Jacqueline Kennedy

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994), wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and First Lady of the United States, handwritten letter, unsigned, circa September/October 1971. "Jackie O" became a cultural icon in her own right; her reverence for the arts, personal fashion sense, air of elegance and grace, and career as a book editor with Doubleday elevated her to a status above and beyond that of 'First Lady.' 

The First Lady writes to her personal secretary, Nancy Tuckerman, in full: “Nancy, Please write Paola Azzali at Valentino, Rome. Ask her to send me from Dalco 1 pair of black silk shoes to wear with black evening trousers that Valentino is making – silk crepe I guess – with higher heel than before – She should ask Valentino which kind of shoe to send. Please ask her how much is yellow evening dress they sent me to wear for opening of Center (Hope I didn’t pay customs on this, as I wired them to cancel it, but they had already sent it) - It is understood I can return dress – I just want to know how much it would be – if I kept it.” 

Accompanying Mrs. Onassis’s letter is the unsigned carbon (slight tears) copy of the October 6, 1971 letter from London interior decorator Geoffrey Bennison to Signora Paola Azzali, Valentino, Rome, telling her that Mrs. Onassis had “asked me to contact you at Valentino…Would you be very kind and send to her from Dalco one pair of black silk shoes…Mrs. Onassis also spoke of a yellow evening dress which was sent to her from Rome for the opening of the Centre…"

Measuring approximately 5 x 7.25, this letter is in overall fine condition, with the expected mailing fold and a small spot of soiling.