Frame Size (H x L): 34.5” x 33.5”
Bandanna Size (H x L): 24” x 22”

Offered is a 1904 Alton Parker and Henry Davis campaign bandanna.  Campaign bandannas were initially produced during the first quarter of the nineteenth century, but became particularly popular between 1850 and 1920.  They were worn, presented in store fronts, waved in parades, flown at political rallies, and hung from buggy whips.  This particular bandanna was illustrated and sold by a company bearing the name “Lyon Bros.” of Madison, Maine for 85 cents a dozen.

This bandanna is documented in the Threads of History, written by Herbert Ridgeway Collins (see item number 872).  Mr. Collins was the curator of the Division of Political History at the Smithsonian Institution.  His book is the best reference available for political textile collectors and includes over fifteen-hundred examples, dating from 1775 to 1979.  In writing his book, Mr. Collins sent thousands of letters to collectors, museums, and universities, and requested their assistance in his quest to document every known political textile.  One known example referenced in the Threads of History was held in the Dr. Harry Lepman Collection, while a second known example was held in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution.

Parker began his career as an attorney, in private practice, in Kingston, New York.  He went on to be appointed to the New York Supreme Court in 1885, and was elected to the New York Court of Appeals in 1886, the highest court in the state.  He served as the Chief Judge from 1898 until 1904.  As a judge, he exhibited deference to the legislature, a philosophy of strict construction, and a recognition of labor rights.  He was also known for being fair, competent, and courteous.   

Parker had hoped to be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and his record suggests that he would have been qualified for such a position.  But despite Parker’s interest and potential, in 1904, David B. Hill, the former New York governor and United States senator, persuaded him to run for president.  Parker went on to become the nominee for the Democratic Party in the election of 1904, and he ran against Teddy Roosevelt, the nominee for the Republican Party.  Parker campaigned in favor of reducing federal spending, reforming tariffs, investigating public corruption, improving national waterways, and moving to eight-hour workdays. 

Unfortunately for Parker, his campaign was poorly funded and handled.  He ran most of his campaign from his home, and it was only in the final weeks thereof, and upon the insistence of the Democratic Party, that he went on a speaking tour.  In part due to Parker’s mismanaged campaign and in part due to Roosevelt’s charisma, Roosevelt defeated Parker in a landslide.  Roosevelt won 336 electoral votes and 56.4% of the popular vote, while Parker won 140 electoral votes and 37.6% of the popular vote, carrying only the Democratic Solid South.  Eugene Debs of the Socialist Party and Silas Swallow of the Prohibition Party rounded out the remaining substantive portion of the popular vote.

Following the election, Parker returned to practicing law and, in 1906 and 1907, served as the president of the American Bar Association.  In 1910, he managed John Alden Dix’s successful gubernatorial campaign.  In 1912, he delivered the keynote address at the 1912 Democratic National Convention, where Woodrow Wilson was nominated as the presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.  Parker died, in 1926, from a heart attack while riding in a car through New York City’s Central Park.

Conservation Process: This bandanna was hand sewn to cotton fabric, and both were hand sewn to a mounting board.  To prevent the black dye in the cotton fabric from seeping into the bandanna, it was first washed in a standard wash and then in a dye setting wash.  The bandanna is positioned behind Optium Museum Acrylic.

Frame: This offering is in our Medium Black with Gold Accents Frame.    

Condition Report: This bandanna exhibits some minor stains, most notably below the portraits of Parker and Davis.  In other respects, this is a bright, beautiful example.  

Collectability Level: The Great – Perfect for Rising Collectors 
Date of Origin: 1904