The Republican Party, Uncle
Sam, Anti-Communism and Issues of Liberty
1860-1895
A Selection from our 1000
item Thomas Nast collection
Featuring issues of Equal
Rights, Taxes, the Flag, Communism, Elections and Electioneering, anti-Tammany,
Trade, The Russians, Patriotism, and the Stolen Election of 1876, and of,
course, the Democrats
A Beginning Note
on Thomas Nast:
Long considered the greatest American political cartoonist, Thomas
Nast (1840-1902) is most often remembered for his cartoon campaign in the 1870s
against Boss Tweed and New York's corrupt Tammany Hall political machine. After
Nast portrayed Tweed and the Tammany Ring pointing at each other in answer to
the question, "Who stole the people's money?" Tweed is reported to
have demanded, "Stop them damned pictures. I don't care what the papers
write about me. My constituents can't read. But, damn it, they can see pictures."
Nast was offered a half-million dollars to leave New York to study art in
Europe but that only increased his determination. Five years later, in 1876,
another cartoon by Nast would be used by Spanish authorities to identify Tweed
after his escape from New York.
Although his
contribution to bringing down the Tweed Ring would remain the high point of his
career, Nast's influence on American political culture went far beyond and
continues today. Along with the Tammany Tiger, Nast created the G.O.P.
Elephant, popularized the Democratic Donkey, and was the first to portray Santa
Claus as the jolly, rotund, red-nosed character that is so familar today.
Nast's career
continued into the 1890s but after his departure from Harper's Weekly in
1886 he worked primarily on oil paintings and book illustrations. As Arthur
Bartlett Maurice notes in his biographical sketch, it was not uncommon by 1902,
when Nast was appointed consul general at Ecuador, for people to refer to him
as "the late Thomas Nast." Although his major contributions to the
art of political cartooning were all behind him, Nast's work inspired many if
not all of the new generation of political cartoonists who worked for the daily
press in the 1890s and early 1900s.—Jim Zwick, History of Political
Cartooning
A note on image sizes from Harper’s Weekly:
Single, full page illustrations are
generally about 14x19”
Double pages are generally 28x36”
The Absolute Defense of the
Flag
1872
Caption: “General Orders. General Dix: “If any Man
attempts to haul down the American Flag, Shoot him on the Spot!” Harper’s Weekly, full page front cover
(black and white) illustration by Thomas Nast,
21 September 1872.
Very, very strong
image by Nast, featuring the flag on a pole, front-and-center, with Uncle Sam
on guard (bearing arms, holding his rifle in a Civil War-era fashion). The general order is being given by General
Dix, who is pointing at the flag as he utters his irrevocable statement.
The flag is fully
written upon: in the stars area is “The
Union Must and Shall be Preserved”. In
each of the stripes: “One Country one
Flag”, “No Secession of States”, “Down with Rioters”, “Emancipation by
Lincoln”, “Victory over the
Rebellion”, “Honor to the Union Dead,
Honor the Brave”, “Rights of all Men, Black and White”, “Freedom of the Press,
Speech and Caricaturing (!)”, and so on.
In the background lurks the Tammany Hall gang, presumably hunkered over
their own flag. Good condition: a missing
1x1” section of margin at the top has been repaired and replaced, otherwise very
nice. $265 (*$30 as a reprint).
One of Nast’s Sharpest
Attacks and Most Famous Work
1871
Caption: “Wholesale and Retail”. Fine full page woodcut illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 16 September 1871. This two part cartoon features theft at the highest and lowest
levels. Above, Wholesale: Boss Tweed and his cronies leave the New
York City Treasury, satiated, while being saluted by the police. Below, Retail: a destitute man has stolen bread for his starving family and is
being beaten by two cops while his horrified child look on. Nast signs this work in the right-hand
middle of the sheet—one of the very (very) few times that he signs a work so
boldly. He meant it, too. This work is
recognized as one of the great statements of nineteenth century political
cartooning on the distribution of wealth (and poverty). Very good.
$300 (*$30 as a reprint)
A Sequel to Nast’s Great
Cartoon
1871
Caption: “The City Treasury. Empty/Full.
What are you Going to do About It?”.
Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 14
October 1871. Another two-part morality
play featuring the working man vs. thieving rings and swindles. In the first part we see shocked workmen at
the open and empty safe of the New York Treasury, this entitled “Empty to the
Workmen”. On the other side of the safe
is Boss Tweed and cronies at a sumptuous meal merrily drinking their health,
this entitled “the Four Masters that Emptied It”. Great content. Very good
condition. $200 (*$30 as a
reprint).
Terrific Anti-Communist
Message
1879
Caption: “Very Social. After we have killed all Kings and Rulers, we shall be the
Sovereigns. And then we can kill each
other!…” Striking full page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 1 February 1879. Front and center are two large images of
skeletons in cloaks standing before a highly confrontational placard reading
“Dead Head Club [Between large skull and bones] All is ours that Does not
Belong to US. King Killing Association”. To the right is the sign: “Communism means the abolition of
inheritance, the abolition of the family, the abolition of religion and the
abolition of the family”. Very powerful
stuff from Mr. Mast. Very good. $200 (*$30 as a reprint).
A Joker’s Brew of Easy
Money and Bad Credit
1878
Caption: “Ideal Money. Universal Suffrage can, if it likes, repudiate the whole debt; it
can, if it likes, decree soft-soap to be money”. Excellent and complex full page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast
for Harper’s Weekly, 19 January 1878. A
huge barrel of god-knows-what (with a long label starting “Soft-Soap by an Act
of Congress this is Money…”) is being
ladled by a Robin Hood-esque character who smiles at the viewer with evil
intent. This is a very complex image by
Nast with a lot of text: on the rear
wall is “US Treasury, In God we Trust but the Devil is to Pay” among much
else. Very good. $125
Republican National
Convention
1880
Caption: “Republican National Convention” (June 19, 1880). The Republican National Convention at Chicago, from a sketch by
Frank. H. Taylor. Double-page woodcut
illustration from Harper’s Weekly. Very
grand image featuring thousands of people, including some women—and though
there are few women present, they are very prominently and largely (being so
close to the artist they are the largest people illustrated) featured as the
first figures at the extreme lower left.
If you look closely there are two
women leaning over the balcony, cheering—the only people to be doing
so. $145 (*$30 as a reprint)
Lazy Uncle Sam Wonders Why
the World is Passing Him By…
1878
Caption: “Earn More than You Spend”. Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 13 April 1878.
The text of the cartoon reads: “U.S.: How is it that,
living in the most productive country in the world, and with all my
‘law’-making power, I am not
prosperous! Hercules: Go to the Ant, thou sluggard, and find
out”. Uncle Sam lying down, leaning
against a stack of bills (“a bill to make money without working”, among
others), smoking a cigar, his foot caught in a trap, fingers his hair in
thought. Meanwhile, Hercules, carrying
a huge clobbering stick (“Hard Labor/Union”) walks disgustedly away. In the background looms the Capitol dome,
emblazoned with $$, and the motto “Lots of Money and NO work”. Very striking image. Good condition. $150 (*$30 as a
reprint).
The Stolen Election of 1876
Caption: “Compromise Indeed!” Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 27 January 1877.
From another contested Presidential election, at this time still
unresolved, involving much of the same cast of characters. This is one of the most striking of the Nast
cartoon/editorials on the Hayes-Tilden fiasco, and one of the strongest
statements made by Nast on Democrat tyranny.
This image features tow sets of hands surrounded by pro-Tilden
sentiments and accusations. The one set
holds a broadside stating “Tilden/you will have IF/elected/or/BLOOD/you shall
have/if you shed any…” The other set threatens the first with a loaded and
cocked pistol and a whip, the whip hand resting on a broadside
“Tilden/or/BLOOD…”
The Democratic Platform
Missing a Few Planks
1881
Caption: “Watterson in the Field Early. IT requires a long stretch of imagination
and Anatomy”. Corner cartoon (5x5”) by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 1881.
Featured here is candidate Watterson
performing a huge (and uncomfortable) stretch/split to connect the two
sides of the Democratic Platform. The
candidate is pictured on a “Democratic Platform for 1884” with the issue plank
of “Free trade” and “Civil Service” at either end of the platform and then
missing the middle 90% or so. There was
nothing there as far as Nast was concerned.
Very good. $25
The Democrat Donkey Caught
in the Republican Barn
1876
Caption: “Even vicious asses will some day learn”
proclaims artist A.B. Frost’s discerning cartoon, “that to prove vice in others
will not necessarily rebound to their own credit”. Large 24x15” front page illustration by AB Frost for The Daily
Graphic, New York, 27 March 1876. The
image shows large bucking and baying donkey with huge ears, one of which has
been caught in the close door of the Republican barn. The Democrats were at this time preening their interest in the
scandals of the Grant administration, only to be caught later on with their own
mess in New Hampshire (represented here as a trough being kicked over by the
distressed donkey, and then again later still with the stolen election
disaster. Fine condition. $150
Anti-Income Tax and
Anti-Communist
1878
Caption: “Natural History—‘Statesman’, ‘I am at Him’
“.
Harper’s Weekly, 2
March 1878. Featuring a fox with a bow
and arrow, wearing a sash labeled “political communism” with a skull land cross
bones tie), having just shot a beaver (labeled “industrial intelligence” and
who had been building a dam with logs labeled “homes of our industrious middle
class” and :savings of hard labor”), shot with two arrows labeled “Income Tax”
and “Ninety cent silver”. In the
distance is a rhino “wealth” standing before a safe…the apparent target of the
fox, who managed to shoot the close-by beaver instead.
This is a
front-page illustration for Harper’s by Thomas Nast.
Very good
condition. $275 (*$30 as a reprint)
G Washington’s
Nightmare: Uncle Sam Dreaming
Vacantly in front of a Happily
Expectant George III
1878
Caption: “The Two Georges”. A huge, double-page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 23 March 1878. This a
wonderful, very detailed call to action by a very unhappy Thomas Nast. Uncle Sam sits smoking, hair disheveled,
leaning back on the back two legs of a stiff chair, surrounded by elements and
symbols of economic lethargy and uncaring.
He sits before a double portrait of George III and George
Washington—Washington looking downcast and forlorn, while the bemused George
III points chubbily towards U.S. and asks “I say, George—Daddy—is that the free
and enlightened cherub for whom you fought?
Don’t you think you had better write another farewell address to
him?” The Farewell Address is quoted
“we ought to place the public credit on grounds which cannot be
disturbed…”. This is a very detailed,
highly stylized image representing Nast’s contempt for the current economic
situation. In very good
condition. $300 (*$30 as a reprint).
The Presidential Chair
“To be Stolen by the
Democratic Party”
1880
Caption: “Don’t!
A Warning
in Time Saves Nine”. Full front page woodcut illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 17 April 1880. One of the strongest statements made by Nast against the
Democratic Party, this image shows a highly stylized Caesarian-like seat
(Republican?) labeled “Presidential Chair” at bottom but boldly emblazoned “To
Be Stolen by the Democratic Party” on the chair back. The scene is dressed with Democrat failings—a “US Fort Stealings
Sumter 1861” banner hangs on the left and a “Suffrage Stealing, the Ballot Box
1876” hangs on the right. In the
foreground of the empty chair are the shadows of eight ominously reaching
hands. The banners obviously recall the
democrats’ failures in the Civil War and the great Stolen Election of 1876—the
later a true bit of foreshadowing for 2000.
The chair oddly recalls the seat occupied by Lincoln at the
Memorial—indeed the “Government of the People…” quote appears above the chair
in this cartoon—though this chair would not be filled for another 50 years. This is one of Nast’s truest, most powerful,
no-nonsense images. In good condition,
though missing a 2x1” section at the extreme upper left (not affecting any of
the image or title). $300 (*$30 as a
reprint)
The Mighty Republican Oak
1872
Caption: “The Sage of Chappaqua”. Full, front page woodcut illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 29 June 1872.
Uncle Sam stands whittling a cane next to a seated Uncle Tom character,
both of whom are leaning against a huge 10-foot in diameter Republican
Oak. In the foreground is the sage,
Horace Greeley, taking an axe to a felled Democrat tree, “blown over nov 7,
1871, by a severe storm”. The
Democrats’ tree’s stump is labeled “corruption”, “Slavery”, “Tammany” and
“Rebellion”, while fallen tree is incised “Democrat”, “KKK” and “Lost Cause”. Just to the right of the fallen tree is a
stubby Democrat sapling, with a wooden sign labeled “Stunted, May 11, 1872” and
“Split, May 31, 1872” stuck between its two little branches, one marked
“liberal”. The legend reads: “Uncle Tom:
‘I say, Uncle Sam, Massa Horrors Greedey will find it a tough job when
he tries his hand at this (Republican) tree”.
Uncle Sam quietly prepares his switch with a very sharp eye on the
rotund, sweating Greeley. Very good
condition. $175 (*$30 as a reprint)
A Rapier Uncle Sam and the
Weighted Shackle of Income Tax
1878
Caption: “Will he Dare Do It?” Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 2 March 1878.
A skinny, long legged and sniveling Uncle Sam evenly divides this
powerful image. Uncle is fixing a huge
weight (“Income Tax, the more you work the more taxes you must pay”) to a thick
chain which is wound ‘round the neck of an unhappy, bowed, book-toting Common
Man. The Common Man stands before his
symbols of excellence, with a placard in the background reading “Industry,
Self-denial, thrift, knowledge, labor and capital TAXED”. To Uncle is either giving or receiving a
bottle of “free whiskey” from a raucous, partying high-hatted bust-bellied reveler
whose high held hat reveals IOUs and who also wears a COMMUNIST (with skull and
crossbones image) lapel pin. In his
background are barrels of Rum, and whose image is dominated by a placard
reading “Idleness, Vice, Shiftlessness, Ignorance, Free Whiskey”. Just over Uncle’s shoulder is the Capitol,
above which floats the exclaimed legend “put the shutters up”. There is no doubt how Nast felt about the
proposed income tax. A terrific image,
in very good condition. $225 (*$30 as a
reprint).
Uncle Sam Threatens the
Skeletons of the Military
1878
Caption: “Smashing and Tinkering. U.S.
‘You are not getting tired of this?”
Fine full page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly,
16 March 1878. Nast attacks the
Matthews resolution which threatened the size and structure of the US Armed
forces. In this unforgiving image Uncle
Sam is shown seated on a stool with a red hot poker in his hands—before him are
two standing skeletons, one for the Army and one for the Navy, each of which is
dressed in the uniforms of the service.
Everywhere in the image are Nast’s powerful sentiments: “More Congressmen wanted/No Pay for the Army
& Navy”, “Treason is a Virtue/Patriotism is a Crime”, “reduction in
Unifrom/Reduction in Pay”, “This country must be so very free that it will not
need any army, navy or police”, and so on.
I’m not sure what Uncle intends to do with the poker, but it surely
isn’t going to be good—the quote “You are not getting tired of this?” is Sam’s
question to the skeletons, as he holds the hot poker before them. The skeletons, for all they have been
through, stand at attention---the Army skeleton’s boney fingers holds the
turned-out pockets of his trousers.
Very good condition. $225 (*$30 as a reprint)
The Communist as a
Wrinkled, Warted Toad
1878
Caption: “The Quack Frog.. Fox: “How can you pretend
to prescribe for others, who are unable to heal your own lame guilt and
wrinkled skin?”
Harper’s Weekly,
May 25, 1878. Full page illustration by
Thomas Nast.
In the foreground
is a large toad with a large sash labeling it as “communist”, with a skull and
crossbones sash-tie. The toad is also
leaning on a flagstaff with a flag “The Symbol of Universal Human Love”
bedecked with a French (?) revolutionary freedom cap emblazoned with another
skull and crossbones. . Very good condition. $125 (*$30 as a reprint).
Strong Repudiation of Bad
Journalism
1878
Caption: “One More Democratic Plot. Ink-ling to Steal Another Seat from
Republicans”. Fine corner cartoon
(5x5”) by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 1878. We see on the Senate floor the chair of Senator Kellogg being hit
and badly splattered (a la Ralph Steadman) by a huge pot of ink (labeled
“Hill’s Report”). Very good. $25
Magnificent, Powerful Image
Law and Order as an Armed Woman!
Caption: “The Duty of the Hour” Full page illustration by Thomas Nast in
Harper’s Weekly,
“I am CUT but NOT
DEAD”. “Law and Order”, depicted as a
woman, probably Liberty, armed with a sword, mad as hell, and marching
over/stepping upon a demon labeled, variously, “inflation”, “riot”, “treason”,
“lies”, “rings”, “corruption”, “fraud”.
Law and Order is a labeled sword in the hand of the woman, her headdress
with feathers labeled “Honest Money Got Honestly”, “Free Public Schools”,
“Duty”, “Honest Press”, and “Civil Service”.
In the background a small war is being waged; under the US flag are good
looking soldiers, labeled “the People”; on the opposite side, under a banner
reading “Death to the Republic”, is a riotous crew. Columbia is marching, headed straight forward, into a bayonet
labeled “CSA”. She’s pretty
fighting-mad. Fine condition. $250
(*$30 as a reprint).
The Elephant in Dire
Straits!
1877
Caption: “The Off Year”. Full page cover for Harper’s Weekly, November 17, 1877, by Thomas
Nast. The Republican Elephant—eye
patched, trunk bandaged—is falling through a rotten bridge into a
crevasse. The bridge’s planks, rotten
as they are, are labeled “Communism” and “tricky Currency”. Riding atop the symbol is Matthew’s,
stabbing the elephant in the head with a climbing tool. The elephant is heading over a bridge
labeled “O-Hi-O Bridge, or the Republican Platform”. The Great Symbol’s eye is shocked! Very good condition. $150
(*$30 as a reprint)
The Corrupt Politician
Voting and Receiving Graft at the Same Time
Bribery in the halls, on the very floor, of
Congress
1876
Caption: “The Political Problem: the Law Maker and the Law Breaker, One and
Inseparable”. Front, full page
illustration by Thomas Nast, April 15, 1876.
Very fine illustration of the legislator, on his tip toes, rising from
his Congressional chair to proclaim “Bills to Punish Bribery and Corruption” in
one hand while his back hand accepts money and “bogus claims” from
treacherous-looking folks lurking, literally, behind the scenes. Very good condition. $175
(*$30 for the reprint)
The Democrats’ “Hotel de
Rum”
1880
Caption: “Resumption of Honest Money and Work”. Front, full-page illustration by Thomas Nast
for “Harper’s Weekly”, 25 September 1880.
We see here a very industrious woodworker planing a large board while
a (drunken) “Political Loafer” distracts him, calling for a “change” (the
great Democrat call-to-arms of the year).
Over the Loafer’s shoulder is “Hotel de Rum” which is flying a
Democratic party banner. Industrious,
working population vs. boozy democrats seems to be the message here. Very good condition. $125
(*$30 for the reprint)
The Communist as a Free
Love, Torch Bearing Deadhead Skeleton
1880
Caption” “Social Science Solved” “The Modern Archimedes: Eureka, Eureka! ‘Constant Vigilante Committee is the price of liberty in San
Francisco”. Front, full page illustration
by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 10 April 1880.
This is Nast’s
association between the San Francisco Vigilance Committee, Communism and Mob
Law. The image is very striking: a fully dressed skeleton wields a torch
(“anarchy”), carries a sword, and wears a “Communist” sash and a top hat with
“Deadhead” on the band and a flower in the stove saying “Free love”. In the Communist’s leaf hand is a scroll
reading: Mob LAW/The New Constitution
of California/Kearneyism/other people’s homes, savings, land, property, lives,
capital and honest labor all Common Stock”.
In this very busy,
very detailed woodcut Nast finds the time and the energy to add a small,
inconspicuous patch to the Communist’s shoe.
Very good condition. $250 (*$30
as a reprint).
Aliens in Prison: the More Times Change….
1892
A fine thematic
map, 14”x22”, 1892; printed in colors, under the direction of F.P.
Sargeant, of the Bureau of
Immigration.
This terrific
thematic map was printed (via color lithograph by the ubiquitous Julius Bien of
Philadelphia) in 1892 and shows the number and type of aliens (foreign-born )
in prison in all of the state reformatories and “charitable institutions” in
the U.S. The bottom line here is that
there were 25,000 of these folks in prison at the time when the population of
the United States was about 35 million.
These figures in equivalent terms of 2003 population figures would place
about 200,000 foreign-born in U.S. jails, or about an eighth of the total
inmate population.
Fine
condition. $350 (*$30 as a reprint)
The Border Crossing: Defense Against Pancho Villa
1913
Caption: “The United States’ Interest in Mexico: USA Cavalry Searching Mexicans for Arms
before allowing them to pass into their own country—at El Paso, on the United
States side of the Rio Grande”. Front,
full page illustration for The Illustrated London News for 1 March,
1913. The image shows a cavalryman,
easily laid on his shoulder, inspecting an at-attention Mexican in front of the
bridge leading over the Rio Grande. A
dog scoots by as a couple of seated soldiers look
The Dainty Ferocity of the
French-Lioned Poodle
1878
Caption: “Every Dog has His Day. This Dog’s will be Very Short”. Corner cartoon by Thomas Nast (5”x5”) in Harper’s Weekly for 25 June,
1878. The illustration features a
beastly coifed poodle shorn to resemble a lion—except of course for the dog’s
Van Dyke. The dog is chained to a
doghouse labeled “Bier Halle” (the Poodle was originally a German breed), with
a broadside warning behind reading “Vive la Commune! Beware or the Lion will be let Loose”. Very good condition.
$75 (*$30 as an 11x13” reprint)
Fair Liberty vs. the Coarse
Centaur Cossack
1878
Caption: “Halt, Cossack—so far but no further!” Large double-page woodcut engraving by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 30 June 1878.
Trident-armed and heavily shielded Liberty crosses weapons with a
spear-toting Centaur Cossack. To the
left of Liberty is a neo-classical building titled “Civilization”; to the right
of the Cossack, in smaller, sloppier and darker tones is a minaret and
half-moon-doomed structure. Nast as
some nasty (sorry) bits of weed and root to the Cossack’s spear to further
underscore his filthy bearing. Good condition, $175
The Rising of the Dead—The
Democrat Party
The Democrat Skeleton Asks “How long shall
we be allowed to stay above-ground?”
1874
Caption: “The Rising of the Dead”, being a
Conversation between two Democrat Skeletons, the Tammany and the
Manhattan. Full page illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 12 December, 1874.
Here we see a graveyard, with two skeletons—one in formal dress, the other in
prison stripes—conversing at the grave marked “Here Lies the Democrat
Party”. The Tammany skeleton—holding
his monocle with raised pinky under a top hat—asks the seated prison-garbed
skeleton “how long shall we be allowed to stay above-ground?” The Manhattan, prisoner skeleton responds
that they are around only to stand trial.
There a re a number of other gravestones around the scene titled
“Inflation”, “Manhattan Club”, “Southern Claims”, “Tammany Hall”, “Slavery”,
“The Pure White Man that thought he was his own government”, “war issues”, and
of course “Democrat Party. In the
foreground is there open, waiting grave.
Nast could not be accused of subtly here.
Good condition. $175
Liberty is Not Anarchy!
1886
Caption: “Liberty is Not Anarchy”. Full page woodcut by Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 4 September 1886. Very
strong image of the hands and forearms of Liberty with a —one hand, holding the
sword, is rolling up her sleeve as if to take care of business. In the other
hand we see a collection of seven gents who we assume to be of a
communist/socialist nature. Very good
condition. $150
The Democrat Donkey as
Rollicking Pan
“We Must Spoil Everything”
1881
Caption: “Pan-ic in Session. Death to Us (The People) and fun for them
(Statesmen)”
Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 21 September 1881.
A wonderful,
involved image featuring the Democrat
Donkey, front and center, as a donkey-headed pot-bellied pan-playing
cloven-hoofed Pan, sitting atop the Capitol dome. As foxes and vultures
flourish in their capital-chasing capacity in the background. Above the donkey are three very visible
signs, hanging from an enormous and vulture encrusted tree: “We Must Spoil Everything”, “To the Victor
Belong the Spoils”, and “All Business must be under control of the
Statesmen”. In the foreground lie a
number of broken planks: “High Taxes
for the People”, “Laws against the People”, “Low interest for the People”, as
well as bags of spoils money being guarded by foxes. Very good condition. $175
The Democrat Cry: “Change is Necessary”
“Prosperity is a Curse”
“Don’t Forget to Upset an Honest Election”
1880
Caption: “The Height of English’s Ambition”. Full, front page illustration by Thomas Nast
for Harper’s Weekly, 30 October 1880.
The Democrat stands before the White House, in front of a wall filled with broadsides,
the principal one being labeled “A Change is Necessary” (the Democrat
battle-cry for the presidency in 1880).
Under this heading are “Upset Everything—business, houses, workshops,
factories/banks, honest money, mines/trade, commerce, farming/and don’t forget
to upset an honest election” and signed “yours truly, Democracy”. Very good condition, $125
Unhappy Uncle Sam Sits Atop
a Giant (Congress) Snail
1877
Caption: “The Lightning Speed of Honesty”. Full page illustration for Harper’s Weekly
by Thomas Nast, 24 November 1877. A
mighty peeved Uncle Sam sits on top of a huge snail labeled “45 Congress”. Uncle has a number of bills in his hands and
pockets and a scowl on his face. The
whole glacial scene takes place in a swampy environment in front of the Capitol
dome. Very good condition, $175
The Democrat: a Ravenous, Ballot Box-Devouring Tiger
1879
Caption: “The Bulldozer”, full, front page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 10 May 1879. The dominating text here introduces the
scene: “the Democrat tiger does not
intend to stop till he has devoured the last vestige of a free and honest
election”. That said, the image
contains a lurking teeth-bared tiger in a swampy foreground with a bull’s skull
(“Southern States’ elections”) and ripped (“Southern”) ballot box at its
feet. In the background looms the US Capitol,
while standing before it, eyeing the tiger warily, stands the “Northern States
Elections” bull, with the “Federal Elections U.S.” bull standing further
away. Very good condition. $150
(*$30 as a reprint).
The Independent Senator
Crushes the Fence he Straddled
1879
Caption: “The David Davis Boom”. Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 21 June 1879.
A lesson to the future:
independent Senator David Davis sits in the foreground atop the fence he
straddled, crushed under his own enormous girth. The Senator sits in a “what happened?” posture, with “Republican
Party” and “Democrat Party” bills on each side of his stretched vest, as the
two parties battle in the background under the shadow of the Capitol dome. Very good condition. $75
A Starving Uncle Sam and
Republican Simplicity
1876
Caption: “Republican Simplicity”. Full, front page woodcut illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 26 February 1876. A down-and-out Uncle Sam--patched pants upturned hat waiting for
handouts—scrawls “I AM STARVING” on the sidewalk in front of him as world
leaders look on. Behind him is the
legend “Uncle Sam’s Andersonville for his Servants at Home and Abroad”, further
explaining that Uncle’s dire straits are brought about by the feeding of
foreigners and fellow statesmen (“a la Tweed”). The surrounding foreign dignitaries are interested but
emotionless—and it looks as though Uncle Sam has just finished chalking a bald
eagle skeleton. Good condition. $150
(*#30 as a reprint)
Uncle Sam Crushes the New
Democratic Slate
1876
Caption: “The Minuteman—fixed by the Spirit of
‘76”. Full front page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 1 April 1876. A wicked anti-Democrat attack by Nast
following their victory in the New Hampshire primary. Uncle Sam is depicted strong and steadfast, rifle in hand, jaw
set, his hat filled with feathers bearing Republican sentiments, and stepping on and crushing a slate board
labeled “The New Democratic Slate”. To
his right a fleecy lamb with a “New Hampshire Primary” ribbon around its neck
leaps into the air—it casts two shadows, one its own, the other that of a
donkey and perhaps a third of a bear.
Very good condition. $150 (*#30
as a reprint)
A Congressionally-Induced
Andersonville for the US Army
1879
Caption: “History repeats itself—a little too
soon”. Full front page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 12 April 1879. Nast presents us here with a forlorn Uncle
Sam seated upon an empty safe with a skeleton dressed in a Civil War uniform in
a stockade built by Congress, whose interior looms in the background. A flag hangs over the stockade, reading
“Starving Out Policy/No appropriations for the Support of the U.S. Army…for the
next fiscal year”. The safe that Uncle
sits is open and empty, with a role spilling out entitled “Appropriations for
Legislative, Executive and Judicial Expenses”.
The seated skeleton infantry looks to Uncle Sam and says of the
situation: “Uncle, this reminds me of
Andersonville”. Very good
condition. $125 (*$30 as a reprint)
The Triumphant Elephant
Pulverizes the Tammany Tiger
1876
Caption: “The Elephant Walks Around—and the ‘Still
Hunt’ is Nearly Over”. Full page
woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 26 October 1876. Nast draws a very tall, very big Republican
Elephant here—on its side is a large US emblem emblazoned “The republican Vote
Solid Union” while Uncle Sam lays atop its head, with the nonchalance of a
driver needing to do nothing, as if biding his time. The elephant stands on top of a two-headed Tammany Tiger,
squashed into submission. On the back
of the elephant rides a caravan filled with school children, the side of which
reads “The Public Schools ABC of our Republic”). Very good image. $175
(*$30 as a reprint).
A Nasty Little Image of the
Democrat Donkey
1878
Caption: “Whoa—Greenback the Weaver. His frantic delight at being recognized by
the Speaker of the inflated Democratic House”.
A Corner cartoon (5x5”) by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 1878. A twisted Donkey (the head of a donkey and
body of a man) flails as it is recognized to speak in the House. Around its shoulders is a banner
“Revolutionary Resolutions to Ruin the Nation’s credit”. Very good.
$30
The Road to the White House
A Sleepy Elephant vs. a Dopey Donkey who
tries to Leap into the Crevasse of “Financial Chaos”
1880
Caption: “Stranger things Have Happened”. Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 27 December 1879.
Little here is left to speculation by Nast who contends that the
suicidal Dems may yet save themselves and step over the sleepy Republicans to
win the White House in 1880. In the
foreground is the Democrat donkey, smilingly leaping into a crevasse labeled
“Financial Chaos” and being kept just barely from doing so by candidate Bayard,
who just manages to keep the animal from the abyss by holding onto its
tail. Up ahead on the road to the White
House (which appears in the background) is the Republican Pachyderm, asleep at
the switch, its head resting against a rock labeled “Let Well Enough
Alone”. Very good image. $120
(*$30 as a reprint)
The Crash of a Scarred, Injured Elephant
1878
Caption: “Stand from Under!” Large, double-page woodcut illustration by
Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 26 January, 1878. A big, highly worked and very
detailed “wow” image from Nast, assailing his party to action. Here we see headless but posturing statesmen
at the bottom of a narrow canyon past whose walls falls (and is about to land)
a butt-first, bandaged, beaten elephant.
The walls of the canyon read “Our national credit”, “bankruptcy”,
“taxation”, “Silver movement”, “$outhern Claims”, and other Republican
problems. Set to cascade and follow the
elephant atop the crevasse are leaning structures labeled “insurance, work
shop, trade, school, bank”. If Nast
didn’t like what he saw he would take the issue to task, regardless of party
affiliation. Good condition, though
with a few repaired tears. $150 (*$30
as a reprint)
Justice Bound in Red Tape
1875
Caption: “Our Modern Mummy”. Front page illustration by Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 16 October 1875.
Striking image by Nast featuring a mummified-in-red-tape Justice “The
Supreme $ Court”, while, dressed as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Tammany Hall and the Canal Ring have a broad
laugh at her expense. Very good
condition. $100
Anti Income Tax Message
1878
Caption: “The Tramp Period”, full page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 4 May 1878. Beehives and bears dominate this image—the
three big hives labeled “Industry” are under threat by three bears, the middle
of who has a poking stick called “Income Tax—War Measure”. A scared Uncle Sam peeks around the
corner. There is simply no missing the
message in this medium. Very good. $100
Savage Attack on the
Democrat Platform
1869
Caption: “Democrat’s Platform Made Easy”, double-page
woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 6 November, 1869. Brutal frontal assault by Nast on the
Democrats in a very complex, 17-panel image.
Issues on the skewer here include abusing blacks (in three panels),
indebtedness, reduction of the army (showing a lone soldier defending women and
children against Indians and [in a very early appearance] bloody knifed KKK
clansmen), defense of the Stars and Bars, and so on. Pretty strong stuff. This
copy has various nicks and tears, and is, at best, a near-good copy. $75
The Republicans Carry the
Country
1879
Caption: “The Outlook, the republicans will carry
it”, small (5x5 inches) corner illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly,
27 September 1879. The illustration
shows a map of the United States on top of the Republican symbol—the trunk and
tail of which puncture the map (at Maine and California, respectively) to make
it more portable and supportable.
Excellent. $75
The Elephant Navigates the
Third Term Plank
1875
Caption: “The Third Term Trap. USG: ‘If that don’t fetch the animal, governor,
don’t blame me anymore”. Full
page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 20 June 1875. President Grant
sits on one edge of a canyon while the wary elephant, on the canyon’s other
side, thinks mightily about crossing to the other side on Grant’s third term
plank. Grant holds a placard of The
Press’s concern over Caesarism—one of a menu of concerns that gives the
elephant pause. Very good condition. $75
The Liberal Platform
transfused with Republican Blood?
1875
Caption: “The Proposed Political Transfusion of
Blood…” Front page woodcut illustration
by A.B. Frost for the Daily Graphic, 20 May 1875. The Liberal Party lays terribly sick in bed, the attending
physician, seated nearby and taking his pulse, pronounces him “dreadfully weak,
pulse small, anemic conditions, no blood!
Take some from these strong fellows…choose quick, you die if you
don’t!” Standing by at their
transfusionary best are the “dem party”
(in dress pants, vest, cravat and fob) and “republican party” (in collarless
plaid work shirt, broad pants stuffed into heavy work books, and Lincoln
beard).
Fine
condition. $100
A Roaring Elephant on the
Remains of Tammany Hall
1875
Caption: “Tammany Down Again—the Reform Trap Smashed”. Full page woodcut illustration by Thomas
Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 20 November 1875.
The great elephant celebrates here atop the splinters of Tammany’s
Waterloo—Uncle Sam dances and yells in celebration as rats scamper from the
Hall’s wreckage. Very good
condition. $150 (*$30 as a reprint)
The Stubborn “Democratic
Ass” Refuses the Starting Line in the Great Political Race
1876
Caption: “The Democratic Ass in the Political Race”. A front page woodcut illustration for The
Daily Graphic, 30 June 1876. Says the
Donkey: “Oh, go away. Why do you want to bother a poor ass like
me! I don’t want to eat Dana’s reform
oats. I want a square meal of good old
corruption thistles if I’ve got to run against the Republican horse with Hayes
upon it…’ware my heels, I’m about to kick!”
Here we see the Democratic challenger Tilden on a mighty little donkey
(whose ears are three times the length of its body) refusing to come near the
starting line, as the majestic Hayes and his stallion impatiently wait. Very nice, complex image. $100
The Honest Ballot Box—The
Democrats’ Greatest Nightmare
1879
Caption: “The Democratic Dilemma: by the Apostle Paul, shadows tonight, have
struck more terror to the soul of Richard, than can the substance of ten
thousand soldiers”—Shakespeare. A full
page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 10 May 1879. Nast again attacks the veracity of the
Democrats by depicting the “Solid South”, at home in bed, under the covers and
cowering against the large and fearsome image of “an honest ballot box”.
The ballot box image further reads:
“only one vote for each citizen to be counted only as one”. The frightened Democrat holds the covers in
front of his face, having the courage to bare only one anguished eye. His possession—a crown labeled “Solid
South”, spurred and kingly boots, a pistol, a mace (originally called a
Morgenstern)—are at his bedside table, while on the floor (and apparently irresistible to Nast) sits his problematic chamber
pot. Nast spent a good deal of effort
reminding his readers—year after year—that the fiasco of 1876 could not be
tolerated in the future. Good
condition. $175 (*$30 as a reprint)
The Political Merry-go-round
1876
Caption: “Merry-Go-Round for the White House
Bound”. This is a very appealing image
for the front page of The Daily Graphic, 19 May 1876, featuring a 9-horse
attraction enclosed by a nice octagonal
wooden fence. The nine (!) riders—Bayard, Conkling, Tilden, Thurman,
Bristow, Hayes, Morton, Blaine, Allen—were contenders for the presidency…nine
candidates with only five months to go…
Fine condition. $100
The Pot Calling the Kettle
Black
1876
Caption: “The Rival Political Potties”. Full page woodcut illustration for The Daily
Graphic, New York, 20 March 1876. An
illustration featuring the Democrat Pot and the Republican kettle having at it,
accusing each other of common sins. Very tall (24”) and in very good
condition. $100
The Leaking Democrat Ship
Sets to the Presidential Sea
1876
Caption: “Dreadful Condition of Two Candidates Soon
to be ‘At Sea’ “. Very large and
detailed illustration by Weldon for the Daily Graphic, 31 August 1876. This image features the two Democrat
contenders for the White House about to board a highly problematic ship
(“Democrat) for their high seas adventure.
The ship, first of all, is overburdened with baggage variously named: “Hamburgh Massacre”, “New York City Rings”,
“Opposition to the Abolition of Slavery”, “Greenback Heresy”, “bourbonism”,
“Alton & Terre Haute RR Bonds, and the like. AT the end of the plank stand the candidates—Hendricks with his “rag baby” strapped to his back
along with a satchel of candle ends and a box of cheese pairings; Tilden with
his bundles of reforms and pillboxes.
Tilden: “Bad lookout for us Hendricks.
The old ship seems to have all it can carry, and the very rats are
deserting it. It’ll go down, sure, when
you get your rag baby and other traps and my reforms and income returns on
it. Pity we can’t go without ‘em, but
we can’t”. Fine condition. $100
The Elephant Triumphant
1880
Caption: “The Republican Pachyderm Alive and Kicking
Pushed Things…” Front full page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 20 November 1880. The
overjoyed elephant celebrates at the edge of a cliff over which he has just
shoved the Tammany tiger (in bits and pieces) as well as some other
enemies. At the same time he is giving
the boot to some other fiends from behind.
A sunburst at the horizon’s edge reads “A Nation” for the
celebration. The elephant is not
without some fault: the smallest bit of
its tail has snapped off—this bit labeled “New Jersey”.
Thomas Nast signs
the artwork “Th. Nast, Not from New Jersey”.
Diogenes Looking for the
Honest Newspaper
1876
Caption: “Diogenes Still Looking—‘We are the
Gentlemen you are in Search of”. Full
page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 15 April, 1876. Diogenes descends stairs (with the Capitol
dome in the background), lamp in hand, peering intently for the Honest
Man. All that is present are the human
embodiments of newspapers, a baker’s
dozen in all, who bow to Diogenes to accept the mantel of the person for whom
he seeks. The (literally) Newspaper
Men—with newspaper bodies and heads and human arms and legs—have unflattering
banners and headlines from some of the
famous hoaxes, frauds and gossip papers of the day. “The New York Hoax” newspaper has a picture of animals (referring
to the story of zoo animals escaped and on the rampage in NYC); the “New York
Moon” on the reporting of intelligent life on the Moon; the “New York
Trib(ulation)” called “the most (mis)leading paper in America”; the “Chicago
Daily Pernicious Gossip Times; “The Daily Slanderer”; “the Daily Rumor”; “the
Washington Hatchet”, and so on.
Very good
condition. $125
The Monster Wave That
Upsets the Liberal/Democrat Boat
1872
Caption: “That ‘Tidal Wave’—We are on the Home
Stretch”. Fine double-page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 26 October 1872. Nast portrays a Liberal tragedy, showing a
broken boat (“Liberal” on the stern and “Democrat” on the bow) upturned and
spewing its dozens of passengers into heavy waves. Making their way from the boat are the leading Liberal and
Democrat leaders of the day. This is a
sweeping and strong image from the non-Democrat Nast. Good condition. $150
Democrats as a Disguised
and Threatening Wolf
1872
Caption: “The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing. ‘They propose to renew the fight, but not
with gun and saber. They expect to
regain, as Democrats, through elections, the power they lost as rebels through war’—H.
Greeley”. Full page woodcut
illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 14 November 1872. The Democrat wolf (with a “KKK and CSA”
medallion around its neck) advances on a herd of sheep, the shepherd being
Liberty, and Liberty being guarded by a tenacious, knife-wielding Uncle Sam. In the background is the Capitol dome and
half-finished Washington Monument. Of
some interest: a black sheep labeled
“NC”. Good condition. $125
A Great Democrat Pleads
with the Devil
1872
Caption: “ ‘Satan, Don’t Get Thee Behind Me!’—Any
thing to get possession”. A great,
double-page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 17 April
1872. Horace Greeley is shown here on
his knees on an overlook, pleading with a classic-looking Satan, theoretically
selling his soul to gain “possession” of the White House (the image of which
along with other symbols of power are in the valley beneath the overlook). Satan holds a scroll (an agreement?), titled
“Democrat (Declar)ation”, offering “Democrats the Presidency of the United
States”. Very good image. $200
The Country Going to the
Dogs?
1880
Caption: “Our Republic is Always ‘Going to the
Dogs’—According to those who can not run it”.
Fine full page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly,
15 May 1880. Executed in the midst of
the race of 1880, Nast gives us a politician making a speech on a stump to a
group of 20 crying dogs. There is a
fence on which a placard proclaims “The Whole Country is Going to the Dogs” and
against which a smirking and knowing Uncle Sam surveys the sight. The politician directly referenced here is
Ohio Senator Thurman (and in general
the out-of-office Democrats). Very good
condition. $100
US Grant Survives a Barrage
Accusatory Arrows
1872
Caption: “Vindicated! Sweeping Accusations”.
Woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for Harper’s Weekly, 29 June
1872. Republican U.S. Grant is scene in
the doorway of the White House receiving a handshake from a hat-in-hand Uncle
Sam, both under a banner proclaiming “For President, Ulysses S. Grant, of
Illinois. For Vice President, Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts”. In the foreground is Liberty (I believe) in
the garb of a cleaning woman, sweeping away the broken arrows of accusations,
seemingly broken against and by the indomitable Grant. The arrows feathers are labeled “envy”,
“hate”, “slander”, “malice”, “spite”, etc.
In the dust of the sweeping is a copy the newspaper “The New York
Liar”. Good condition. $125
consider:
One of the Archers Against
Grant Breaks his Bow
1872
Caption: “The Last Shot of an Honorable Senator from
Massachusetts—he pulled the long bow once two often”. Oddly effective full page woodcut illustration by Thomas Nast for
Harper’s Weekly, 22 June 1872. A
companion to the Grant item above, this cartoon portrays Charles Sumner, in
Roman toga, attempting to shoot an arrow at Grant, who stands in the background
on the porch of a flag-flying White House (and standing next to Liberty as
well). Sumner has taken a mighty pull,
but the fully extended bow has broken, and the arrow (whose feathers are labeled
“malice” and “hate”) falls pitifully to earth.
This is a very strong image, and also one that could be appreciated by
people (i.e. “voters”) who could not read, as it speaks for itself. Reaching the barely literate reader was one
of Nast’s greatest talents. Very
good. $125
A Presidential Candidate
Undone by the Potential Voters He Has Killed
