A 1p typed letter signed by Edward, Duke of Windsor (1894-1972) as "Edward / Duke of Windsor" at lower right. May 31, 1945. [New York City.] On stationery embossed with "The Towers of The Waldorf-Astoria" pictorial letterhead. Expected wear including flattened folds and a few extra wrinkles. Two isolated tiny closed tears found along the right edge, including one that extends near but does not touch the royal signature. Else near fine. 7.25" x 10.5."

The Duke of Windsor addressed this letter to Meyer Diamond of the Foreign Economic Administration (FEA), a wartime oversight agency established by Franklin D. Roosevelt in September 1943 to consolidate the operations of more than 40 U.S. economic agencies abroad. A strictly wartime agency, the FEA was disbanded by Harry S. Truman in December 1945.

The Duke of Windsor had resigned from his position as Royal Governor of the Bahamas just a few months earlier, in mid-March 1945. The royal couple was settling in to their luxurious American pied-à-terre at the Waldorf-Astoria, where they had regularly stayed-- usually during the Fall New York social season--since 1941. Evidently, the luggage of the couple's French chef, Daniel Pinaudier (1900-1963), had flagged the attention of the wartime U.S. customs authorities.

Edward wrote in part:

"With reference to our telephone conversation regarding the articles belonging to Mr. Daniel Pinaudier that must be passed by the United States Customs, I enclose a list of the yardage of materials bought in New York and in Nassau, Bahamas.

I would further explain that the baggage belonging to Mr. Pinaudier, who is a French citizen in transit in the United States, was not sealed upon arrival in Miami due to the fact that this baggage was with the Duchess of Windsor's and mine which was passed into America without Custom's [sic] examination, the United States Treasury Department having extended to us the courtesy of the Port of Miami, carrying with it the exemption of the payment of Custom's [sic] duties…"

Surprisingly little biographical information about Daniel Pinaudier is available in either English or French, despite the fact that his recipe for "Crêpes Pinaudier" is still regarded today as one of the best:

https://www.eatyourbooks.com/library/recipes/1755411/daniel-pinaudiers-pancakes-crepes-pinaudier

The French-born Pinaudier undertook rigorous culinary training to eventually become one of the most celebrated chefs of the mid-twentieth century. After completing a 3-year-long pastry apprenticeship and training to become a kitchen chef (usually requiring an additional 6 to 8 years of experience), Pinaudier crossed over into the great kitchens of Europe. He cooked for aristocrats, diplomats, princes, and even the Kennedy Family in Paris, Polish President Jan Paderewski, and the Aga Khan. Pinaudier served as chef to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, ca. 1933-1945. Writing in a recent French culinary magazine article, historian Jean Marie Lamoureux wrote: "For seven years he [Pinaudier] was engaged by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to cook on numerous cruises to America, Bermuda, Greece, the Côte d'Azur, the Caribbean. With his wife Léonce, he then accompanied the Duke of Windsor, named Governor General of the Bahamas, there during the period of the second world war…" Pinaudier edited French culinary journals and book titles such as "La Haute Cuisine Française." He was also a title member of the Culinary Academy of France.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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