Political Memorabilia

Lot 493
1924 Democratic Convention Ticket. 5 x 2½" June 24, 1924 guest ("First Session Arena") ticket. The 1924 Democratic National Convention, held in Madison Square Garden, was one of the most remarkable in modern history. Raucous and full of the hostility between supporters of McAdoo and Smith, the convention went an amazing 17 days and 103 ballots before John Davis was selected as the compromise nominee for the Democratic Party. With people practically hanging from the rafters, two weeks passed before Davis' nomination was even taken seriously by the general audience, although it had been supported by the Democratic inner circle for months. The convention was also remarkable for the appearance of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, just recently recovered from his bout with polio, as a speaker. FDR, who had been an unsuccessful candidate for the Vice Presidency four years before, gained a new luster as he rose above the confines of his disease. But for two small corner folds, this piece is in excellent condition.
Estimated Value $100-125.

Lot 494
[Cleveland, Grover] 1884 Election Cover. Election envelope featuring the 1884 Democratic Presidential candidate Grover Cleveland, and his running mate, Indiana Governor, Thomas A. Hendricks. Unused, this 6 x 3½" envelope, printed in blue ink, also features the motto: "Rouse ye freemen, from your slumbers, And prepare ye for the fight! Let your war cry be 'Our Country! -- Cleveland and Hendricks, law and right'!" In very good condition overall.
Estimated Value $50-75.

Lot 495
[Franklin, Benjamin] Etching. Artist: J. Knowles Hare [1882-1947].11 x 14¼", framed and matted to 19 x 22". Pencil signature at lower right. Notes on back of frame indicate "Museum Mounted '86" and "...only one in existence." Not examined out of frame, appears to be in very fine condition.

Strikingly portrayed as the elder statesman/scientist/inventor we are most familiar with, Franklin's gaze conveys his intelligence and experience to even the most casual viewer.
Estimated Value $150-250.

Lot 496
[Garfield, James A.]. Printed Speech & Program - Hiram College. Twenty-two pages, octavo, Cleveland, published by Fairbanks, Benedict and Co., June 14, 1867. Printed transcript outlining Garfield's views on education. Garfield attended Hiram College (then known as the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute), graduated from Williams College, then returned to the academy at Hiram as a teacher and later as its President. Enlightened writing, interesting reading. In very good condition.

In part: "... In brief, the student should study himself, his relations to society, to nature, and to art - and above all, in all through all these, he should study the relations of himself, society, nature and art, to God, the Author of them all... And finally Young Gentlemen, learn to cultivate a wise self-reliance, based not on what you hope, but on what you perform..."
Estimated Value $125-200.

Lot 497
[Garfield, James A.]. Printed Offset of Speech. Eight pages, octavo, Washington DC, January 28, 1864. Being one of Garfield's earliest speeches, delivered as a Member of Congress, on the floor of the House of Representatives. Yellowing due to age, with some foxing and small tears along edges. In very good condition overall. Here, Garfield argues for confiscation of the property of rebels. Appealing to British Common Law, as well as precedents set by the American government during and since the Revolutionary War, he argues that the rebels have forfeited certain property rights. Documents of this type were rarely published in large numbers, as the cost in time and overhead to manually copy the tracts was prohibitive. Even today, in the age of word processors and photocopiers, Members of Congress rarely produce speech transcripts for public consumption - rather they are made available primarily to key constituents as proof of their activity and productivity.
Estimated Value $125-200.

Lot 498
Presidential Memorabilia. An eclectic lot of interesting presidential memorabilia is made up of a Civil War Certificate of Honorable Service with Edwin Stanton and Abraham Lincoln (obviously) printed signatures(toning, edge wear, minor foxing, good to very good condition); an unused (uninscribed) invitation to Grant's Inauguration Reception (toning, surface soil and minor surface abrasion); a "President Harding's Challenge and Our Task" postcard (minor toning, very good condition); three sepia tone 9 x 8 photographs of Tyler's home "Sherwood Forest" (corner missing from living room scene, otherwise very good condition); four small format original photographs of Wilson inspecting a ship and being on parade (very good condition).
Estimated Value $150-200.

Lot 499
[Roosevelt, Theodore] Button. Tinted photograph 3¼" campaign button. Original felt backing is mostly intact, there is some loss where the pinback may have been removed. Minor surface scratches, else very good condition. Probably from his 1904 Campaign.
Estimated Value $50-60.

Lot 500
[Roosevelt, Theodore] Re-Election Cartoon. Original ink on paper artwork from artist HOP, from early in the Presidential Campaign of 1912 (dated 1909 in a different hand) features Taft quashing Roosevelt "...To a Grease Spot in New York" and Roosevelt going to bed with an "Anti-3rd Term Pledge" paper under his arm -- this section is labeled "False Alarm in Colorado". 15 x 9" matted to 20 x 14" with a Roosevelt campaign button mounted underneath the cartoon. Minor foxing, toning and abrasions scattered throughout.
Estimated Value $250-300.

Lot 501
[Taft, William Howard]. Ribbon-bound program from a 1909 dinner honoring President Taft. The dinner, held on the Steamer St. Paul while going down the Mississippi River, was well attended by state governors, with twenty of them signing the back pages of this program, and members of the Cabinet. The program opens with a very nice photograph of Taft and moves into the guest list, music list and hosts. The Business Men's League of St. Louis really knew how to throw a party. There is an ink smudge on the cover and some minor soil on the cover, but the overall condition is very good.

A memento from early in Taft's administration.
Estimated Value $50-100.

Lot 502
[Washington, George] and [Lincoln, Abraham]. Pair of framed book pages with the likenesses of Presidents Washington and Lincoln. Both pieces matted and framed to 6¼ x 10½", image size is 3¼ x 7½". Age toning, mat burns, both frames show wear through gold paint to base metal. Fair to good condition.

Attractive 19th century images of our two most popular presidents make a nice accent for the collector of presidential memorabilia.
Estimated Value $35-50.

Lot 503
[Grant, Ulysses S.] Commemorative Glass Bowl. Here we present a unique offering for the Civil War enthusiast: a commemorative cut-glass bowl depicting the heroic American General and President Ulysses S. Grant. An inscription surrounds Grant's likeness, reading "The Patriot and Soldier / Gen. Ulysses. S. Grant." With scalloped edges, the shallow bowl measures 9½" in diameter. A few minor inherent imperfections and scratches. Else, in fine to very fine condition.
Estimated Value $250-350.