Edith Galt Wilson’s personally-owned and -used fine purple silk purse, measuring 7 x 6 folded, featuring a finely embroidered patriotic eagle on the front, clutching an American flag in its talons, with the words “For Democracy” below, as well as a pin that reads “USA.” The purse is trimmed with a lovely off-white ribbon, and opens to reveal an inner pocket made from an American flag. Includes a letter of provenance on a White House card from Lillian Rogers Parks, who was a best selling author as well as housekeeper and seamstress at the White House for over 30 years, from President Hoover through President Eisenhower. In part: “This royal purple and white silk handmade handkerchief linen bag was given to my Mama, Maggie Rogers, by the First Lady, Edith Galt Wilson, shortly after the Inauguration in 1917…it was brought to the White House by Edith Galt Wilson when she married the President. The First Lady gave it to my Mama, saying, ‘President Wilson prefers that I not keep this because someone might see me with it and not understand.’ The Suffragettes were demonstrating frequently. And one of the statements they made over and over was, ‘America is not a Democracy’…the wording on the outside of the linen bag would, according to President Wilson, have been interpreted as a pro Suffragette statement on the part of the First Lady.” A notable offering of historic consequence.
