Franco

SOUVENIR ALBUM PRESENTED TO LINCOLN MACVEAGH by the SPANISH MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Memorializing his Presentation of Credentials as Ambassador to Spain Together with a CONGRATULATORY LETTER FROM JUAN III and ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS by CAMPUA.

1952 · 98714 — Madrid: Oficina de Informacion Diplomatica March 27-28 1952. 1952. Fine. - Folio hardcover. Original 12-3/4 inch high by 9 inch wide printed wrappers bound with silk cord into sumptuous 15-1/4 inches high by 10 inches wide burgundy leather with a gilt device centered within gilt decorated roulette and gilt double-ruled frames on the front cover. The binding is further enhanced by gilt inner dentelles and silk pastedowns. 28 pages including 10 pages with tipped on original clippings from Spanish newspapers and 16 pages with 9-1/2 by 7 inch tipped on original photographs presumed to be by Campua of the festivities. The edges of a few of the photos are creased. A unique sumptuous volume. <p>"Presentacion de Credenciales del Excmo. Senor LINCOLN MAC VEAGH Embajador de los Estados Unidos."<p>Together with an autograph note signed consisting of over 70 words by the claimant to the Spanish throne Juan III written on both sides of a 4-1/8 inch by 6-1/2 inch card with the Royal Crown printed at top left. "Estoril. 24 - 1 - 52. Dear Ambassador I have just heard about your appointment as U.S. Ambassador in Madrid & I feel I cannot remain indifferent with this news.Yours sincerely Juan / Conde de Barcelona". There are minor staple holes along the left edge of the card.<p>TOGETHER WITH: 2 original photographs by Jose Demaria Vazque 1900-1975 popularly known as "Pepe Campua" the photographer of Franco and the Spanish royal family during the dictatorship. Both photographs are stamped "Campua" and dated March 27 1952 on the versos. One photo pictures the procession to the Pardo Palace of MacVeagh in a gilded coach drawn by six horses followed by 50 soldiers of Franco's personal Moorish guard. It was the same coach in which Washington Irving went to present his credentials to the regent during the Carlist wars in 1842. The second photo pictures a handshake between MacVeagh and Franco MacVeagh having presented his credentials to the Generalissimo. Foreign Minister Alberto Martin-Artajo stands in the background. The photographer's credits are stamped in purple on the verso. Likely once mounted into an album there are black paper remnants adhering to the verso of each photo. In addition there are 15 small snapshots many cropped from larger photos of MacVeagh's time in Spain.<p>Lincoln MacVeagh 1890-1972 a Renaissance man graduated from Harvard magna cum laude in 1913. He went on to study languages at the Sorbonne and became fluent in German French Spanish Latin Greek and Classical Greek. After World War I he became a director of the Henry Holt and Company publishing firm where he became friendly with the poet Robert Frost. In 1923 he left the firm and founded the Dial Press. His name appears on the imprint of many of their publications. In 1933 President Roosevelt appointed him Minister to Greece. He followed presentation of his credentials with a speech in Classical Greek. While in Greece he conducted excavations beneath the Acropolis and made archeological contributions to the National Museum in Athens. He left Greece in 1941 when the German army over ran the country. From there he was appointed the first US Minister to Iceland where he negotiated agreements for the construction of the Keflavik airfield. In late 1942 he became Minister to the Union of South Africa and coordinated American wartime agencies there. In 1943 he was sent to Cairo as Ambassador so that he could assist the governments in exile of Greece and Yugoslavia. He returned to Athens as Ambassador in 1944. MacVeagh gave secret testimony before Congress concerning the Balkans in 1947 testimony that was an important factor in the formation of the Truman Doctrine. In 1948 as Ambassador to Portugal MacVeagh was influential in admitting her into NATO. In 1952 President Truman named him Ambassador to Spain. President Truman wrote to him on March 9 1948: "On the occasion of your appointment as Ambassador to Portugal I would like to make some personal expression of appreciation for the high services you have already rendered your country. During the past fifteen critical years you have served with distinction as Chief of the United states Missions to Iceland the Union of South Africa Yugoslavia and Greece. In this last post especially - as Minister from 1933 to 1941 and as Ambassador since 1943 - your scholarly statesmanship and diplomatic judgment have been of the utmost value." Madrid: Oficina de Informacion Diplomatica, March 27-28, 1952. hardcover