Vintage matte-finish 7.25 x 9.25 portrait, housed in its original 10 x 13 photographer’s mat, signed and inscribed in fountain pen “To Earle Looker—Prince of Devils, from the Head Devil, Franklin D. Roosevelt 1932.” The mat is also signed in pencil by the photographer. Housed in its original dark brown wood frame to an overall size of 10.75 x 13.75. In fine condition, with some scattered toning and foxing to mat and some rubbing and chipping to the original frame.
Looker was a purportedly a Republican writer who, in reality, conspired in 1932 with “the Head Devil,” then-governor Roosevelt, to show that FDR was well-enough to withstand the stress of the presidency. Roosevelt accepted Looker’s “challenge” to have a group of physicians examine him, after which Looker wrote, “I had come to the conclusion that he seemed able to take more punishment than many men ten years younger. Merely his legs were not much good to him.” In a more revealing letter to the future president, Looker also wrote, “I think we can be sure that at least seven and a half million readers are sure you are physically fit!” The author later served as a ghostwriter for Roosevelt’s contributions to Liberty magazine. Ahh politics, and the diabolical side of FDR, too! Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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