The conversation appears to have started earlier... this April 5 1949 letter addresses an earlier phone call. The letter is to Charles C. Stieff II.  It would appear that he has suggested an additional sale of demitasse spoons.

Billing is to Columbia University

A historical note.Columbia University President, Gen.Dwight Eisenhower had fallen ill in early March 1949, and his Doctor, Gen. Snyder called it “acute gastroenteritis” (others called it a mild heart attack) but it was mostly covered up because Ike was considering a run for President of the United States and did not want to give the impression that he was an ill man.  He spent several weeks in Key West out of the public eye with his doctor. Then  on April 12 they moved to Augusta GA, where Ike could play golf and been seen as being in good health. Mamie joined him in Augusta. Rumors started that Eisenhower might not return to Columbia.. where there was a budget crisis under way... and (Eisenhower, was out of state for several months) But in the meantime... Mamie Eisenhower was buying more and more Stieff sterling silver.          Interesting huh???

Just 6 days later, the silver has arrived. Mamie is delighted with the silver shipment. But now wants more of it.. and fast. There is a party coming up and needs the silver.

Kevin McCann met Eisenhower in 1946, and served on his staff in europe, Washington DC and at Columbia. In 1951 he became President of Defiance College, Defiance OH. In 1955 he served as Special Assistant to the President. In 1957 he returned to Defiance College

4-12-49 Gideon Stieff, President of The Stieff Company responds, of course they can provide more silver.

From this point forward, the letters are addressed to Gideon, not Charles.

Note that STIEFF COMPANY is on the right edge of the letters written by Stieff.

This to aid in filing letters when placed in file folders. A letter laying on the left side, head to

the left (the proper way to file) would be easy to find with the company name on the edge.

More silver arrived in good order. Now Columbia University wants silver chests to store it in.

Note the mark of Colonial Williamsburg on the bottom of this letter. It was not on the other letters. Colonial Williamsburg had used an mark prior that did not have the oval around it, nor the wording Williamsburg.

Another internal memo within Columbia University.

I do not understand how these internal memos at Columbia University

got into the possession of The Stieff Company.

And even MORE Stieff silver for the Eisenhower’s table.

The Stieff family have maintained summer residences in Rhode Island for generations.

Major C. Craig Cannon was responsible for maintaining Gen. Eisenhower’s offices during WWII. He would later become Colonel, and was appointed Supreme Commander of NATO in 1952.

PAGE TWO

Sterling Silver in 1949 was subject to a LUXURY TAX of 20%  This is the tax that is one of the spaces in Monopoly, wedged in between Park Place and Boardwalk.

Another internal memo at Columbia University

This is the end of the Eisenhower series of letters concerning the silver at Columbia University.  More letters follow below.

The Eisenhower’s and the Stieff’s would become friends. Gideon would attend parties at the White House, exchange letters and when his grandson first

Charles C. Stieff III was born, Mamie would send a hand written note to the family. That note now hangs on the wall of Charles C. Stieff III’s home.

From time to time the Eisenhower’s would need a special gift for a dignitary and a military helicopter would be dispatched to Baltimore, to land on the lawn of The Stieff Company to pick up the item... with someone running the special sterling silver item out to the waiting pilot.

Below is a letter to Gideon Stieff, inviting him to a “stag night” at the White House. I like that Ike calls the occasion informal, but he would be in Black Tie, but business suits would be entirely appropriate. I guess times have changed.

This next letter is from President Eisenhower to Gideon Stieff thanking him for the a special birthday gift that Gideon Stieff had made for him.

Letters from Eisenhower were always very formal.

This letter was written in the last few months of Eisenhower’s presidency.

John  F. Kennedy would be elected President within a month of this letter.