Hake’s political Americana auction spotlights rare campaign buttons and RFK signature

Hake’s Political Americana Premier Auction #248 is open online through Nov. 17 and features major American presidential campaign memorabilia, led by a rare 1920 Cox & Roosevelt jugate button and a poster signed by Robert F. Kennedy minutes before his 1968 shooting in Los Angeles. The sale also includes JFK material and select Anglo-American ceramics.

Why it matters: - The auction brings together high-end political memorabilia that tracks major moments in American election history. - Top lots include scarce campaign buttons tied to Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. - The sale also includes early Anglo-American ceramics that appeal to the same collector base.

What happened: - Hake’s Political Americana Premier Auction #248 is online and open for bidding through Tuesday, Nov. 17. - The auction opened on Oct. 27, with lots closing on Nov. 17 starting at 9:40 p.m. ET. - Hake’s says the sale is highlighted by a 1920 Cox & Roosevelt “Americanize America” jugate button, JFK and RFK items, and a selection of Anglo-American ceramics. - The full illustrated catalog is available online, and bidding is open at the auction catalog.

The details: - Lot 324 is the 1920 Cox & Roosevelt “Americanize America” jugate button, with an auction estimate of $35,000 to $50,000. - The button pairs Democratic nominee James M. Cox with Franklin D. Roosevelt, then assistant secretary of the Navy. - Hake’s says the piece is the only Cox and Roosevelt variety carrying a slogan. - Lot 372 is a 1932 “Prosperity with Roosevelt & Garner” button suspended from a ribbon, 4 inches long, with an estimate of $5,000 to $7,000. - Lot 317 is a 1916 Hughes & Fairbanks jugate button with stars-and-stripes graphics and “America First” and “Young Men’s Republican Club” ribbons, estimated at $4,000 to $6,000. - Lot 254 is a 1912 Roosevelt & Johnson Progressive Party jugate button with the Bull Moose logo and American shield, estimated at $2,000 to $4,000. - Lot 498 is a large-format portrait poster signed by Robert F. Kennedy in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 4, 1968, the night he won the California primary and was fatally shot. - Hake’s says the signature was obtained by a young collector who got Kennedy to sign a roll of posters moments before the shooting. - Hake’s says the photo documentation tied to the signing adds to the poster’s provenance. - Lot 486 is a rare JFK “Jack Once More in ‘64” campaign button, 4 inches in diameter, estimated at $1,000 to $3,000. - Lot 467 is a 3-by-3½-inch JFK “Official Staff” laminated badge bearing the name of campaign aide Jerry Bruno, estimated at $1,000 to $1,500. - The ceramics section includes a circa-1790s polychrome Liverpool jug with ship, eagle and “Washington Crowned with Laurels by Liberty” transfers, estimated at $2,000 to $5,000. - Another lot is a circa-1790s black transferware Liverpool jug with a George Washington profile and pastoral reverse vignette, estimated at $2,000 to $4,000.

Between the lines: - The strongest material in the sale is tied to moments when campaign objects became symbols of political identity, not just collectibles. - The RFK poster stands out because the signature, timing and surviving photo create a rare chain of provenance. - Scarcity is a major pricing driver in the auction, especially for early jugates and unusual ribboned variants.

What's next: - Bidding continues until Nov. 17, when lots begin closing at 9:40 p.m. ET. - Hake’s is offering printed catalogs and additional lot information by phone or email. - Collectors can register and review the sale through Hake’s online catalog.

The bottom line: - Hake’s latest political Americana sale is built around trophy-level campaign memorabilia, with a rare Cox-Roosevelt button and an RFK-signed poster as the marquee draws.