The Roosevelt family’s extremely captivating personally-owned rolling toy donkey, measuring 14.5″ tall and 17.5″ long, with a nice detailed body covered in soft hair, a red bridle and saddle, and wooden wheels on metal axles attached to its hooves. An electrical plug of indeterminate purpose is attached to the donkey’s left front hoof by a very short cord, indicating some form of an extension cord was likely needed for use. Includes a letter of provenance on White House letterhead from the wife of Irineo Esperancilla, formerly chief steward of the Navy. In part: “The antique gray toy donkey was owned by President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt. They kept it in the White House for the use of their grandchildren. It was given to my husband, Irineo Esperancilla by Mrs. Roosevelt after the President’s death. He served, along with Arthur Prettyman, as the President’s valet during WWII until F. D. R.’s death in 1945. But he also served at the White House as a Steward from 1925…The Roosevelt White House was a very busy house, especially at Christmas time when all the family gathered and there were many small grandchildren.” Antique toys are very collectible themselves, and here we have the added allure of it having been used within the White House by the Roosevelt family.
