Item #41621 Presidential Inauguration / MCMLIII 1953. Dwight D. / Presidential Inauguration / Liquor Bottle EISENHOWER.
Presidential Inauguration / MCMLIII 1953.
Presidential Inauguration / MCMLIII 1953.

Presidential Inauguration / MCMLIII 1953.

(EISENHOWER, Dwight D. / Presidential Inauguration / Liquor Bottle).

Boston: Old Mr. Boston, 1953. Amber glass bottle. 4to (11¼"). Fine. Lacks screwtop. Item #41621

Fine example of this inaugural memento from Eisenhower's first inauguration. Printed entirely in white, with "front side" (does a round bottle have a recto and verso?) bearing large star border within which is an image of the U.S. Capitol and the above-mentioned caption above it in large typeface; below the building is a 4-sentence thumbnail history of the structure. Back side features a large decorative border with shield-bearing American Eagle atop, within which are listed "Presidents of the United States from Washington through Ike, numbered 1 through 34 and with columns showing the state in which each was born, birthdate and year of inauguration. "Souvenir / 1953" is printed on both sides of the bottle's narrow neck. What type of alcoholic beverage this bottle once held is unknown, although "Fine Liquors" is noted alongside the name of the producer. A pristine example -- ironically, from the collection of Ralph G. Newman (1912-98), founder of Chicago's noted Abraham Lincoln Book Shop and a good friend of Eisenhower's opponent, Illinois governor Adlai E. Stevenson II. It was Newman who in 1952 published Stevenson's speech (under his Americana House imprint) "The Stark Reality of Responsibility: The Welcoming and Acceptance Addresses Before the Democratic National Convention 1952." Accompanied by a superb 9" X 7" glossy black and white news agency photograph (International News Photos) depicting Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower cutting into a large celebratory cake. Fine. The original mimeographed caption printed on newsprint paper is present and dated 4 November 1952, noting: "The newly-elected President of the United States, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, cuts his victory cake as his wife, Mamie, looks on. Ceremony took place at Republican headquarters in New York's Hotel Commodore after election returns indicated that General Ike had won by a landslide." An outstanding pair.

Price: $95.00