Butler 4

I break this extended blog silence to inform you that the universe has bestowed upon me a mighty treasure! Huzzah! Folks.... do not misunderstand me here. Hard work and dedication were required to qualify for this artifact.

While riding my bike into Manhattan from Brooklyn I spotted a new vintage shop by the Navy Yards. Which was odd because it is an industrial area. I chatted up the shopkeeper while looking through a box full of old pictures and postcards. I pulled out a postcard that was postmarked Jun 15th, 1910 and addressed to Mr. George Kreidel of St. Joseph's Seminary located in Yonkers, New York. It was of....

Teddy!.... TR.... Col. Roosevelt.... Mr. Theodore Roosevelt himself. A period post card from right after is presidency. What luck! Bully! Upon inspection of the card something caught my eye... but I kept my cool and calmly asked the shop attendant how much for the postcards. Five dollars was the response. I continued to browse around. Nonchalantly I said, "I'll take this postcard of Teddy". Got it wrapped up in plastic and headed out of the store as giddy as a school girl. For... the thing that I noticed was not only was this a postcard of Theodore Roosevelt, but....
it could be from Theodore Roosevelt! Walking into Lars' studio before I even sat down I said, "Lars... look up Theodore Roosevelt's signature on line". As far as we two fashion designers are concerned–this is a Theodore Roosevelt signature. Judge for yourselves. Below I have a book from my reference library of Teddy's signature with the postcard right above it.


I researched as much as I could about the card. I know when George was born, when he died, who his parents were, how many siblings he had, what he did for a profession, et cetera, et cetera. Then I thought to myself that there must be something I can learn about the date and it hit me! After leaving the presidency TR went on an African Safari. When did he return you might ask...? June 1910. That fits the inscription which says, "Dear George, I am coming home, yours truly, Theodore." Only Teddy would send a postcard of himself. I have written my favorite PBS show The History Detectives about my find. I hope they come to investigate.

This Theodore Roosevelt signature and my Third Reich Typewriter (click here for that story) really make me feel like a man with a serious archive. It's only going to get better from here folks.

Labels: Theodore Roosevelt