FDR's Vice President Henry A. Wallace Signed Cut PSA Autograph
FDR's Vice President Henry A. Wallace Signed Cut PSA Autograph
Hurry up, only 1 item left in stock.
Title:
Henry A. Wallace Large Autograph Signature Cut - 33rd Vice President of the United States - PSA/DNA Certified Authentic - Certification No. 83433046
Description:
An attractive Henry A. Wallace autograph cut, featuring a large handwritten signature, "H A Wallace," across a rectangular piece of period paper. The signature is executed in brown-toned ink and extends prominently across nearly the entire width of the cut, providing an unusually spacious example of Wallace's autograph.
The signed paper exhibits expected age toning and natural variation consistent with an older autograph cut. The signature itself remains readily visible and displays Wallace's distinctive flowing hand. Unlike a signed letter or government document, this is a detached signature cut, so there is no surviving date, correspondence, or documentary context visible on the piece itself. Accordingly, a precise date should not be assigned to the autograph without additional provenance.
The autograph has been preserved in a PSA holder, with the label identifying the piece as:
"CUT
HENRY WALLACE
PSA/DNA CERTIFIED
AUTHENTIC AUTO"
Historical Context:
Henry Agard Wallace (1888-1965) occupies a distinctive place in twentieth-century American political history. A prominent agricultural economist and editor, Wallace entered Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration as Secretary of Agriculture in 1933, becoming closely associated with the agricultural programs of the New Deal. Roosevelt subsequently selected him as his running mate in 1940. Wallace was inaugurated on January 20, 1941, as the 33rd Vice President of the United States, serving throughout Roosevelt's third presidential term until January 20, 1945.
Wallace's vice presidency coincided with one of the most consequential periods in American history. When he entered office in January 1941, the United States had not yet formally entered World War II. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and America's subsequent declarations of war, Wallace became the sitting vice president during the nation's transformation into a fully mobilized wartime power.
His relationship with the United States Senate is particularly noteworthy. Under the Constitution, the vice president serves as President of the Senate, and official Senate history records that Wallace began presiding over the chamber when he took office in 1941. The Senate during Wallace's vice presidency was controlled by the Democratic Party, with Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky serving as majority leader.
Wallace, however, did not become primarily identified with the traditional parliamentary duties of the vice presidency. Senate historical materials note that he increasingly concentrated on executive and international responsibilities. He chaired the Board of Economic Warfare and undertook diplomatic missions abroad, making his vice presidency unusually active in foreign affairs for its era.
His years as President of the Senate also overlapped with intense congressional oversight of America's wartime mobilization. Among the most important Senate activities of this period was the Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program, better remembered as the Truman Committee. Senator Harry S. Truman chaired the committee and gained national recognition through its investigations into waste and inefficiency in defense production. That prominence helped make Truman the compromise choice to replace Wallace on Roosevelt's 1944 Democratic ticket.
That replacement gives Wallace's autograph an especially fascinating connection to presidential history. At the 1944 Democratic convention, Wallace failed to secure renomination, and Truman became Roosevelt's new running mate. On January 20, 1945, outgoing Vice President Wallace administered the vice-presidential oath to Truman. Less than three months later, on April 12, Roosevelt died and Truman became president. The Senate itself notes the historical irony that Wallace was one of the vice presidents dropped from a presidential ticket whose successor soon thereafter became president because of the president's death.
After leaving the vice presidency, Wallace remained a major national political figure. Roosevelt appointed him Secretary of Commerce, but Wallace eventually broke with President Truman over foreign policy and left the administration in 1946. He subsequently helped organize the Progressive Party and became its presidential nominee in the 1948 election.
Because this particular autograph cut is undated, it would be inaccurate to claim that Wallace signed it while serving as vice president or while presiding over the Senate. Its historical importance instead derives from the identity and career of its signer: a Roosevelt cabinet member, wartime vice president, constitutional President of the Senate, 1948 presidential candidate, and significant figure in the political history of the New Deal and World War II eras.
Authentication & Encapsulation:
The Henry A. Wallace autograph has been certified authentic by PSA/DNA and is encapsulated for protection and presentation. The PSA label identifies the item as a Henry Wallace cut with an "AUTHENTIC AUTO" designation and displays certification number 83433046.
The clear holder provides strong visual presentation while protecting the original signed paper from direct handling. The large scale of Wallace's signature within the cut makes the autograph particularly well suited for display alongside presidential, vice-presidential, New Deal, or World War II material.
- Additional Documentation & Provenance: At buyer's request, Historical Autographs Gallery will include an additional "Historical Autographs Gallery Certificate" signed by our company founder Luke Pascal at no cost.
Closing Appeal:
A handsome and highly displayable autograph from Henry A. Wallace, one of the more consequential and unconventional vice presidents of the Roosevelt era. Wallace stood at the intersection of the New Deal, wartime government, the United States Senate, and the political struggle over America's direction at the end of World War II.
The generously sized signature, period appearance of the paper, and PSA/DNA authentication make this an appealing example for collectors of American political history. Wallace autographs carry an additional historical fascination because his replacement on the 1944 Democratic ticket, Harry S. Truman, became president only months after Wallace left the vice presidency - one of the great political turning points of the Roosevelt era.
Shipping Notice:
For insurance purposes, items sold over $600 may require signature confirmation upon delivery. Higher-value items, likely over $1,500, are shipped via FedEx 2-Day with Direct Signature Confirmation. FedEx provides the most flexibility when requiring a signature, allowing you to make special delivery requests directly through their tracking system. This ensures both security and convenience for the buyer.
Couldn't load pickup availability
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.

