Hello, Can Anyone Help ID the Fellow on this Pinback?

Hopefully @Joe2007 will look in on thithread. He collects this type of pinback & may be able to help.

If he doesn't & no one else is able to ID the man you can contact him through a private message.

 

I'll do some searching online. I've never seen this gentleman before and I couldn't find him in either of my reference guides on political collectables. Looks 1890's era. Made by the Whitehead & Hoag company. Could be a politician that ran at the state or local level or a third party hopeful.

 

Thank you both! I very much appreciate it! He looks so familiar but I just can't figure it out. Been looking for almost a month haha I initially thought it may not be political, and more an Author or Artist or something.

 

Kind of has an appearance similar to a wild west gunslinger. Has me thinking about old movies.

The material around the pinback strongly suggests that this is a political figure of some sort.

In which state (or region) did you acquire this piece?

 

Purchased from an Estate in Connecticut. To be honest, it came with mostly Buttons. Some 18th Century American Large Flat Brass buttons etc. It was the only late 19th Century / Early 20th Century Button in the lot.

 

Well the Betz Building was really a beauty. Stood from 1892 -1926

https://www.loc.gov/item/det1994014287/PP/

United Republican Association had an office there
https://books.google.com/books?id=D...ans in the Betz building philadelphia&f=false

 

I'm not having much success identifying this person. Pinbacks all the way down to local level elections were prolific back around the turn of the century.

I'm not sure about the quality of response you would get but you could try contacting the American Political Items collectors society at the below link an asking there.

http://apic.us/AbouttheAPIC/SubmitaQuestionorSuggestion/QuestionsaboutanItem/tabid/277/Default.aspx

Also I met Jack Dixey a few years back at an estate auction. He is an expert in this area, runs several political collectables shows in Ohio, and is generally a nice guy (even if he did outbid me on a couple of items!). You may want to email him, see below.

http://apic.us/AbouttheAPIC/GeographicalChapters/Ohio/tabid/231/Default.aspx

Let us know if you have any success,
Joe2007

 

605 Betz Building seems to be the room number.
I have found 3 different businesses associated with that number.
An Accounting Firm
Charcoal Steel
and someone I've already forgotten.

 

Some info about the Whitehead & Hoag Company, the company that produced this pinback.

http://www.tedhake.com/viewuserdefinedpage.aspx?pn=whco

 

Hi,
He reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt with a ponytail.
greg

 

Close but no cigar ......

George Armstrong Custer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg...uster_Bvt_MG_Geo_A_1865_LC-BH831-365-crop.jpg

 

Hi,
Do not think Custer, he had a cleft chin. Your pin shows no cleft. Or is it too early, I have not finished my coffee.
greg

 

Thank you everyone for the replies! Very much appreciate it!

 

Sent them both a message! Thank you! Very much appreciate it! Will forward the response

 

The picture didn't enlarge for me last night.
Just realized I was searching "605" and it should have been "608" Betz Building.

Also there is a patent date of July 17 '94, can't read the other two dates. April 14, ? and July 21, ?

 

July 17, 1894, April 14, 1895 and July 21, 1896

 

I thought if I could track down who had the 608 room in one of the above years, I might be able to figure out who the picture was.

Not having any luck. for those years.
In 1905, (ten years later) I'm finding two listings for 608 Betz Building.

This firm was also listed for the 605 Betz I was looking for last night.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Z...AEIOjAH#v=onepage&q=608 betz building&f=false


This is for 1905 - 1907, which was the printing company. I thought "Philadelphia Office" meant for the person pictured, but maybe it was for the pin company. Guess I've been on the wrong track.



https://books.google.com/books?id=n...AEINDAF#v=onepage&q=608 betz building&f=false

 

Doesn't look much like a politician. What with slouch hat and curls, looks more artistic, perhaps theatrical.

Debora

 

I agree, but there are some colorful characters who run for office sometimes. It could be either that type, or some other flamboyant soul.