My parents went to Washington and all I got was this lousy Nixon fabrication!

Auctioneers R&R in New Hampshire offered the above "souvenir" letter as Lot 102 in their November, 2006 sale. Its description reads:

"Typed souvenir presidential resignation, one page, 5 x 8.25, on mock White House letterhead, dated August 9, 1974 (but signed later). A letter to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, in full: “Dear Mr. Secretary: I hereby resign the Office of President of the United States.” Signed boldly at the conclusion in black ink. In excellent condition. As Nixon’s resignation remains unique in American presidential history, these highly sought-after pieces are becoming increasingly difficult to find."

R&R seems to have an endless supply of these "souvenir typescripts" - they've been selling them for years at about $1,000 each. Almost all are exactly alike, and judging by the signature, they were signed at about the same period in Nxon's life.

Now, we find it very hard to believe that Nixon willingly signed any copies of his letter of resignation for collectors, let alone the dozens we've seen appear on the market. For years, crooked collectors and dealers have managed to obtain blank sheets of paper or cards bearing the signatures of famous individuals and have added quotations or photos to the signatures to "enhance" the item's value. We have to suspect that R&R (and others) use the word "souvenir" as some kind of catch-all dsclaimer protecting them from any liability for selling these fabrications.

In any event, if one adds text or images to an item in increase its value, they have committed the act of forgery, and knowingly selling such tems without fully admitting that they are fabrications borders on fraud. Here's a definition of "forgery" for the sticklers among you:

FORGERY: "An illegal modification or reproduction of an instrument, document, signature, or legal tender, or any other means of recording information. An item is also considered forged if it is claimed that it was made by someone who did not make it".




The above was also sold by R&R about two years ago, with the description: "TQS from President Nixon’s January 23, 1973, address, reads, in part: “We today have concluded an agreement to end the war and bring peace with honor in Vietnam in Southeast Asia,” signed “Richard Nixon” in blue ink. Beneath the signature is a photo reproduction of the infamous bombing near Trang Bang in June 1972. In fine condition. R&R COA". It sold for $234.

Did Nixon sign this embarassing fabrication just the way it appears above? Don't bet the farm on it.

The Manuscript Society recently amended a clause to its Code of Ethics. Article 5 reads: "No member of the Society shall knowingly advertise to sell or exchange any manuscripts any element of which is not authentic (including signatures produced by mechanical reproduction, printed facsimiles of manuscripts and alterations to any manuscript in question) unless such element is described with particularity, in writing, in such advertisement".

Don't know if R&R is a member of the Manuscript Society, but we'd bet that several of its experts and authenticators are.

Next time Mom and Dad go to Washinton, tell 'em to go to the National Archives and see Nixon's real letter of resignation -- not some cheap copy hot off a laser printer.