The Political Gymnasium

Inscriptions

Inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, upper left: There is nothing / like having the / Constitution, to / to [sic] put up this Bell successfully. [Edward Everett]; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, upper left: I have perfect confidence / in M.r [r in superscript] Everett's ability to / uphold me.__ [John Bell]; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, upper center: I've been practising at it / a long time, but can never get / up muscle enough to get astride / of this bar. [Horace Greeley]; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, upper center: You must do as I did / Greeley, get somebody to / give you a boost, I'm sure / I never could have got up / here by my own efforts. [Abraham Lincoln]; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble upper right: You'd better be careful my / friend, that you don't tumble / off; as I did before I was / fairly on, for if you do you'll be / as badly crippled as I am.__ [William H. Seward]; inscribed, on stone, on Greeley's bar, center left: NOM. FOR GOVERNOR.; inscribed, on stone, on Greeley's buttocks, center left: TRIBUNE.; inscribed, on stone, on Lincoln's rail, center: FOR PRESIDENT.; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, center: I'll bet a quarter I can / beat any man in the part / at turning political / Summersets.[James Watson Webb]; inscribed, on stone, on Webb's belt, center: COURRIER &; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, center right: Come at me Breck, / and after you cry / enough I'll take a / a [sic] round with the / rest of them. [Stephen Douglas]; inscribed, on stone, speech bubble, center right: If I do nothing else / I can at least prevent / you from pulling / Lincoln down.__ [John Breckinridge]; inscribed, on stone, lower center margin: Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1860, by Currier & Ives, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern Dist.t [t in superscript] of N.Y.; inscribed, on stone, lower center: THE POLITICAL GYMNASIUM / Published by Currier & IVes, 152 Nassau S.t [t in superscript] N.Y.; reverse, inscribed, in graphite, center: Hall N. Jackson / 25 Je 04; reverse, inscribed, in graphite, lower left: Dulplicate; reverse, stamped, in black ink, lower left: PRINT DIVISION / LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / JUN 27 1904 / No. 42185 [inscribed in red ink with 5 in graphite] / [indistinct]

Course History

HIST 18, US Political History of the 19th Century, Robert Bonner, Fall 2012

HIST 18, Nineteenth Century American Politics, Robert Bonner, Spring 2014

Exhibition History

Lower Jewett Corridor, Hopkins Center Art Galleries, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, January-February, 1976.

Provenance

Sherman Adams (1899-1986), Lincoln, New Hampshire; given to present collection, 1958.

Catalogue Raisonne

Conningham (1949): 4823; Gale Research (1983): 5231

This record is part of an active database that includes information from historic documentation that may not have been recently reviewed. Information may be inaccurate or incomplete. We also acknowledge some language and imagery may be offensive, violent, or discriminatory. These records reflect the institution’s history or the views of artists or scholars, past and present. Our collections research is ongoing.

We welcome questions, feedback, and suggestions for improvement. Please contact us at: Hood.Collections@dartmouth.edu

Subjects