JFK limousine presidential blanket achieves $61,500 at Nate D Sanders

The presidential blanket stowed in the limousine that JFK was riding in when he was assassinated sold for $61,559 at Nate D Sanders' online auction on December 17.

On December 18, 1963, a Ford employee named F Vaughan Ferguson, tasked with inspecting the car, penned a memo to the company's lobbyist, RW Markley Jr: ''...on the 2nd of December I noticed that the two lap robes had a few blood spots on them, but, more than that, were soiled from handling and required cleaning.

JFK presidential blanket
The presidential blanket was installed in the side panels of the limousine

"The White House chauffeurs were detailed to take the lap robes to Fort Myer for cleaning. These persons remained with the lap robes until they were cleaned and returned the same day...''.

The limousine was later dismantled under the care of Burke Reilly, manager of the White House Vehicle Program, who kept the blankets.

The sale also included a number of outfits and accessories worn by Jacqueline Kennedy, including a Gingham maternity shorts set, which made $38,246, and a pair of black court shoes that realised $30,189.

The auction also starred an extremely rare autograph: that of William Henry Harrison while US president. Harrison served just 31 days at the White House in 1841, dying from pneumonia after refusing to wear a coat during his two-hour inauguration speech.

His signature sold for $30,199, a testament to its scarcity and Harrison's fame as America's shortest-serving president.

Kennedy memorabilia featured elsewhere in the December 17 auction schedule, with Christie's New York selling a Patek Phillipe 18k gold wristwatch with pulsometer.

JFK death watch
The watch was worn by the neurosurgeon who pronounced Kennedy dead at Parkland Hospital

It had been previously owned by Dr Kemp Clark - a neurosurgeon at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas who was on duty on November 22, 1963.

The doctor pronounced Kennedy dead at 1pm the same day. His family have confirmed that this is the watch that he wore that day.

We have a range of Kennedy memorabilia for sale, including this original poster from his 1960 presidential campaign.

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