Lot 106
Truman, Harry S. Ronson 14 karat gold-filled "Penciliter"engraved "H.S.T. 1945," 5½ inches long. The mechanical pencil with lighter top belonged to President Harry Truman and was given to Carl W. Forman, White House doorman from 1939 to 1956, on May 8, 1945, the day the President signed the Proclamation calling for May 13, 1945 to be a Day of Prayer to celebrate the German surrender. Ferguson signs a letter of provenance typed on stationery imprinted with the Presidential Seal and "The White House / Washington, D.C." It says, in part: "I was near the President on numerous occasions in my capacity as White House Doorman. On this day we were alone briefly in the Oval Office. President Truman said, 'Ferguson, this pencil doesn't write like it should but you may have it if you don't mind my name being on it.' It was an honor to be offered something personal, especially when he took it out of the inside of his suit pocket to give it to me. I really admired and respected President Truman….Even when a Doorman or Butler was present President Truman would introduce us to whomever happened to be in the room. If it was a King or Prime Minister he still introduced us. He is the only President I worked for or ever heard of that did this…."
Estimated Value $800 - 1,000.
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| Realized $834 |
