Every one's got to have a hobby or at least an interest, and Louis Schlamowitz is no exception.
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| Louis Schlamowitz And Part Of His Vast Collection - The Envy Of Many Collectors. |
His 'hobby' started while he was serving in the US army in Korea in 1953, and after handing out Christmas cards to his unit, and having a spare Christmas card left over, a friend suggested he use the spare card to write to President Harry Truman, on the off chance the American leader would write back.
Apart from the fact that as he was
Jewish, and it was rather odd that he had Christmas cards, nothing else
too strange about this ..... Fifty eight years later, and the former florist has one of the
largest contemporary autograph collections in the world.
Amongst his
60 albums of many treasures, are a signed photograph from President John
F Kennedy, President Obama signed a photo, President Harry Truman wrote
back, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat signed a photograph, and he had a
collection of signed Marilyn Monroe memorabilia.
He also has a black gallery which includes President Richard Nixon, Gen Manuel Noriega of Panama who sent an 'action shot' signed with best wishes, lengthy letters railing against US and Israeli policy signed by Col Muammar Gaddafi, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran, former PLO leader Yasser Arafat, and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, who sent Christmas wishes from Cairo ... some of these latter ones earned Mr Schlamowitz visits from the CIA, the FBI and the Department of
Homeland Security
Regrets? Well he always wanted Queen Elizabeth's, but as he wistfully says "The Queen only writes to people she's met," still she did send him a photograph. But he doesn't regret the obsession ..."I feel good when they write back. I'm nothing special, just an ordinary guy, and now I'm part of history".
Regrets? Well he always wanted Queen Elizabeth's, but as he wistfully says "The Queen only writes to people she's met," still she did send him a photograph. But he doesn't regret the obsession ..."I feel good when they write back. I'm nothing special, just an ordinary guy, and now I'm part of history".
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