Details:

John F. Kennedy’s personally owned Duofold Style 622 thermal long johns, a remarkable surviving article of the President’s wardrobe that offers a rare and deeply personal connection to the hidden medical struggles that defined much of his adult life. Manufactured by Duofold Inc. of Mohawk, New York, the garment is constructed in the company’s distinctive two-layer cotton and wool design and exhibits extensive wear consistent with prolonged personal use. According to the accompanying provenance, these long johns date to Kennedy’s years as a United States Senator and remained in the Kennedy household until the early years of his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.

Far more than an ordinary article of clothing, these long johns represent an important artifact of Kennedy’s lifelong battle with severe medical conditions that remained hidden from the American public during his presidency. Decades after his death, the release of his medical records and subsequent scholarly research established that Kennedy suffered from Addison’s disease together with numerous chronic ailments requiring extensive daily treatment. His medical regimen included the constant use of a rigid back brace, multiple medications, and thermal undergarments such as these, which helped regulate body temperature and protected his skin from the abrasive brace worn beneath his tailored suits. The garments became an essential part of the carefully maintained public image of a vigorous young president despite his often debilitating physical condition.

The provenance of this garment is both extensive and well documented. According to the accompanying research and supporting documentation, Jacqueline Kennedy disposed of the long johns during the early years of her marriage while selling household furnishings to Washington-area antiques dealer Jack Traten. The garments remained in the Traten family for decades before both known surviving pairs were offered together in the landmark 1998 Guernsey’s John F. Kennedy auction, where they were purchased by noted memorabilia dealer Richard L. Wilson of Norma’s Jeans. The two pairs were subsequently separated, with this heavily worn, untagged example ultimately entering the present collection. Accompanying provenance includes Richard L. Wilson’s signed 2000 letter affirming the history of the garment and identifying the untagged pair as Kennedy’s. The companion pair, bearing Kennedy’s sewn name tag, has since reappeared publicly on two occasions, realizing $7,767.50 at Heritage Auctions in May 2010 and $5,250.00 at Heritage Auctions in October 2025.

An additional chapter in the history of these long johns occurred in 2002 when The Great American Doll Company (GADCO), under the direction of Michael and Fredericka Lam, removed an approximately 12 x 12-inch section of the inner cotton lining from these long johns. The fabric was divided into authenticated relic swatches and incorporated into a limited-edition John F. Kennedy Jr. (“John-John”) collectible doll portraying the iconic image of the President’s son saluting his father’s casket during the state funeral on November 25, 1963. This documented use of the garment represents another notable chapter in its provenance and collecting history.

The garment displays substantial wear throughout, including fraying, holes, seam separation, and areas of discoloration resulting from decades of use. Several small oxidized bloodstains are also present, most notably on the lower left leg. While the precise origin of these stains cannot be determined, they have been extensively documented in the accompanying research, which discusses several possible explanations while acknowledging that no definitive forensic testing has been performed.

Good condition overall for an article of clothing intended for daily wear and preserved for more than seventy years, exhibiting extensive period use, scattered holes, fraying, seam wear, age toning, discoloration, and other expected handling consistent with prolonged personal use. The condition is entirely consistent with the garment’s remarkable history and documented provenance.

Accompanying the lot is an extensive 37-page scholarly research report prepared by Michael and Fredericka Lam examining Kennedy’s medical history, Addison’s disease, the history of the Duofold garment, its documented provenance, previous public exhibition and auction history, and the surviving documentary record relating to the long johns. The report also reproduces numerous historical articles, auction catalog entries, and the Richard L. Wilson provenance letter tracing the garment’s ownership from the Kennedy household through the present.

Accompanied by a 37-page provenance and research archive prepared by our consignor, together with more than 20 pages of historical newspaper and magazine articles listings documenting the history of the long johns from 1979 through the present. Buyers are encouraged to review the complete provenance and research archive by clicking the links provided.

Click this link to download the digital provenance packet: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0583/5875/9564/files/JFK_Long_Johns_Press_History_Report.docx?v=1782759191

Click this link to download the press and media list: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0583/5875/9564/files/JFK_LongJohns_Report.pdf?v=1782759199

Please Note: JG Autographs, Inc. has not independently verified every statement, conclusion, or theory presented within the accompanying research materials. The provenance packet is included solely as a reference resource to provide buyers with the fullest available history of the artifact. Any opinions, interpretations, or conclusions contained therein are those of the report’s authors and should not be construed as the opinions, findings, or independently verified conclusions of JG Autographs, Inc.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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Reference sku: 11696 1416478-1