President Eisenhower’s gaudy pair of briefly personally-owned ceramic cufflinks, each featuring a prominent raised golden “E” against a deep blue background, with swivel-bars affixed to the reverse. Includes a detailed and humorous letter of provenance on White House letterhead from the wife of Melvon O. Carter, who had worked on the White House maintenance crew from the time of Presidents Hoover through Nixon. During Mr. Carter’s over 40 years of White House service, he was often in close proximity to the first family. In part: “My husband, Melvon O. Carter…had worked for the White House from the time of President Herbert Hoover until President Richard Nixon…These cuff links were given to my husband when he was in the bedroom of the First Lady, Mamie Eisenhower. Mrs. Eisenhower said, ‘The President would look ridiculous wearing these and so would I.’ She laughed then and said, ‘Do you want these to give to a friend or an enemy?’ My husband kept them in my jewelery box but we did not wear them either…Since these were a personal possession and gift from the First Lady they should be properly preserved.” Condition is fine.
