Lot 144
Nixon Richard 1913 - 1994 Nixon signs a photo of him with Chairman Mao,"I'll sign it here on old Mao"
Signed Richard Nixon black and white photo, as "Richard Nixon". Verso of photo has the stamp "Official Photograph/The White House/Washington". 9.25" x 7.25"
Photo quite probably taken on Feb 26, 1972 per the date stamp on verso, and was then signed later per the provenance. From the spectacular, unprecedented collection of Ronald Ellis Wade
A wonderful piece of history with impeccable provenance. The photo was taken during U.S. President Richard Nixons 1972 visit to the Peoples Republic of China, an important step in formally normalizing relations between the United States and China. It marked the first time a U.S. president had visited the PRC, which at that time considered the U.S. one of its foes, and the visit ended 25 years of separation between the two sides. Occurring from February 21 to 28, 1972, the visit allowed the American public to view images of China for the first time in over two decades. Throughout the week the President and his most senior advisers engaged in substantive discussions with the PRC, including a meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong.
The photo was later signed in the presence of Ronald Ellis Wade in 1988 with Wade's scripted comment on the verso "Autographed in my presence in President Nixon's hotel room at the Stoueffers Hotel in Dallas, TX on 5-2-88.
Ronald Wade" ; along with Wade's personal note about Nixon who apparently mentioned in a jocular manner "I'll sign it here on old Mao" BELOW is an image of Nixon signing the photo in Ronald Wades presence.
Below is an interesting interview from TheHill.com, about Ron Wade and his collection of Presidential memorabilia:
Step into Ronald Wade's office and it's easy to see why he's listed in "Guinness World Records 2015" for the largest collection of U.S. presidential memorabilia - it's really a replica of the Oval Office.
"Actually, they quit counting," Wade says of his immense collection of White House and presidential campaign items, "because I probably have closer to 20,000 or 30,000 items, if not closer to 100,000 - that's with duplication." The official count from the folks behind the famed book puts Wade's collection in chief at 6,960 pieces as of last year.
The lifelong Republican has been racking up "practically anything that has to do with American politics" since he was 10 years old.
"My first memory in life is wearing an 'I Like Ike' button, and I was probably 4 years old. So I've always been interested in politics," Wade, 64, tells ITK.
The retired Texas Department of Human Services supervisor says he counts former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush as friends. His most prized item in the collection is from the 41st commander in chief's failed 1964 Senate bid.
"He had a group of young ladies that campaigned for him, the Bush Belles," Wade says in his heavy Lone Star State twang, "So I have the only known Bush Belles outfit that's around. Even the Bush Library doesn't have one."
"George W. has been to my house, and seen my collection, and was quite impressed," boasts Wade, who has also donated several pieces from his massive memorabilia stockpile to the George W. Bush Presidential Library outside Dallas.
The collector extraordinaire says he "pays for his habit" by selling extra collectibles he's acquired over the years, but he never hawks anything that he "loves."
While much of the public might be disillusioned with warring politicians, Wade ...who once served as a White House page for then-President Nixon... says talk of partisan bickering in Washington is overblown: "The friction between parties has been here as long as America has been here."
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