"FROM HIS AFFECTIONATE FATHER": LIMITED FIRST EDITION OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S 1936 SOUTH AMERICAN SPEECHES, ONE OF ONLY SEVEN KNOWN COPIES BOUND IN FULL PIGSKIN AND WITH A HALF PIGSKIN SLIPCASE, WITH SPECIAL INSCRIBED PRESENTATION LEAF TO ROOSEVELT'S SON, LT. COL. JAMES ROOSEVELT

ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. Addresses of the President of the United States on the Occasion of His Visit to South America. November & December 1936. [Washington]: United States Government Printing Office, 1937. Large quarto, original full brown pigskin, raised bands, mounted copper cover label, watered silk endpapers, top edge gilt, uncut, original half pigskin pull-off case. $32,000.

Rare limited first edition, presentation copy, of Roosevelt's speeches at the Inter-American Peace Conference in 1936, one of only seven known copies produced in full pigskin (from a total edition of approximately 27 copies), with a special bound-in presentation leaf printed: "To Lieutenant Colonel James Roosevelt United States Marine Corps Reserve," additionally inscribed on that page: "from his affectionate father Franklin D. Roosevelt." Text in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

Held as Europe seemed poised to descend into war, the "Inter-American Conference for the Maintenance of Peace, held in 1936 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, at Buenos Aires, adopted a draft treaty for the peaceful resolution of conflicts between American states" (Britannica). In his speeches, Roosevelt called for peace between the American nations, based on sisterhood, democracy, and a faith in God. He also stated his hope that peace in the Americas would inspire Europe to avoid war. This book includes Roosevelt's speeches on November 27, 1936 (Rio de Janeiro); December 1, 1936 (Buenos Aires); and December 3, 1936 (Montevideo), in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Publishing records at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library indicate that, "In all, 75 copies were printed, 50 copies in full pigskin with double box type slipcase and 25 copies half bound with marbled sides and conventional single slip cases." Subsequent sale receipts and invoices from the Roosevelt Library indicate that, while 50 copies in full leather were planned, only seven were ever produced in full leather (and another 20 in half leather). The full leather copies were intended for the South American dignitaries who hosted President Roosevelt on his 1936 trip. The balance of this edition "remains unaccounted for," which is why only a handful of copies have ever been catalogued. The few copies that survive were given as Christmas gifts in 1936 to close associates of President Roosevelt. This limited edition is arguably the scarcest of all the Christmas gifts that President Roosevelt distributed while in office. Horowitz 77. This special presentation copy is inscribed to James Roosevelt, the eldest son of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor. Beginning in 1924 when he was a teenager, James Roosevelt became one of his father's most important political surrogates. He gave hundreds of campaign speeches and served as a trusted advisor throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Roosevelt even accompanied his father to the Inter-American Conference as a military aide. A contemporary article in Time magazine suggested that James Roosevelt be considered "Assistant President of the United States." In addition to a short period dabbling in the Hollywood movie business, Roosevelt went on to serve as a Marine brigadier general, a six-term Congressman, and a United Nations delegate.

A lovely inscribed presentation copy in fine condition.