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Bid On A John F Kennedy Jacket

In our next auction on May 31st 2018 we have one of Kennedy’s beloved leather G-1 bomber jackets for sale, that he would often wear when he was out sailing. The minimum bid is $200,000.

Here is the description:

John F. Kennedy’s Personally Owned Leather Bomber Jacket — Recovered From the ”Honey Fitz” Yacht After His Death

Very personal jacket belonging to President John F. Kennedy, one of his beloved leather G-1 bomber jackets that he would often wear when sailing, complete with his Presidential seal patch sewn over the left breast. Jacket comes from the estate of Lt. Henry Hirschy, White House Supply and Logistics Officer who was responsible for securing items JFK used aboard the Presidential yacht Honey Fitz, at Camp David and on overseas trips. Jacket is JFK’s size 44, custom fit for the President, in dark brown leather, lightly worn from use and therefore likely worn by JFK onboard the Honey Fitz, where it was recovered. Hirschy bought this jacket for the President on 5 December 1962, nearly a year before JFK’s death, and the original Naval invoice detailing the sale is included as provenance. Upon the invoice, Hirschy itemizes the total by hand, indicating that three flight jackets were bought for the President, of which this is one. Another flight jacket sold at McInnis Auction House in 2013 for over $629,000, possibly one of the other jackets listed on the invoice.

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A slew of additional provenance accompanies the jacket, including: (1) letter dated 27 November 1963, five days after the assassination, partially written by Hirschy and detailing items recovered ”From Honey Fitz”, listing two ”Size 44 Flight Jacket”, one ”w/ Presidential seal”, matching this jacket. The letter goes on to instruct that the items be sent to Lieut. Hirschy at the ”Nav. Ad. Unit Office” in Washington, DC; (2) LOA signed by Priscilla Hirschy, stating that the jacket ”comes directly from the family of Lieutenant Henry E. Hirschy, Jr. SC United States Navy”; (3) Official White House ID card for Lt. H. Hirschy; (4) The White House Staff Pass for H.E. Hirschy, issued ”5 Sept 63” and with an expiry date of ”15 Nov 63”; (5) Henry E. Hirschy’s U.S. Department of the Interior Official parking permit for The White House, dated ”12/1/1962”. The jacket also comes with an 8” x 10” color photo (age faded) of JFK sporting a similar jacket while onboard his yacht. The photo has an inscription on the verso stating ”President John F. Kennedy, on board the U.S.C.G. sloop Manitou, Sunday, 12 Aug 1962 – Near Johns Island, Maine”.

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Label of jacket reads in full, ”Bureau of Aeronautics USN / Flight Jacket, Intermediate, G-1 / Specification No. MIL-J-7823 (AER) / L.W. Foster Sportswear Co., Inc. / Contract No. DA-36-243-QM (CTM) 2134 / Size 44”. Additionally, near the zipper is stenciled ”USN” (United States Navy). Jacket shows light wear, namely rubbing of leather next to zipper, at cuffs and at elbows, consistent with wear. Overall in very good condition. One of the more personal and beloved items belonging to President Kennedy. Minimum bid is $200,000.

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To bid on this John F Kennedy jacket on or before May 31st 2018, please click here:

https://natedsanders.com/John_F__Kennedy_s_Personally_Owned_Leather_Bomber_-LOT49503.aspx

In 2013, we at NateDSanders.com sold this fascinating piece of John F. Kennedy history:

John F. Kennedy’s Presidential Blanket Present in the Limo & Bloodied Upon His Assassination — With Impeccable Provenance

Blanket from John F. Kennedy’s limousine, stowed in the vehicle at the time of his assassination. Navy blue woolen blanket bearing a large embroidered Presidential seal is one of two that were fixtures of the custom limousine, literally built into the doors of the back seat on each side for ready use by chilled passengers. Blanket features a grey plush lining to the reverse side and snaps along the edges for securing to interior door panels. Measures 50.5” x 41”. Embroidered seal measures 7” in diameter. Some patches of wear to fabric surface along center, else fine. With excellent provenance, including an LOA from Burke Reilly, the first owner of the blankets after their removal from the limousine, which was dismantled during Johnson’s administration. Reilly was the manager of the White House Vehicle Program for Ford Motor Company’s Washington Affairs Office, in charge of the care and service of the automobiles in the federal fleet, including ”100X”, the Presidential limousine.

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His LOA specifies the names of the people he worked and interacted with, including the name of the Secret Service agent that gave the blankets to him. Includes copies of Reilly’s Ford ID and his security clearance pass. Mr. Reilly is reportedly still alive today. More information regarding the “lap robes,” as they were called, comes from Ford employee F. Vaughn Ferguson whose 18 December 1963 memo to Ford lobbyist R.W. Markley Jr. is housed at the National Archives. This memo reads in part, ”…on the 2nd of December I noticed that the two lap robes had a few blood spots on them, but, more than that, were soiled from handling and required cleaning. The White House chauffeurs were detailed to take the lap robes to Fort Myer for cleaning. These persons remained with the lap robes until they were cleaned and returned the same day…” An impossibly rare relic from the last moment of JFK’s presidency. Sold for $61,599.

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