Beschreibung:

ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN DELANO, President . Autograph free frank ("Franklin D Roosevelt") as President, on a pale green "The White House" envelope addressed to "Alden S. Condict, Esq. One East 42nd Street New York, New York," postmarked "Washington, D.C. Nov 5 9 AM 1940," 120 x 180mm. (4 7/8 x 7 1/4 in.) . In extremely fine condition. A RARE FREE FRANK OF FDR AS PRESIDENT, DATED THE DAY HE WAS ELECTED TO HIS THIRD TERM Very few free franks of Roosevelt as President are known, in spite of his four terms in the White House. The present is one of two famous examples franked at the request of Condict, a collector, in the 1950s. Condict had asked Roosevelt for a franked "White House" envelope, even though the President had no legal right to send franked mail, when he visited the President at Hyde Park in the summer of 1940: "'I put the question casually...but Roosevelt was an autograph and stamp collector, and he knew instantly that I was asking for a frank. His genial manner left him abruptly, and his face became hard. His eyes flashed, and he said icily, You're asking me to break the law...I was sure I had bungled the matter hopelessly, and hadn't the remotest chance....Weeks passed...Then, about two months later, I received through the mail a large stamped White House envelope...[I]nside, I found two magnificent White House envelopes, each boldly franked by the President in his familiar blue ink, and each bearing a very clear Washington, D.C. postmark, dated the very day he was elected for a third term. Here was something of unbelievable rarity...'" Later, Condict was offered $10,000 for one of the examples: "'The Republicans wanted it for propaganda. They wanted to prove that Franklin D. Roosevelt had no respect for the laws of this country, and even franked his mail when he had no legal right. Of course, I refused the offer....'" (Hamilton, Collecting Autographs and Manuscripts , 1961, pp. 220-223. Exhibited : World Stamp Expo '89, Washington D.C. 17 November--3 December 1989.