Pinback button promoting John W. Davis for president, 1924. The Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark, New Jersey.
Heavily infiltrated by the Ku Klux Klan, the Democratic Party of the 1920s was divided between a pro-Klan southern faction, which backed William McAdoo for the 1924 nomination, and an anti-Klan northeastern faction, led by New York governor Alfred Smith. Deadlocked until the 103rd ballot, the convention ended up nominating an obscure Wall Street attorney and former congressman, John W. Davis of West Virginia, as a compromise candidate. To increase the ticket's name-recognition, the party nominated Charles W. Bryan, brother William Jennings Bryan, for the vice-presidency.
Absent grassroots support, the ticket inspired no real excitement and consequently little pro-Davis material was issued. As noted by expert Ted Hake, "Davis buttons are even rarer than James Cox buttons." Only a handful of picture designs are known, and these typically bring in excess of $500 at auction.
If you're on a budget and looking to fill the Davis "slot" in your collection, this attractive Whitehead & Hoag design will serve the purpose. We offer a choice example retaining its original back paper.
