Outstanding Eleanor Roosevelt World War II Collection: Photograph Signed, Typed Letter Signed, and Short Snorter. . ...

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Outstanding Eleanor Roosevelt World War II Collection: Photograph Signed, Typed Letter Signed, and Short Snorter.
Photograph Signed: In June 1942, the Air Corps Ferrying Command was reconstituted and renamed the Air Transport Command, with Colonel Cyrus Rowlett Smith as Executive Officer. In September of 1943, General Smith arranged a special visit to the Air Transport Command's Australia base by Eleanor Roosevelt, who traveled in a Red Cross uniform to help boost the morale of allied servicemen. While there, Mrs. Roosevelt posed for the terrific photograph offered in this lot: 10" x 8", black and white, n.p. [Archerfield Airfield, Brisbane], n.d. [September 13, 1942]. It features Mrs. Roosevelt posing with eight ATC officers in front of an ATC plane. Each individual depicted has added their signature at upper half of the image. Bold signatures; very fine condition.

Typed Letter Signed: One page, approximately 6" x 9", on glit-lettered "The White House" letterhead, Washington DC, November 5, 1943. Following her visit to Australia, Mrs. Roosevelt sent a brief letter to Mrs. George Durno, wife of one of the men in the photograph that is included in this lot. She writes: "Under separate cover I am sending you a souvenir of our trip to the Southwest Pacific. I deeply appreciate all that George did to make the journey comfortable and I thought you & he would like to have this memento [sic]. Sincerely yours, Eleanor Roosevelt." Note: the "& he" is Mrs. Roosevelt's holograph addition to the letter. Accompanied by original transmittal envelope with glue stains on verso. Fine condition.

Short Snorter Signed by Eleanor Roosevelt, Admiral William F. Halsey, General Robert Eichelberger and others who were in attendance at the Casablanca Conference. Comprised of 14 pieces of paper currency from various exotic locations, including Japan, Fiji, the Netherlands, Casablanca, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, China, and more. The bills have been taped together (although the old cello tape has failed in several cases) and each bill is signed by numerous military personnel as part of a drinking game that was popular during the Second World War Currency ranges in condition from very poor to good. The short snorter was pieced together by George Durno, who was then serving as President Roosevelt's press secretary.

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