Price
$28.00
Condition
used
Product Condition
Very fine
Size
5.5" x 3"
Civil War Patriotic Cover – Satirical Jefferson Davis Lion & Zebra Caricature. Original Civil War patriotic cover featuring an unusual satirical depiction of Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
The design first portrays "J.D." as the noble "king of beasts," only to reveal in the lower illustration that the supposed zebra is actually nothing more than a disguised jackass. The accompanying verse delivers the punchline, mocking Davis and the Confederate cause through animal caricature.
Political humor and ridicule were common themes on Civil War patriotic envelopes, but examples employing such unusual imagery are far less frequently encountered than traditional flag or portrait designs.
A memorable and conversation-starting example of Civil War political satire. Unused and original.
From a massive collection of Civil War covers we recently acquired.
This humorous and somewhat bizarre Civil War patriotic design demonstrates how political satire often relied on animal symbolism familiar to nineteenth-century audiences. The upper image presents "J.D." (Jefferson Davis) as the self-proclaimed king of Southern beasts—a lion representing pride, authority, and pretension.
The punchline appears below. The zebra is revealed not to be an exotic creature at all, but merely a donkey disguised in stripes. The accompanying verse concludes that Davis "only was a Jackass who stepped in." The joke ridicules the Confederate president as someone attempting to appear grand and powerful while actually being foolish beneath the disguise
$28.00
used
Very fine
5.5" x 3"