All collectors have their reasons behind the items they covet — whether an expression of nostalgia, fandom or even pure intrigue.
What might appear to be a mere piece of paper to many represents a tangible connection of the utmost personal nature to others.
In the world of rare documents and autographs, particularly those with relation to U.S. history, the common collector rationale ranges from patriotism to an appreciation of influential figures or the preservation of history.
For Gerald Tanaka, whose collection of presidential documents extends from James Madison to Richard Nixon, his pursuit of history is a result of his upbringing as a first-generation Japanese immigrant, and his deeply felt appreciation for the country that allowed him to live his own American dream.
“My parents always said, ‘Only in America can our story work,'" Tanaka, a successful restaurateur, told cllct. “So, when I started collecting the presidents, it was out of respect for the United States and what it stood for … In America, the American Dream can happen.”
While that sentiment might not sound uncommon, for someone with a family history like Tanaka’s, it’s a uniquely revealing glimpse into the experience and worldview of a family that suffered devastating losses during the U.S. attack on Japan.
On August 6, 1945, Tanaka’s father was in his hometown of Hiroshima, Japan. Waking up late for breakfast, he was told to sit at the head of the table — and that he’d be paying. With his back to a large window, the sound of laughter and conversation flooded the room, a bright light and a blast of wind came out of nowhere. By the time he came to, half of the men at the table were dead. The elder Tanaka had survived, though did suffer radiation poisoning.
A few years later, he immigrated to the U.S., the same nation which had killed so many of his friends and neighbors with the atomic bomb, and served in the army. Even as a serviceman, Tanaka’s father faced racism at the hands of his fellow soldiers, who would call him a North Korean spy.
Despite this, Tanaka raised his son, Gerald, to be grateful and patriotic, in addition to remaining a vigilant defender against bigotry of all sorts, whether aimed at Japanese people or people of any creed.
Holding this personal history in his mind as he set out to collect documents from various presidents in the early 2000s, Tanaka found himself seeking out pieces from the most obscure presidents, whether due to their lack of impact on history or their low-ranking in the eyes of historians.
One of the first on his list? Harry S. Truman, the president who ordered the atomic bomb be dropped.
Even the private dealer who sold him the document, an appointment of the ambassador to Turkey, was reticent.
“I thought that was a sensitive issue,” the dealer told Tanaka as they discussed the purchase. “I know your father’s journey.”
Tanaka replied simply: “I wanted it historically accurate.”
Of course, the rest of Tanaka’s collection, largely made up of other signed appointments — 32 of which he is selling at SCP Auctions, are less personal in nature. But they still reflect the same core view.
All of those documents have been proudly displayed in his California home for years, acting as conversation pieces for visitors and reminders for Tanaka.
He’s even had one visitor take a look at a Rutherford B. Hayes document and tell Tanaka, shocked, that they were a Hayes descendent, and had rarely seen anyone preserve a piece of their ancestor’s forgotten legacy.
Though he might be parting with this collection when the auction closes Nov. 23, Tanaka already has his sights set on his next quest: First Ladies.
“My wife doesn't even know it, but I'm already starting to research.”
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.