Novelty, Warren G. Harding, 1920

Novelty, Warren G. Harding, 1920

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Description
This mechanical brass novelty could have been used as a charm on a watch chain. Retailers displayed a card like this to promote individual sales. The figure is labeled for Warren G. Harding, the 1920 Republican presidential nominee. Pressure on the figure’s shoe causes a devil-like tail and an arm with a nose-thumbing gesture to pop out. This design had previously been manufactured to represent other candidates including Republican James Garfield and Democrat Grover Cleveland. Harding easily won the 1920 election defeating Democrat James Cox and Socialist Eugene V. Debs who was running for the fifth and last time. Even though Debs was in prison during this campaign (having been found guilty of sedition during World War I), he received almost 914,000 votes, the most ever recorded for a Socialist on the national ballot.
Object Name
Nose-Thumbers, Set of
Campaign Pin Card, 1920
Campaign Pin Card, 1920
nose thumber pins
nose thumber
date made
1920
associated date
1920
associated person
Harding, Warren G.
Physical Description
metal (disjoint section material)
paper (overall card material)
Measurements
overall: 6 in x 5 in; 15.24 cm x 12.7 cm
ID Number
PL.235387.04
catalog number
235387.04
accession number
235387
Credit Line
Edna Davis
subject
Political Campaigns
See more items in
Political and Military History: Political History, Campaign Collection
Government, Politics, and Reform
American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
Exhibition
American Democracy
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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