As first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy's major project was the restoration of the White House to reflect its historic past and the promotion of its importance to the American public. This is a fascinating archive of material related to her ambitious project, primarily comprised of correspondence between her and White House curator William Elder, including seven undated handwritten letters from Jackie, ten letters from Elder to Jackie with numerous annotations in her hand, and a limited edition copy of the White House guidebook with a note from Jackie affixed inside. Elder was one of her principal assistants in acquiring new pieces for the Executive Mansion, and this fabulous collection of letters illuminates the thorough, thoughtful yet intense process behind her successful mission to develop the White House as a symbol of American history and accomplishment.
Jacqueline Kennedy had first visited the White House as a tourist with her family in 1941 and left wholly disappointed, dismayed by the absence of period furnishings and lack of information on the history of the house. Unbeknownst to her at the time, she would move into the great home twenty years later. She began planning to correct this problem as soon as her husband was elected in 1960, with one of the first steps being the declaration of the White House as a museum and establishment of the position of curator of the White House. The first to serve in this capacity was Lorraine Pearce, whose work helped to make enough progress to reveal the newly restored White House to the world in a famous February 1962 hour-long CBS special in which Jackie gave a guided tour, explaining the various rooms and historical value of the pieces within. However, Jackie—demanding control over the project—could not tolerate Pearce's independent decision making without asking for approval and her failure to subordinate her voice in drafts of the introduction to the White House guidebook. Thus, Pearce resigned 'for personal reasons' on August 2, 1962, and the White House staff registrar, William Elder, was promoted to the curator position; an original typed copy of the press release announcing these changes is among the unsigned ephemera in this archive.
In this capacity, Elder was faced with handling sensitive political matters on top of his typical curatorial duties. In a letter from Elder to Jackie on November 7, 1962, he informs her that they "have received a request from the Republican Womens Committee to have a 'portrait plate' made of Mrs. Eisenhower to add to the collection in the cases in the Gold Room…if you like I would be glad to write Mrs. Eisenhower and explain that the plates stop with Mrs. Wilson, that they are all of deceased President's wives." A note by Jackie penciled in the lower margin and reverse reads: "Bill—this is a hot one—it would be all we need for Repub[lican] women to say we wouldn't show Mamie's plate."
In a lengthy two-page letter from Elder to Jackie on July 20, 1962, he discusses several types of furniture and stylistic preferences, including several types of potential chandeliers and mantelpieces, as well as a response to her suggestion of producing a diagram identifying the various objects in each room. This letter is copiously annotated by Kennedy in the margins with her thoughts on each item, and responding to his suggestions on the diagrams she writes: "I really want this legend so future Pres[ident's] wives will know what's what in each room & not toss it out or to the basement—I picture a frame that could be lain on a table & people could pick it up & look at it—State dinner guests etc." She adds a sketch of her vision on the reverse, drawing the Green Room and identifying three objects: "1. Andirons belonging to Pres. Zachary Taylor…2. Baltimore Classical ladies desk…3. Mirror used by Washington in Phila[delphia]—gift of Mt. Vernon." Elder had also included a page with his sketches proposing his concept to serve this purpose, a pedestal supporting pictures and descriptions of furnishings in each room, but Jackie objects, writing: "I think a pedestal makes the room too museum-ish for state dinners." His letter also relays a request from the Department of the Interior to "borrow the Grandma Moses painting that is hanging in Caroline's room, for the exhibit in Zagreb in September." She approves this with a large "OK" in the left margin, but warns, "don't say it is in Caroline's room."
The lengthiest, most impressive ALS by Jackie is signed, "J," twelve pages, 5 x 8, White House letterhead (pages two through seven are still connected at the top, having originated from a WH letterhead notepad), in part: "Send me memos—when furniture has been accepted (I should always know about this before it is accepted so I can decide)…For instance—it has been most embarrassing Gerald Shea—asked me how I liked the new dining room table—when he was at the last state dinner—I looked blank…Your office is a madhouse—& you have rather the temperament of Pam and I—you hate publicity—& it wears you down—I had a lot of adjusting to do—with more work than one can really cope with—learning to put first things first…this isn't a criticism—you are a marvelous & devoted curator.but…Do not accept anything without letting me pass on it first…send me a memo…even if it is some old lady whom Harry DuPont has told we will take her grisaille bathtub…when you trade a table…let me know immediately. I see these people all the time. I cannot expect them to slave for me—if I do not show prompt appreciation. My main work—as you know—has been the W. House…having you here instead of Lorraine—is paradise—but I do not wish to be cut off completely—as I still care about it more than anything—& I want to be kept up to date on it—so my memos have priority—& should be answered first…I asked you to hang 4 19th cent[ury] Pres. in West Presidential Lobby entrance hall—have you done this? & get rid of Herbert Hoover & the lady with the moustache in the ground floor hall…I have one suggestion which may help you to survive the nervous distraction of the blasted telephone—Have a partition…you must receive grand curators and take important groups on tour—That is a nuisance for you—but you do it with such grace you make us (the W. H.) many friends.(That was all Lorraine ever wanted to do—& told me we couldn't possibly get a guide written for 5 yrs)…Jim Fosburgh [chairman of the Paintings Committee] said you told him she is planning to write a book—when you hear perilous things like that let me know immediately—so I can see that it's done the best way without hurting us or detracting from our guidebook sales…You & I are the backbone of this whole business…I want to go over the whole layout & text & replacing pictures for the new issue of guide I had them take Queens Room horizontally…in West Pres lobby…I want the walls there painted white & all the brown leather furniture covered in black leather—The Navy can pay for that—as they maintain that wing."
The second longest ALS by Jacqueline Kennedy is signed "J.," five pages, 5 x 8, White House letterhead, and describes in specific detail several different pieces of furniture and other decor she would like for the White House. In part: "You know what I'm interested in—side tables—French—or even Haitian marquetry—not frou frou. A big round table de milieu—either black or with marble—top & wood legs…A set of dining chairs—They must be comfortable for a man so sit in them either Louis XVI Biedmeir—Empire—Directoire—Regency. Any black & gold lacquer chinoiserie console…(I would consider a red lacquer secretary). Any ship models of engravings that look of quality!! Any Memento—JFK adores these—Andrew Jackson's tooth pick—or old coins gold—for buttons—like I tried to buy at Parke Bernet & I suppose anything of interest that strikes your eye—Also if you see a 3 piece sofa with down cushions—like Oval Room ones—no horrible modern thing—I need about 2 of these…Do you know my Judith Lewis painting to left of fireplace in Oval Room—any rather exotic scene like that—even still life with parrots or peacocks & unmuddy colors—I'd like—but not those boring Eng[lish] ones of horses & hounds all running & yelling Yoicks." This superb letter reveals Mrs. Kennedy's attentiveness to her project down to the most minute details, and demonstrates both her decisive personality and sophisticated aesthetic eye.
Her demand for control over every aspect of the White House restoration—the characteristic that drove the first White House curator to resign and enabled Elder to assume the job—is implied in this extreme attention to detail but overtly present in other pieces in this archive. One of Elder's letters to her, dated May 10, 1963, concerns the difficulty of accurately reproducing a color photo of John F. Kennedy that she wants to be used in the White House guidebook, which National Geographic was helping to publish; he suggests they use the famous Bachrach photo of the president instead. Jacqueline replies to the proposal at the bottom, insisting on the color photograph: "Use this—it gives a feeling of the office of the Presidency—& the gloomy color even adds to the oppressive feeling—Probably he will no longer be Pres. when this new edition is sold out—but I promise to get him to pose for a new picture like this one in the next yr. If the Nat Geog is ashamed of color—they can put the name of whoever took it underneath—so they won't be blamed—I HATE all other pics of Pres.—only this one will do."
This is not the first time Kennedy's vision clashed with the publisher while compiling the White House guidebook. On February 8, 1963, Elder mentions having received some unapproved text written for the guidebook: "It is the same old story of the Geographic feeling they can go right ahead and write parts of the book on their own…the other evening over at the National Geographic I saw the text that had been prepared for the dust jacket. It was terrible with such phrases as this 'sensational runaway bestseller'…I did not think this one would meet with your approval." At the top of the letter, Kennedy agrees, writing: "I must have complete say on all text changes & in future the curator must—I agree it's ghastly." A brief ALS in pencil by Kennedy, signed "J.," also concerns this production process, directing Elder to have a picture taken of her bathroom for a new edition of "G.B.," the White House guidebook.
The other ALSs from Jackie contain interesting content regarding the restoration, generally touching upon new acquisitions or placement of things around the White House. ALS in pencil and ballpoint, signed "JBK," one page both sides, 5 x 8, White House letterhead, in part: "Could you put 2 lamps in pineapple room (1 there now between beds—green marble column—in Lincoln sitting room…If they look too big in Lincoln S. room change them back." ALS signed "J.," one page, 5 x 8, White House letterhead, no date, in full: "Would you please tell Mary G. how much the sofa in the map room was so she can give you a check." An unsigned handwritten letter in pencil and ballpoint, one page both sides, White House letterhead, 5 x 8, in part: "Will you please send the 2 Cezannes back to Nat. Gal. today properly crated…Please rehang my oval room today—Lettuce & Tomatoes is not the same as looking at my Boudin." Another unsigned handwritten letter in pencil, one page both sides, 5 x 8, in part: "Found my yellow Battersea bowl on top of glass vitrine—Also my lamp was here—I don't want my things to get all mixed up with WH…If ever in doubt ask me before all my treasures go off to Smithsonian." An ANS signed "Jackie" on a postcard depicting the East Room of the White House, offering a simple "thinking of you." An ALS signed "Jacqueline Kennedy," on both sides of a 4.5 x 3.5 White House stationery card, in full: "My pillow might make you feel tired to look at—as every swatch is a memory of hard working hours—but to me it is the greatest treasure and delight." Presumably Kennedy had a pillow made of swatches of the various fabrics she used in the restoration. Also includes five transmittal envelopes, three with brief notations in Jackie's hand.
The last item signed by Jackie is a special copy of the White House guidebook, both given as gifts to Elder: a color 6 x 4 print of the White House as it appeared in 1805, presented in a 10.75 x 9 mat, signed and inscribed on the mat in blue ballpoint, "For Bill—to whom this building is not unfamiliar. With our greatest appreciation, Jacqueline Kennedy, Christmas 1962," and framed to an overall size of 12 x 10.5; and a special limited edition leatherbound copy of The White House published by the White House Historical Association in 1962, numbered 21/100, bearing an ANS on a White House notecard affixed to the colophon, signed "Jacqueline Kennedy," in full: "At last our guidebook is a reality!—and I can never thank you enough for all you did to make it possible." Includes the original White House envelope for the card, addressed in Jackie's hand, "Mr. Elder."
Additionally, a substantial amount of related ephemera, including Elder's handwritten notes and lists of furnishings, his rough draft of a letter concerning the future of the restored White House from December 1963, magazines from the period discussing the subject, letters to Elder from various other figures, and an array of other material. Archive is in overall very good to fine condition.
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