Early 20th Century President Harding’s Dog “Laddie Boy” Statue by by Elizabeth Swaffield

Description

This is a statue of an Airedale Terrier owned by President Warren G. Harding's. President Harding’s Dog Laddie Boy Statue. … more This is a statue of an Airedale Terrier owned by President Warren G. Harding's. President Harding’s Dog Laddie Boy Statue. This 6.5" x 6.5" statue commemorates the most famous presidential pet of the first half of the 20th century. Laddie Boy, who attended Harding's Cabinet meetings, had his own chair, wore dog tag #1, and even led the Humane Society's parade in Washington D.C. Laddie Boy responded to the president's name and Mrs. Harding told him each morning to "Take the newspaper to Warren," and he obeyed. In Laddie Boy's mouth is a newspaper clearly imprinted as the Marion Star - Harding's old newspaper. On the topside of the base is the message - "Guarding Our President". The side of the base is inscribed "Laddie Boy" and the reverse side reads "Copyright 1921, by Elizabeth Swaffield." Louis Newman of the Newsboy's Association asked every newsboy in the country to send in a copper penny to be melted down to cast a statue honoring this remarkable dog. They collected 19,134 pennies and the statue still resides in the Smithsonian. This statue is a wonderful piece of history. less