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Descriptif du lot
This humidor represents not only what can be regarded as the single most important alliance in the Allied victory in The Second World War - that of Great Britain and The United States of America - but also the strong mutual respect and bond of friendship that existed between Churchill and Roosevelt.
As witnessed by the inscription to the interior of the lid, this humidor was originally given to Roosevelt by Fulgencio Batista, president of Cuba. Whilst the date of this gift is not recorded, one likely occasion may be Batista’s visit to Washington on 8 December 1942, during which he stayed at the White House as guest of the President and First Lady.
Knowing Churchill’s love of cigars, it is not surprising that Roosevelt would choose to give this, presumably then full, humidor to his friend and ally Churchill. Whilst we cannot know when the gift passed between them, given that Roosevelt did not live to see the end of the Second World War it would almost certainly have been given to Churchill during the war years, perhaps on one of the occasions that the president and prime minister met, such as at the Tehran or Yalta conferences.
Symbolic of the bond between men and nations, this humidor, was subsequently given by Churchill to his trusted butler and valet William Greenshields by whom it was clearly treasured, accounting for the immaculate condition in which it survives today. Greenshields worked for Churchill between 1948 and 1953 and Churchill clearly held him in great esteem as he is known to also have given Greenshields a number of other notable gifts, including some of his own paintings, such as the The Seashore which was subsequently sold at Christie's London on 21 May 2009, lot 79, as well as a further work Antibes, sold at Sotheby's, London, on 20 April 1966, lot 110.
As witnessed by the inscription to the interior of the lid, this humidor was originally given to Roosevelt by Fulgencio Batista, president of Cuba. Whilst the date of this gift is not recorded, one likely occasion may be Batista’s visit to Washington on 8 December 1942, during which he stayed at the White House as guest of the President and First Lady.
Knowing Churchill’s love of cigars, it is not surprising that Roosevelt would choose to give this, presumably then full, humidor to his friend and ally Churchill. Whilst we cannot know when the gift passed between them, given that Roosevelt did not live to see the end of the Second World War it would almost certainly have been given to Churchill during the war years, perhaps on one of the occasions that the president and prime minister met, such as at the Tehran or Yalta conferences.
Symbolic of the bond between men and nations, this humidor, was subsequently given by Churchill to his trusted butler and valet William Greenshields by whom it was clearly treasured, accounting for the immaculate condition in which it survives today. Greenshields worked for Churchill between 1948 and 1953 and Churchill clearly held him in great esteem as he is known to also have given Greenshields a number of other notable gifts, including some of his own paintings, such as the The Seashore which was subsequently sold at Christie's London on 21 May 2009, lot 79, as well as a further work Antibes, sold at Sotheby's, London, on 20 April 1966, lot 110.