GEORGE H. W. BUSH to BRUCE GELB: Archive of 1984–1998 Correspondence, Photographs, and Invitations from Vice Presidency to Post-Presidency (10 signed items + related ephemera)

Item Details

A historically rich and personal archive of material from Vice President, President, and post-presidency George H. W. Bush to longtime friend, campaign fundraiser, and U.S. Information Agency director Bruce S. Gelb. Comprising ten items signed by Bush, both in typed and autograph form, this group documents Bush’s political ascent, reelection efforts, and post-presidential legacy — with personal reflections, informal notes, and official gratitude to one of his most trusted allies.

Highlights include:

• Eight original color photographs from the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, including official White House prints, presented to Gelb in a leatherette folder with the Vice Presidential seal, accompanied by a signed typed letter dated March 28, 1985: “They come with my lasting gratitude and with the joy that true friendship brings.”
• Six typed letters signed (“George” or “George Bush”), ranging from 1987–1998, on Vice Presidential, Presidential, and post-presidency letterhead, including:
• A 1987 letter thanking Gelb for serving as Finance Co-Chairman for New York
• A 1988 letter to Lueza Gelb for her campaign support, with the notable phrase: “I will be the next President of the United States”
• A 1993 letter expressing appreciation for Gelb’s service as Ambassador to Belgium and praising his final meeting with King Baudouin
• A 1998 letter regarding the memoir A World Transformed, thanking Gelb for submitting correspondence for possible inclusion
• Four autograph notes signed, all warmly personal in tone and ranging from White House memo cards to informal thank-yous. One note (“Sunday May 24th”) refers to the aftermath of a luncheon at which Gelb reportedly raised over $1 million for Bush’s campaign—noted in an accompanying manuscript explanation, possibly one of the first political fundraiser to reach that threshold at a single lunch event.
• Invitation materials to the dedication of the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A&M, 1997, with guest passes, schedule, envelope, and a handwritten annotation by Karl Rove. Also includes a 1999 event pass for the Bushes’ “75th & 50th Milestone” celebration.

A unique political and personal archive documenting not only the behind-the-scenes work of a prominent political fundraiser but also the trust and affection George H. W. Bush had for Bruce Gelb. Materials span from campaign to cabinet-level service and into legacy-building years.

Bruce S. Gelb (1930–2024) was an American businessman, philanthropist, political fundraiser, and diplomat who served as Director of the United States Information Agency (USIA) under President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1991. 

Related terms: George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, 1984 Republican Convention, GOP, political memorabilia, Bruce Gelb, USIA, White House photograph, Reagan-Bush ’84, presidential campaign, signed letter, RNC, political ephemera, official photograph

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