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ARichard Nixon mask is amask with the likeness ofRichard Nixon. It was commercially available and quite popular in the waning days of theadministration. It is generally made out ofvinyl byCesar Mask (fr), a French company, and is sold worldwide. The most famous Nixon mask was the big nose Nixon comical mask that was made by Cesar in the 1970s. Later, other companies made similar versions made fromlatex rubber or similar flexiblecastable compounds.
One of the notable features of most Nixon masks is the classically-caricatured nose. Many of the different versions of the Nixon mask have a wide, grinningsmile as well.
Although the masks were widely believed to be only afad, which would presumably die down as the public attention onWatergate waned and once Nixon left office, the masks managed to outlive their presumed fad status by becoming popular during events such asHalloween and adultmasquerade parties. The Nixon mask remains popular today and is worn both for humorous effect and in protest marches and similar "public displays of disaffection". According toHarper's magazine's October 2002 "Harper's Index," Nixon masks were the best-selling political mask for the previous five years for the top U.S. costume wholesalerMorris Costumes.[1]
