Mrs. Kennedy's Copy of The Penguin Ronald Searle

Oh, that Mrs. Kennedy. Between the Covers Rare Books is understandably circumspect about asserting that this copy of The Penguin Ronald Searle belonged to the First Lady of the United States. I've decided to go out on the limb that the bookseller won't. The date of the inscription is fewer than four months into John F. Kennedy's presidency. Much of the country, and indeed the world, was enchanted with Jackie Kennedy. Was Ronald Searle under her spell as well?

The book's inscription is an unusual one for him. The story behind how it was obtained is lost, apparently. The cartoon collection seems to have been signed without a face-to-face meeting. The British edition of the paperback was sent; there was no hardback edition. Searle adds a bit of pomp with "Signed specially For Mrs. Kennedy." He is giving her his best handwriting here, with For atypically capitalized and an extra bit of flourish on the word from. Searle's American agent, John Locke, might well have been an intermediary, but who requested the book in the first place? Was it requested?

Ronald Searle
AbeBooks listing accessed April 21, 2023

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Penguin-SEARLE-Ronald-Books/31479438567/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore

Ronald Searle
AbeBooks item description

Note:  Of course, there are many other Mrs. Kennedys but, in May of 1961, not really. There might be some clues in John Locke's papers or in the Kennedy Library, but it's unlikely that many historians would be interested. Still, I would ask that if anyone does know something more about the history of this particular copy of The Penguin Ronald Searle, please leave a comment or send an email. Was it, for example, part of a much larger lot in the 1996 Sotheby's sale of the estate of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis?

Cartoon books found in the libraries of luminaries is of interest to this blogger. Tell me what you know. Name names.

 

 

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