American Political History Ronald Reagan 1984 Ceramic Cowboy Boot and Presidential Western Imagery

Ronald Reagan

Non Paper Memorabilia

Ceramic cowboy boot marked “Ronald Reagan 1984,” political memorabilia connecting Reagan’s 1984 reelection era with the Western visual identity closely associated with his presidency and public persona. The boot combines the presidential seal with cowboy imagery, placing the authority of the presidency alongside a deliberately informal Western symbol readily identified with Reagan’s California ranch life. That association was visible during the election year itself: White House photographs show Reagan wearing a cowboy hat at a Reagan Bush rally in Austin on July 25, 1984, appearing in cowboy attire at a press picnic near Santa Barbara that August, and repeatedly riding and working at Rancho del Cielo. As an example of Reagan-era political material culture, the object offers evidence of how presidential identity could be communicated through recognizable imagery extending beyond conventional buttons, posters, and printed campaign material.

Ceramic cowboy boot, approximately 6 inches high, with a large presidential seal prominently displayed and “Ronald Reagan 1984” printed near the top. Its boot form draws directly upon the ranching and horseback-riding imagery associated with Reagan; official White House photographs from 1984 document him horseback riding and working at Rancho del Cielo, including photographs taken during the campaign year and immediately after the election. Earlier dealer cataloging identifies examples of this object as White House gifts distributed to a limited group of VIPs and major contributors, although independent documentation confirming that provenance has not been located and the claim should therefore be treated as attributed rather than definitive.

The combination of presidential insignia, the explicit 1984 inscription, and Western form makes the boot particularly useful for examining the material culture surrounding Reagan’s reelection and the cultivation of his rancher and cowboy image within late twentieth-century American political culture. Reagan’s own presidential archive preserves extensive photographic documentation of his activities at Rancho del Cielo and his appearance in Western dress during 1984, providing contemporary context for the imagery employed by the object. [Insert specific observed condition details]; overall condition [good / very good / near fine]. A distinctive piece of Reagan-era political memorabilia combining presidential symbolism with one of the most recognizable visual elements of his public identity.

Item #9832

Price: $225.00