The Women’s Suffrage and Political Issues Chapter of APIC
Anyone who is interested in collecting and preserving artifacts concerning Woman Suffrage and other related topics should consider joining the Women’s Suffrage and Political Issues Chapter of the American Political Items Collectors. WSPIC conducts chapter meetings in conjunction with the National Conventions of APIC. In addition, it publishes a journal, The Clarion, now distributed electronically, which contains articles and illustrations about suffrage artifacts and ERA memorabilia, featuring information about their historical context. Past issues have included essays on the following topics:
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The Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association
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The Men’s League for Woman Suffrage
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The Campaign of 1915
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The Actresses’ Franchise League
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The Housewives’ League
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The Irish Woman Suffrage Movement
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The Stars and What They Mean
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The Suffrage Colors
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The Clarion Series
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The “Suffrage First” Items
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“Ballots for Both” Items
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Opposition to Women’s Suffrage
Membership in the Chapter is free to anyone who is a member of APIC, its parent organization. Information about joining the APIC can be obtained from their link on the home page of this site. If you are a dedicated scholar of the suffrage movement, it is possible to receive issues of The Clarion without being an APIC member, but you should first consult with the Chapter President, Ronnie Lapinsky Sax. Ronnie also serves as the editor of the journal and is pictured on the left of this screen. Back issues of The Clarion are available for $4.00 each. If you wish further information about joining WSPIC or if you wish to purchase back issues of the journal, click on this email link WSPIC, or fill out the form at the bottom of this page, and we will get back to you shortly. Your email address will not be visible to anyone except us.
Above Chapter President Ronnie Lapinsky Sax displaying part of her wonderful suffrage ribbon collection at a recent American Political Items Collectors National Convention.
Auctions
There are no current auctions that deal exclusively with period suffrage memorabilia, but here are some auctions that can be of help:
- The NWHP Auction Periodically, the National Women’s History Project runs a fundraising auction. Items are both period and contemporary and deal with a variety of issues associated with Women’s History, including suffrage. You can get be placed on their e-mail mailing list, which is fascinating in itself, through the following link: National Women’s History Project
- Heritage Auctions Heritage Auction Galleries form the largest Auction House in the world devoted to collectibles, and they run a variety of topical, regularly scheduled events open for live, mail, and internet bidding. The two auctions that are of interest to suffrage collectors are their Rare Books and Manuscripts and their Americana and Political Memorabilia sales. Often their sales involve a large holding of suffrage related material, and it is certainly worthwhile to be on their mailing list. Anyone who signs up as a member has access to their extensive archives that contain a record of all of their prices realized. Their link: Heritage Auctions
- USAmericana USAmericana is the venture of Tom French, a long time collector and dealer in political Americana. The firm offers both a fixed price list that is updated weekly and a political auction that appears twice yearly. While its focus is on presidential items, the firm does feature in its offerings suffrage memorabilia such as the Jean Thompson collection. For information or to be placed on USAmericana’s mailing list, click on their link: USAmericana
- Al Anderson Auction Anderson’s Auctions deals exclusively with Political American, primarily campaign buttons and ribbons. Suffrage buttons are considered to be political, and often Al offers some rare and interesting suffrage pieces. Open for mail and internet bidding. Go to: Anderson’s Auctions
- Hake’s Americana & Collectibles Auctions Hake’s Americana & Collectibles Auctions is a division of Geppi’s Entertainment Auctions. Hake’s runs periodic mail and internet sales dealing with all sorts of collectibles from the world of popular culture. Their auction lists always have a large political section, which can include suffrage items. If you are interested, please check their site at: Hake’s Americana and Collectibles Auctions
- Jackson’s Auctions Jackson’s conducts several varieties of fine arts and antiques auctions throughout the year, one of which is devoted to ephemera and post cards. Suffrage cards sometimes appear, generally of higher quality. Their website can be found at: Jackson’s Auctions
- Elizabeth Crawford (English) Elizabeth Crawford sends out lists of books and ephemera, but she does not have an on-line catalog. What she does have is a fascinating web site devoted to both historical aspects of the suffrage movement as well as to its ephemera. Her site also contains a link to her book offerings on Abebooks. Contact her at: Woman And Her Sphere
- Naomi Symes Books (English) Established in 1994, Naomi Symes Books deals in out-of-print, antiquarian and in-print books in the field of women’s history and social history. They also carry period and museum reproduction ephemera of the suffrage movement. For further information, click: Naomi Symes Books
- E. Wharton & Co. Owned and managed by Sarah Baldwin, E. Wharton & Co. offers literary first editions of the 19th c. through the present, featuring women writers, original women’s rights material, items related to women and women’s issues, along with some suffrage ephemera. E. Wharton issues print catalogs and has on-line listings at: E. Wharton and Co.
- Priscilla Juvelis Rare Books Priscilla Juvelis Rare Books specializes in literary first editions, especially women authors, and 19th and 20th century reform movements, as well as contemporary book arts with feminist themes. Priscilla Juvelis carries some suffrage ephemera as well and issues both print and on-line catalogs. The link to her site is: Priscilla Juvelis Rare Books
- Second Life Books Located in Lanesborough, Massachusetts in the Berkshire Hills, Second Life Books was founded in 1972 and specializes in, among other areas, antiquarian and out-of-print books by and about women. Second Life also carries some suffrage ephemera, and the shop maintains a web site with on-line listings. They also produce catalogs once or twice a year on women and woman suffrage that are free for the asking. Contact: Second Life Books
- Waiting for Godot Books has been in business since 1979, specializing in 18th to 20th century literary first editions. They maintain a searchable, online inventory at www.abebooks.com and www.biblio.com. Their inventory includes holdings in the area of woman suffrage (including books and ephemera about women’s rights, and literature by and about women). Inquiries welcome at wfgbooks@aol.com or contact at Waiting for Godot Books/ P.O. Box 331/ Hadley, MA 01035/ 413 585-5126.