History Comes to Life at Heritage!

Dallas, Texas: On June 7, 2006, a treasure trove of Political memorabilia and Americana, including items related to John F. Kennedy, Amelia Earhart, Susan B. Anthony, and other American heroes, will be offered to the collecting public in Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries' latest Grand Format Auction.

"I'm truly excited about this event," said Tom Slater, Director of Americana Auctions for Heritage. "This auction includes a number of truly important and museum-worthy items that I'm proud to offer to the collecting public."

"Of course," said Slater, "leading the list is the truly astonishing assortment of Kennedy material being offered. From his personal rocking chair, that occupied a position of honor in his White House bedroom, to the briefcase that bears the initials 'JFK,' given to the future President as a wedding present by his young bride-to-be, Jacqueline Bouvier ? and which was later carried by his son, JFK, Jr., - to Kennedy's personal, and well-used golf bag, collectors of this best-loved and most popular of American Presidents will have an unparalleled opportunity to acquire items owned and cherished by this great man. Certainly, Kennedy material has been offered before, but it is a rare opportunity when so many wonderful, personally-held items come together in one auction."

"Another spectacular item is the original, hand-charted flight plan for Amelia Earhart's first transatlantic flight," said Slater. "Consigned by the nephew of Earhart's co-pilot, Wilmer Stultz, this map shows the route they took in their flight from Trepassey Harbor, Newfoundland to Burry Point, Wales, United Kingdom, along with all the markers and reference points that they depended upon along the way. This is the flight that made Earhart, or 'Lady Lindy,' as she was often called, a household name, and the importance of this map to the history of aviation cannot be overstated."

"Slavery remains one of the darkest realities of our nation's history," said Slater, "but no one can deny the fascination of slave-owned memorabilia among collectors. Some of the most hotly collected items in this field are the slave tags issued in Charleston and Charleston Neck, South Carolina. These tags, which were issued to slaves who were hired out by their masters, identified the year of issue, location, and occupation of the slave, identified by a unique serial number. The slaves wore these items proudly, as it proved their value, allowed them a certain degree of freedom, and even permitted them to earn money for themselves. We're proud to offer some stunning examples of these highly collectible badges, including some with single-digit serial numbers, and several with such hard-to-find occupations as "Mechanic" and "Fruiterer." This collection is one of the finest ever presented, and should cause quite a stir in the collecting community."

"I'm personally very excited about our group of items related to the Woman's Suffrage movement," Slater added, "highlighted by a lovely photo of Susan B. Anthony. This tireless champion of woman's rights is shown surrounded by other leaders of the Suffrage movement, making this historic image one of the finest photographic artifacts of the early woman's rights movement we have ever handled."

"Historical flags are always popular as collectibles," said Slater, "and we're offering a prime example in this upcoming auction. Most likely made during the period of Illinois statehood, roughly 1818-1820, comes this magnificent hand-sewn 21 star flag, which belonged to Adam Miller, a flag bearer in the Light Guard - a company within the 12th Regiment, 4th Brigade, New York Militia - during the 1850s. The flag was given to Miller and his wife by the wife of his former commander as a 50th wedding anniversary gift in 1906, since Miller was the last surviving member of his company. With its outstanding appearance and beautiful condition, this could very well end up as one of the stars of this auction."

"We're also pleased to present another assortment of Heinz advertising products," Slater said. "This specific area of interest has proven to be quite strong over our last few auctions, and I think collectors will jump at the chance to increase their holdings. Additionally, we're offering a nice selection of Coca-Cola trays for collectors of this American institution, and even a fine array of mechanical banks."

"I'd be extremely remiss if I didn't mention the rare Scottish Clan Duff coin chest we'll be offering," said Slater. "Made of handcrafted oak, and with its original finish, this handsome chest was built in 1859 by Thomas Frasier Duff, of, and for, Fetteresso Castle of Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, Scotland. This lovely piece, in immaculate condition, presents a wealth of drawers, four of which are hidden, that are numbered and designed specifically to organize and catalog an important coin collection. The chest was acquired more than 40 years ago by its present owner, who was a charter member of the Florida United Numismatists and a devout ANA member during his lifetime, and is sure to inspire some spirited bidding, not only by historians, but by Heritage's strong base of numismatists as well."

"Obviously, I could go on for hours about all the great material to be found in this exciting auction," said Slater, "but suffice it to say that the Heritage website, www.HeritageAuctions.com/Americana, holds all the answers. I'd encourage interested parties to visit the site and browse through our catalog, as this auction certainly contains something for everyone."

President John F. Kennedy's Personal Rocking Chair from his White House Bedroom
ESTIMATE: $100,000 & up.

The Briefcase Purchased by Jacqueline Bouvier as a Wedding Present for her Husband-to-Be John F. Kennedy
ESTIMATE: $200,000 & up.

Important John F. Kennedy Personally Owned and Used Golf Bag, with Impeccable Provenance
ESTIMATE: $40,000 & up.

Amelia Earhart, First Woman to Fly Across the Atlantic - Her Historic Original Flight Plan and Related Documents
ESTIMATE: $25,000 & up.

1824 Charleston MECHANIC Slave Hire Badge. Number 103
ESTIMATE: $3,000 -$4,000.

Important Large Original 1896 Photograph of Susan B. Anthony with Woman's Rights Leaders
ESTIMATE: $2,500 - $3,500.

Unique 21 Star Silk American National Flag
ESTIMATE: $35,000 - $50,000.

Magnificent 9" Cylinder Show Globe Jar
ESTIMATE: $550 - $650

Bob-Haired Girl 1928 Coca-Cola Tray
ESTIMATE: $750 - $850

Trick Pony Cast Iron Bank
ESTIMATE: $1,200 - $1,500.

Rare Scottish Clan Duff Coin Chest
ESTIMATE: $3,000 - $5,000.

Heritage Auction Galleries will offer these historic treasures in their upcoming Political Memorabilia and Americana Grand Format auction, to be held June 7, 2006 at their headquarters in Dallas, TX.

For more information about Heritage's auctions, and a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit www.HeritageAuctions.com.

Prospective consignors and sellers of political memorabilia, Americana, and related collectibles are invited to visit www.HeritageAuctions.com/Americana and click on the "Sell Now" tab. Or simply email Tom Slater at TomS@HeritageAuctions.com.

To reserve your copy of any Heritage auction catalog, please contact Nicole Jewell at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 272, or visit www.HeritageAuctions.com to order by email.