American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

Group of clipped signatures, notes signed, and letters signed, each collected by Mr. W. North Robins (1857-1918).  Autograph collection primarily includes late nineteenth and early twentieth century political and military figures, but also includes businessman, industrialists, writers, and other notables. Most autographs accompanied by original mailing envelope in which autograph was returned to the collector. Two autographs accompanied by original manuscript letter from Robins requesting a signature, as exemplified by his May 1917 request to Major General John Pershing: "In 1878 I began my collection of autographs of prominent people and have an exceptional collection which I feel proud of. I have presidents of the United States[,] members of Congress[,] Governors etc. ... I kindly ask you before your departure for Europe to favor me with yours...."

Highlights include: WILSON, Woodrow,  "The White House / Washington" card signed ("Woodrow Wilson") as President, 1914; CLEVELAND, Grover, card signed ("Grover Cleveland / Dec 23, 1907"), just a year before his death; TAFT, William H., "Washington, D.C." card signed ("Wm. H. Taft"), as Secretary of War, 1907; and WASHINGTON, Booker T., card signed ("Booker T Washington, Tuskegee, Alabama, Jan. 6, 1915." Washington's autograph was accompanied by a typed letter from his secretary indicating that "Mr. Washington is very glad to comply with your request ... and wishes me to express to you his sincere appreciation of your kind thought of him in this matter." 

Additional signatures include: Andrew CARNEGIE, J.P. MORGAN, Henry Cabot LODGE, William Waldorf ASTOR, Robert T. LINCOLN, Oliver Wendell HOLMES, Mrs. General Tom THUMB (Countess M. Lavinia Magri, James Whitomb RILEY, and more than 80 additional figures.

Condition of autographs generally good with expected toning and wear given age. Some occasional creasing, light soil, and or pencil/ink notations. Notations identifying signatures appear on some autographs and accompanying covers, and are believed to be in the hand of the original collector, W. North Robbins.

Together, approximately 100 autographs.

[With:] A small group of approx. 7 documents associated with Robins's interest in geological surveys including for the states of Florida, Kansas, and Washington.

Mr. William North Robins was born in Pennsylvania, and later became a photographer and a civil engineer for the city of Syracuse, New York. As a young man living in Shamokin, PA, he came to the attention of inventor Thomas A. Edison. Robins is referenced in the Thomas A. Edison papers at Rutgers University, with William Symes Andrews writing in part to Edison in 1884: "Replying to your letter of enquiry abt. W. North Robins, would say that I consider him to be a clever and neat workman, moreover he is a sober, and intelligent man of rather above average education. / He is very anxious to work for you...I think you will do well to give him a chance...."