Two extraordinary items: a choice matte-finish 9.5 x 7.75 photo of Truman holding up the iconic 'Dewey Defeats Truman' issue of the Chicago Tribune, signed in fountain pen, "Trib elect Dewey for one day! It didn't stick. Harry S. Truman, 5/16/60"; and a unique Ritepoint Table-Desk Roman Classic cigarette lighter featuring a small image of Truman inside, signed and inscribed on the box in fountain pen to his vice president, "To Hon. Alben Barkley, From the President." Signed photo and lighter are in very fine condition; the lighter presentation box is in very good condition.
When the decision to print this paper was made, returns were coming in very slowly and time was running out before the Chicago Daily Tribune's deadline. The pro-Republican Tribune staff, based on the early returns, decided Dewey would be the next president. After the newspaper was delivered to the street, more returns came in and showed that Truman would be reelected. Despite their scramble to recover their mistaken papers, about two thousand copies were unaccounted for. Showing Truman gleefully displaying the erroneous paper on his train the next morning, this is one of the most famous political photos in US history. The inclusion of an original White House gift inscribed by the president to his vice president makes this lot all the more unique. A fantastic pairing, with the photo bearing one of the longest and most clever inscriptions we have seen on this famous image.
