M-322: Dr. Allen B. and Helen S. Shopmaker American Political Collection

The Shopmaker Collection contains over three thousand items ranging from a George Washington token dated 1789 to buttons and textiles endorsing candidates in the 2008 election. The variety of objects reflects the changing tastes of the American public and the available production technologies, ranging from 19th century brass jewelry and clothing buttons embossed with candidate's names and party symbols to today's modern, mass-produced buttons, and from porcelain plates embellished with a portrait of First Lady Helen Taft to Nancy Reagan paper dolls. With artifacts representing nearly every American election, the Shopmaker Collection provides the viewer with a broad look at how candidates have used images, slogans and symbols to woo the public, and how the public has expressed its own, often outspoken, opinions on both individuals and issues.
St. Louis Mercantile Library Art Museum

Pages

McKinley and Hobart Ribbon
Yellow ribbon with black text reading "McKinley and Hobart and the whole Republican Ticket." Beneath this is a portrait of congressional candidate Thomas S. Butler. The bottom of the ribbon reads "Thomas S. Butler and Better Times."
McKinley and Roosevelt Jugate, Blue Button
7/8-inch round, pin back button with black and white portrait jugate of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt framed by a golden scroll on a dark blue background. Button has paper label on reverse for Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark and Allied Printing Trades Council 3, Newark.
McKinley and Roosevelt, Jugate Button
7/8-inch round, pin back button with black and white portraits of McKinley and Roosevelt in oval frames over an American flag with a gold background. Button has paper label on reverse for Baldwin and Gleason Co., Ltd, New York.
Member Roosevelt Memorial Ass'n Button
5/8-inch round pin back button with black text on white background. Button back has paper label on reverse for St. Louis Button Co., St Louis and Allied Printing Trades Council, St. Louis.
Michael Dukakis Handbill
11 inches by 17 inches white paper handbill. The top half features a black and white American Flag design. In the top left hand corner is a grey-scale photo of Democratic Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis. Black lettering reads, "Come Join Us for a Get-Out-The-Vote Victory '88 Rally with Michael Dukakis on Thursday, November 3 12:00 Noon 15th and MARKET" and additional text that endorses several other candidates for various positions and along the bottom are phone numbers that can be called to volunteer.
Missouri First Voters, Taft League Button
1-inch round, pin back button with color portrait of William H. Taft against a blue and beige background. The words "Missouri First Voters Taft League" are arched over his head in black. Button has paper label on reverse for Bastian Bros. Co., Rochester, NY.
Mrs. Gen. Grant Carte-de-Viste
Sepia photograph of Mrs. Gen. Grant. Image is of her seated looking towards her right. Pencil inscription on reverse reads "Mrs gen grant".
Mrs. Julia Dent Grant Photograph
Photograph is of Mrs. Julia Dent Grant. She is looking to her left in photograph. On the back "Mrs. Grant" is written in pencil across the top, with "Julia Dent Grant" written below. In the center there is the logo for G. Cramer. The logo has two cherubs around a stylized GC. Below it the address, "1001 South Fifth Street, Cor. of Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, Mo" is printed.
My Papa Will Vote for McKinley Paper Tag
White paper tag with black text reading "My Papa will Vote for McKinley" and "Gold Standard, Protection, Reciprocity, and Good Times." A burgandy ribbon is looped through one end of the paper.
NBC News Election Year '68 Badge
2 1/4 inch by 3 1/2 inch textile sticker. Black text at the top reads "NBC Election Year '68". A waving American flag motif fills the center. Black text at the bottom reads "Election Reporter".
National Hughes Alliance Pin
Metal pin in the shape of a shield that reads, "National Hughes Alliance." This pin refers to Charles E. Hughes' 1916 presidential campaign.
Newsweek Democratic Convention Scorecard
10 7/8 inches by 13 1/2 inches cardboard card with rounded corners. At the top of the sign is red lettering that reads, "Newsweek". Below is a red bracket with black lettering inside that reads, "know the POLITICAL SCORE read NEWSWEEK". On the back of the sign is black lettering that reads, "Newsweek's DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION SCORE CARD". The majority of the back is taken up by a large graph, with labels across the top reading, "1st BALLOT", "2nd BALLOT", "3rd BALLOT", and, "4th BALLOT"; each section is subdivided into columns for each candidate (Stevenson, Harriman, Symington, and Johnson) . The left side has a label for each state reading, "ALABAMA", "ARIZONA", "ARKANSAS", etc. Much of the 1st and 2nd ballot sections are filled out in pencil and pen, tracking delegates from various states that had voted for various candidates.
Newsweek's Democratic Convention Score Card
Newsweek paper score card with votes tallied for the 1956 Democratic presidential candidates.
Nixon Print Ad
Print advertisement paid for the "Finance Committee to Re-elect the President". In the top left corner is a photo of an African American man looking down. To the right is bold text reading "Senator McGovern thinks your vote is in the bag. President Nixon doesn't believe it-look at his record". Below is text listing policy achievements from Nixon's administration regarding African American issues. In the lower right corner is a chart comparing federal aid and civil rights enforcement budgets between the previous administration and Nixon's administration. Below is bold text reading "President Nixon. Now more than ever."
Nixon Voting Postcard
Postcard with a photograph of Richard Nixon and his family. From left to right is Tricia Nixon, Pat Nixon, David Eisenhower, Julie Nixon, and Richard Nixon. The back of the postcard has black letters spelling "This time vote like your whole world depended on it And when you do ... take 4 voters with you REMEMBER ... Polls don't vote People do". At the bottom left of the back there is black letters spelling "Published by UNITED CITIZENS FOR NIXON-AGNEW Charles S. Rhyne, Chairman; John Warner, Natl. Director Dewey Arnold, Treasurer". Beneath the writing is a union imprint. 3 1/4 inches by 5 1/2 inches.
Nixon's The One Bumper Sticker
White bumper sticker with red print saying "Nixon's the one!" Produced by the "Information Committee for Nixon".
No Choice No Vote
Round pin back button with a white background and the words NO CHOICE NO VOTE in black letters. This slogan was anti Nixon, Humphrey, Wallace.
No Foreign Alliance, No Trusts, No Imperialism for U.S. Button
White button with blue text reading "No Foreign Alliance", "No Trusts", "No Imperialism for U.S.". These slogans are in reference to presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan's attack on presidential candidate William McKinley, declaring that McKinley promoted imperialism.
North Dakota, The Roosevelt Cabin Button
1 and1/4-inch round, pin back button with image of a wooden cabin on an off-white background.
November For Our President Tie-Tack
1/2-inch by 5/8-inch sterling silver, screw back, tie-tack style pin with low relief profile portrait of Eugene W. Chafin, Prohibition Party candidate for president in 1908 and 1912. The portrait is flanked on either side by a column, and the words "November For Our President" are above and below the portrait.
Obamaccino Coffee Drink
Powder cappuccino to be mixed with water for warm or iced coffee.
One Vote, Barry Goldwater Coupon
This flyer is white with a decorative blue border on the front. An emblem showing an eagle with a quill in its mouth is in the center. the logo for the "National Federation of Republican Women". In front of the emblem it reads "This coupon is good for, one vote, (yours), on November 3rd". The text is blue except for "one vote, (yours)", which is red. Below this "For free transprtation to the polls or baby-sitting help while you vote} CALL" is printed. On the back of the flier "a vote for Barry Goldwater is a vote" is printed, with "vote for Barry Goldwater" printed in red and "a" and "is a vote" printed in blue. Beneath this "for" is printed in red and below it is a list printed in blue. Below this list "against" is printed in red with a list printed below it in blue. At the bottom of the page is a red box with the logo for the "National Federation of Republican Women" and their mailing address, "1625 Eye Street, N.W., Washington, D. C. 20006".
Our Choice Button
1 and 1/4-inch round, pin back button with black and white portrait of Theodore Roosevelt and Charles Fairbanks over a shield with an American flag motif. Above the portraits is text reading "OUR CHOICE".
Our Presidents From Washington to Eisenhower Comic Book
7 1/8 inches by 5 1/4 inches tan vertical comic book with 22 pages. The cover graphic is in between two blue bars with 14 white stars on top and 15 white stars on bottom. Beneath the blue bar at the top is a black bar with red letters spelling "OUR PRESIDENTS". Below is a cloud with the dome of the capitol building and black, red, and blue letters spelling "FROM WASHINGTON TO EISENHOWER". Above the bottom blue bar is three cards with three presidents' images and names. The left card with George Washington, the right Abraham Lincoln, and the middle is Dwight D. Eisenhower. There is an eagle perched on the middle card. The opening page is from the editors where they describe the importance of presidents to the nation's history. In one page or half of a page the comic book details every president from Washington to Eisenhower, outlining important events of their presidencies. The back cover has a drawing of the White House. Under the image is black writing "HOW MANY of Our PRESIDENTS Can you name in correct order? Courtesy of Your Friendly BIG BEAR STORE". Union imprint in lower right corner.
Our Senior Citizens McGovern Print Ad
Print advertisement for presidential candidate George McGovern paid for by "Mercer County Citizens for McGovern". Advertisement contains quotes from Gorge McGovern under bolded headers reading "Increase Social Security", "Reduce Property Taxes", "Improve Health Care", and "Expand Housing". The bottom of the page is covered in a black band with George McGovern's picture in the middle. To the left of his picture, "Make America Happen Again" is printed in white. To the right of his picture "George McGovern For President The Man To Vote For On June 6th." is printed in white.
Peace and Freedom Party Button
1 1/2 inch diameter round pin back button with an orange background with the words PEACE AND FREEDOM PARTY in black surrounding a center circle in black with the words I AM REGISTERED in orange letters. This is an early version of the pin issued by the party that was established in the late 1960s and ran Eldridge Cleaver for president in 1968.
Pierson Letter
Letter from Isaac Pierson, of Ramapo, New York, to brother Jeremiah Halsey Pierson. The letter discusses the 1801 election deadlock between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. Jefferson and Burr had each recieved 73 electoral votes in the 1801 election and thus the House of Representatives had to vote to determine the next president. At the time the letter was written, Isaac Pierson believed the vote was taken "31 times" and the results were the same, with no majority. At the time the letter was written, Thomas Jefferson had won the presidency after Delaware abstained from voting in the 36th round of voting to take place in the House of Representatives on February 17, 1801.
Platform for the People Brochure
White paper brochure with blue cover. "Platform for the People" is printed in white on the front and below is a quote describing the "1960 Democratic Platform". The inside of the pamphlet covers the platform of the Democratic party. The back has a black and white photograph of then presidential candidate John F. Kennedy and vice presidential candidate Lyndon B. Johnson. Below in blue "Leadership for the Sixties" is printed. This pamphlet was produced by "The Democratic National Committee" at "1001 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Washington 6, D.C."

Pages

Mercantile Library Collections Directory

Mercantile Special Collections Directory

Barriger Library Collections Directory

Barriger Special Collections Directory

Pott Library Collections Directory

Pott Special Collections Directory