1884 James G. Blaine Campaign Medal DeWitt JGB 1884-42 Brass

A brass campaign button from the 1884 presidential campaign of James G. Blaine, the Republican nominee that year. The obverse carries no portrait; instead it shows a plume of feathers tied with a bow, with the legend PLUMED KNIGHT arranged above and below the design — a reference to the nickname given to Blaine by Robert Ingersoll in his famous 1876 nominating speech, and one of the most recognizable mottoes used on Blaine campaign items. The reverse is a plain brass shell fitted with a wire shank for sewing to a garment, in the manner typical of clothing buttons issued during this campaign. This example is cataloged as DeWitt JGB 1884-42, the standard reference for James G. Blaine campaign items of 1884. It is a raw, uncertified piece with no portrait, wording limited to the PLUMED KNIGHT legend and the feather-and-bow device on the obverse.