President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s personally-owned pitcher. Decorative ceramic pitcher stands 7″ high, with two scenes of a trio of swimming swans on either side. Bottom of the pitcher bears a maker’s mark of VJS and a peacock, and is numbered 2119, with several small inventory labels affixed to the bottom as well. Accompanied by a detailed 1982 letter of provenance on White House letterhead, by 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. Letter reads, in part: “When President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away on April 12, 1945, it was so sad…The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, called a few White House staff members into her bedroom. Many personal effects were there. She said: ‘Take what you want now, because the rest is going to Hyde Park and you will never have another chance.’ I was given this lovely pitcher and several other things.” In overall fine condition. An impressive piece of presidential porcelain of historical importance.
