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John F. Kennedy: Signed Photo with Humorous Inscription to Barry Goldwater. ...
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Sold on Oct 24, 2025 for:
$22,500.00
Bid Source: Live: Phone bidder
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Description
One of the Very Best and Most Delightful JFK Signed Photographs!
John F. Kennedy: Signed Photo with Humorous Inscription to Barry
Goldwater. 8" x 10" photograph. Among his many pursuits outside
politics, Arizona Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee
Barry Goldwater cultivated a serious passion for photography.
Offered here is an original black-and-white print taken by
Goldwater himself, apparently unpublished. Along the lower margin
appears a bold and playful inscription from President John F.
Kennedy:"For Barry Goldwater - Whom I urge to follow the career for which he has shown such talent - photography! - from his friend - John Kennedy."
The inscription captures the lighthearted rapport between two Senate colleagues whose friendship often masked an intense political rivalry. By the early 1960s, many expected that Kennedy and Goldwater would ultimately square off in the 1964 presidential contest.
Kennedy's quip took on a life of its own, later retold by humorist Bennett Cerf and cited by Goldwater in his memoir People and Places (1967). Goldwater recounted how he had brought his camera to the White House on one occasion, photographing several fellow congressmen before asking Kennedy for a candid portrait. The future president not only obliged but added the wry inscription, which Goldwater delighted in sharing with friends for decades afterward.
Goldwater kept the photograph prominently displayed in his study for the rest of his life, and it descended through his estate. Beyond its sharp wit, the piece stands as a remarkable artifact of mid-20th century American politics: two towering figures captured in a moment of good-natured banter. In beautiful near-mint condition, it would be difficult to imagine a more compelling Kennedy-signed photograph.
Condition: Margins trimmed top and bottom, with tape residue on verso, but otherwise in beautiful condition!
Auction Info
2025 October 24 - 25 Americana & Political Signature® Auction #6324 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
October, 2025
24th-25th
Friday-Saturday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 6
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 980
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% of the successful bid per lot.
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