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Buchner issued this unique 12 card “puzzle” set of 1888 presidential candidates to promote Victory Tobacco. It’s one of the scarcest of all Buchner sets. Each card depicts a potential candidate in a comical pose (as a Roman gladiator, a horse rider, an oarsman, etc.) and has a pithy 4-line poem that identifies them and includes a plug for Victory . In each card’s background are seen parts of President Grover Cleveland’s head; when you had all 12 cards, you could assemble them to spell out “Cleveland’s Victory”.
The 12 cards with their letters are: C, LE, VE, LA, ND, S, V, IC, T, O, R, Y. As of 1/28/19, I need C, LE, VE, S, and Y. I have 2 nice dupes of the “T” card to trade.
These cards are very thin and are often found with staining and creases. The subject matter and the lithography by Giles Lithographic & Liberty Printing Co. from New York are superb; Giles specialized in trade cards and these have that same feel.
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- N291 back
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“LA” card
Sen. George F. Edmunds (Vermont)
From mountains green and Lake Champlain,
Edmunds comes with hopes elated,
The Mormons have “VICTORY” all the same,
If in the chair he’s inaugurated.
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“ND” card
Henry George, Progressive leader
“VICTORY’s” good, thinks Henry George,
And McGlynn the Doctor, says ’tis true –
Ten acres of land, when the rich disgorge,
Is a platform big; ’twill elect me too.
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“V” card
Anonymous (?) politician
The public called on this man of brains
Who arose and thus he spoke:
“The ‘VICTORY’ now before your eyes,
Is the best on earth to smoke.”
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“IC” card
Gen. Benjamin Butler (Massachusetts)
I’ll smoke ‘VICTORY’ say our Ben,
That famous man of Lowell town;
To him the Sun is darkened now,
And going, going, surely down
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“T” card
Sen. Joseph E. McDonald (Indiana)
Old Saddlebags, the Hoosier brave –
To lay aside all joking, –
Cannot hope the race to save,
Against our “VICTORY SMOKING”.
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“O” card
Sen. Allen G. Thurman (Ohio)
The Buckeye man of whom they say,
“He’s the noblest Roman of them all”,
The sign of “VICTORY” will display
If he receives the Presidential call.
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“R” card
David B. Hill, Gov. of NY
With “VICTORY” leading all the rest
The Capitol right in sight.
He looks at David, who is close pressed
Says, run boys with your might