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“In personality, Hartmann and Ford could not have been more different. Ford trusted almost everyone; Hartmann suspected almost everyone. Hartmann was as cantankerous as Ford was genial. Yet many qualities they shared. Both loved political life and thrived on its daily excitement; both held to a conservative Republican view of the national interest” (Cannon, p. 91). Between 1973 and 1977 Hartmann served Ford successively as chief of staff, White House director of speechwriting, and counsellor to the president. Hartmann wrote the 1974 address in which Ford assumed the presidency on the resignation of Nixon, coining and insisting on the phrase “our long national nightmare is over”. Hartmann envisaged Ford as a “common, regular guy” ( New York Times obituary) and crafted his speeches to reflect that, encapsulated in Ford’s remarks on taking the presidency, “I am a Ford, not a Lincoln” (ibid.). 2 publicity photographs (24.5 × 18.5 cm & 24 × 19.5 cm) in matching contemporary black and gilt frames with new conservation acrylic glazing (both 38 × 30 cm). Light rubbing to frames, minor bubbling to inscription (due to Ford’s use of a water-based ink on non-porous paper) but fully legible. In very good condition. ¶ James M. Cannon, Time and Chance , 1998; “Obituary”, New York Times , 27 December 2006. £1,500 [154422] 42 FORD, Gerald. The Official Visit of the Right Honorable Harold Wilson. 1975 a gift to “the leader of one of america’s truest allies” The photograph album presented by US President Gerald Ford to British Prime Minister Harold Wilson to commemorate Wilson’s visit to the US. Wilson’s visit, from 29 to 31 January 1975, did much to cement the improvement in US-UK relations which he had initiated with his return to Downing Street in 1974. The album shows Wilson’s arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, being welcomed by Ford at the White House, viewing and
addressing a military pageant, in discussion with the president in the Oval Office, meeting Kissinger, visiting the Capitol, and addressing the National Press Club and the headquarters of the United Nations. The captions emphasize the special relationship: “Hailing ‘the leader of one of America’s truest allies’”; “A call to face current problems ‘together as friends and partners’”; “Discussing the ‘new and menacing world economic crisis’ in the Oval Office”; “Toasting ‘the ideal state of American-British relations’”. The relationship between the US and UK had been strained under Wilson’s predecessor Edward Heath. “There had been a serious lapse in general communications between the two countries during the Heath period. After Labour’s victory in the 1974 General Election, Prime Minister Harold Wilson’s foreign secretary, James Callaghan, took immediate steps to remedy this: he instructed the Foreign Office to improve relations with the USA. After all the doubts about socialism which periodically arose in US administrations, it is rather amusing that fences were mended by Labour leaders in 1974. Just how successful they were is illustrated in a US briefing paper prepared for Harold Wilson’s visit to Washington in January 1975. ‘With the advent of the Wilson administration relations between our two governments have been particularly warm and cordial. This is in large part to do with Wilson’s determination to ease the strain and tension which developed between us during the latter months of the term of his predecessor’” (Dobson, p. 143). Oblong folio. Original black imitation leather, front cover lettered in gilt with seal of the president of the United States, gilt turn-ins, silk doublures. Presented in original wooden case lined with blue velvet, with sliding Perspex lid. With title leaf in gilt, followed by mounted colour seal, and 18 leaves with colour photograph on each side separated with tissue guards, each photograph captioned underneath. Slight rubbing at extremities else album in excellent condition, minor rubbing and wear at box extremities, Perspex a little scratched. ¶ Alan Dobson, Anglo-American Relations in the Twentieth Century , 2002. £2,750 [158154]
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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