John Hays Hammond Metropolitan Club Washington reporters 1931 - Original Photo For Sale

An original (not modern reprint) 8x10" vintage photo from a collection of rare press photos that we acquired from an estate. Professionally packaged in a rigid mailer for safe delivery.

Photo Overview

Members of President Herbert Hoover's special naval policy committee are shown leaving a closed-door meeting at the Metropolitan Club in Washington, surrounded by reporters who had waited outside for hours to question them. At center is chairman John Hays Hammond with cane and overcoat on his arm, while fellow committee member Eliot Wadsworth stands to his left; both men are flanked by newspapermen and observers in hats and overcoats in this crisp Underwood & Underwood press photograph dated November 5 1931.

John Hays Hammond was one of the most prominent American mining engineers and industrial consultants of the early 20th century, later serving as a key advisor on naval and defense matters to several presidents, including William Howard Taft and Herbert Hoover. Eliot Wadsworth was a Massachusetts businessman and influential Republican politician who had served as vice chairman of the American Red Cross during World War 1 before taking on national policy roles. Historically significant images like this, tying named Hoover-era advisers directly to interwar naval planning in Washington, tend to be tightly held by archives and collectors, so securing this original example now is a rare chance before it disappears into another long-term collection.

Text Present

Front lower left margin:
"UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD
WASHINGTON"

Back, vertical strip at left:
"Photo by
UNDERWOOD
and
UNDERWOOD"

(repeated 4 times down the strip)

Back, typeset paper caption:
"PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON NAVAL POLICY HOLDS
FIRST MEETING AT WASHINGTON.

77037 RE Members of the special committee
selected by President Hoover to sift
the criticisms of his Naval Policy
and knowledge of American Naval aff-
airs, held their first meeting in
deep seclusion at the Metropolitan
Club in Washington, and beyond admitt-
ing that they had selected John Hays
Hammond, noted engineer for Chairman,
refused to make any statement to the
throng of newspaper men who had wait-
ed outside several hours to question
them.

Photo shows Chairman Hammond,
right, in center, with cane and
Eliot Wadsworth, also a member of
the committee, left center, being in-
terrogated by the writers.
SLUG QUESTION Nov,5,1931"

Back, purple stamp (partially visible, upside down):
"Underwood & Underwood Studios
... credit line should read ... Underwood & Underwood ..."

Back, handwritten in pencil:
"#785 copy 2
Navy League & Hoover's response to ...
'Military, Navy Committee' ..."

Print analysis: This is an original Underwood & Underwood press photograph on double-weight paper with an attached typed news caption dated Nov 5 1931 and agency credit stamps, consistent with contemporary distribution prints. The clarity, surface characteristics, and period caption dating within the same year as the event indicate a Type 1 original press photo, printed c1931 from the original negative.

Condition: This is an antique press photo and may show various signs of age: coloring, folds, tears, and other imperfections. Please take a look at the photos for precise condition.

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