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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Marquetry Ship Image Plaque
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Marquetry Ship Image Plaque

Artifact IDMO 1973.17
Object Type Picture
Maker (Italian-born American furniture maker, 1892-1940)
Dateca. 1936
Mediumwood
Dimensionsoverall H 26 5/8 in x W 47 7/8 in x D 1 1/8 in (67.6 cm x 121.6 cm x 2.9 cm )
Physical DescriptionA large plaque made of intricately inlaid pieces of stained and colored wood. The inlaid image depicts a modern, two smokestack passenger liner named the "U.S.A." (representing the United States) being guided by a small tugboat, named "Pres. ROOSEVELT," traveling alongside the liner. The vessels are headed away from dark clouds on the right and towards the rising sun on the left. The maker's signature is inlaid in the lower right corner of the image: S. Giunta.

At the top of the plaque is an inlaid image of an eagle backed by stars and stripes.
Historical NoteWoodworker Salvatore Giunta of New York City created this intricately inlaid wood plaque for President Roosevelt in 1936. Giunta emigrated from Italy in 1922 and worked at the Steinway Piano Company in New York, where he performed marquetry work on pianos.
Additional Details
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesGift Items and Commemorative Artifacts (National Archives Identifier 782690)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
In Collection(s)
Exhibitions
Not on view