Inspired by History

The Raab Collection’s Masterclass Series continues in this episode which gives an overview of essential terminology used when buying historical documents and autographs. Nathan Raab, president of The Raab Collection, explains common abbreviations such as ALS (autograph letter signed) versus LS (letter signed, written by someone else but signed by the named person), TLS (typed letter signed), AMS (autograph manuscript signed), DS and ADS (document signed versus autograph document signed), and SP (signed photo), with examples involving figures like George Washington, Winston Churchill, and Abraham Lincoln. He also defines “secretarial signed” items, discusses clipped signatures and their relative value depending on context and rarity, and reviews condition terms collectors encounter, including foxing, separations at folds, silking, and lamination/encapsulation. The episode emphasizes reading document descriptions carefully and asking sellers to clarify unfamiliar terms.

00:00 Introduction 
00:27 Collector jargon basics
01:01 ALS vs LS explained
02:31 Typed letters TLS
03:06 Manuscripts AMS
04:27 Documents DS and ADS
06:13 Photos and Catalog Terms
07:24 Secretarial Signatures
08:36 Clipped Signatures
09:15 Value Depends on Context
11:22 Condition Terminology
15:33 Why Abbreviations Exist
16:15 Ask the Seller
17:44 Conclusion

On this episode of Inspired by History, Nathan Raab of The Raab Collection tells us about a newly acquired, previously unknown manuscript diary written by Founding Father John Jay during his 1794 London mission to negotiate the Jay Treaty. He describes the treaty as the Washington administration’s first major diplomatic effort to resolve lingering post-Revolution issues including British forts in the Northwest, debts, and impressment at sea, and notes Jay served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court while negotiating. The diary, passed down in Jay’s family for 230 years and never before offered for sale, meticulously logs Jay’s daily visits and invitations with dates and addresses, documenting meetings with figures such as Lord Grenville, royals, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Jeremy Bentham, Angelica Schuyler Church, artists, merchants, and abolitionists including William Wilberforce. Raab describes the diary’s research potential as a material addition to scholarship and discusses possible institutional or private buyers. For more information, visit: https://www.raabcollection.com/american-history-autographs/jay-diary-us-first-national-treaty

00:00 Introduction
00:32 The John Jay Diary Discovery
01:03 Why the Jay Treaty Mattered
02:24 John Jay’s Role in Government
03:08 Where the Diary Has Been
03:41 Inside the Diary’s Structure
05:13 Who Jay Met in London
06:47 Holding History in Hand
07:34 How Scholars Will Use It
09:47 Rarity of Jay Documents
10:50 Unexpected Finds and Buyers
12:37 A Gift to History, Conclusion

On this episode of Inspired by History, Rebecca Barry interviews Steven Raab, founder of The Raab Collection, to launch a series on starting and building a collection of historical documents. Episode 1 focuses on why people collect. Raab traces collecting from ancient Greece’s preservation of important texts and Roman-era autograph shops to modern autograph collecting, highlighting Walter Benjamin’s 1880s U.S. autograph firm and the hobby’s 20th-century growth. He explains that collecting is driven by personal connection to admired historical figures, learning more about them through their letters, preserving history as “custodians,” and the thrill of the hunt and discovery, sharing examples from his childhood Yankees-signed baseball to buying an Abraham Lincoln-signed order to blockade the Confederacy. For newcomers, he recommends starting with a focused interest, recognizing your motivation for collecting, and prioritizing quality over quantity by buying the best material one can afford.

00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:41 Ancient Roots of Collecting
02:01 Modern Autograph Market Boom
03:36 Why History Matters First
04:52 Personal Motivations to Collect
06:06 Childhood Collecting Stories
07:57 Custodians of History
09:00 The Thrill of the Hunt
09:51 A Lincoln Discovery Moment
11:57 How to Start Your Collection
15:04 Advice: Quality Over Quantity
16:04 Final Thoughts on Collecting

In this episode of Inspired by History, Rebecca Barry interviews Nathan Raab of The Raab Collection about two newly discovered George Washington letters written from Morristown, New Jersey, in late 1779 and early 1780, during the Revolutionary War. Addressed to Lieutenant Colonel William De Hart of the New Jersey regiments, the letters contain campaign and battlefield instructions, including efforts to counteract local Tories—whom Washington describes as “detestable and pernicious”—and guidance related to a planned invasion of Staten Island, a British stronghold. Raab explains how uncommon it is for significant Washington documents to surface for the first time, describes the letters’ provenance as having remained in one family for centuries, and discusses the process by which heirs and descendants contact The Raab Collection to evaluate and sell inherited materials. The conversation also connects the discovery to America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, predicting increased supply and demand for Founding-era documents and noting interest in artifacts connected to figures such as John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and the Marquis de Lafayette. To learn more visit:
https://www.raabcollection.com/presidential-autographs/washington-protect-american-patriots and https://www.raabcollection.com/presidential-autographs/washingtonp-staten-island-raid

00:00 Welcome to Inspired by History
00:32 Two Newly Discovered Washington Letters
01:40 Meet Lt. Col. William De Hart & Setting the Scene (Morristown, 1779–1780)
02:21 Inside the Letters: Orders, Tories, and the Staten Island Plan
03:31 Holding History: The Thrill of a Never-Before-Seen Washington Letter
04:25 How Family Treasures Surface: The Call That Brought Them In
05:13 America 250: Will the Anniversary Bring More Discoveries?
06:26 Founders, Signatures, and Cross-Party Appeal
07:33 Adding to the Historical Record: Why These Finds Matter
08:25 Wrap-Up and Where to Learn More

On this episode of Inspired by History, Rebecca Barry interviews Nathan Raab, president of The Raab Collection and author of The Hunt for History, about forgery in historical documents, manuscripts, and autographs and how collectors can avoid being deceived.

Raab discusses notable forgers such as Charles Weisberg, Robert Spring, Joseph Cosey, and Lee Israel, noting that some Spring and Cosey forgeries have become collectible and that modern issues often involve high-resolution reproductions that can be hard to detect in scans. He advises lay collectors to buy from trusted, experienced experts and to apply common-sense and contextual tests—matching dates, locations, handwriting, paper, ink, and overall consistency—emphasizing that authenticity is determined by multiple interlocking criteria and a single failure can invalidate a piece. 

Raab recounts uncovering a forged early Abraham Lincoln letter that had been published and offered by a reputable dealer, explaining that problems in the letter’s writing and line quality raised suspicion and underscored the need for skepticism and fresh scrutiny. He distinguishes healthy suspicion of documents from suspicion of sellers, noting many people unknowingly possess forgeries, and he addresses misconceptions about rarity by explaining relative definitions of uncommon, rare, and very rare, including that Lincoln military commissions are desirable but not rare.

To learn more, visit https://www.raabcollection.com/learning#forgery

00:00 Introduction to Inspired by History
00:31 Forgery in Historical Documents: Why It Matters
00:50 Famous Forgers: Spring, Cosey, and the ‘Collectible’ Forgery
02:14 Modern Forgery & High-Res Reproductions in the Internet Age
03:43 Beginner-Proof Advice: How to Avoid Buying Forgeries
05:10 Authenticity Checklist: Context, Paper, Ink, Handwriting & Provenance
07:05 Case Study: The Forged Lincoln Letter
09:38 Healthy Skepticism: History vs. Lore + Don’t Blame the Seller
10:56 When Fakes Come to You: Washington Letter Reproductions
11:39 Misrepresentations: What ‘Rare’ Really Means: Rare vs. Uncommon vs. Unique
12:57 Conclusion