DALLAS – A stunning 1856 campaign flag for President James Buchanan set a world record at Heritage Auctions on May 13 when it sold for $275,000. It shattered the previous record for a campaign flag sold at auction, set by Heritage in 2009. The flag was the centerpiece of a $1.9 million Americana & Political sale that focused on memorabilia from the nation’s Founding Fathers and other historic figures. Absentee and Internet bidding was available through LiveAuctioneers.
“The previous record of $95,600 was set in November 2009 for an 1860 John Breckinridge portrait flag,” said Jeff Bridgman, the winning bidder and owner of Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques of York County, Pennsylvania.
Colorful campaign banners in the style of American flags were produced for every winning presidential candidate from William Henry Harrison in 1840 up through, at least, Woodrow Wilson. Highly collectible, none is rarer than the 21 1/2-inch by 15-inch flag banner for James Buchanan.
“As thrilling as it was to see it sell, I was not surprised to see this flag set a world record,” said Tom Slater, director of Americana at Heritage. “It is the only Buchanan portrait flag ever to appear at auction and represented a perhaps not-to-be-repeated opportunity for the advanced collector.”
Not only did Bridgman purchase the Buchanan flag, but he also was the winning bidder on a monumental silk banner from the October 1789 parade welcoming the recently installed President George Washington resident to Boston.
“I have never owned an 18th century flag, almost nothing exists of that period, inside or outside of institutions, and this actually had Washington’s name on it,” Bridgman said.
A rare and important Lexington and Concord broadside, reporting on the events which ignited the American Revolution, sold for $162,500.
A remarkable leopard skin saddle pad (below) owned by both George Washington and British Gen. Edward Braddock ended at $150,000 following interest from multiple bidders. Since 1927 the leopard skin pad has been preserved and displayed by the Society of the Sons of the Revolution, until the decision of the organization’s trustees to offer it at this auction.
A 21-inch by 30-inch hand-colored map from 1782 Battle of Yorktown (below) sold for $42,500.
An extraordinary carved large cigar store Indian attributed to the workshop of Samuel Robb sold for $37,500.
A 50-inch-tall metal and terra-cotta maquette of the Statue of Liberty sold for $45,000 to an online bidder utilizing the LiveAuctioneers bidding platform. One side of the model was incised “Modele du Comité No. 37 Bartholdi.”
A rare letter in which President Thomas Jefferson writes to writes to Georgia Gov. John Milledge regarding the removal of the Cherokees from Georgia as a consequence of the Louisiana Purchase made $93,750.
A 17-inch by 13-inch oil on canvas painting of George Washington meeting at Fraunces Tavern ended at $35,000.
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