Charming political textile featuring a depiction of Billy Possum wearing a straw hat and dressed in overalls, smoking a corncob pipe, with crops, a farm, and a small cabin at his back. Including the following phrase: In the Good Old Summer Time / Billy Possum. 18.75 in. square, framed, 19.25 in. square. While many are aware of the origin of the "Teddy Bear," which was named after Theodore Roosevelt as a result of a famous story describing his supposed mercy toward an old bear that he encountered while hunting in Mississippi, the origin of William Howard Taft's mascot, "Billy Possum," is not as widely known. Taft, who was Theodore Roosevelt's preferred Presidential successor in 1908, was a reserved and conservative candidate in contrast with Roosevelt, who was extremely outgoing. Up until 1909, Taft gave political humorists and cartoonists little to work with, but this all changed when he attended a dinner in Georgia where he was served possum. He was quoted on that evening in early 1909 as saying that he was "for possum, first, last, and all the time." This statement took on a life of its own, leading to the birth of "Billy Possum." Cartoonists portrayed Taft as a possum, and the character also appeared on a variety of toys, china, campaign pins and other printed campaign ephemera. Provenance: Jim and Pat Gifford Collection of Political Americana Condition: Some toning to textile; few light stains.
Charming political textile featuring a depiction of Billy Possum wearing a straw hat and dressed in overalls, smoking a corncob pipe, with crops, a farm, and a small cabin at his back. Including the following phrase: In the Good Old Summer Time / Billy Possum. 18.75 in. square, framed, 19.25 in. square. While many are aware of the origin of the "Teddy Bear," which was named after Theodore Roosevelt as a result of a famous story describing his supposed mercy toward an old bear that he encountered while hunting in Mississippi, the origin of William Howard Taft's mascot, "Billy Possum," is not as widely known. Taft, who was Theodore Roosevelt's preferred Presidential successor in 1908, was a reserved and conservative candidate in contrast with Roosevelt, who was extremely outgoing. Up until 1909, Taft gave political humorists and cartoonists little to work with, but this all changed when he attended a dinner in Georgia where he was served possum. He was quoted on that evening in early 1909 as saying that he was "for possum, first, last, and all the time." This statement took on a life of its own, leading to the birth of "Billy Possum." Cartoonists portrayed Taft as a possum, and the character also appeared on a variety of toys, china, campaign pins and other printed campaign ephemera. Provenance: Jim and Pat Gifford Collection of Political Americana Condition: Some toning to textile; few light stains.
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