© 2003 Marni Landes.

Political Jewelry

The most common form of jewelry are pins with names and slogans spelled out in rhinestones. These are mainly twentieth century items and most are not expensive. Of course, any item for certain candidates is rare and, therefore, costly. Two extremely rare forms of jewelry are the sulfide brooches and cameo brooches. Brooches were used mainly between 1820 and 1850. They are small metal-framed pictures, no more than an inch and a half square, with cameos of candidates or with hand-painted scenes.

William Henry Harrison brooch, 1840

(L to R) Wendell Wilkie rebus, 1940; Carry Nation , c. 1915; John Kennedy rocking chair, 1960; Lyndon Johnson , 1964; Herbert Hoover, 1932; James Cox, Lapel Stud, 1920; John Kennedy, P.T. Boat, 1960; William McKinley , hanger, 1896; Patriotic war symbol, 1945; John Kennedy, Democratic symbol, 1960; George Romney , Hopeful, 1968; Gerald Ford, 1976; Bill Clinton, Saxophone, 1992; 9-11, 2001