Roosevelt, Theodore, as twenty-sixth President

Typed letter signed ("Theodore Roosevelt"), 2 pages (8 7/8 x 7 in.; 225 x 178 mm) on letterhead "White House, Washington," Washington, D.C., 25 January 1908, to Governor Curtis Guild Jr of Massachusetts; formerly folded, some light soiling and finger smudges. Red cloth folding-case.

formerly folded, a few marginal smudges
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Why the government does not bid at auctions of historical collectibles.

The flag of the U.S.S. Chesapeake was coming up for auction in England. Roosevelt wrote the first naval history of the War of 1812 (with many helpful comments from Henry Cabot Lodge, mentioned in this letter, who was an instructor at Harvard when Roosevelt was an undergraduate there), and must have had a special interest in this flag as the ship was captured by the British in June 1813:

"Cabot has shown me your telegram about the Chesapeake flag. In my judgement it would be unwise and undignified in the highest degree for this government to go into an auction and bid against the British Admiralty for a flag taken in war from an American by a British ship, even if we had an appropriation for the object, which, as a matter of fact, we have not. It seems to me we should put ourselves in a position not only humiliating but ridiculous if we exposed ourselves to having it said that the flag which we could not defend by arms in battle we nevertheless gleefully got possession of again by money."