China
Chinese Nationalist President Lin's Inscription and Signature
This beautiful Chinese inscription was written by President Lin Sen, the longest serving head of the Republic of China while it still held its mainland territories. The inscription is a phrase from a fourth-century military poetic piece of Chinese literature written by scholar and historian Yuan Hong (328-376) during the Jin dynasty (265-420).
Autograph inscription signed by Lin Sen, to W. T. Lawhead, [February 1934], in Chinese, with Lin Sen's seal in red ink. 1 p., 5.25" x 8.75". Very good.
Translation
"To Mr. W. T. Lawhead:
A Princely Man with an Upright Heart
Lin Sen".
Lin Sen (1868-1943) was born in Fujian, China, and was educated by American missionaries. He worked in the Telegram Bureau of Taipei, Taiwan, in 1884, and in the Shanghai customs office in 1902. He also lived for a time in Hawaii and in San Francisco. There he was recruited by the Chinese revolutionary nationalist group Tongmenghui. During the Xinhai Revolution, Lin was in charge of the Jiangxi revolt and became speaker of the senate in the National Assembly. After the failed Second Revolution against President Yuan Shikai, Lin fled with Sun Yat-sen to Japan and joined Sun's Chinese Revolutionary Party. After Sun's death in 1925, Lin became a member of the Western Hills Group, which called for an expulsion of the communists. They supported President Chiang Kai-shek's purge of the communists in 1927. After the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931, Chiang resigned and Lin was appointed as acting president and confirmed as president on January 1, 1932. Chiang continued to live in the Presidential Palace, and many considered Lin a figurehead. He took an extended trip to the Philippines, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France, where he visited the Chinese diaspora, the first such overseas visit by a serving head of state of China. He remained as President until his death, though his presidency was marked by the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937 to 1945.
The recipient may have been William Thompson Lawhead (1887-1968), who was a minister and served as a secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Missouri from 1929 until his retirement in 1953.
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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