Campaign pin a fun reminder of a failed presidential bid

Estes Kefauver for president! Who?

In today’s What’s It Worth?, we revisit two campaigns by the senator from Tennessee who wanted to be president, but didn’t make it. Also, there’s a nearly 125-year-old lithograph that will be of interest to lawyers and other members of the legal community.

Q. Among a small collection of political pins, my uncle has this one for Kefauver, who I know ran for president, at least twice, many years ago. Does it have any value? — Richard in Richland

A. This one will puzzle more than a few readers. A campaign pin in the shape of a coonskin cap?

It makes sense when you know something about the candidate.

A Tennessee native who served in the U.S. House of Representatives 1939-49 and the Senate from 1949 until his death in 1963, Kefauver made two runs for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination. He came close both times.

In 1952, he defeated incumbent President Harry Truman in what was a stunning New Hampshire primary victory. Kefauver went on to win 12 of 15 primaries and was the leading candidate going into the convention.

Back then, primary elections weren’t as important in selecting a candidate as they are today. Kefauver was the favorite, but needed a few hundred more Chicago convention delegates to clinch the deal. He never got those votes.

A strong “Draft Stevenson” movement erupted on the convention floor and Illinois’ Sen. Adlai Stevenson — the choice of the party’s national organization and a reluctant last-minute candidate — won on the third ballot. The Democrats then chose Sen. John Sparkman of Alabama as their vice presidential candidate.

Interestingly, it was the last major political party convention to date that required more than one ballot to select a candidate for president.

The Stevenson-Sparkman ticket was annihilated at the polls in the fall, winning only nine states. They were only successful in what was then called “The Solid South.”

Kefauver was back again in 1956, but after a promising start he fell behind in fundraising and primary wins. After suspending his campaign, he was chosen by the party to become Stevenson’s vice presidential running mate. The pair carried only seven states as President Dwight Eisenhower easily won a second term.

Both campaigns produced a wealth of promotional items. This coonskin cap pin was popular, as Kefauver was a Tennessean and the Davy Crockett TV series was all the rage at the time, making such caps a must-have for youngsters across the country.

To collectors, they are easy to find and do not bring a premium price. About $10 is the top of their range.

Q. When we acquired our framed print, it had portraits of Native Americans visible. Taking it apart for cleaning, we discovered this other print was hidden underneath the top layer. It is images of men in the legal profession and we would like to know what it is and if it has any value? — Sue in West Richland

A. For help with identification, What’s It Worth? turned to colleague and Antiques Roadshow expert Christopher Lane.

The owner of Philadelphia Print Shop, West, which is in Denver, Lane told us that yours is a print he has seen before.

“This is, if I remember right, a lithograph,” Lane said. “In any case, it was a ‘decorative’ print issued in 1893 for lawyers to hang in their offices or club houses. Although the text along the bottom implies there were more in the series, I’ve never seen any others.”

Credit for the print is given to a man named G. J. Clark. An obscure figure, Clark later wrote the book Great Sayings By Great Lawyers, published in Kansas City in 1922. It seems to be the only book by Clark ever published.

Lane told us that this is a nice old print, but the value is purely decorative.

“In excellent condition — and I do see some staining along the top — it would sell for something, but not much,” he said.

Even though it is almost 125 years old, a fair retail price would be about $200.

This story was originally published February 19, 2016 at 4:46 PM with the headline "Campaign pin a fun reminder of a failed presidential bid."