Auction 739 April.

Color satin-finish 10.75 x 8 photo of Presidents Nixon through Bush together at the dedication of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 1991, signed in the lower border in blue and black felt tip by Richard Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush. In fine condition, with a few small surface creases.

Color satin-finish 8 x 10 photo of Presidents Nixon through Reagan gathered at the White House before departing for Anwar Sadat's funeral in 1981, signed in the lower border in felt tip, "Ronald Reagan," "J. Carter," "Richard Nixon," and “Gerald R. Ford.” In fine condition, with a faint stain to the upper left corner tip.

Collection of five documents signed by presidents of the United States, ranging in size from 14 x 12 to 23 x 19, dated from 1887 to 1924. Includes: Grover Cleveland (February 22, 1887, appointing a consul), Benjamin Harrison (February 8, 1890, appointing a postmaster), Woodrow Wilson (August 20, 1914, appointing a postmaster), Warren G. Harding (January 14, 1922, appointing a postmaster), and Calvin Coolidge (December 20, 1924, appointing a foreign service officer). In overall very good to fine condition, with trimming and staining to the Harrison, and various stains and creases to the other documents.

Gavel constructed of wood removed from the White House during the Truman administration's renovations in 1950, measuring 11.75˝ long with a cylindrical 3.75˝ x 2˝ head, with an affixed metal plaque featuring a raised presidential seal in the center, reading: "Original White House Material Removed in 1950." In fine condition, with some nicks and scuffs to the handle.

Wooden 7˝ x 3.5˝ x .5˝ axe-shaped whittled relic attributed to the White House, annotated on the 'blade' in ink, "This wood was taken out of the White House when it was remodled [sic] in summer of 1902." In fine condition.

After Theodore Roosevelt unexpectedly took office in 1901 following the assassination of President McKinley, he hired the architectural firm McKim, Mead & White to undertake a major renovation of the White House. He desired to return the building to its Federalist roots by removing the Victorian-era 'modernization' of the decor, much of which had resulted from a less substantial renovation overseen by Chester A. Arthur in 1873.

During the renovations in the summer and autumn of 1902, the interior of the White House was entirely stripped down to its plaster walls. The excess material was strewn outside the mansion to be disposed of later. Relic hunters inevitably swarmed the piles of wood, plaster, glass, curtains, and other remnants in order to have a piece of the historic home for themselves. Despite the apparent availability of such pieces in 1902, they have largely been lost to history; most of the few fragments of the original White House that are known were used to make some sort of souvenir, such as a small box, gavel, or, in this case, an axe.