Ladies might be clamoring to emulate Jackie O., but it’s her first husband, John F. Kennedy, that’s about to get all the attention this week—and it’s all because his monogrammed shaving kit is going up for sale at RR Auction. The 35th President was known for looking like a million bucks, and this brass Gillette kit is undoubtedly the reason why. The set includes four brass implements including two identical round containers (one for powder and one to house a small brush), a double-edge razor and a small rectangular container for replacement blades. The kit comes in its original purple, velvet-lined leather casing with the name John F. Kennedy imprinted on the outside, though the latter half of the last name has been worn away. Oh, and it's still functional.
While owning a piece of history is cool enough on its own, this kit has an interesting history that’s detailed in a three page letter from a former US Air Force officer, explaining the history of the kit and how it came to be in his possession. In short, it seems Kennedy owned the kit when his father, Joseph P. Kennedy, was an American ambassador to the UK and left it behind on one of his frequent visits. An embassy maintenance worker acquired it, whose daughter then sold it after her father’s death.
Bidding for the kit will begin September 11 at RR Auction and end September 17, with a minimum bid of $1,500. A shaving kit very similar to this, also having been owned by John F. Kennedy was sold last year at a different auction house for $27,000, so estimates for the piece have been placed at over $20,000. Whether you’re a history buff or are just looking for a swanky new shaving kit to sit on your countertop, this artifact is the way to go—it is literally the best a man can get.
