The Political Bobbleheads

A bobblehead is a collectible figurine type doll also known by names such as bobbing head doll, nodder, wobbler, or wacky wobbler. Its head is usually larger in proportion to the body and a spring connected inside the neck allows it to bobble around. Originally, the dolls were made of paper mâché, chalk-ware and later, ceramic. As manufacturing and technology advanced, they were produced using a synthetic, polymeric plastic which made them much more durable. Advancement of the bobblehead doll began in the 1950's and by the 1960's they became very popular with major league baseball. In celebration of the 1960 Baseball World Series, they produced four bobblehead baseball players: Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Willie Mays. Some of the early baseball bobblehead dolls can gain a price tag up to $400.00. The Beatles even had their own bobblehead doll set. I can't imagine what an original set of the John, Paul, George and Ringo bobbleheads would go for! These vintage bobblehead dolls have become collectors' items over the years. Well, it was 1960 and Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy were the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Since bobblehead dolls had become so popular in sports and other areas, so too did they in the political arena; it just seemed fitting. Using the elephant and donkey (symbols created in 1874 by the first well-publicized political cartoonist Thomas Nast) the bobbleheads became political paraphernalia that many people wanted because it was fun, funny and unique. It seems that during the campaign, many donkey and elephant bobbleheads were made with white sashes that left a blank space for you to write in your candidate of choice: ____________ FOR PRESIDENT. A few weeks ago, I found this bobblehead of a vintage 1960 donkey at Homestead Thrift Shop in Marlborough. He was safely hiding in a locked glass cabinet; I almost missed him! I'm guessing this one was produced during the Nixon and Kennedy campaign, but no one ever wrote their candidate's name on the sash! I did find a picture on eBay of the elephant of the same era with "NIXON" written on his sash and the donkey with "KENNEDY" on it. The 1960 Nixon and Kennedy sash paper mâché bobbleheads have a price tag of $250.00. Generic ones of that era run about $25.00, but the one at Homestead Thrift Shop is a bargain! I wonder if it's still there. A very fun piece and a true collectible. I don't think it'll be hiding in there too long. I did find one online identical to it, except the one online had John F. Kennedy in black letters on the gold base, no name before "FOR PRESIDENT" and sold on an auction site in 2013 for $578.00. Bobblehead dolls are still popular today. Maybe because they're fun and comic-like entertainment. There are companies now that offer customized bobbleheads; send in a photograph and they will make a bobblehead with your likeness! Now that's a unique gift. Ruth Blais Thompson is a lifelong resident of the Monadnock Region, a Realtor for Blais & Assoc. Realtors in Keene and a volunteer CASA. Her pastimes are writing short stories, ancestry research and playing and writing music. She lives in Dublin with her husband and 2 cats and can be reached at rblaisthompson@gmail.com.