Black text on center circle with orange background, surrounded by a ring of 'HONDA' repeated in orange on green, surrounded by a final ring of decorative green/orange Os on a purple background.

Honda was a relatively small motorcycle manufacturer during the 1960s when they began exporting to the U.S. There is some academic debate as to how Honda became so successful, but it has since become the largest motorcycle manufacturer and the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines.

Illustration of a young blonde girl crying with red irritated eyes and nose. There's also an image of a white bird next to the girl's head. Button has white background and red text.

Allergy Annie was a character developed by Honeywell HVAC company to promote their air cleaning products. The doll and coloring book were offered for free when readers agreed to have a representative demonstrate "(in your home) the multiple benefits of this Honeywell Electronic Air Cleaner."

Red-eyed Annie in our button should not be confused with the new Annie. In May of 2012 "Allergy Annie" was trademarked by a company selling allergy labeling products. Wonder if they know about the "real" Allergy Annie?

Hot pink background, black text and line drawing of a smiley face with swirling eyes and its tongue hanging out.

This button promotes the Lusty Lady, a famous peepshow in Seattle and San Francisco that operated from 1985-2010.

White Harry's "sign" outlined in yellow includes address and phone number in red text. Background is red with repeating text "I'm just wild about Harry" in white.

Harry's New York Bar is located in the Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South in New York City. It was named after Harry Helmsley, a New York real estate developer and philanthropist who once owned the Empire State Building and Flatiron Building. The Park Lane hotel opened in 1971. The slogan "I'm just wild about Harry" evokes the 1921 hit song of the same name by Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle.

From 1972 until his death in 1997, Harry Helmsley was married to Leona Helmsley, who supposedly once said, "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes." Her 1989 conviction on tax evasion and hostile treatment of employees and others earned her the reputation as the "Queen of Mean."

Center photo image of a cow on white background with yellow text on blue background on the edge. Metal milk pail FOB hanging from button.

The Guernsey cow, with naturally yellow milk, is native to the island of Guernsey in Europe. The first appearance of the Guernsey was in 1830 in Boston Massachusetts. In 1921, the Golden Guernsey Products trademark was a milk bottle cap that enclosed the jug in two circles and had their brand imprinted around the circle. They first used the label on milk produced at Halfred and Gledka Farms of Chagrin Falls and what is now Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, OH.

Black line drawing of the head of a cowboy with mustache and cowboy hat surrounded by black text.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Dark red text appears over a bright yellow background. GE's logo sits next to a steaming cup of coffee.

"Want a good cup of coffee" was a slogan used by General Electric (GE or G-E depending on the era) to advertise their automatic coffee makers.

Cartoon bird in blue, red, and white with yellow beak and feet.  Blue text on white background.

This advertising novelty was produced in the early 1900s by the Whitehead & Hoag Co. (W&H). The button manufacturer was incorporated in 1892 by Benjamin Whitehead and Chester Hoag—two business men that had been fortunate enough to secure three major button patents before 1896, the year in which demand for buttons had skyrocketed. Before W&Hs' patents expired and the proliferation of the small printing press, the company was the world's largest button manufacturer. W&H was sold to a long-time competitor, Bastion Bros. Co., in 1959.  The same year its factory doors closed for the final time.

A red and white monk illustration exhales smoke while holding a cigarette. Button has a blue background with white text, with the button edges outlined in white.

Foy was a manufacturer of rolling papers in the 1960-1970s. The relaxed man exhaling smoke is Mr. Foy, demonstrating how "Foy brings joy." Some packages were "produced with pure hemp fibre", a statement printed between two cannabis leaves. 

Illustration of a waving white flag with red outline and four vertical blue stripes, on a white flagpole.  Navy blue background.

When the United States entered World War I, the Federal Government began selling "liberty bonds" to citizens to help cover war expenses. These bonds, sold primarily by the girl and boy scouts, were small loans taken by the U.S. government in which they would repay the citizens in the future. When the first three Liberty Loan Acts proved insufficient, the Fourth Liberty Loan Act was passed September 28, 1918, issuing $6 billion in war bonds with an interest rate of 4.25% for up to ten years. Artists were commissioned to create posters and famous actors, such as Charlie Chaplin gave speeches encouraging the public to do their patriotic duty and contribute to the war effort by purchasing one of these bonds.