Looking presidential

Designed for display, rather than gourmet purposes, commemorative plates have long been favoured by collectors of presidential memorabilia. With the space race at its height, and the fear that the Soviet Union might put a human on the Moon first, Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy needed to look as serious and unwaveringly presidential as possible.

Plate, John F. Kennedy (Democratic, 1960. Philip & Rosamund Davies US Elections Campaigns Archive. MSS Amer. s. 33 / 55. Vere Harmsworth Library (Rothermere American Institute), Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford.