Five Rare Books for Collectors: Historical Manuscripts

Highlights from Heritage Auction's Historical Manuscripts including Texana auction on April 5 include: * 

* Surviving Alamo defender Byrd Lockhart document signed

A March 10, 1836 document transmitting land to his brother Charles Lockhart, dated just four days after the fall of the Alamo. Lockhart had left the garrison to procure supplies and was in Gonzales when the Mexican forces overran and killed all of the defenders.

* Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna signed letter 

From headquarters at Lencero and date April 9, 1847, in preparation for the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Santa Anna sends orders to Manuel Robles, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers, that he is to stop building a trench along the left and to dedicate all of his attention to building a trench along the right. Santa Anna misjudged the American advance which came from the very direction he had ordered be left unprotected.
 
* Henri Matisse archive of letters with original drawings

An archive of six letters to his earliest and most important patrons Michael and Sarah Stein, including multiple original drawings. Matisse writes about his work, offering glimpses into his processes.
 
* Richard Wagner autograph signed letter

Dated June 4, 1876. Wagner pleads with the wife of Emil Scaria for the return of the operatic singer to star in his inaugural Bayreuth Festival. 

* Winston Churchill autograph signed letter

Two pages, dated February 27, [1908] of a letter to Howard Cheetham giving his views on a proposed bill for women's suffrage. In stating his opposition to granting women the right to vote, Churchill was clearly on the wrong side of history.