On his plans to restore the USS Hartford and construct a naval museum - photo 1

On his plans to restore the USS Hartford and construct a naval museum

Lot 213
02.02.2024 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 756
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1129833
Lot 213 | On his plans to restore the USS Hartford and construct a naval museum
Estimate value
$ 1 000 – 1 500
ROOSEVELT, Franklin D. (1882 - 1945). Typed letter signed ("Franklin D. Roosevelt) as President to Lieutenant Commander and author Harold A. Calahan, [Washington], 13 March 1941.

One page, bifolium, 75 x 225mm on White House letterhead (light spot of soiling at bottom edge, mounting remnants on the verso). Sold with transmittal envelope.

Writing of his plans to construct a naval museum in Washington D.C., and the restoration of the flagship of David Farragut, the USS Hartford. Roosevelt—who served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the First World War—writes that the building of a naval museum is "a matter that is especially interesting to me."

He specifies that, "there is a project afoot, in connection with a new Navy building when authorized and appropriated for, to install the HARTFORD and several other historic vessels of different periods in our country's history, in a Marine basin near the Navy Building...", and that "..it is planned to restore the HARTFORD at the time work is undertaken on the marine basin..." He, however, warns that the construction of the basin depends upon congressional action, and that "no funds have been appropriated by Congress to finance the task of restoring the HARTFORD ... at the first suitable opportunity, the matter of the Hartford's restoration will be brought to the fore and it is hoped that Congress will legislate favorably."

Roosevelt intended to construct a naval museum alongside the new Naval building in Washington D.C., which would house the USS Hartford, as well as George Dewey's flagship, the USS Olympia, along with other vessels. However, upon his death in April 1945, plans to construct this museum seemed to have fell through. As of October 1945, Congress did not include funds to construct this basin with the $46.5 million allocated to construct the new Navy Department building. The unrestored USS Hartford would be towed to the Norfolk Navy Yard that same month, where it would be classified as a relic until it sank in November 1956.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
Preview
26.01.2024 10:00 – 17:00
27.01.2024 10:00 – 17:00
28.01.2024 13:00 – 17:00
29.01.2024 10:00 – 17:00
30.01.2024 10:00 – 17:00
31.01.2024 10:00 – 17:00
Phone +1 212 636 2000
Fax +1 212 636 4930
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Shipping Postal service
Courier service
pickup by yourself
Payment methods Wire Transfer
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 09:30 – 17:00   
Tu 09:30 – 17:00   
We 09:30 – 17:00   
Th 09:30 – 17:00   
Fr 09:30 – 17:00   
Sa closed
Su closed

More from Creator

Three typed letters signed
Three typed letters signed
$100
An excellent foreign policy letter to Norman Davis
An excellent foreign policy letter to Norman Davis
$100
Sending Christmas greetings to disabled World War I veterans
Sending Christmas greetings to disabled World War I veterans
$500
Signed photograph inscribed to Norman Davis
Signed photograph inscribed to Norman Davis
$100

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.