CHURCHILL WINSTON S.: (1874-1965)

CHURCHILL WINSTON S.: (1874-1965)
CHURCHILL WINSTON S.: (1874-1965) British Prime Minister 1940-45, 1951-55. Nobel Prize winner for Literature, 1953. A very fine, extremely rare vintage signed colour 10 x 13.5 portrait of Churchill, the image (approx. 8.25 x 10.75”) being a colour transfer print from a 1945 photograph by David Waddington, printed in the United States of America in 1946 and depicting Churchill in a head and shoulders pose wearing the uniform of Air Commodore, Royal Air Force. Signed (‘Winston S. Churchill’) by Churchill in fountain pen ink to the lower border, which also features the facsimile signature of Waddington. Mounted to a contemporary stiff card, presumably for the purposes of framing, and with very slight evidence of a former tear to the lower right area of the image (just touching one letter of the signature) which has been professionally restored to an exceptional standard. A highly attractive signed image of Churchill, and of the utmost rarity. About VG

The present image of Great Britain’s wartime Prime Minister is believed to be one of only five signed copies in existence. We have only been able to locate one other example as having previously sold at auction (Sotheby’s, Churchill in Charge – 80th Anniversary auction, New York, 20th May 2020, lot 64, sold for $22,500).

David Waddington was serving as an airman with the Royal Air Force when he was released from duty to photograph Churchill in 1945 as part of the RAF colour portrait project. Waddington’s work would be used to raise money for the joint benefit of the United States Army Air Forces Aid Society and Royal Air Force charities. Churchill was so delighted with the results of Waddington’s photographs that he later requested and signed five direct-colour transfer prints for presentation – the present example understood to be one of those five.

Near identical transfer prints were produced in large quantities for fundraising purposes with Waddington’s facsimile signature but, of course, without that of Churchill himself.