Inspired by History

On this episode of Inspired by History, Nathan Raab of The Raab Collection gives a behind-the-scenes account of a recent major acquisition: a Revolutionary War document collection kept in one family for nearly a century. Totaling hundreds of pages, the collection is heavily focused on George Washington and his circle. Raab describes the vetting process from initial contact to reviewing scans, examining the full group in person, and then researching, cataloging, and preparing to place the collection. Highlights include four Washington letters, including one to Robert Morris signed by Washington with the body in Alexander Hamilton’s hand forwarding a confidential message from the imprisoned Charles Lee; plus letters to Henry Knox and one mentioning Lafayette. The collection also includes uncommon war-date material from figures such as John Hancock, Aaron Burr, Benedict Arnold, General Cornwallis, Israel Putnam, and others, much of it tied to 1777–1779 New Jersey/New York encampments. Raab notes it would cost seven figures and great patience to assemble today.

00:00 Introduction
00:32 A Revolutionary Collection
01:05 First Contact and Verification
02:15 Viewing and Acquiring
04:06 Cataloging and Next Steps
04:58 Washington Letters Highlights
07:09 Collector Taste and Rarity
10:57 Cornwallis and Other Gems
11:55 NY/NJ Geography and Encampments
12:45 Building a Collection Like This Today
13:55 America 250 and Closing

On this special episode of Inspired by History, Rebecca Barry interviews Stephen Raab, founder of The Raab Collection, about influential autograph dealers of the past, prompted by a recent acquisition of a major Revolutionary War document collection assembled in the mid-20th century with many original dealer receipts. Raab traces the field’s origins to Walter Benjamin, inspired by his father Park Benjamin’s literary and political circle, and notes how Walter’s daughter Mary Benjamin ran the Walter R. Benjamin firm for decades, becoming a leading authority on authenticity and pricing. They discuss other major figures including Charles Hamilton, the Sessler firm and mentor Mabel Zahn (who trained Neale Lanigan, Raab’s teacher), A.S.W. Rosenbach, Thomas Madigan, Joseph Rubinfine, and Bob Batchelder. Raab explains that receipts from top dealers signal authenticity and exceptional taste, and observes that mid-century collecting was the heyday, with far more top material available than today.

00:00 Introduction
00:25 New Acquisition Backstory
01:07 Origins of Walter Benjamin
02:52 Mary Benjamin Legacy
03:37 Mentorship Lineage
05:38 Charles Hamilton Spotlight
07:22 Why Dealer Receipts Matter
08:37 Other Legendary Dealers
11:02 Dealer Catalogs
11:51 How the Business Changed
12:26 Heyday and Value Today
13:07 Closing Reflections

For the fifth in The Raab Collection's Masterclass Series on starting and building a collection of historical documents, Nathan Raab, president of The Raab Collection, focuses on historical document authentication and forgery. 

Raab explains that experts begin with an intuitive “feel” developed over decades of experience, then confirm it through many interlocking checks: paper, ink, format, showthrough, handwriting details (including numbers and line quality), autographs, and whether the signer was in the right place at the right time. He notes signatures are often examined last because forgers practice them, and describes modern challenges like glossy signed photographs and high-resolution reproductions, as well as tools such as microscopy, specialized lighting, and ink-movement tests. The discussion also covers the value of reputable dealers’ lifetime guarantees and the limitations of third-party certificates of authenticity. They also dip into notable forgers and an example of uncovering a forged Abraham Lincoln letter.

00:00 Introduction
00:49 The Expert Gut Check
02:41 Authentication Touchpoints
05:30 Modern Photo Pitfalls
07:02 Tools and Techniques
08:01 Collector Learning Curve
10:15 Guarantees and COAs
13:07 Famous Forgers and Fakes
16:18 Avoiding Forgeries: The Basics
19:29 Lincoln Forgery Case Study
22:33 Healthy Skepticism Mindset
24:12 Conclusion

On this episode of Inspired by History, Nathan Raab of The Raab Collection discusses two newly discovered Theodore Roosevelt documents from the October 14, 1912 Milwaukee assassination attempt. Raab describes discovering and acquiring Page 1 of Roosevelt’s prepared campaign speech, a small typed sheet from the manuscript folded in his pocket and pierced by two bullet holes, also bearing Roosevelt’s own handwritten notation and autograph. Raab notes that it is the only such annotated page from the TR “Bullet-Hole” manuscript ever known to appear for sale. He also describes a second find: Roosevelt’s hand-corrected copy of the speech he actually delivered after being shot, transcribed and typed by his stenographer Elbert Martin, with over 100 edits reflecting how Roosevelt wanted the event memorialized. Both pieces had been in a private collection for nearly a century.  

To learn more, visit: https://www.raabcollection.com/presidential-autographs/roosevelt-speech-handwritten and https://www.raabcollection.com/presidential-autographs/roosevelt-speech-bullet

00:00 Introduction
00:32 Theodore Roosevelt’s Attempted Assassination in 1912
01:16 The “Bullet-Hole” Manuscript
02:10 Resilience and Rarity
05:24 Holding History in Your Hands
06:34 How it Changed American History
08:50 A Second Document Revealed
09:08 Stenographer Captures Speech
10:41 Roosevelt Edits the Transcript
13:14 Historical Research & Provenance 
14:37 Conclusion

The Raab Collection’s Masterclass Series continues in this episode in which Nathan Raab discusses what to look for when buying historical documents. He emphasizes that “content is king” because value and excitement come from historical importance: who created the document and what they were doing, with examples contrasting routine Washington letters with those revealing character or major events. Raab advises collectors to buy what they love rather than what others recommend, be patient, work with knowledgeable reputable people, and buy fewer but more important pieces, noting examples of costly, poorly chosen collections and meaningful collections built on modest means. Condition is another issue, which Raab views as a sliding scale—natural wear is expected, some damage can be conserved, sun fading can be a dealbreaker, and sometimes flaws are part of a document’s story. Another factor is provenance, although that is often incomplete when working with documents that are hundreds of years old.

00:00 Introduction
00:38 Why Content Is King
02:23 Best Era to Collect
03:53 Collect What You Love
07:32 Condition Dealbreakers
10:50 Historical Wear and Tear
13:47 Provenance and Paper Trail
16:28 Final Buying Mindset
18:23 Conclusion