If You Were 1 of the 1.8 Million At The Inauguration - Get Your Ann Hand "I Was There" Keepsake

January 20, 2009 marked an historic event in American history that was witnessed by a record crowd estimated to be over 1.8 million people. Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States becoming the first African-American to reach the highest office in the country.

What better way to commemorate this historic day than an Ann Hand "I Was There" dog tag for $45 (pictured here and available in gold and silver tones). It is a keepsake for years to come to let your family and friends know that you were one of the 1.8 million witnesses to history.

You may shop the entire Ann Hand Obama Collection at annhand.com.

A Message From Ann Hand – Limited Edition 2009 Obama/Biden Inaugural Pin

I am delighted that I was chosen to design the Limited Edition 2009 Obama/Biden Inaugural Pin commemorating this historic event in American History.

I am also delighted to share with you a copy of my personal invitation to the Inauguration which included an insert entitled “The 56th Presidential Inaugural Collectibles” featuring the Ann Hand Limited Edition 2009 Inaugural Pin. (See copy of insert and photo of pin below. The Inaugural Pin is proudly made in the USA)

"This stunning keepsake pin" is available exclusively at the inauguralstore.com, the official online catalog for 2009 Presidential Inauguration merchandise.

I also invite you to visit my online store at annhand.com to shop my Ann Hand Obama Collection including pins, necklaces, cuff links, sunglasses, and dog tags just to name a few of the unique items to commemorate this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Excerpt From The Straits Times - Obama Inaugural Commemoratives Hot Sellers

Blinging the change: Obamabilia sells like hotcakes

WASHINGTON - January 11, 2009. From beer to ice cream, lapel pins to T-shirts, if it has anything to do with US president-elect Barack Obama, it's selling like hotcakes as people everywhere snap up souvenirs marking his inauguration.

'So many people want a memento of this historic time,' Ms Ann Hand, a jewelry maker in Washington who has made a collection of accessories to commemorate Mr Obama's swearing-in on Jan 20. Hand offers cufflinks featuring the red, white and blue 'O' logo of the Obama campaign, a necklace reprising Mr Obama's 'Hope' theme, sunglasses encrusted with Swarovski crystal to spell out the name of the 44th US president, and half a dozen other jewelry items.

None come cheap, but even in a slumping global economy, demand has been so strong that many of the accessories are on back order.

'Everything is selling better than I expected. We're doing a lot of overseas orders - Hong Kong, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, Japan, Britain. We've never had that before,' Ms Hand, who has been in business for 20 years, said.

'It's really wonderful to know that people overseas want our president's lapel pin,' she said.......

From WUSA - Local Designer Creates Line of Obama Jewelry

By Lindsey Matsis

WASHINGTON, DC (WUSA), January 8, 2009 You may have seen some of Ann Hand's Creations on some of the most powerful and influential people in Washington.

She's known for her elegant gold Eagles and American flags. And now, she's turning her attention toward the inauguration, and incorporating the President Elect's symbol for Change.

"We did get permission to use that to make cufflinks and our 'Hope' necklace," Hand said. Many of the items in her line are practical, like coffee mugs ($30), keychains ($45), and sunglasses ($175). "We tired to make it as affordable as we could," she said, "Some day maybe they'll open a box and say, oh, my grandmother or great grandfather was at the inauguration of Barack Obama." Hand is looking out for famous faces who will show off her designs. "We can tell you that Oprah has our sunglasses because she's been been wearing them in public," she said.

Hand is hoping the first family decides to wear some of her unique designs. She is also contributing a portion of the profits from the sale of the Seal of the United States pin to help soldiers families.

From The Wall Street Journal - Heard On The Runway

Lunchtime Snap: The Barack Obama “Badge Brand”
By Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

Excerpt from article dated December 8, 2008

........This morning, Washington, D.C.-based jeweler Ann Hand started selling a line of Obama-related jewelry and accessories that include $45 silver dogtags that say “First Pooch” and $175 sunglasses that feature the word “Obama” in crystals on the side. Ms. Hand said she normally does a candidate-themed pin during presidential election years but this is the first time that she’s introducing a line of 10 items inspired by an incoming president. (Ms. Hand, who said she’s an independent, noted that before she began selling the items today, she’d received 1,000 pre-orders for a $75 Obama pin she’d designed, some from countries like Spain and Singapore......

Fox News - Ann Hand Interview

From Howard University News Service - Political Jeweler Creates Patriotism, Politics in Designs - Election 2008

Political Bling Maker Prepares for Inauguration Sales in January
By Stephanie Kennard

In the spirit of patriotism, Washington D.C. jeweler Ann Hand's designs gain much attention during presidential election years.

Hand, a fine jewelry designer in the Georgetown neighborhood, designs lapel pins supporting candidates running for national office: her newest pin resembles the presidential seal and is gold with red, white and blue gems. The pin, $75, was designed especially for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and is scheduled for release in early December, but can be reserved on her website www.annhand.com.

"Election season is always a wonderful time, people always want a piece of history," Hand said. "People supporting President-elect Obama were genuinely so excited. They were really showing support much earlier in the game than any other candidate."

Hand's boutiques, Ann Hand, LLC, are located at 4885 Macarthur Blvd. NW in Palisades neighborhood and 2900 M Street NW in Georgetown.

In business since 1988, Hand's specialty lapel pins compose the majority of her collection with symbolic pins of American pride, and others designed especially for government and military affiliations. For example, her collection includes American flags, peace doves, and her famous "Liberty Eagle" pin.

In addition to Obama pins currently generating majority of Hand's sales revenue, the "Liberty Eagle" pin has generated a large amount of revenue for years. The pin is a sterling silver eagle plated in 18k gold with a ruby gem eye and set above one pearl.

"The eagle symbolizes strength, unity, and power," she said. "I wanted to design beauty and strength that women would like to wear."

The pin, Hand's expression of feminine power, has been seen on the lapels of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

Originally from the Houston area, Hand moved to the district in the early 80s with her husband, former chief of protocol to President Lyndon Johnson, Lloyd Hand. While in D.C., she took up crafting and a few small beading classes before deciding to enroll in the Gemological Institute of America.

"Over the past 20 years what began as a hobby, became a passion and soon a global business," Hand said.

Her pins have become the gift of choice amongst politicians with The White House, Department of State, and Department of Defense utilizing her collections for "diplomatic gifts to foreign dignitaries."

"We were in D.C. and surrounded with a general sense of patriotism," she said in response to the idea of patriotic lapel pins.

This year's candidate pins were silver plated with Swarovski crystals. A tradition since 1996, Hand held a mock election based upon the sales of her candidate pins. This year Obama won her election. Expanding upon her Presidential collection for Obama, Hand designed an additional inauguration memorabilia, gold toned and silver toned dog tags set for release in early December. The tags bear the words "I was there," and "This is our moment, this is our time" with the date Jan. 20, 2009.

Additionally, Hand's collection extends beyond politics. She designs jewelry to benefit the Miss America Pageant Scholarship Fund and other jewelry for women.

YouTube Video - Meet Ann Hand

From The Hill.com - Ann Hand To Offer a ‘Fabulous’ line of Obama Jewelry

By Betsy Rothstein

November 24, 2008 - What’s a little bling among political friends?

Ann Hand, who designed the official pin worn by spouses of congressional lawmakers and owns two jewelry salons in Georgetown, is set to roll out a line of inaugural Obama jewelry the second week of December — we’re talking dog tags, pins, necklaces and rhinestone sunglasses. Not the cheap, trashy kind — tasteful silver- and gold-filled pieces you can wear to an inaugural ball or upscale party. Prices range from $75 to $175. One of the dog tags reads, “This is our moment. This is our time.” Another says more simply, “I was there.”

Hand said she had a strong feeling Obama would win, so she had jewelry ideas in the works for a while. “It was just in my gut that he would win,” said Hand, who won’t name them, but has had requests for Obama jewels from Hollywood actors and others as far away as Singapore, Norway and Japan. “I am elated he has won.”

To order the jewels, call 202-333-2979.