President Calvin Coolidge signed photograph with a note from his secretary, on White House stationery, in a handmade frame

Regular price
$ 995.00
Sale price
$ 995.00
Regular price
$ 0
Sold out
Unit price
Quantity must be 1 or more

Updated April 14: This has been sold.


Portrait of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge by Harris & Ewing. Signed by Coolidge, "Cordially Calvin Coolidge."

Mounted with accompanying letter dated February 10, 1928, to Leon Mott of the Boy Scouts of America Council.

I've left it mounted as I received it and made by hand a solid wood frame and have used museum-grade non-glare acrylic that protects the image and letter from UV rays.

My favorite Coolidge story: A lady sitting next to Coolidge at a White House dinner turned to him and said, “My friend bet me that I couldn’t get you to say three words.” Coolidge turned to her and replied, “You lose.”

Apocryphal, perhaps. We had his noted biographer, the fabulous Amity Shlaes, on History Camp Author Discussions to discuss another of her books, but before we started taping I asked her about this, and she said that there was nothing to confirm it, but it sounded like him.

More on Coolidge, including quotes with citations, below.

— Lee Wright | Founder

Frame size:

Portrait size: 11" x 7.5"

Letter size: 9.5" x 6.25"

Board size: 12.5" x 16.25"

Shipping: $25. Will be shipped via UPS with a signature required.


More on Coolidge

As President, he signed into law the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, which granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans, and oversaw a period of rapid and expansive economic growth known as the "Roaring Twenties", leaving office with considerable popularity.

Among his many quotes:

“We come here on this occasion to honor the past, and in that honor, render more secure the present.”

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb."

“Patriotism is easy to understand in America. It means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country. In no other nation on earth does this principle have such complete application.”

“Patriotism does not mean a regard for some special section or an attachment for some special interest, and a narrow prejudice against other sections and other interests; it means a love of the whole country.”

“In these days of violent agitation scholarly men should reflect that the progress of the past has been accomplished not by the total overthrow of institutions so much as by discarding that which was bad and preserving that which was good; not by revolution but by evolution has man worked out his destiny. We shall miss the central feature of all progress unless we hold to that process now. It is not a question of whether our institutions are perfect. The most beneficent of our institutions had their beginnings in forms which would be particularly odious to us now. Civilization began with war and slavery; government began in absolute despotism; and religion itself grew out of superstition which was oftentimes marked with human sacrifices. So out of our present imperfections we shall develop that which is more perfect. But the candid mind of the scholar will admit and seek to remedy all wrongs with the same zeal with which it defends all rights.”

Sources:

Sources: Wikipedia; “Westfield,” on September 3, 1919 as found in Have Faith in Massachusetts;The Destiny Of America,” on May 30, 1923 as found in The Price of Freedom; Commencement Address, Holy Cross College, on June 25, 1919, as found in Have Faith in Massachusetts.

Go to full site