Jun 25, 2026 10:00 EST

The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile

 
Lot 93
 

93

Justice Brandeis aids his two cousins in Nazi occupied Austria

Collection of a Florida Bibliophile

BRANDEIS, LOUIS

Autograph letter signed as Supreme Court Justice. Washington, D.C.: May 13, 1938. One-page letter, accompanied by the original envelope. Written in ink on Supreme Court stationery marked "personal" in the upper margin, addressed to his cousins in Vienna, Betty Brandeis and Louise Brandeis. 8 x 5 inches (20 x 13 cm). Usual fold, minor fading to some letters, light soiling at center fold, some stains to the envelope. Fine.

"Dear Miss Betty and Mrs Louise Brandeis: / as requested in your letter of April 15th / I have sent the affidavits through / the Washington Bureau of the Hebrew / Sheltering and Immigrant Aid / Society of America; and the Society / advises me that it has delivered them / 'to the Department of State for trans- / mission through the diplomatic / pouch to the American Consul General / of Vienna, together with a covering / letter stating that we hope the Consul General / will be able to grant them visas for / permanent admission to the United States / within his official duties and as speedily as / possible.' My best wishes - cordially / Louis D. Brandeis."

An interesting letter concerning Brandeis' efforts to secure American visas for his cousins, written two months after the Anschluss.

Sold for $768
Estimated at $300 - $500

Includes Buyer's Premium


 

Collection of a Florida Bibliophile

BRANDEIS, LOUIS

Autograph letter signed as Supreme Court Justice. Washington, D.C.: May 13, 1938. One-page letter, accompanied by the original envelope. Written in ink on Supreme Court stationery marked "personal" in the upper margin, addressed to his cousins in Vienna, Betty Brandeis and Louise Brandeis. 8 x 5 inches (20 x 13 cm). Usual fold, minor fading to some letters, light soiling at center fold, some stains to the envelope. Fine.

"Dear Miss Betty and Mrs Louise Brandeis: / as requested in your letter of April 15th / I have sent the affidavits through / the Washington Bureau of the Hebrew / Sheltering and Immigrant Aid / Society of America; and the Society / advises me that it has delivered them / 'to the Department of State for trans- / mission through the diplomatic / pouch to the American Consul General / of Vienna, together with a covering / letter stating that we hope the Consul General / will be able to grant them visas for / permanent admission to the United States / within his official duties and as speedily as / possible.' My best wishes - cordially / Louis D. Brandeis."

An interesting letter concerning Brandeis' efforts to secure American visas for his cousins, written two months after the Anschluss.

Auction: The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile, Jun 25, 2026

  • Successful Auction of The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile on June 25, 2026 Tops $550k with 97% Sell-Through Rate

  • Featuring a Wide Range of Americana and Military History Spanning the 18th through 20th Centuries

  • We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection


NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle's highly-anticipated auction of The Collection of a Florida Bibliophile on June 25, 2026 delivered outstanding results, with trans-Atlantic bidding driving the sale total beyond expectations and an impressive 97% sell-through rate. Comprising more than 200 lots, this extensive and fascinating collection featured books, manuscripts, and original illustration art spanning centuries of antiquarian interest.

Signed Volume from Abraham Lincoln's Personal Library - Sold for $64,000
Books from Abraham Lincoln's personal library are among the great rarities of the American book trade. Leading the sale was an 1849 first edition of William W. Campbell's The Life and Writings of De Witt Clinton inscribed by Lincoln that achieved $64,000, more than doubling its $20,000-30,000 estimate. Lincoln signed the book on November 19, 1860, less than two weeks after his election to the presidency. In February 1861, he would depart Springfield by train for Washington, never returning to his hometown until his burial following his assassination.

A United States Senator, Mayor of New York City, and Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton is best remembered for championing the Erie Canal, one of the great infrastructure projects of the 19th century. Lincoln admired Clinton's vision and leadership, looking to him as a model of a strong executive capable of undertaking and completing ambitious public works.

British Military & Naval Color Plate Books - Sold for $16,640
The wide selection of color plate books featured magnificent first editions of James Jenkins' celebrated The Martial Achievements of Great Britain from the Year 1799 to 1815 and The Naval Achievements of Great Britain from the Year 1793 to 1817. Amid trans-Atlantic bidding, this elegant two-volume set sailed its $7,000-10,000 estimate to realize $16,640. Among the finest military color plate books of the early 19th century, these large-paper editions, featuring over 100 hand-colored aquatint plates, were presented in their most desirable state, with coloring of exceptional quality and delicately tinted plate surrounds not found in the regular issue. Completing the lot was an original watercolor by William Heath, the leading British military watercolorist of the period, prepared for one of the plates in The Martial Achievements.

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