AMAZING ARCHIVE OF 81 PIECES OF CORRESPONDENCE WRITTEN TO IBM PRESIDENT ARTHUR WATSON, INCLUDING SIGNED LETTERS FROM KENNEDY, NIXON, AND 24 LETTERS BY EISENHOWER, 1951-63

(EISENHOWER, Dwight D.; KENNEDY, John F., Jr.; NIXON, Richard; et al.) (WATSON, Arthur). Archive of signed correspondence. Various places, 1951-63. Archive of 81 pieces of correspondence, housed in quarto-sized cloth album (9-1/2 by 12 inches). Housed in a custom chemise and clamshell box. $19,500.

Fascinating and revealing archive of correspondence written to Arthur Kittredge Watson, President of IBM World Trade Corporation—at the time these letters were written, 1951-63, one of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world—and United States Ambassador to France. Includes signed letters with substantial content written and signed by Kennedy, Nixon, and 24 letters by Eisenhower.

Arthur Kittredge Watson, known as Dick to his friends and family, (April 23, 1919—July 26, 1974) served as president of IBM World Trade Corporation and United States Ambassador to France. Notable items in this archive of correspondence include:

A handwritten and signed (“DE”) Christmas card of Eisenhower, 1951.

16th of July full page ALS of artist Raoul Dufy with hand addressed envelope.

November 6, 1951 TLS from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Interesting Dec 8, 1951 TLS from Eisenhower signed (“DE”) stating that he’s typed the letter on IBM’s new Executive machine.

Various ministerial letters from South America, Europe, and Japan, untranslated.

March 5, 1953 excellent TLS of Omar Bradley commending Watson on the “Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen’s” club.

Several TLs signed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali.

Several Mamie Eisenhower ALs and TLs.

Richard Nixon as Vice President TLS Oct 5, 1956 “commemorating the state visits of Presidents from three of our neighboring countries to the South.”

An excellent run of Eisenhower TLs as President, signed with his familiar “DE” - quotes include: August 5, 1956—“….your suggestion of a series of what you called ‘friendship teams’ made up of businessmen and educators visit the Soviet Union and satellites… with the Soviet orbit; I am enclosing a copy of the report for the first six months of the US/USSR exchange agreement program.” May 6, 1958—A superb letter about the Defense Department and how it’s run, 2 pages, “As of today, the Defense Department must operate under a system, or lack of system, similar to one that, as I say, would not be tolerated by a successful business corporation. All of us know that the competition faced by the Defense Department is the sternest in the world, that provided by the military might of the Soviet Union. The single objective of the Defense department is the nation’s security; in this it must be successful.” August 6, 1959—“I am indeed doing all I can to sponsor the exchange of visits between the people of the Soviet Union and our own country! What will come of Mr. Khrushchev’s visits to this country, I cannot pretend to guess…” May 14, 1960 - Outstanding TL on White House stationery outlining Defense for NATO and SEATO alliance structures. June 9, 1960 - regarding Sub committee on Foreign Operations—“Let’s keep it up—for America and for the cause of world peace.” July 20, 1960—regarding Dr. Tom Dooley and his “….selfless and splendid work he is carrying on in Laos.”

John Kennedy, Jan 8, 1963—“I welcome both the opportunity to sketch out the principal outlines of our tax and economics programs…”

A significant archive that outlines the importance of the interchange between the leader of the most influential corporation in the world, and the leaders of the Free World. Near-fine condition.