1940 Election Appraisal

Wendell Lewis Willkie "Our Next President" Campaign Button

This item is a circular campaign button, likely made of tin or a similar metal alloy with a paper overlay, featuring a photographic image of Wendell Lewis Willkie. The button has a cream-colored or off-white background with black text and a black and white photograph of Willkie. The text "OUR NEXT PRESIDENT" is arc-shaped above his portrait, and "WENDELL LEWIS WILLKIE" curves below it, set in a sans-serif font. The photograph depicts a clean-shaven man, presumably Willkie, in a suit and tie Looking towards the viewer. The image is clear for its age, though the overall button appears to have some minor surface wear consistent with age, such as slight discoloration of the cream background and minor scuffing on the surface. There are no obvious dents or major damage visible, suggesting it has been reasonably well-preserved, possibly stored in the clear plastic sleeve it appears to be currently in. The style of the button and the individual featured, Wendell Willkie, who was the Republican nominee in the 1940 US Presidential election, dates this item to the early 1940s. The craftsmanship appears to be standard for political campaign buttons of that era, typically mass-produced but designed to be durable and visually striking. No specific manufacturer's marks are visible in the provided image. The primary quality indicator is its legibility and the condition of the graphic content, which remains reasonably intact.