EXCEEDINGLY RARE 1.25" SIZE OF THE ROOSEVELT ARK BUTTON LIKELY A SALESMAN'S SAMPLE.
Bidding has ended for this item.
Thank you for visiting our past auction results. If you have an identical (or similar) to this auction item, please call or contact us to discuss. We look forward to speaking with you.
Winning Bid:
$3,504.60
(Includes 18% Buyer's Premium)
Bidding Ended:
Tuesday, November 14, 2017 10:00:00 PM (20 Minute Clock Begins At Tuesday, November 14, 2017 10:00:00 PM)
Item Description
This wonderfully designed Whitehead & Hoag button comes in a large 1.75" size with text "The Goerke Co. / Welcome". That button is unlisted in Hake and we've been able to document only three sales over the last decade or so. Each of the three had small condition issues and yet the prices realized spanned $7,000 to just over $10,000. This button is known in the hobby as "Teddy (or TR) in the Ark" and its production was inspired by TR's return to America from his African safari and European travels to a "Welcome" celebration held in New York City June 18, 1910. The button offered here was previously unknown to us and we cannot find any transactions in the hobby for this 1.25" version which is complete with its W&H back paper. This is one of only two examples sold earlier this year by a Pittsburgh general goods auction house commissioned to sell estate items from a man who was once (nearly 100 years ago) the Pittsburgh area salesman for W&H. We cannot explain why the larger 1.75" button with Goerke text is so rare but we suspect this 1.25" without any text was a sample provided by the home office in Newark to its Pittsburgh agent. The deep cream background color is as produced with the only significant age tone limited to the very top edge from about 11 o'clock on the left to one o'clock on the right and going inward less than 1/8". The only other marks, barely visible, are two dots to right of TR's trunk and two dots, again all but invisible, on the very extreme edges at 3 and 9 o'clock. The darker tan marks above the left and right mountain peaks represent palm trees in the distant background and are not stain. The button has minimal surface wear under magnification, full gloss, perfect centering and fabulous color. In the bow of the ark are six happy and smiling animals including: hippo, giraffe, lion, zebra, a second lion and a rhino. TR sits astride the ark's cabin roof in his safari outfit holding his rifle and smiling broadly with prominent teeth beneath his iconic pince nez glasses. In the background his upper most steamer trunk is labeled "T. R. / U.S.A." This is likely one of those once in a lifetime opportunities to own one of the best ever designed buttons which is also incredibly rare.
Pictures (click images to zoom in)
Review your bid and press the Confirm Your Bid button below. Important: By confirming your bid, you are agreeing to purchase the item listed below if you are the winning bidder.
You haven't placed any bids.
