President JOHN & JACKIE KENNEDY Archive of Original Receipts and Ephemera

Title: Archive of Original Receipts and Ephemera Related to John and Jacqueline Kennedy – Personal Household and Fashion Expenses

Description:
This remarkable assemblage of original receipts, memos, and financial notes documenting day-to-day expenses related to President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. The collection includes handwritten and typed documents from the late 1950s through the early 1960s, featuring purchases, services, and reimbursements from notable businesses such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Julius Garfinckel & Co., and Lilly Daché Boutique. Many of the receipts reference "Mrs. Kennedy" explicitly, with others marked for the White House or associated staff.

Visible entries include grocery items, fashion boutique charges, dry cleaning tickets, and travel-related reimbursements. One handwritten note on official White House stationery details expenses such as “Bloomingdale’s,” “parcels,” “photo for Mrs. K,” and “N.Y. expenses trip,” totaling $21.22, and is annotated with staff initials. Another from Saks Fifth Avenue outlines luxury purchases amounting to $290.00. A striking yellow receipt from Lilly Daché Boutique is dated 1961 and addressed to “Mrs. J. Kennedy,” featuring a hat purchase totaling $45.00. Additional slips include clothing bills, telegrams, service memos, and charges for “dog food” and “sugar,” all reflecting personal and household management.

Historical Context:
These documents offer a behind-the-scenes look into the domestic life of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, especially during their years in the White House and leading up to the presidency. Jacqueline Kennedy, a noted fashion icon, was known for her refined taste and elegance, and her patronage of elite boutiques such as Lilly Daché aligns with her cultivated public image. The references to grocery and household expenses alongside designer receipts underscore the breadth of activity managed by Kennedy staffers and family aides.

The receipts also provide insight into the administrative and financial operations surrounding the First Family, offering historians and collectors a unique window into the minutiae of early 1960s upper-echelon American life. They are particularly valuable in reconstructing the logistical world of the Kennedys during a pivotal cultural and political era.