A three-inch 1860 Abraham Lincoln hat badge made for members of the avidly-collected “Wide Awakes” campaign group is expected to sell for $13,000 as Heritage Auctions offers more than 350 examples of rare political memorabilia in Part III of the Merrill C. Berman collection of Americana and Political Memorabilia. The Saturday, Sept. 26, auction to be held in Dallas, Texas, and online at www.HA.com will include political buttons, ribbons, and ephemera from campaigns spanning George Washington to John F. Kennedy.
"Early material related to the pro-Lincoln “Wide Awakes” is very popular, and the Berman collection kept this rarity off the market for nearly 30 years," said Tom Slater, director of Americana auctions at Heritage. "The Berman Collection Part II set a world record, and we're excited to see how collectors respond to this latest, comprehensive offering."
One of the earliest-known photographic campaign items ever produced, an extraordinarily rare, 1852 daguerreotype for Winfield Scott's failed presidential campaign is one of just two known to exist. In immaculate condition, the pendant consists of a very clear image of Scott, set into a gilt brass shell frame with "For President Winfield Scott" in block letters. It will be estimated at $20,000+.
A highly-prized campaign ferrotype image of Horace Greeley, in the form of a quill pen to celebrate the candidate's career as one of America's greatest journalists, will appear at auction for just the second time in nearly 50 years. It will be estimated at $15,000+.
The political memorabilia collection's extensive selection of campaign pinbacks will include the iconic 2.25-inch "60 Million Working" 1948 button featuring Harry Truman (est. $12,000+), an 1896 jugate button featuring cartoonish depictions of William McKinley and Garret Hobart riding a bicycle (est. $10,000+), and a rare and important 1.25-inch jugate from 1920 featuring Presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge, one of the hobby's most familiar and coveted designs (est. $10,000+).
Additional highlights will include a large oval sulphide brooch featuring Martin Van Buren (est. $8,000+), a 1.25-inch jugate with inward-facing portraits of the 1924 Republicans, inscribed "Coolidge & Dawes For The Nation's Cause" (est. $8,000+), and one of two known examples of a rare variant of the key 1848 pewter rim medallion picturing the Democratic ticket of Lewis Cass and William Butler (est. $8,000+).
Another highlight, an unusual lithographed tin license plate attachment with portraits of the 1928 Democrat candidates, Al Smith and Joe Robinson, shown superimposed on Smith's trademark brown derby hat, will be estimated at $3,000+.
To learn more, visit www.HA.com.