Hassinger & Courtney Spring Auctions

The Collection of Roy Vernon Mish, Falling Waters WV. The items in this auction were from the personal effects of his grandfather, Leroy T. Vernon, who was, during the early 20th Century, a campaign manager for President Taft, a political correspondent in Washington for the Chicago Daily News, a close friend to the most famous political cartoonist, Clifford Berryman (who gave the world the Teddy Bear), and a prominent member of the Gridiron Club, an invitation-only social club for Washington journalists. This auction will include autographed photos from Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, & FDR. Other presidential autographed items include a McKinley signed appointment certificate & a Harrison signed card. Being a campaign manager for Taft, Vernon had in his possession many Taft promotional items such as, press photos, campaign brochures, newsletters, pins, cufflinks, & mirrors. As a political correspondent for the Chicago Daily News, Mr. Vernon attended many national conventions from 1904-1932 and had pins, medals, & ribbons from the Republican, Democratic, & Prohibition parties. Being a Washington press correspondent Mr. Vernon was invited to the White House many times and the many formal invitations are included in this auction as well. Mr.Vernon was well connected in the press world through The Gridiron Club, an exclusive social club for Washington journalists who hold an annual dinner for the President. This was where Mr. Vernon met and became good friends with Clifford Berryman. Berryman is most famous for his political cartoon in 1903 of Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a small bear cub, which created the national craze of the Teddy Bear. Vernon & Berryman collaborated in 1911 to create "Mother Goose in Gridiron Rhyme" a political satire in rhyme authored by Vernon & illustrated by Berryman. This auction contains 71 original Berryman drawings used in that book, as well as 4 copies of the book, 1 being signed by Vernon, and 1 personalized to Vernon by Berryman. The auction also includes many signed letters & photos from other important political figures of this era such as Vice Presidents, Secretaries of Treasury & War, Personal Presidential Secretaries, Chief Justices, & Other Presidential Candidates.