can it be?

fmerg · Jul 16, 2018

went to a new spot metal detecting sunday

the property owner says that eleanor roosevelt use to ride her horse on the property

then i found this sliver art deco brooch

note the great seal at the bottom

this could really be a gift giving to one of the best first lady's this country has ever had
i am waiting for some more information from The Historian of the U.S. Department of State.

RTR · Jul 19, 2018

Just a little info.....As a youngster I lived and grew up about 1.5 miles from val kill >> https://www.nps.gov/elro/index.htm
I've Been at Val Kill Many times w/ Sally Roosevelt .Never once seen Eleanor around their horses .Never seen her the least bit interested in them.What I do remember (as a kid) two guys always at the front door,dressed to the "T"s (in black).... Looking back,I'm sure now they were Secret Service.
At this time,(around 1959) The Roosevelt family were given a gift (from some foreign country leader) .Of two Matching palomino horses. Sally Took them under her belt with tender love and care, She LOVED to ride ,they became HER horses.She,Sally would saddle them up,drive & lead them to my house,and pick me up.From there, we would ride through the woods (on a old unused, dirt road that connected Rt 9G to Rt. 9 ,which came out directly in front of the Roosevelt home & library. Ah,those were the best of times

Simply a platonic relationship.Both sharing the love of riding...........Around August 1960 sadly, Sally went to riding school (See the pix. I posted earlier # 36 this thread ) ,To learn how to Jump.She fell off the horse,broke her neck,and I was devastated.
Also, I was invited to Eleanore's funeral .I'll have to find Pix. of it....

Doubter in MD · Jul 19, 2018

fmerg, I know it's difficult to get crisp pictures, but if you could try I'd appreciate it. I'm trying to figure out what's going on with the left rear leg. It looks bent up.

fmerg · Jul 19, 2018

the left rear leg is damaged

Doc Arey · Jul 19, 2018

Banner Find I think! :hello2:

Tnmountains · Jul 19, 2018

If it is Fala here is some info. I searched image of Elanor and her dog but did not see the pin also searched her riding horses.
He was so popular that he received thousands of letters from people. He even needed to have a secretary appointed to him to answer his mail. One letter dated August 5, 1947, was from a poodle named Abigail. Fala chased a skunk once, which was very unpleasant for everyone. The poodle scolded Fala for not acting with more intelligence and dignity. Abigail hoped that Fala would never, ever let that unfortunate incident be repeated.
In 1942, a movie was made about Fala and his life in Hyde Park. Children and other visitors who come to the Roosevelt Museum and Library in Hyde Park, New York still enjoy watching it today.
Fala is probably the only president pet to be memorialized in statuary. A statue of Fala stands next to one of FDR at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington D.C.

fmerg · Oct 19, 2018

fmerg said:
i am waiting for some more information from The Historian of the U.S. Department of State.

UPDATE: received letter stating that the brooch was in fact gifted to eleanor roosevelt and she re gifted it to a 14 year old girl she meet while riding
name of the girl was unknown....

washingtonian · Oct 19, 2018

Incredible piece of history! I vote banner if it didn't make it up there already!

A2coins · Oct 20, 2018

banner

Squirrel322 · Oct 20, 2018

fmerg said:
UPDATE: received letter stating that the brooch was in fact gifted to eleanor roosevelt and she re gifted it to a 14 year old girl she meet while riding
name of the girl was unknown....

Keep that documentation!!!!

fmerg · Oct 20, 2018

brooch and letter sent to a collector in GA

UnderMiner · Oct 21, 2018

fmerg said:
UPDATE: received letter stating that the brooch was in fact gifted to eleanor roosevelt and she re gifted it to a 14 year old girl she meet while riding
name of the girl was unknown....

Makes sense. Eleanor Roosevelt was a people person. A brooch improperly fastened to a 14yo riding a horse is just begging to be lost, at least it was found eventually - 70+ years later, wonder if the 14yo girl is still alive today. Banner :occasion14:

treblehunter · Oct 21, 2018

I just read the entire thread, congrats on a great find, I'm glad you got the letter stating it was in fact the first ladies piece. My banner vote went in, I never seen this thread until this morning, congrats!

Reanm8er · Oct 21, 2018

This is fabulous and so banner worthy! She was the Matriarch of the Dems for many years and if you didn't get hear approval you didn't get the job!

Best wishes----Phil

fmerg · Oct 21, 2018

the girls name was unknown according to the letter

GB1 · Oct 22, 2018

xcopperstax · Oct 22, 2018

It sounds like there is a very strong possibility here. Congrats and Best of luck!

fmerg · Jan 9, 2019

i contacted the roosevelt museum in hyde park it is just across the river from me
the first piece to have the Great seal attached was a cigar box that was gifted to him

powrsurg · Jan 9, 2019

This is such a cool find. I forget but do you know around what date it was given to the girl? Maybe you can use social media to find the girl or a surviving family member. It would be so cool to get that back into the girls hands.

DFW_THer · Jan 9, 2019

Nominated. I really enjoyed this thread. Thank you.

IMAUDIGGER · Jan 9, 2019

This story is interesting. My family had several fairly well known facilities in upstate NY in the 1940’s that public figures would visit. This would be near Putnum Valley, NY. Never heard of presidential family visiting, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least.