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Articles by Nathan Raab
Book review: 'Hunt for History' shows the value of physical contact with our past
Book review: 'Hunt for History' shows the value of physical contact with our past The Hunt for History TO THIS DAY, I still kick myself for throwing out my baseball card collection in the late 1970s (was Mickey Mantle’s 1952 rookie card in that shoebox?) Perhaps you, too, agonize over junking antiques, family heirlooms, letters passed down generations. We all thought it was worthless. Well, join the crowd.
Book review: 'The Hunt for History' is a treasure hunter's how-to
By Nathan Raab 2020, Scribner 251 pages Burn. Toss. Recycle. Deal with later. It was easy to go through that box of papers you found because most of it went in the first three categories: junk, junk, trash and lots of it. And then something caught your eye: a signature, a date, a real find or a good fake. The question is, as in the book "The Hunt for History" by Nathan Raab, what's it worth? It's the rare person whose heart doesn't race a little at the discovery of a box of random ephemera.
Bookworm: History and treasure; famous fathers
“The Hunt for History” By Nathan Raab c. 2020, Scribner $30, $39.99 Canada; 251 pages Burn. Toss. Recycle. Deal with later. It was easy to go through that box of papers you found because most of it went in the first three categories, junk, junk, trash, and lots of it. And then something caught your eye: a signature, a date, a real find or a good fake. The question is, as in the book "The Hunt for History" by Nathan Raab, what's it worth?
FBI: Missouri man killed during attempted arrest had plans to bomb hospital amid coronavirus outbreak
Breaking News KANSAS CITY, Mo (KMOX) -- A man who died during an attempt to serve an arrest warrant was planning to bomb a Missouri hospital, according to the FBI. Timothy Wilson, 36, died Tuesday in Belton, Missouri after the FBI attempted to arrest him.
WATCH: Wainwright explains why 2011 was the best clubhouse celebration ever
Breaking News "It was just us, there was nobody else in that clubhouse except for the players ... It was absolute pandemonium. More than anything I've ever experienced." ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - On the last day of the 2011 season, the St. Louis Cardinals needed two things to happen to clinch a spot in the Postseason – an STL win and an Atlanta Braves loss. They took care of their part with the 8-0 victory against Houston, but the Braves game went into 13 innings against Philadelphia.
Coronavirus Facts Only: COVID-19 may be a cyclical virus
Breaking News Every day during this COVID-19 pandemic our health editor Fred Bodimer will host a 20 minute podcast with the latest information on the virus outbreak. Dr. Fred Buckhold is a SLU Care general internist at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital. Dr. Buckhold reacts to news that coronavirus may be seasonal – meaning it could come back in the fall. Dr. Buckhold welcomes a new 45-minute rapid coronavirus test. And he answers your questions, like is it okay to give blood?
WATCH: St. Louis area teachers throw parade for cooped-up students
Breaking News Collinsville teachers drove through neighborhoods and waved to students from decorated vehicles. COLLINSVILLE, IL (KMOX) - With their classrooms empty and their students at home because of the coronavirus outbreak, teachers and staff at Renfro Elementary School in Collinsville held a parade Wednesday – just to say hi. A couple dozen vehicles, decorated with signs and balloons, made their way through neighborhoods with horns honking.
New White House, Congress coronavirus plan is largest economic rescue bill in history
Top White House aide Eric Ueland announced the agreement in a Capitol hallway shortly after midnight early Wednesday, capping days of often intense haggling and mounting pressure. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate late Wednesday passed an unparalleled $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic.
SBA ready, willing to help small businesses survive coronavirus
Breaking News Disaster loans available now. Stimulus program pending. KANSAS CITY, MO (KMOX)-As they wait for more help coming from Washington, small business owners concerned about surviving the coronavirus shutdown can get help today, with the click of a button. That click is on the "Learn More" button on the coronavirus information page at SBA.GOV.
The Hunt for History
by Nathan Raab “A thrilling work of detection through the eyes of an expert, with false leads, forgeries and scoundrels—a fast and fascinating read.” —Jonathan Harr, New York Times bestselling author of A Civil Action and The Lost Painting Order Amazon Barnes & Noble Simon & Schuster IndieBound BAM Meet the Author About Nathan Nathan Raab is a principal at the Raab Collection, a historian, and a nationally recognized expert who is helping to build many of the great public and private...
What This Letter Signed By Thomas Jefferson Tells Us About His Final Days And About Our Own Legacies
One day I was perusing an old autograph dealer catalog. It contained minor correspondence from lesser figures, nothing worth more than $1,000. As I flipped through it, however, my eye settled on something that seemed better, something unusual. It was a letter dated May 30, 1826, signed by Thomas Jefferson. The date is what caught me. After all, Jefferson died about a month later. From early June through his death, Jefferson wrote just a few letters.
What Albert Einstein’s Autograph To A Boy Can Teach Us Today About The Scientist
Shortly after Albert Einstein moved into his home on Mercer St. in Princeton, a 13-year-old Jewish boy whose parents were from Germany presented himself on the street in front of the house, hoping to catch a quick glimpse of the great man. Mrs. Einstein saw him, and he asked to meet her husband. At that time, Einstein was not accepting visitors off the street, so she declined. circa 1931: German-born physicist Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) standing beside a blackboard with ...
For Sale At Raab: The American Recognition of Israel, the Original Exhibition Copy
For Sale At Raab: The American Recognition of Israel The Original Exhibition Copy, Exhibited by Israel and the United States Governments, Signed by President Truman Raab to offer for sale the only known signed copy of the final, official recognition of the State of Israel by the United States The remarkable document is valued at $300,000 and has never been offered for sale before Contact: Nathan Raab via cell, text or WhatsApp.
The 5 Steps We Took To Authenticate George Washington's Signed God And Constitution Letter
Last week, we unveiled and sold a letter of George Washington, a long, detailed letter showing his prowess as a farmer and his interest in the science of agriculture. But that's not why its sale was covered worldwide, nor why we had many, many orders for the piece. What mattered most to people, and what made it a remarkable letter, was what he said at the end of the letter.
How We Authenticated This Autograph Of Winston Churchill And How It Nearly Ended Up In The Trash
Earlier this year, we acquired Winston's Churchill's signed letter of resignation to King George VI, dated 1945, after the end of the war in Europe and the loss of Churchill's party in Parliamentary elections that year. This was a purchase that cost tens of thousands of dollars and led to a great deal of research. Why was it not in the British archives? How had it come to the market? And, as importantly, was it authentic?
Is Abraham Lincoln's Stovepipe Authentic? Why We Might Never Know
Last month, as the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library appears to be considering selling Abraham Lincoln's iconic stovepipe hat, we learned something unsettling: experts could not reach a consensus that it actually belonged to Abraham Lincoln. The drama thickened, as the director of the museum apparently distanced himself from the fundraising apparatus, over concerns stemming from this.
What Three Kangaroos Reveal About Winston Churchill's Leadership Philosophy
Tucked away in attics and basements around the world are historical treasures, and some are stranger than others. This was certainly the case when my firm, The Raab Collection, examined a collection of the heirs of one of the closest politicians to Winston Churchill during World War II: Viscount Stuart, Conservative Party Chief Whip and Cabinet member.
This Autograph Of President Abraham Lincoln Saved A Boy's Life
We learned the story of young John Murphy, whose life lay entirely in the hands of President Lincoln, on a recent visit to see a large and important collection of historical documents on the west coast of Florida. The man had collected these documents, which ranged from Gandhi to Brigham Young to Einstein to Jefferson, in the 1960s and 1970s, and now he felt it was time to find them a new home.
How You Can Learn To Detect A George Washington Autograph Forgery
One of the most forged autographs in American history is that of George Washington. Many a forger has taken a pen to that majestic signature of America’s most famous founding father and first President. The reason is simple: his autograph is worth a lot of money (tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars), and money happens to be the primary motivations of forgers.
8 Steps Experts Take To Tell If An Alexander Hamilton Autograph Is Authentic
Last month, a man walked into our office and handed us a book that he had inherited. The job of my company, The Raab Collection, is to seek and buy, then sell, important historical documents. So we meet all sorts of people, some of whom have real historical treasures, and others who have reproductions or even forgeries.
The 8,000-Mile, 118-Year Journey Of Winston Churchill's POW Letter
Winston Churchill, a prisoner of war, took from his pocket a small pad of paper, and scribbled a note to his captor. He had been treated well in captivity and wanted people to know it in case the tables turned and his captor ended up behind English bars. Wait. Churchill was a prisoner of war? You don’t remember the story of his capture by the Nazis in World War II?
This Rare Historical Document Shows How Thomas Jefferson Invited People To Dinner At The White House
Thomas Jefferson, more than George Washington or John Adams before, and perhaps more than any other subsequent President, used invitations to dinner at the White House to advance his agenda, get to know Members of Congress, and make official Washington more social. The conversations were typically not business or government related. He wanted people to get to know each other.
Alexander Hamilton Has Invaded The Luxury Autograph Market
From Broadway to the walls of enthusiastic autograph collectors, our nation’s obsession with Alexander Hamilton has reached a boiling point. From time immemorial, you could buy an authentic historical document signed by Alexander Hamilton for a couple of thousand dollars. When I first joined The Raab Collection, which has been over a decade ago now, this was certainly the case. Those days have come and gone. It is not that Hamilton’s letters are particularly rare.
What Is Donald Trump's Autograph Worth?
All you throngs of autograph seekers, you hopeful masses of autograph sellers, those of you putting together autograph collections of the presidents, and yet others who visited a bookstore and got President-elect Trump to sign a book, all now visiting the same oracle. What is an autograph of President-elect Trump worth? Let me answer you simply by saying this: it’s complicated. So here are some things to consider: 1) It’s worth more today than a month ago.
How To Succeed In The Face Of Adversity
In just a few words, in an unpublished letter, Amelia Earhart laid bare the essential characters for succeeding in the face of many obstacles: You must be
How The Gettysburg Address Is Duping A Generation Of Americans
Today marks the 152nd anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. There are only a handful of known original copies of this speech in Abraham Lincoln's hand. Yet each week, Americans discover others. How can this be?
This Presidential Candidate Would Send You His Autograph By Mail
This is the first in a series on the autographs of US Presidents during their campaigns. In May of 1860, a lesser known politician from Springfield, Illinois, a small town lawyer with rural roots, and one-time Congressman, won the Republican nomination for the Presidency. The man? Abraham Lincoln. He was inundated with letters from around the country from supporters, all of whom wanted a piece of the future President. Their request? Simple. They wanted his autograph. Surely, he was too busy to respond.
Why This Lyndon Johnson Letter Sold For (Only) $60,000
Last evening, at an auction house in Falls Church, Virginia, Quinn’s Auction Galleries, Lyndon Johnson’s original letter to Coretta Scott King offering condolences on the assassination of her husband sold for $60,000. A fabulous piece of history. The sale received a great deal of publicity and had been years in the making. Mrs. King had gifted the letter to Harry Belafonte, who then gave it to Stoney Cooks.
The Greatest Sale Of George Washington Historical Documents Ever Conducted
Would you pay $1,250 to be the proud owner of George Washington’s original daily prayer book? How about his Last Will and Testament? Would that be worth $1,400 to you? There are also Washington documents for $30. Seem too good to be true? It is not, but to cash in you would need to have been bidding in 1891.
What's Behind Graceland's First-Ever Elvis Week Auction
Sometimes, like Paul Simon, I long to go to Graceland “for reasons I cannot explain.” I suppose had that longing been sufficiently strong, I would have made the trip already. But this week, I almost pulled the trigger. There’s a lot going on at Elvis’s old home-turned-tourist attraction. The American fascination with the King will be on full display as it never has before. What’s new in Memphis?
The White Glove Myth
"Don't you need white gloves to handle that document?" a client asked recently when he visited our office. These vaunted protectors of our historical legacy, pieces of cloth that stand between our filthy hands and many American treasures, are ingrained in the mind as a required wear during a visit to an archive. Many reporters file stories replete with white glove imagery. It surfaces in movies and books.
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