History In Ink     Historical Autographs


534606

Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Dwight David Eisenhower, 1890-1969.  General of the Army; Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force, World War II; 34th President of the United States, 1953-1961.  Rare Typed Letter Signed, Uncle Ike, as President, one page, quarto, on stationery of The White House, Washington, March 11, 1957.  With original envelope.

Eisenhower, himself an accomplished amateur artist, congratulates his great niece on winning a student art award.  In full: “I'm truly delighted to know that my little grand niece has been awarded one of the prizes in the Saturday Student Explorers student art show.  Congratulations!  /  Someday your mother will have to send me one of your piecesI'd love to see what you are doing.  /  With affectionate regard,  /  Sincerely,  /  Uncle Ike."

In response to this letter, Eisenhower's great niece sent him her painting.  In a second letter, the President thanked her for it but offered to return it so that she could establish her own collection.  Click here to see that letter, which we sold.

This form of Eisenhower's signature is rare.  Eisenhower signed “Ike,” “Ike Eisenhower,” and “Ike E.” to intimates, but in more than 20 years we had not seen anything signed “Uncle Ike" until we acquired this letter and two others, which we are also currently offering.  Paul K. Carr's classic UACC Eisenhower signature study, The Eisenhower Files, has no example of this.

Correspondence between presidents and their relatives is not commonly available in the first place, and letters signed in this manner are much more uncommon.  This letter has excellent provenance, because we obtained it directly from a member of the Eisenhower family.  To our knowledge it has not been on the market before.

Furthermore, in view of Eisenhower's own artistic skills, this letter has a very nice association.  Painting was one of Eisenhower's favorite hobbies, and his paintings appeared on White House Christmas cards six of the eight years that he was President.

The letter is in very fine condition, and Eisenhowers signature is bold.  The letter has only one normal mailing fold, which does not affect the signature.  The accompanying White House envelope is in very fine condition as well.

Unframed.

 

This item has been sold.

Click here to see more Eisenhower items on the Presidents page.

 

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