The White House: An Historic Guide

A limited edition of The White House: An Historic Guide, inscribed by President Kennedy, the First Lady, and Caroline Kennedy to Grandpa Joe.

• Commissioned by the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
• Washington, D.C.: White House Historical Association, 1962. 
• Large Octavo.
• Number 1a from a limited edition of 75.
• Inscribed by the President, First Lady, and Caroline Kennedy to Joseph P. Kennedy.
• Presentation inscription in pen to limitation.
• Loose typed letter of provenance signed in pen.
• Publisher’s red morocco, double gilt filet borders, ‘JPK’ in gilt to lower right of upper panel, spine lettered in gilt, housed in custom-made red morocco solander box, original blue card box preserved.

A superb association copy of this illustrated guide to The White House commissioned by the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. 

This copy presented to Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. by his son, John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. Inscribed in pen ‘To Dad with love from Jack [i.e John F. Kennedy], Christmas, 1962’, with further inscriptions by the First Lady ‘For Grandpa - with adoration, Jackie’, and their daughter, aged 5, ‘Caroline’.  

With excellent provenance for the presidential, and later Kennedy family secretary, Evelyn Lincoln (1909-1995), including her typed ‘Note of Historical Record’ signed and dated November 21, 1982 explaining her acquisition of this ‘red Moroccan book’ and other Kennedy family possessions. Lincoln served as the personal secretary to John F. Kennedy from 1951 until the his assassination in 1963, later working for Jackie Kennedy at her home in Georgetown, D.C. 

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the publication of this guide to the Executive Mansion as part of her restoration and preservation of the White House, releasing a softcover version for the general public with the intent of spreading knowledge of the house's historic importance. During their official Christmas party, held on December 12, 1962, the President and First Lady presented each member of the Kennedy administration with a stunning present, one of these beautiful red leather-bound copies of the book; this very first one, however, was reserved for President Kennedy's father, and unlike the others inscribed solely by the President and first Lady, this one includes the heart-warming signature of their daughter, Caroline Kennedy (John F. Kennedy, Jr., had only just turned two). 

Joseph P. Kennedy (presentation inscription).

Evelyn Lincoln (letter of provenance).