LOT Nate D. Sanders, Inc.  /  Autograph, "Autographs, Autographed Auction  / 

4

President John F. Kennedy Cigar Box

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:0.00 USD
President John F. Kennedy Cigar Box
"WINNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED AFTER THE AUCTION ENDS BY THE AUCTIONEER ONCE ALL BIDS HAVE BEEN PROCESSED TO DETERMINE THE WINNER FOR EACH LOT."
A fine John F. Kennedy collectible. Original cigar box given to him by President Carlos Polestico Garcia of the Philippines. Crafted from cedar and adorned with an engraving on the lid reading ''President Kennedy,'' the 10'' x 7'' hinged box is accompanied by an original hand-rolled cigar from the Philippines with the plastic wrap imprinted with the legend ''Specially Made for President Kennedy,'' along with a personally-imprinted book of matches with the Seal of the President of the United States on the verso. Kennedy's love of cigars is well-documented, and gifts of cigars and cigar accessories were cherished by him. This handsome box is accompanied by copies of the original letters regarding the gift of this box, which are now housed in the Kennedy Library. The letters include a TLS to Kennedy from Carlos Romulo, Ambassador of the Philippines, 16 April 1961, in part: ''...When the Manila papers recently published a picture of yours holding a cigar, a Philippine newspaper suggested that it may be a good idea to let you sample what we believe are the best cigars in the world. President Garcia has asked me to extend to you his personal greetings and to present you with these boxes of Philippine cigars...I sent them to Secretary Salinger with the request that they be handed to you...'' Along with a thank-you note from Kennedy to Garcia, 1 May 1961, in part: ''...Through the courtesy of Ambassador Carlos Romulo I have received the fine cigars that you so kindly wanted me to have. I am most appreciative of your thoughtfulness...Please accept my best wishes for continued success in your high office...'', as well as a similar letter to Romulo, 1 May 1961, thanking him for ''...arranging for me to receive the fine cigars that President Garcia wanted me to have...'' Kennedy had received two or three of these boxes from Garcia, and gave this cigar box to Maurice D. Atkin, an ardent Zionist who worked at the newly-created Israeli embassy in Washington in 1948 gathering financial support for the struggling nascent nation of Israel. Atkins describes his involvement in the 1 May 2008 issue of Washington Jewish Week: ''In 1946, I was a senior economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but...I started moonlighting for the Jewish Agency. On May 13, 1948, I was offered a job as executive officer and agriculture attache of the first Israeli embassy. I left my job at agriculture and on May 14, I opened the first U.S. embassy in Washington...we had no money, no housing, no supplies, nothing. I remember I needed $30,000 to make payroll and Ben Gurion told me he didn't have it. I had to go raise it from the Jewish community...'' The box is accompanied by the original package for the Inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson, addressed to Atkin and his wife in Washington. A similar box was offered in the historic JFK Guernsey's sale in March 2008 and sold for over $22,000.000. Fine condition.
Sign In to Bookmark Lot