PRESIDENT GERALD R. FORD - CHRISTMAS / HOLIDAY CARD SIGNED - HFSID 256898

GERALD R. FORD
Gerald R. Ford signs a Christmas card for 1975 of a painting hanging in The White House.
Christmas Card signed: "Gerald Ford", for 1975, 7¼x5½ when closed. Printed greeting inside: "With best wishes from our family/for a Merry Christmas/and a Happy New Year/The President and Mrs. Ford". Painting on front captioned on verso: "New England artist George Durrie (1820-1863) depicted life in rural Connecticut circa 1825 in his painting 'Farmyard in Winter,' a portion of which is shown here. This painting, part of the White House collection, hangs in the Green Room. Christmas 1975". On August 9, 1974, Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006) was sworn in as the nation's 38th President following the resignation of Richard Nixon. Ford had previously served as Nixon's Vice President (December 6, 1973-August 9, 1974) following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, becoming the only man to have held both of the nation's highest offices without being elected to either. Ford, who was previously a U.S. Congressman from Michigan (1949-1973; Minority Leader, 1965-1973), lost his bid for election to a full four-year term partially as a result of his controversial pardon of his predecessor. Ford, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999, celebrated his 93rd birthday on July 14, 2006. Before his death on December 26, 2006, Ford had surpassed Ronald Reagan (who had also lived to age 93) as the longest-lived former U.S. President. Edges slightly worn. Fine condition.