Wendell Willkie Autographs

Wendell Lewis Willkie (born Lewis Wendell Willkie; February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was an American lawyer, corporate executive and the 1940 Republican nominee for president of the United States. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican field's only interventionist: although the U.S. remained neutral prior to Pearl Harbor, he favored greater U.S. involvement in World War II to support Britain and other Allies. His Democratic opponent, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had made campaign pledges against U.S. involvement in World War II, won the 1940 election with about 55% of the popular vote and took the electoral college vote by a wide margin.
Willkie was born in Elwood, Indiana, in 1892; both his parents were lawyers, and he also became one. He served in World War I but was not sent to France until the final days of the war, and saw no action. Willkie settled in Akron, Ohio, where he was initially employed by Firestone, but left for a law firm, becoming one of the leaders of the Akron Bar Association. Much of his work was representing electric utilities, and in 1929 Willkie accepted a job in New York City as counsel for Commonwealth & Southern Corporation (C&S), a utility holding company. He was rapidly promoted, and became corporate president in 1933. Roosevelt was sworn in as U.S. president soon after Willkie became head of C&S, and announced plans for a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that would supply power in competition with C&S. Between 1933 and 1939, Willkie fought against the TVA before Congress, in the courts, and before the public. He was ultimately unsuccessful, but sold C&S's property for a good price, and gained public esteem.
A longtime Democratic activist, Willkie changed his party registration to Republican in late 1939. He did not run in the 1940 presidential primaries, but positioned himself as an acceptable choice for a deadlocked convention. He sought backing from uncommitted delegates, while his supporters—many youthful—enthusiastically promoted his candidacy. As German forces advanced through western Europe in 1940, many Republicans did not wish to nominate an isolationist like Robert A. Taft, or a non-interventionist like Thomas E. Dewey, and turned to Willkie, who was nominated on the sixth ballot. Willkie's support for aid to Britain removed it as a major factor in his race against Roosevelt, and Willkie also backed the president on a peacetime draft. Both men took more isolationist positions towards the end of the race. Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term, taking 38 of the 48 states.
Read more about Wendell Willkie on Wikipedia

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Current items with a signature of Wendell Willkie

These are the most current items with a signature of Wendell Willkie that were listed on eBay and on other online stores - click here for more items.

Picture	Item Title	Price	Store
	Wendell Willkie Autographed Typed Letter Republican Nominee 1943 Carl Tollefsen	$99.95

Traded items with a signature of Wendell Willkie

The most expensive item with a signature of Wendell Willkie (1941 Historic Signed Letter Autograph Wendell Willkie correspondence & envelope) was sold in February 2026 for $450.00 while the cheapest item (Signed Card RARE 1943 Wendell Willkie AUTOGRAPH) found a new owner for $0.99 in December 2022. The month with the most items sold (3) was September 2012 with an average selling price of $9.48 for an autographed item of Wendell Willkie. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in July 2025 with $408.65 and the month that saw the lowest prices with $4.95 was October 2011. In average, an autographed item from Wendell Willkie is worth $29.99.

Most recently, these items with a signature of Wendell Willkie were sold on eBay - click here for more items.

Picture	Item Title	Price	Store
	1940 Wendell Willkie Signed Letter w/ Authentication – Republican Presidential	$249.99
	1940 Wendell Willkie Wife Edith Willkie Signed Photo Autograph Authentic RPPC	$44.95
	1940 Wendell Willkie Wife Edith Willkie Signed Photo Autograph Authentic RPPC	$44.95
	1940 Wendell Willkie Wife Edith Willkie Signed Photo Autograph Authentic RPPC	$44.95
	1941 Historic Signed Letter Autograph Wendell Willkie correspondence & envelope	$450.00
	1944 Wendell Willkie Political Campaign Typed Thank You Letter Signed Autograph	$99.85
	1944 Wendell Willkie Political Campaign Typed Thank You Letter Signed Autograph	$99.88
	SIGNED Wendell Willkie Autographed Silver Gelatin Photo 1940 Presidential Candid	$412.70
	SIGNED Wendell Willkie Autographed Silver Gelatin Photo 1940 Presidential Candid	$408.61
	SIGNED Wendell Willkie Autographed Silver Gelatin Photo 1940 Presidential Candid	$404.56
	Wendell Willkie 1940 Republican Presidential Candidate Signed 8x10 Photo JSA LOA	$229.00
	Wendell Willkie Autographed Typed Letter Republican Nominee 1943 Carl Tollefsen	$99.95
	Wendell Willkie Autographed Typed Letter Republican Nominee 1943 Carl Tollefsen	$99.95
	Wendell Willkie Autographed Typed Letter Republican Nominee 1943 Carl Tollefsen	$99.95
	Wendell Willkie Losing Presidential Candidate Signed Letter 1940	$99.99