The contest of beauty
Subject(s): Arthur, Chester Alan, 1829-1886, Bayard, Thomas F. (Thomas Francis), 1828-1898, Beauty contestants, Blaine, James Gillespie, 1830-1893, Butler, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin), 1818-1893, Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908, Clothing and dress, Conkling, Roscoe, 1829-1888, Davis, David, 1815-1886, Edmunds, George F. (George Franklin), 1828-1919, Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885, Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893, Hewitt, Abram S. (Abram Stevens), 1822-1903, Holman, William Steele, 1822-1897, Lincoln, Robert Todd, 1843-1926, Logan, John Alexander, 1826-1886, McDonald, Joseph E. (Joseph Ewing), 1819-1891, Presidents--Elections, Randall, Samuel J. (Samuel Jackson), 1828-1890, Sherman, John, 1823-1900, Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891, Thurman, Allen Granbery, 1813-1895, Tilden, Samuel J. (Samuel Jones), 1814-1886, Voting
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A beauty contest is underway where “First Prize” is the “Presidency.” The presidential candidates, all dressed as women, are sitting on raised platforms around which men have gathered to admire their beauty. Two men in the lower left appear to be voting for number “1. The Empire State Enslaver.” Among those in the running are “2. The same Old Widow from Beanville, 3. The Mulligan Masher from Maine [holding fan labeled] J. Blaine, 4. The Delaware Darling, 5. The Indiana Dumpling [holding fan labeled] J. E. MDonald, 6. The Homespun Houri of Ohio, 7. The Illinois Pet, 10. Utica Immortelle, 11. The Buffalo Girl, 12. The Indiana ‘Sun-Flower’ [with ribbon labeled] W. S. Holman, 13. The Nation’s Ex-Favorite [holding fan labeled] U.S.G., 14. The Pension Ring Pocahontas [with fan labeled] Logan, 15. The Centennial Spinster Ex-Champion de jure, 16. The Free Trade Fairy [with fan labeled] Hewitt, 17. The Ohio Water Lily Ex-Champion de facto, 18. The Pearl of Protection [with fan labeled] Randall, The Sherman Sisters 19. The Tecumseh Twin, 20. The Treasury Twin, 21. The Virtuous Vermonter [with fan labeled] Edmund, [and] 22. The Fat Fairy.” Among those depicted are Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin F. Butler, James G. Blaine, Thomas Bayard, Joseph E. McDonald, Allen G. Thurman, Robert Todd Lincoln, Roscoe Conkling, Grover Cleveland, William Steele Holman, Ulysses S. Grant, John Logan, Samuel J. Tilden, Abram S. Hewitt, Rutherford B. Hayes, Samuel J. Randall, William T. Sherman, John Sherman, George F. Edmunds, and David Davis.
Collection
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Creation Date
1884-01-23
Creator(s)
Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894
Period
New York State Assemblyman (1882-May 1884)
Repository
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Page Count
1
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
The contest of beauty. [January 23, 1884]. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287904. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894. The contest of beauty. [23 Jan. 1884]. Image.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 18, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287904.
APA:
Keppler, Joseph Ferdinand, 1838-1894., [1884, January 23]. The contest of beauty.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o287904.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. December 18, 2025. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
APA:
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-prints-and-photographs.
