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Original circa 1911 political campaign card promoting John I. Nolan for re-election as Supervisor of the City and County of San Francisco.
The front reads:
“JOHN I. />
John Ignatius Nolan (1874–1922) was a San Francisco iron molder, labor leader, politician, and later a five-term United States Representative from California.
Nolan served as legislative agent for the San Francisco Labor Council before Mayor P. H. McCarthy appointed him to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in March 1911. This card most likely dates from Nolan’s 1911 campaign to retain that seat, explaining the prominent word “Incumbent.” He narrowly lost the municipal election but was elected to the United States Congress the following year.
Nolan subsequently represented California’s 5th Congressional District from 1913 until his death in office in 1922. He chaired both the House Committee on Patents and the House Committee on Labor and became nationally associated with organized labor and federal minimum-wage legislation.
A small oval union printer’s label, commonly called a “union bug,” appears at the lower right with the identifying number 211. This detail is particularly appropriate to Nolan’s background in the labor movement and indicates production by a union printing shop.
The card is printed in black on pale green stock and features a halftone oval portrait of Nolan in formal attire.
Approximate size: 4 × 2 inches
Reverse: Blank
Date: Circa 1911
Location: San Francisco, California
Political affiliation: Union Labor; later Original period campaign material
Signed: No
A scarce piece of early San Francisco political, municipal, labor, and congressional history. Suitable for collectors of California political ephemera, organized-labor history, progressive-era memorabilia, and United States congressional material.
The protective sleeve shown in the photographs is included.
Please review all photographs, as they form an important part of the description.
CONDITION:
Original antique campaign card in very good surviving condition for its age. Light age toning, minor surface wear, small edge imperfections, and slight handling marks may be present. The reverse is blank. Please examine all photographs carefully for exact condition.
