President Roosevelt’s personally-owned kiln-glazed clay figurine of a Chinese gentleman with a pleasant countenance wearing traditional pink and yellow garb, measuring 5.5″ tall, presenting a purple jewel atop a pillow held between his arms. The bottom of his garment is engraved with the words “Ho-Toi,” and he stands upon a white circular base. Includes a letter of provenance on a White House card from Toi Bachelder, one of Roosevelt’s secretaries and a member of his inner circle. In full: “This Chinese figurine called ‘Ho.Toi’ was presented to me by Grace Tully [well-known FDR secretary] as an item from the desk of Franklin D. Roosevelt. I had the honor of working for FDR from 1933–45. I met him in 1925 in Warm Spgs., Ga. I was one of the first 25 polio test patients. Over the years I came to know him quite well.” Accompanied by the original typed presentation note from Tully on a White House card, in full: “From the desk of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Presented to Toinette Marya Bachelder on April 19, 1945.” Also includes a photo of Roosevelt at his desk in which the back of the figurine can actually be seen. Toi Bachelder told Raleigh DeGeer Amyx that every time she entered FDR’s Oval Office he would announce her arrival with a smile and then blurt out ‘Hoi-Toi,’ before the pair began work. A truly stunning, momentous artifact from FDR’s administration—sitting on the Oval Office desk, this figurine observed some of the most important decisions and bill signings from an immensely influential period in world history.
