Matchbook case, Dwight Eisenhower, 1952
Object Details
- associated person
- Eisenhower, Dwight D.
- Description
- William Howard Taft was the first presidential candidate to print matchbooks (first patented in 1892) and they were a common campaign giveaway for decades. This decorative metal case for Dwight Eisenhower’s 1952 campaign was designed to hold a book of safety matches. The opening under his nickname “Ike” provided access to the matchbook’s striker strip. Eisenhower, the Republican candidate in 1952 and 1956, defeated his Democratic opponent Adlai Stevenson both times.
- Credit Line
- Ralph E. Becker Collection of Political Americana
- ID Number
- PL.227739.1952.X140
- catalog number
- 227739.1952.X140
- accession number
- 227739
- Object Name
- Matchbook Cover
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- gold (overall color)
- Measurements
- overall: 2 in x 1 3/4 in x 1/4 in; 5.08 cm x 4.445 cm x .635 cm
- See more items in
- Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection
- Government, Politics, and Reform
- American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith
- Exhibition
- American Democracy
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- general subject association
- Political Campaigns
- classified
- Novelty
- Record ID
- nmah_529443
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a3-56a5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Related Content
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.