A stunning 1856 campaign flag for president James Buchanan set a world record at Heritage Auctions on May 13 when it sold for $275,000, shattering the previous record for a campaign flag sold at auction, set by Heritage in 2009. The flag was the centerpiece of a $1.9 million Americana and Political Sale that focused on memorabilia from the nation’s founding fathers and other historic figures.
“The previous record of $95,600 was set in November of 2009 for an 1860 John Breckinridge portrait flag,” said Jeff Bridgman, the winning bidder and owner of Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques.
Colorful campaign banners in the style of American flags were produced for every winning presidential candidate from William Henry Harrison in 1840 up through, at least, Woodrow Wilson. Highly collectible, none is rarer than the 21.5-by-15-inch flag banner for James Buchanan. “As thrilling as it was to see it sell, I was not surprised to see this flag set a world record,” said Tom Slater, director of Americana at Heritage. “It is the only Buchanan portrait flag ever to appear at auction and represented a perhaps not-to-be-repeated opportunity for the advanced collector.”
Not only did Bridgman purchase the Buchanan flag, he also was the winning bidder on a monumental silk banner from the October 1789 parade welcoming the recently-installed president to Boston. It sold for $62,500. “I have never owned an 18th-century flag; almost nothing exists of that period, inside or outside of institutions, and this actually had Washington's name on it,” said Bridgman. “Amazing!”
The auction’s first session was devoted to material relating to Washington and the founding fathers. A rare and important Lexington and Concord broadside reporting on the events that ignited the American Revolution sold for $162,500. A leopard-skin saddle pad owned by both George Washington and British Gen. Edward Braddock went for $150,000. Since 1927, the leopard skin pad has been preserved and displayed by the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, until the decision of the organization's trustees to offer it at this auction.
A rare letter in which president Thomas Jefferson writes to Georgia governor John Milledge regarding the removal of the Cherokees from Georgia as a consequence of the Louisiana Purchase sold for $93,750. A 50-inch-tall metal and terracotta maquette of the Statue of Liberty sold for $45,000. Known originally as "Liberty Enlightening the World," it dates to circa 1875-82. Also, a 21-by-30-inch hand-colored map from the 1782 Battle of Yorktown sold for $42,500.
Heritage holds major auctions of historical Americana twice yearly. Their next one is slated for November.
For more information, visit www.HA.com.