This listing is for a rare signature of United States President William Howard Taft (1857–1930). The signature is on an official White House card that measures about 2 3/4" x 4 1/8" inches. The card is dated 'Nov. 27 1912'. It is in excellent condition with a few very small spots of discoloration. We are also including a postcard of Taft at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, California (postmarked 1913), a First Day Cover from 1938, and two U.S. Postage Stamps. Please see the photographs below, and feel free to contact us with any questions. We are contracted to sell to the highest bidder and cannot end the listing early. This autograph is from the collection of an award winning Vermont stamp collector and historian. The winning bidder will have 14 days in which to have it inspected. We will accept a return for a full refund during this time, provided that the item is returned in the same condition as which it was received. After 14 days we will no longer be able to take any returns. We have a low opening bid price, so don't miss your chance to add this to your collection.
William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was the 27th President of the United States (1909–1913) and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States (1921–1930). He is the only person to have served in both of these offices.
Before becoming President, Taft, a Republican, was appointed to serve on the Superior Court of Cincinnati in 1887. In 1890, Taft was appointed Solicitor General of the United States and in 1891 a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In 1900, President William McKinley appointed Taft Governor-General of the Philippines. In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Taft Secretary of War in an effort to groom Taft, then his close political ally, into his handpicked presidential successor. Taft assumed a prominent role in problem solving, assuming on some occasions the role of acting Secretary of State, while declining repeated offers from Roosevelt to serve on the Supreme Court.
Riding a wave of popular support for fellow Republican Roosevelt, Taft won an easy victory in his 1908 bid for the presidency. In his only term, Taft's domestic agenda emphasized trust-busting, civil service reform, strengthening the Interstate Commerce Commission, improving the performance of the postal service, and passage of the Sixteenth Amendment. Abroad, Taft sought to further the economic development of nations in Latin America and Asia through "Dollar Diplomacy", and showed decisiveness and restraint in response to revolution in Mexico. The task-oriented Taft was oblivious to the political ramifications of his decisions, often alienated his own key constituencies, and was overwhelmingly defeated in his bid for a second term in the presidential election of 1912. In surveys of presidential scholars, Taft is usually ranked near the middle of lists of all American Presidents.
After leaving office, Taft spent his time in academia, arbitration, and the pursuit of world peace through his self-founded League to Enforce Peace. In 1921, after the First World War, President Warren G. Harding appointed Taft Chief Justice of the United States. He served in this capacity until shortly before his death in 1930.
Please see our other listings for more rare, historical autographs including a number of other U.S. Presidents.