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John and Jacqueline Kennedy Signed 1963 Christmas Card

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:12,000.00 - 15,000.00 USD
John and Jacqueline Kennedy Signed 1963 Christmas Card

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Auction Date:2019 Nov 06 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:15th Floor WeWork, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Exceedingly rare official Hallmark card issued during the 1963 holiday season, featuring an image of a nativity scene on the front, measuring 9 x 6.5 open closed, signed inside in bold ink as president, "John Kennedy," and as first lady, "Jacqueline Kennedy." The image on the front is identified as "Creche in East Room, The White House," and a gilt-embossed presidential seal and engraved holiday greeting appear above the signatures, reading: "With best wishes for a Happy New Year." Handsomely mounted, matted with an image of the front and a small nameplate ("The 1964 White House New Year That Never Came"), and framed to an overall size of 18 x 25. In very fine condition.

According to Mary Evans Seeley's book Season's Greetings from the White House, Hallmark published over 2,200 White House holiday cards bearing the printed sentiment 'With our wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year,' 1,500 of which featured facsimile signatures of President and Mrs. Kennedy, with another 700 ordered without signatures. A letter dated November 14, 1963, from Hallmark V. P. Jeannette Lee, informed Maj. Gen. C.V. Clifton, Jr., Kennedy's military aide, that 500 of the unsigned cards would be shipped directly to the White House, awaiting the President upon his return. After attending a test launch of a Polaris missile at Cape Canaveral and then flying south to Palm Beach on November 16th, President Kennedy made speeches in Tampa and Miami and returned to Washington around midnight two days later on November 18th; the 500 blank cards having already arrived and awaiting his signature. With its noticeable lack of a Christmas mention, this scarce variant of the holiday card was either signed November 19th or November 20th, just days before the Kennedys made their fateful trip to Dallas. A truly rare card further enhanced by the presence of both the President and First Lady. Accompanied by full letters of authenticity from PSA/DNA and SGC.