University Archives lines up June 17 auction with Rand, Lenin and Lincoln highlights

By AI, Created 5:26 PM UTC, June 01, 2026, /AGP/ – University Archives will hold an online-only rare autographs and manuscripts auction on June 17, featuring more than 400 lots led by items tied to Ayn Rand, Vladimir Lenin, Francis Crick, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. The sale spans presidential material, literature, science, space and meteorites, with bidding open now through multiple platforms.

Why it matters: - The June 17 sale gives collectors and institutions a chance to buy historically important autographs, manuscripts and photographs across politics, literature, science and space. - The catalog includes more than 400 lots, plus a strong Lincoln group, rare presidential photos and six meteorite lots.

What happened: - University Archives scheduled its online-only Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Books & Photographs auction for Wednesday, June 17, starting at 10 a.m. Eastern. - The full catalog includes 428 lots and is open for viewing and bidding now on the University Archives auction catalog, Invaluable, Auctionzip and LiveAuctioneers. - Telephone and absentee bids will also be accepted. - The sale includes highlight lots tied to Ayn Rand, Francis Crick, Vladimir Lenin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Bruce Lee, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Jack Kerouac, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Albert Einstein.

The details: - The Ayn Rand lot is a signed manuscript leaf, page 409 from Atlas Shrugged, with 80 words in Rand’s hand and an estimate of $40,000 to $50,000. - The Francis Crick lot is a 1953 first offprint of Nature, Vol. 171, signed by Crick and other molecular biologists, with an estimate of $25,000 to $30,000. - The Vladimir Lenin document was written and signed at the Kremlin on June 20, 1919, co-signed by Alexander Tsyurupa, and directs local authorities in Crimea to send cheese and canned fruits to sick children in northern Russia. Estimate: $20,000 to $30,000. - The J.R.R. Tolkien letter, dated Nov. 17, 1957, rejects the idea that The Lord of the Rings carries political symbolism while acknowledging that Middle-earth races reflect traits of their peoples. Estimate: $30,000 to $40,000. - The Bruce Lee three-page letter, dated around Aug. 1964, discusses the yin and yang seal of the Jun Gang Fu Institute and includes a black-and-white sketch by Lee. Estimate: $25,000 to $35,000. - The Abraham Lincoln autograph letter, written in Springfield, Illinois, on Feb. 16, 1842, advises another attorney on bankruptcy cases in federal court and is described as one of the earliest Lincoln letters ever offered at auction. Estimate: $18,000 to $25,000. - The John Wilkes Booth letter, dated April 4, 1864, was written from the St. Charles Theatre in New Orleans and is described as coming from a period when Booth was moving toward plans to kidnap Lincoln. Estimate: $15,000 to $20,000. - The Jack Kerouac letter, written Aug. 16, 1947, discusses real-life inspirations behind characters in On the Road, Visions of Cody and Book of Cody. Estimate: $13,000 to $18,000. - The auction includes six meteorite lots, ranging from about 80 grams to 800 grams, including Borzya Pallasite, Muonionalusta, Aletai, Agoudal, Gadamis and a Laâyoune 002 lunar meteorite weighing about 176 grams. Most include Space Collective certificates of authenticity. Estimate: $10,000 to $15,000. - The Martin Luther King Jr. typed letter, dated April 27, 1964, responds to a minister’s note about Native American rights and agrees that Black Americans and Native Americans face similar discrimination. Estimate: $10,000 to $15,000. - Lot 49 is a full-color John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson photograph from Aug. 31, 1963, signed by both and presented to White House photographer Cecil B. Stoughton. Estimate: $8,000 to $12,000. - The Albert Einstein photograph, signed around April 1921, was presented to J. Miman of Okura & Co. Estimate: $8,000 to $12,000. - University Archives said the sale also includes more than 30 lots of Abraham Lincoln material, including manuscripts, letters, documents, photography, works on paper, hair and assassination relics, plus material from Mary Todd Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. - Part IV of the Yousuf & Estrellita Karsh Estate is also in the auction, with signed artwork and books from Yousuf Karsh’s personal collection. - Additional categories include U.S. presidents, Early America, science, space and aviation, literature and art.

Between the lines: - The auction mixes blockbuster historical names with niche collecting categories, signaling a broad pitch to both institutional buyers and individual collectors. - The Lincoln material and presidential photos likely serve as anchor lots, while the meteorites and science items widen the audience beyond autograph buyers. - University Archives is leaning on rarity, condition and historic association to drive competition, especially for early Lincoln material and dual-signed presidential photographs.

What’s next: - Bidding remains open ahead of the June 17 sale. - University Archives is seeking consignments for future auctions and says sellers can contact John Reznikoff at 203-454-0111 or john@universityarchives.com. - The company says it continues to look for quality material for upcoming sales.

The bottom line: - This is a wide-ranging June sale built around rare signatures, landmark documents and scientifically significant objects, with several lots positioned to draw serious collector attention.