Garfield - Arthur Presidential Campaign Lantern, 1880

Late-nineteenth-century political parties rallied their supporters by holding torchlight parades. In the evening, marchers lit up the street carrying torches, lamps and lanterns. Inexpensive paper lanterns glowed with the image or name of the party's candidate or other patriotic imagery. Backers of the 1880 Republican presidential ticket would have carried this accordion-pleated lantern containing the names of the nominees.