-represented," said John Reznikoff, president and founder of University Archives. "The sale is packed with items signed by many of the greatest figures in all of history – 356 lots in all."

Major categories include presidential, from Washington to Biden; science (Einstein, Darwin and others); foreign (Paul Gauguin, Adam Smith, Russian czars and others); African American (Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X and others); early American (Samuel Adams, John Hancock and others); literary (Whitman, Dickens, Joyce and others); and space / aviation (Charles Lindbergh, the Wright Brothers, Neil Armstrong, the Atomic Bomb, the Enola Gay airplane and others).

The diminutive portrait of Thomas Jefferson is attributed to the British miniaturist Robert Field (1769-1819). It's being offered along with two distinct hair locks of 1,000 strands or more visible under glass with a monogrammed "TJ" cipher on the reverse. One of the hair locks belongs to Jefferson; the other donor is open to speculation. The lot has an estimate of $60,000-$500,000.

There are seven lots dedicated to Albert Einstein, including a humorous letter that "patron saint" Einstein wrote to members of a fan club in 1928, in which he advises his followers to "Seek to understand everything, despise no one, [and] believe nothing blindly." The letter is accompanied by a fine vintage photograph of the revered genius. The lot is expected to bring $50,000-$60,000.

For more information about University Archives and the Wednesday, April 14^th online-only Rare Books, Manuscripts & Relics Auction at 10:30 am Eastern, visit www.universityarchives.com.