Description:

Ronald Reagan
[Washington, DC], June 16, 1981
Ronald Reagan "I know … that God was watching over me. I feel just fine now and am back on horseback" 250+ Word ALS Reflecting On Assassination Attempt!
ALS

A 1p autograph letter signed by sitting 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) as "Ronald" at lower right. June 16, 1981. [Washington, D.C.] Inscribed with approximately 258 words in Reagan's hand, in black ink on a yellow blue-lined red-ruled paper sheet with a perforated top edge, with several edits in pen and pencil, including corrected punctuation and cross-outs. This letter draft was later typed, signed, and sent to the recipients. Expected light wear such as gentle corner wrinkles, isolated chipped edges, and a non-rusted paperclip impression along the left edge, else near fine. 8.5" x 11." Impeccable provenance as this item comes from the files of Helene von Damm (b. 1938), Reagan's longtime personal secretary and later Ambassador to Austria, and gifted to our consignor, her White House assistant.

Ronald Reagan wrote this lengthy letter to his longtime pen pals, Samueline, Bertha, and Joseph "Buzzy" Sisco, a family of engraved leather good makers from Healdsburg, California. Buzzy Sisco was a middle-aged physically and mentally handicapped man whose sisters had contacted then California Governor Reagan in 1972 inquiring how to obtain government support for their brother. Reagan routinely sent the Siscos letters and gifts, and corresponded with them until at least 1987. And as we shall see in this letter, Reagan sometimes commissioned bespoke leather pieces and often promoted the Siscos' leather-working enterprise among his personal network. (For more information, see Kiron K. Skinner, "Reagan: A Life in Letters" (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 648.)

In part, with original usage:

"Dear Miss Sam, Miss Bertha & Buzzy

First of all, Buzzy, thank you for your prayers. I know they were answered and that God was watching over me. I feel just fine now and am back on horseback when I get a chance.

Now about the 'rattler' problem. You seem to be doing fine, but for whatever it's worth, there are 38 calibre cartridges that have buck shot instead of the lead slug. I use those at our place for snakes. It's pretty hard to miss even if they are moving. Your '38 becomes a hand shot gun.

There is no doubt the construction near by has caused your problem. We had the same thing at our previous ranch - 8 yrs. and never saw one; then an excavation for main sewer line the other side of the mountain & I killed 2 in 10 minutes and more later.

Speaking of those 'critters' - the enclosed sheet of paper [not included in this lot] is a drawing of the most beautiful Bowie knife I've ever seen. The hand guard is a rattle snake and the blade beautifully engraved. It was all hand made and presented to me by the artist & craftsman who made it. It will probably end up displayed on the wall - but it came without scabbard. Evidently, the maker of the knife doesn't do leather work. Now Nancy & I think that might be a suggestion for Santa Claus & one that would make us very happy.

All the best to you.

Sincerely
Ronald."

In the first line of the letter, Reagan assures Buzzy that offered-up prayers had helped him recuperate from his recent assassination attempt. The 70-year-old Reagan had been shot three months earlier, on March 30, 1981, outside of a Washington, D.C. hotel by deranged gunman John Hinckley, Jr. (born 1955). Hinckley's sixth shot had ricocheted off the presidential limousine, grazing a rib and penetrating Reagan's left lung, causing it to partially collapse, and stopping less than 1" from Reagan's heart. Three others were seriously wounded in the shooting. Reagan was rushed to the emergency room at George Washington Hospital where the surgeons saved his life.

Very interestingly, Reagan then continues by recommending what gun Buzzy should use to manage his rattlesnake problem. He suggests 38 caliber cartridges containing buck shot instead of lead slugs, adding that then "Your '38 becomes a hand shot gun." Reagan's statement about hitting the rattlesnakes - "It's pretty hard to miss even if they are moving" - is especially eerie when considering that Hinckley had shot Reagan with a handgun.

The last part of the letter is devoted to a description of a decorative Bowie knife that Reagan had been gifted by a Hartford, Connecticut armorer. Reagan drops a heavy hint that he would like the Siscos to provide him with a custom leather engraved sheath for Christmas, which we know that they later did. The exact knife - along with the Sisco-made holder - are currently in the collection of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, listed as Artifact ID 1981.00135.01a-b. In the object's physical description, it is noted that a dedicatory message is tooled in the upper corner of the sheath as: "Happiness To Ronald and Nancy, From Sam - Buzz - Bert Sisco 12-25-1981." The Bowie knife (and scabbard) were displayed at Rancho del Cielo, in Santa Barbara, California, the "Western White House." (See screenshot of the Bowie knife included for reference.)

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: ALS

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