Exceptional vintage 16 x 11.5 Pach Bros. portrait of McKinley and Roosevelt sitting outdoors, affixed to a slightly larger mount, signed along the bottom of the image in black ink by both, "William McKinley" and "Theodore Roosevelt." The photo bears a 1900 Pach Bros. copyright. Cloth-matted and framed to an overall size of 26 x 21.5. In fine condition, with a light vertical crease between the two men, and a repaired upper right corner tip.
Created and used for the 1900 election season, this oversized campaign picture of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt is among the rarest of all presidential (and vice presidential) signed portraits. Beyond its size and signatures, this photo also represents a little early 'camera magic.' The picture of McKinley was originally taken in 1896 and showed him seated opposite Vice President Garret Hobart. When Hobart died and Roosevelt was nominated as McKinley's running mate, a new photomontage was created using the original photo and one of Roosevelt captured in 1900. Through the innovation of early 20th-century technology, the negatives were melded together to form a new campaign image. A rare oversized portrait signed by two important American figures, whose joint administration lasted a mere six months.
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