Media/Press Releases

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Lincoln’s final, urgen letter to his general: Download full PDF release. The Raab Collection, the nation’s leading dealer in important historical documents, announced that it is offering for sale, beginning today, the original of a famous letter in the hand of President Abraham Lincoln, a letter in private collections for decades and hidden from the general public. The letter is valued at $100,000. Lincoln’s action as a result of this letter would change the course of history. The country this year is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, a conflict that would end in victory for the Union and the assassination of President Lincoln.

The Life and Times of George Washington. Sign up to receive updates on this future catalogs.   Click the catalog on the right bar at this page.  Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/raabcollection

Walk through 2 exhibits with The Raab Collection

Experience the struggles of the great men and women of history

September 2010 – From CNN: – A newly discovered letter written by civil rights leader Susan B. Anthony decrying the treatment of women as “pets” has gone on sale… “This letter has the unique perspective of being simultaneously a reflection of the pain of her female contemporaries at being shut out of society’s privileges, and also the optimism with which they worked for equal rights,” Nathan Raab said.  The aggressive tone taken by Anthony is uncommon, as is her reference to

women as pets – the rarity of which are reflected in the price tag, Raab said.  “The mocking and aggressive tone in her letter is extremely uncommon and indicates a certain amount of personal pain at feeling perhaps society still did not look on women as equals,” he said. “The price reflects the rarity of such a frank communication of Anthony.”

August 2010 – From Fine Books & Collections – “The Raab Collection, historic document dealers located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, has just published a new catalogue titled Great Collections…. For collectors, history buffs, or genealogists who are just beginning to build a collection and need advice on things like archival framing, acid-free binders, and insurance riders, this handy and well-illustrated guide is perfect…. Raab published a more elaborate guide last year, In the Presence of History, which is available for purchase from their site. With 178 pages and hundreds of illustrations, it is much more comprehensive and appeals to serious collectors.”

June – August 2010 – Forbes.com. Read Nathan’s recent contributions to Forbes.com.

April 2010 – The Raab Collection’s discovery of the Yellowstone letter from Theodore Roosevelt to his son Quentin

April 2010 – The Raab Collection appeared on Forbes.com, Businessweek.com, and CNBC.com, among others all of which highlighted the discovery of a letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Quentin.

April 2010 – CNN announced the discovery by The Raab Collection of a letter from Theodore Roosevelt to his son, Quentin, written during his great 1903 trip to Yellowstone, the only such piece known to have been offered for sale.

March 2010 – CNN interviewed Nathan Raab for a story on the theft of documents from the Drew University archives.

March 2010 – From American Heritage Magazine

January 2010 – The Manuscript Society magazine featured us in its most recent edition. The article, entitled “Raab Collection” sells Trail of Tears letter, apeared in the late 2009 edition.

November 2009 – Read about Lincoln’s letter to the schoolboy, recently discovered, in national and international media.  The story was covered by NPR’s morning edition, CNN (see below), BBC and media outlets worldwide.

2006-2010 – Follow a traveling exhibit of Abraham Lincoln’s life and work, including our document signed by Lincoln ordering the blockade of the Confederacy.

September 2009 – Read about our discovery of a letter of Andrew Jackson in which he orders the Native American tribes to move West.  Philadelphia Inquirer.

March 2009 – Fine Books magazine published an article written by Steven Raab on Franklin Roosevelt and the Great Depression, paralleling one of the documents in the Collection.  Read the article.

February 2009 – Jonas Raab was invited by the Delaware Historical Society to open their annual program in celebration of Abraham Lincoln. His speech was “In the Presence of Lincoln” and focused on the power of Lincoln’s pen.

February 2009 – Read about efforts to put Abraham Lincoln letters online for his anniversary celebration year.  We were quoted in this Philadelphia Inquirer story.

December 2008 – Learn about what TRC is doing to curate and publicize the collection of one private collector who is giving back to the community and saving American treasures. Article from the inquirer

November 2008 – Nathan Raab was invited to speak at a Philadelphia gathering of the Manuscript Society. You can read his speech here: PDF

September 2008 – The most recent edition of Manuscript Magazine featured an article by Nathan Raab on the necessity of preserving historical documents.  Please contact us to learn more.

August 2008 – The Raab Collection was invited by the Democratic Party to create an exhibit of historical documents inside Convention headquarters in Denver for the Democratic Convention.  We are a non-partisan organization but appreciated the opportunity to be part of such an historic occasion.  The exhibit was covered by local and national media.

July 2008 – Opinion piece published in the Philadelphia Inquirer.  “This month, the country learned that Lewis Katz, philanthropist and businessman, would be lending to the National Constitution Center here in Philadelphia an autograph book that boasts the signature of, among others, Abraham Lincoln.  Such books are not actually uncommon.   Lincoln signed many of them, and his signature is far from rare.  So what
makes this one different?  It was compiled at Gettysburg the day of  Lincoln’s storied address, and it is the only piece known to exist that can make such a lofty claim.  It is a gem for any institution, a wonderful  asset for our city.  Katz made such a gift, we learned, because the Constitution Center would allow people to “imagine the moment when pen hit the  page.” This is a wise and refreshing recognition of Philadelphia’s central  role in preserving our nation’s legacy and making it come alive.” Read the whole oped

March 2008 – Manuscript Magazine. An article on the future of private collecting and one such collectors use of technology to spread his message.

February 27 – National Media.  A rare manuscript dealer is selling an archive of nearly 100 letters, most of them unpublished correspondence by John F. Kennedy about the necessity of sound environmental and domestic policy. The correspondence, all of which was written to Democratic California Gov. Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, has been given a value of $210,000 by the Philadelphia-based dealer, The Raab Collection.  The archive also includes correspondence from the 1950s through the 1980s to Brown _ who died in 1996 at age 90 _ from Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman.  In a letter dated Oct. 28, 1960, a week after the last of four “Great Debates” between Kennedy and Nixon, Kennedy tells Brown that the country’s future success is contingent upon how its natural resources are managed.

February 18 – Philadelphia Bulletin.  For a rarified view of historic documents, you could make the trek to a museum, or instead, you could simply have a seat at a computer.  The Raab Collection’s Web site now brings historically notable manuscripts and letters to your living room virtually, and, for a price, in reality. The new Web site enables visitors to view scanned documents of historic importance, such as letters from Benjamin Franklin, John F. Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr.

February 7-8 – NPR All Things Considered.  An American president, worried about criticism during a time of war, writes a private letter to the publisher of a prominent New York newspaper, hoping for its support.  The year is 1861, and the president is Abraham Lincoln.  Now, the Raab Collection in Philadelphia is selling the letter, valued at $55,000.  Steven Raab explains to Michele Norris that when Lincoln sent the handwritten letter to James Gordon Bennett, the publisher of the era’s most influential newspaper, the New York Herald, things were not going very well for the Union side in the Civil War.  Listen to the entire segment online at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18815961&ft=1&f=1001

January 30, 2008 – CBS Newsradio
Local historical document collectors say the hunt for national treasures is real and going on today.  Those who oversee the Raab Collection, a Philadelphia house of historical manuscripts, say the hunt for national treasures is real. Collection vice president Nathan Raab:  “It’s not just something that happens in the movies. There are people out there that are actively searching out not only the pieces of history but the stories that bring them to life. And this exhibit focuses on that, by using original documents in the hand of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams, and even King George III.”  The Raab Collection is displaying newly discovered original documents and letters and outlining the hunt behind finding them and their importance. Nathan Raab says one item is a secret letter (above) from John Adams in Europe:  “This letter was John Adams’ notification to Benjamin Franklin and John Jay of the first European recognition of our independence of any country outside of France.”  The collection is open to the public by appointment. For more information call 1-800-977-8333.

November 26, 2007 – National Newspapers, Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Several important letters and papers are to be unveiled at an open house in Philadelphia.  Among the documents is a personal letter from Benjamin Franklin, written from Philadelphia in July 1776. Other letters are from George Washington and John Adams.  But Nathan Raab of the Raab Collection says the most important document is from John Brown, who crossed the Mason Dixon line before the Civil War and forcibly freed slaves.  It’s his last will and testament, signed the morning that he was hanged.  Raab says Brown’s “name and his cause became a rallying point for people who were opposed to slavery.” Raab says it’s “truly a remarkable document.”  The document unveiling will take place Thursday at The Raab Collection offices in Philadelphia.

April 2, 2007 – The Financial Times
The Raab Collection’s exhibit at the Rittenhouse Hotel was featured in the World Traveller section of the Financial Times. “For a local experience, try the Rittenhouse Hotel, an elegant small property on Rittenhouse Square, one of five original city greens planned by William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, in the late 17th century. An extra perk are the many historical documents on display in the hotel, including letters from George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.” (more)

April 14, 2007 – WPHT, Philadelphia
Nathan Raab was a guest on the show of Dom Giordano on WPHT, Philadelphia; 1210 AM.

April 13, 2007 – Rude Awakening Show (radio)
Steven Raab was a guest on the Rude Awakening Show (radio), hosted by “Bulldog.”  He spoke on the field of autographs and how to begin a collection.

April 5, 2007 – International Herald Tribune
The original letter in which Theodore Roosevelt first used the phrase “Speak softly and carry a big stick” is up for sale. (more)

February 4, 2007 – National Park Service
Washington letter on loan to National Park Service facility. Among the rare letters on display is correspondence from Washington, praising Glover’s service and wishing him a speedy recovery from illness. (more)

January 4, 2007 – The Jewish Exponent
Brothers “Document” History by Tracking down Historical Documents – Among the treasure trove of historical papers that adorns the walls of the Raab Collection’s new Center City office are: a letter from King George IV to Czar Alexander I; another from General George Washington to one of his spies; and the executive order signed by President William McKinley appointing Jacob Trieber to the federal bench, the first Jew to achieve the position. And that’s just the beginning… (more)

December 17, 2006 – CBS News/ KYW Newsradio
Two previously unknown letters by Abraham Lincoln are being offered for sale by a Philadelphia Organization.   The letters are historically significant for two reasons.  They were previously unknown by any Lincoln historian and they represent one of the rare times Lincoln ever referred to God in writing. (more)

December, 2006 -  Michael Smerconish Show (WPHT)
Nathan Raab was invited to appear on the morning show on 1210AM WPHT, where he discussed the collection of Eisenhower letters to older brother Edgar.

December, 2006 – Bar Harbor Times (more)

December 4, 2006 – The Washington Post, “In the Loop” Column
Sly Character Assassination: “The political game, as played by some writers, is a combination of gossip, innuendo, sly character assassination and outright lies, hackneyed criticism and accusations palpably based on misinformation and deliberate distortion.” Was it: (a) Donald Rumsfeld; (b) Karl Rove; or (c) Dwight D. Eisenhower?  It was Ike, in a letter he wrote to older brother Edgar N. Eisenhower on Jan. 27, 1954. It’s one of 140 letters from that correspondence, valued at $270,000, that were sold last week by the Raab Collection in Philadelphia. (more)

November 29 & 30, 2006 – USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, AP, New York Times
A rare-manuscript dealer in Ardmore has sold a collection of 140 private letters that President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent to his brother Edgar over a span of more than a quarter-century.  The letters, written to Edgar N. Eisenhower from 1941 to 1967 reveal the 34th president’s concerns about the arms race, America’s poor image around the world, political patronage, and eroding civil liberties.
Download the release.
View the Philadelphia Inquirer article

November, 2006 – Smithsonian Air and Space Magazine
The Raab Collection recently unveiled a trove of letters that served to establish the Ninety-Nines… The Library of Congress snapped it up.  “I happened to see the Raab catalog just as my chief said something he rarely ever does: ‘We have a little money to spend right away. Any good candidates?’” says Leonard Bruno, curator of Science and Aviation manuscripts.  “It didn’t take much to see that this was a one-of-a-kind collection.

Fall, 2006 – The Rosenbach Museum and Library
The Rosenbach Museum and Library received The Raab Collection’s first historical grant to launch its efforts to digitize and publish online its substantial manuscript holdings, beginning with a selection George Washington’s pieces.  Click here to learn more about this project and visit www.rosenbach.org to learn more about Dr. Rosenbach and his collection.

Fall, 2006 – Bar Harbor Times
Man of Letters: Steven Raab is one of the nations leading buyers and sellers in historical letters.” Two feature articles from the Bar Harbor Times . (more)

June 22, 2006 – Bar Harbor Legacy of the Arts
On June 22, Steven Raab participated in the Bar Harbor “Legacy of the Arts” festival on by showing his historic home, The Kedge, which was built in 1870 and is the oldest of the great cottages in the town. (more)

Summer, 2006 – The Society of the Four Arts
Steven Raab was invited to lecture at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, Florida.  He discussed authenticity, the rarity of manuscripts, the details of collecting historic manuscripts and the Camelot papers, a collection of unpublished correspondence and original photographs from Jacqueline Kennedy’s redecoration of the White House. (more)

January 6, 2006 – The Palm Beach Post
The Camelot Papers of Jacqueline Kennedy: Among the men and women who collect historic manuscripts and autographs, there are said to be three levels of excitement.  The “Oh!”  The “Oh, my!”  And the “Oh, my God!”  Speaking to a gathering at the Society of the Four Arts’ King Library on Wednesday morning, Philadelphia manuscript dealer Steven Raab shared some examples of the “Jackie Oh My God!” letters, memos, reports and photos dating from 1961-62, when first lady Jacqueline Kennedy was busy redecorating the White House. (more)

Winter, 2005 – 51st Historical Catalog
The Raab Collection announces the release of catalog 51, containing Harry Truman’s endorsed presidential paycheck from August 1945, the month in which the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan agreed to unconditional surrender, effectively ending World War II; and a broadside print designed by Winston Churchill for the Atlantic Conference in 1941, where it was presented to Franklin Roosevelt and signed by both. (more)

December, 2005 – Smithsonian Air and Space Magazine
“The Raab Collection, which deals in rare historic documents, letters, and manuscripts, offers for $38,000 the first pilots license issued by the United States government.  In May 1926, Congress passed the Air Commerce Act, which encouraged the development of aviation through regulation.”  (more)

Fall, 2005 – Gilbert’s “Churchill and America”
Raab Collection Churchill Manuscript Featured in Gilbert’s Churchill and America:
“The consciousness of a common purpose in great matters between Britain and the United States is the only sure guarantee of the future peace of the world.” (more)

November 3, 2005 – Steve Crowley’s American Scene Radio
Steven Raab was interviewed as an expert in American historical manuscripts for a syndicated radio show reaching 150 stations nationwide.

September 13, 2005 – Editor & Publisher
Grover Cleveland/AP Documents to Be Sold: “The Raab Collection this fall is planning to sell two original eulogies given by Grover Cleveland to the Associated Press.” (more)

June 23, 2005 – National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center and The Raab Collection Pay Tribute to Abraham Lincoln.  View the list of artifacts, including Lincoln’s order to blockade the Confederacy. (more)

April 18, 2005 – Business Week
Cashing in on Abe: “Collecting old letters and documents is not only fun but can also be a good invest-ment, according to a new analysis by Abraham Wyner, assistant professor of statistics at the Wharton School.Wyner’s study, commissioned by Ardmore (Pa.) dealer Steven Raab shows it’s smart to go for the best material.” (PDF)

March, 2005 – Autograph Collector Magazine
An example of Reagan Letters (PDF)

February, 2005 – The Palm Beach Connoisseur (PDF)

Winter, 2005 – Finest Hour
“Woods Corner”  Winston Churchill’s Note on Trans-Atlantic Unity (PDF)

October 15, 2004 – Philadelphia Business Journal
The People to go to for a Rare Piece of History (more)

October 4, 2004 – NYC Mayoral Collection
Raab Collection to Offer Revolutionary War New York City Mayoral Collection  (more)

September 29, 2004 – The Washington Post
Sincerely, the Irate Communicator – Richard Lieby’s column (more)

September 28, 2004 – Raab Collection to Offer Private Correspondence of Reagan
The Raab Collection announced today that it will offer for sale the private presidential correspondence of Pres. Ronald Reagan written to his long-time confidant in Hollywood and Washington, Sen. George Murphy of California.  (more)

September 28, 2004 – CNN
Rare Reagan letters for sale (more)