A shotgun which Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave the United States to symbolise peace three years before the world came close to nuclear war has emerged for sale.
The ornate double barrel weapon was one of two handed over by the Russian dictator during his unprecedented state visit to America in September 1959.
Khrushchev gave one gun to President Dwight Eisenhower and the other – the one that is for sale – to secretary of defense Neil McElroy.
During his 12-day visit, Khrushchev declared his wish ‘to achieve better relations between our two countries and promote peace all over the world’.
In thanking the Russian leader, McElroy called the shotgun ‘handsome’ and expressed his hope that ‘the firearms used in the future by our two countries need be no longer than this shotgun for the preservation of world peace.’
But, three years later, in October 1962, Khrushchev’s decision to put Soviet missiles in Cuba pushed the world to the brink of nuclear conflict in what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The shotgun, which is described as being in pristine condition, is being sold via US-based dealer the Raab Collection for $125,000 (£97,000).
The gun was made by craftsmen in the Izhevsk region of Russia.
It features ornate engravings of hunting scenes, including a gold fox with prey in its teeth.
Nathan Raab, the president of the Raab Collection, said: ‘This is a remarkable discovery and a beautiful artifact from a crucial moment in the history of the great 20th-century powers’.
Khrushchev’s trip marked the first time a Soviet head of sate had received an invitation to the White House.
It came just weeks after US Vice President Richard Nixon had been to Moscow.
The respective visits came at a time of rising tensions in the Cold War, 14 years on from when the US and Russia ended the Second World War on the same side.
Two days before Khrushchev arrived in Washington with his wife Nina, daughters Julia and Rada, son Sergei and son-in-law Alexei, the Soviet Union successfully landed the unmanned Luna II spacecraft on the moon.
In the Oval Office, he gave President Eisenhower a model of a metal sphere that was placed on the Luna craft and designed to explode once it reached Space, so that parts inscribed with the ‘Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics’ would land on the Moon.
The delegation also gifted bottles of vodka and traditional Russian nesting dolls.
President Eisenhower hosted a state dinner at the White House, whilst Khrushchev and his family also toured the country.
The two leaders went on to hold talks at Camp David, the President’s retreat in Maryland.
Writing to Khrushchev during his visit, McElroy said: ‘Of course, the shotgun is handsome indeed.
‘It offers evidence of a quality of craftsmanship of which any country could be proud.
‘In thanking you for the shotgun, may I fully reciprocate the wish expressed to me by your representative that the firearms used in the future by our two countries need to be no larger than this shotgun for the preservation of world peace and that even the shotgun be used solely for sporting purposes.
‘I hope, as do all our people here, that your trip to the United States may be beneficial to you and to us in improving mutual understanding of our respective nations.’
Although there was much optimism for improved diplomatic relations after Khrushchev’s successful visit, progress regressed the following year.
Soviet forces shot down an American U2 spy plane on May 1, 1960, escalating tensions further.
Eisenhower’s successor as President, John F Kennedy, was in the White House when the missile crisis came to a head two years later.
The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 brought the world as close as it has ever been to nuclear war.
After America’s failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, the Cuban strongman allowed the Soviet Union to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba – putting the warheads in easy striking distance of most of the US.
If Russia chose, it could launch the missiles at the US before Washington had a chance to retaliate.
America had already deployed ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey – putting them within easy striking distance of Moscow.
President John F Kennedy informed Americans during a television broadcast on October 22, 1962, that the Soviets had placed missiles on Cuba and that in retalation, the US would erect a blockade around the island to force Castro and Khrushchev to remove to missiles.
He announced America would be willing to use military force if necessary to deter what was seen as a threat to national security – and the world waited with baited breathe.
On October 24, 1962, another key moment came when Soviet ships heading for Cuba neared the line of U.S. vessels enforcing the blockade. An attempt to breach the blockade would most likely have resulted in a military stand-off, but Soviet ships backed down.
A flashpoint which could have triggered all-out war was when an American reconnaissance plane was shot down on October 27, 1962.
A U.S. invasion forces readied itself for an invasion of Cuba but were eventually stood down. The 35-year-old pilot of the downed plane, Major Rudolf Anderson, is considered the sole U.S. combat casualty of the Cuban missile crisis.
Throughout the tense stand-off, Khrushchev and Kennedy were in contact to try to avoid any military escalation between the two superpowers. On October 26, 1962, Khrushchev sent a message to Kennedy in which he offered to remove the Cuban missiles in exchange for a promise by U.S. leaders not to invade Cuba.
The following day, Khrushchev sent a letter proposing that the USSR would dismantle its missiles in Cuba if the Americans removed their missile installations in Turkey.
Secret negotiations between Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and JFK and between his brother Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General, and Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin led to a deal. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said after the incident it would be the ‘last Saturday he would ever see’ as tensions continued to escalate.
The Soviets agreed to withdraw their missiles in return for America pledging not to invade Cuba. The US also secretly promised to remove obsolete missiles from Turkey. Both sides claimed victory as a way of putting a positive PR spin on the crisis.