WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.  Important autograph album signed by President William Howard and First Lady Helen Herron Taft, along with their family, friends, and other well-known figures, for Helen’s younger sister, Lucy Hayes Herron.  Herron (1877–1961) was an American socialite and amateur golfer who was the younger sister of First Lady Helen Herron Taft (1861–1943).  It was rumored that Herron was engaged to Taft’s (1857–1930) presidential aide, Archibald Butt, but he unfortunately perished during the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic.  She acquired these autographs during a trip through the United States, Europe, and Africa between 1912 to 1913.

IMPORTANT AUTOGRAPH ALBUM SIGNED BY PRESIDENT WILLIAM HOWARD AND FIRST LADY HELEN HERRON TAFT FOR HELEN’S YOUNGER SISTER, LUCY HAYES HERRON

Contains over 150 signatures, 20 photographs, over a dozen notes and quotes, and nearly a dozen sketches.  Signed by Taft as President on New Year’s Day in 1913.  Includes a fascinating photograph of American businessman Gurnee Munn and his family riding horses in front of the Egyptian pyramids.  With 26 pages that contains autographs, measures 9 by 7.5 inches, and in very good condition with light staining throughout and the front board detached from the first page exposing the spine.

CONTAINS OVER 150 SIGNATURES, 20 PHOTOGRAPHS, OVER A DOZEN NOTES AND QUOTES, AND NEARLY A DOZEN SKETCHES; SIGNED BY TAFT AS PRESIDENT ON NEW YEAR’S DAY IN 1913; AND INCLUDES A FASCINATING PHOTOGRAPH OF AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN GURNEE MUNN IN FRONT OF THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS

Below are the autographs we were able to identify:

Sonia Rosemary Keppel - British socialite - signed and dated sketch of ballerina

Riccardo De Sangro Fondi - Italian sailor - dated signature with location

Pierre Paul Laffleur De Kermaingrant - French author - dated signature

Richard Dawson - Irish politician - dated signature

Richard McCreery - WWI & WWII British general - signature

Doris Boyd - Australian artist - signature

Maxine Elliott - American actress - autograph quote signed & photograph with Lucy

Gurnee Munn and his family - American businessman - dated signatures & photograph in front of the Egyptian pyramids

Ulysses Grant-Smith - American diplomat - dated signature

Cary T. Grayson - Physician to President Woodrow Wilson - autograph note signed

George L. Harrison - American banker - dated signature

John Maxwell Ferguson - Australian businessman - dated signature

Mary Louise Curtis - American philanthropist - dated signature

Anna Coleman Ladd - American sculptor - dated signature

Helen Herron Taft - William Howard Taft’s wife & First Lady of the United States - dated signature

Charles Phelps Taft II - William Howard Taft’s son - signature

Peter Augustus Jay & his wife - American diplomat - dated signatures

Maria Clinton Herron - Helen Herron Taft’s sister - dated signature

Harriet Anderson de Fritsch & her husband - Helen Herron Taft’s niece - dated signatures

William Hackett - Irish priest - dated signature

Luldow Seguine Bull - Egyptologist - signed sketch of Bull playing tennis with Lucy

Stephen Philbin - American football player - dated signature

Oliver Harriman, Jr. - American businessman - signature

Henry Waters Taft & his wife - William Howard Taft’s brother - dated signatures

Charles Phelps Taft II - William Howard Taft’s son - signature

Allen T. Klots - New York City lawyer - signature

William Howard Taft - President of the United States - signature

Raymond P. Rodgers - United States Navy rear admiral - dated signature

George Val Myer - English architect - signature

Archibald Clark Kerr - British diplomat - signature

Frank Harrison Hitchcock - William Howard Taft’s postmaster general - signature

Nicholas Longworth - Speaker of the United States House of Representatives - signature

Vira Boarman Whitehouse - American suffragette - signature

Constance Bryer - British suffragette - signature

Charles D. Hill - American architect - signature

Frederick H. Gillett - Speaker of the United States House of Representatives - signature

Henry F. Lippitt - Lucy Hayes Herron’s second husband & United States Senator from Rhode Island - signature

Frances Lippitt - Lucy Hayes Herron’s stepdaughter - signature

Thomas Irwin Laughlin - Lucy Hayes Herron’s son - signed and dated sketch of Lucy playing tennis

Mary Ann Laughlin - Lucy Hayes Herron’s daughter - signed and dated sketch of Lucy