Let's talk politics   Article by LinDee Rochelle ● For Antiques & Collectibles Journal Volume 1 Number 9, November 2007 Politics and sports share a kinship when it comes to collecting. Both invoke passion, create adversaries, and share many memorabilia categories: Pennants, buttons, autographed photos, satirical cartoons, dishes, toys, and jewelry are just a few items a collector can amass in both genres. Add a little armchair fanaticism and the fun begins. So today, let’s talk politics. We’re gearing up for a political season that “will see record TV and radio ad revenues from elections,” reported Yahoo! News (08/24/07). No doubt part of those revenues will go to the providers of campaign accessories. What will be collectible? Let’s take some clues from history. Everybody loves buttons. They’re unobtrusive, colorful and succinctly state your preference. For a collector, they’re easy to find, affordable and subtly state your preference. The brash and colorful metal buttons of today that cry out our support for a favorite candidate or issue, are a far cry from the original understated brass “clothing button” that George Washington introduced to his supporters at his first Inauguration (New York, 17891). “Even in rough shape,” said Mike McQuillen, owner of Political Parade, “my George Washington metal clothing button, with 13 little stars representing the original colonies, is still valued at a couple thousand dollars.” The former childhood hobby turned online buy-sell business (www.PoliticalParade.com) stimulated McQuillen’s interest in politics and led to his current bid for a city-county council seat in his Indiana home town. McQuillen’s own collecting passion is Wendell Willkie, Republican presidential candidate in 1940. As his only bid for office, it makes him very collectible, but Willkie was unsuccessful in deposing Franklin D. Roosevelt. One item that eludes McQuillen’s grasp in his quest for bits and pieces of Willkie’s campaign is a paper kite, of which there “may be one known to exist and I don’t have it!” Abraham Lincoln, a breakthrough president in many issues, gained enormous popularity with the people. In all likelihood, the use of a politician’s likeness on election items that pioneered during his 1860 campaign helped his constituents connect with the humble leader. In 2002, an 1864 Lincoln re-election campaign pin bearing his picture, was valued at $650 and could go considerably higher during our current First Office election season. Whether your political collecting preference goes to presidential, congressional, a particular party, local elections, or specific political issues, memorabilia can be low-cost and low-maintenance, or you can spend more than a whole campaign used to cost. Your choice. And thanks to our political freedom, personal preference is what it’s all about. Nearly everything in our big beautiful country is for sale, including our history: the Gallery of History (www.HistoryForSale.com) proves this point. Indulge your historical political passions for as little as $20 for various governors’ autographed items, or as much as $14,999 for a signed Impeachment Congress document (#675). The manuscript reads, “Order form for copies of the ‘Speech of Hon. William M. Stewart/of Nevada, on the Bill to establish a/National School of Mines/Delivered in the Senate Jan. 16th 1868/To be printed Globe Office at $2 per 100.’” It’s signed by 28 members of the 40th Congress of the United States and at 8x12-1/2 inches, is a commanding memento of political machinery. President Andrew Johnson escaped impeachment by one vote. Ladies—do you collect memorabilia of famous, strong and idealistic women? A signed 8x10 inch photograph of “Battling Bella” Abzug, the belle of every Democratic ball into the late 1970s, is very collectible for $179 at the Gallery of History. Though she excelled as the first Jewish Congresswoman (New York, 1971-19762), her acerbic rhetoric and garish hats became a trademark that may very well have been her political undoing. Bids for U.S. Senate and mayor of New York City were unsuccessful and she ultimately returned to private law practice. Framed autographs, manuscripts and other political ephemera can create a statement of power and practicality behind your office desk. But political decorating need not run strictly to the austere and powerful. At home, line your hallway by era with family photos; add political memorabilia to create a strong depth of reality. Hunting from shop to shop for your political gems makes for an interesting Saturday, but if you’re pressed for time and like the thrill of competition, online auction sites may be an interesting alternative. The thrill of a virtual Sold! gavel declaring you victorious is becoming more prevalent as Internet tools become exceedingly user-friendly. AmericanMemorabilia.com offers crossover items like a baseball signed by Ronald Reagan. Its bid at this writing is $1,429 and with six days left, will likely exceed its minimum required bid of $1,572. Mixing sports and politicians is easy – many politicos are passionate sports fans too, which sways them into signing game items “on the fly.” (http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/Auctions.asp?auccat=Political%20Signed&auction_id=38300) Though not commanding as hefty a price as Ronnie’s, Nancy Reagan got in the game with a signature on the sweet spot of a Babe Ruth commemorative baseball offered at PremierAuctionsOnline.com. Starting bid:  $50, with six days left on the near mint condition ball that sports a PSA/DNA Auction House Letter of Authenticity. Another alternative to traipsing through your local antiques district is attending a trade show that features your collecting passion. The American Political Items Collectors site (www.apic.us) sponsors national events such as the Langhorne PA Regional APIC Show November 9th and 10th, and its Arizona show on December 1st (Phoenix). Admissions are low or free and what better way to network? If you’re new to political collecting, the APIC acts as a convenient guide, with a glossary of terms specific to the field. Are you a political rebel? Have a passion for collecting “anti-“ politico items? You can warm up your dart throwing arm on a ‘60s era Lyndon Baines Johnson dart board (Political Parade’s eBay store; bid at time of research: $9.99); or chuckle over the 1940 anti-Willkie post card issued following his defeat. Apparently his loss was not enough. “Mad were his ravings, his promises vain; May we never hear of Willkie again.” (www.VintagePostcards.com, Presidents and Political; $350.) Humor comes in many forms and satire has proven to be the bane of many a candidate seeking office, since Thomas Nast began penning his witty and pithy cartoons for Harper’s Weekly in 1862. A great crossover class for political/cartoon/artist collectors, some of Nast’s intricate images are available in original wood engravings at Prints Old and Rare (www.printsoldandrare.com/thomasnast). “The Third Term Trap” from 1875 lampoons the Republican vote, featuring the soon to be icon elephant (11x16, $100); and 1877’s “The Lightning Speed of Honesty” seats Uncle Sam on a snail labeled “45th Congress.” The hand colored caricature is “Clearly a scathing critique of congressional slowness!” says the description. (11x16, $80)             Your political passion can be fueled to a frenzy in nearly every genre of the collecting industry at Drexel Grapevine Antiques, Valdese, North Carolina. Add to your vintage jewelry display with a rhinestone “Ike” campaign pin (Dwight D. Eisenhower, president 1953-1961; 1 7/8 inch, $19); raise eyebrows with the “odd button for a man running for penitentiary warden” (14/16 inch in very good condition, $29.50); or pique international interest from a group Soviet May Day pins and insignia ($10.50 each).             Like sports, politics can be fanatical and with the right attitude, fun. Collecting its memorabilia is a subtle way to “talk politics” without the threat of contention. Or is it? Your choice.   # # #     Data Sources: 1:                     About.com: Political Collectibles by guest author, Ron Wade, (2002) 2:                     Bella Abzug political info from Womenshistory.About.com   Let's talk politics article copyright 2007, L. Rochelle.