Brummagem:
A showy, but worthless and inferior thing. A reproduced political
button. We do not sell or deal in fake buttons at all!
Cello or Celluloid Button
A button made of paper with a celluloid covering. Both are wrapped around
a metal disc and are held in place by a metal rim on the back of the
item. As
celluloid is flammable, acetate is now the common covering that covers
the paper.
History of Celluloid buttons
Celluloid buttons are the most popular form of political memorabilia.
They are round metal disks covered with a printed paper and then topped
off with a thin piece of clear celluloid. They are intended to be worn
on clothing by means of several types of pins that are part of the back
of the celluloid button. Today, only celluloid buttons, lithograph
buttons, and political jewelry are manufactured as political lapel
devices.
The origin of the celluloid button comes shortly after the invention of
celluloid itself, in the 1870s. In the 1880s, celluloid made its first
appearance on political memorabilia, pins, and political lapel device in
thick pieces that were molded to look like candidates or as frames
around cardboard photos. It is the use of celluloid in thin clear sheets
that made the modern political buttons and pins a reality. Celluloid
buttons first appeared in the election of 1896. Although not the first
manufacturer of celluloid buttons and pins, it was the company of
Whitehead and Hoag of New Jersey that popularized the button with their
patented design. The period between 1896 and the mid- twenties is
generally considered to be the "classic" period of button and pins
design. In this period, some of the most beautiful and ornate buttons
and pins were manufactured. The most expensive celluloid buttons and
pins are also from this period. Buttons and pins had several different
back designs. The Whitehead and Hoag type has a hollow back, which
typically contained a small piece of paper with the manufacturer's
advertising during the classic period. Back papers are no longer used.
Celluloid buttons and pins are generally superior in quality to
lithographic buttons and, therefore, more collectible.
Collar or Collet
The metal ring on the back of a cello button which secures the material
to the disc. Also know as a flange.
Curl
The rounded edge of a cello or litho button.
Disclaimer
A statement signifying who authorized or paid for a button. These are
most often found on the curl.
Ferrotype
One of the photographic processes of the 1860s, in which the
photographic emulsion was spread on a thin piece of iron. Presidential
items were made by
placing a small ferrotype in a quarter size brass disc that could be
tied to the coat lapel by a ribbon. A ferrotype has a picture we usually
call a Tintype.
1860 Ferrotype for John Bell for President
Flasher
A type of button which changes its picture by shifting the position of
the
button. First used in the 1952 campaign, began to fall from popularity
by
1968 and by 1976 were pretty well phased out due to the high cost of
productdion until one in 1988 for a Bush
(anti-Carter/Clinton) version and then again in 2000 when one was made
for the Bush-Cheney campaign.
Foxing
The brown stain marks under the celluloid covering of a button usually
caused by water or excessive moisture rusting the metal disc under the
paper.
Jugate The side by side pictures of the Presidential and
Vice Presidential candidates on the same item This has come to mean pictures of both
candidates on the same item, not necessarily side by side).
Jugate from 1908 featuring Bryan and Kern
Lapel stud
This is usually round in shape like a button, but with a metal shank on
the
back to hold the item in a button hole. These are often misidentified as
a cufflink as the back looks a lot like old-style cufflinks.
Litho or Lithograph button
A button stamped from a sheet of lithographed tin. There is no collet on
the
back and the pin is held in place only by the curvature or curl of the
metal
rim. Commonly in use after 1916, but lithographed buttons for candidates
from
1896 to 1916 are usually modern reproductions of items that were
originally
made of celluloid.
Mechanical
An item usually made of brass that moves by means of a spring. The term
is
loosely applied to any item that has moving parts.
Reproductions
A copy of any original button made after the time of the election. We
will never sell reproductions knowingly.
Tab
A flat metal lapel device with foldover piece that extends from the top.
These are commonly lithographed tin.
Typical tab
Trigate: Button, ribbon, token, or other item showing three persons, usually
in bust. Typically the three persons depicted may be candidates for
president, vice-president, and governor, or perhaps for president,
governor, and U.S. Senator. Other trigates may be wholly local, or may
even be international (depicting world leaders). Collectors enjoy
trigates because of their interesting design and because the number of
different items in existance is not completely overwhelming.
Massachusetts Trigate
Union bug
The term for tiny union label found on many campaign button
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