Knight and Wall Company

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Text on Button KNIGHT AND WALL CO. TAMPA, FLA. JOBBERS SPORTING GOODS HARDWARE PAINTS
Image Description

Compass nestled between black text over yellowed background. 

Curl Text PARISIAN NOVELTY CO. CHICAGO
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Knight & Wall Company was a hardware store established in 1884 by Perry G. Wall, II and his brother-in-law, Henry L. Knight in Tampa, Florida.  Knight & Wall was a retail and wholesale business that serviced most of south Florida and a branch in Cuba for nearly 80 years. 

The store was first started by Henry Knight and Perry Wall in 1884 under the name Clarke and Knight.  Knight represented Henry L. Knight and Clarke (Edward Clarke) represented the uncle and financial guardian for Perry Wall.  Perry Wall was only 17 years old when the store was established so it remained under the name Clarke and Knight until Perry Wall turned 21 in 1888 and was then changed to Knight & Wall.

Knight & Wall remained in business until the 1970's when the company was sold to Alchar Hardware of Miami.

Catalog ID IN0070

It's A Boy

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Text on Button IT'S A BOY!
Image Description

Baby boy above black text over blue background. 

(Additional Text: Congratulations, Dad! In all the world there is no greater joy Than being the father of a new boy! No teasure's so rare as that little lad. No pleasure compares to being called "Dad" Compliments of SWIFT'S MEATS FOR BABIES)

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Swift and Company established itself as a meat distributor in 1855, expanding the business from Gustavus Franklin Swift being the sole employee to its current place as a multi-million dollar business owned by Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Inc. Investors.  Swift advertised its baby food heavily in the 1950s, using, in addition to buttons, Norman Rockwell paintings in their magazine advertisements to represent the joy babies got from eating Swift baby food.  

Catalog ID AD0220

IBEW

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Text on Button Keep Your Eye on IBEW We Will Win
Image Description

Lenticular woman's eye next to white text over blue and red background. Union bug. 

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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) was founded in Saint Louis, Missouri in 1890.  The originating members had concerns about their twelve-hour work days, seven days per week, at eight dollars a week schedule and wage.  The American Federation of Labor granted the works a charter under the title Electrical Wiremen and Linemen's Union in 1891.  The union suffered under the "Open-Shop Movement" at the end of the 1910s.  It was not until the National Labor Relaions Act of 1935, that the IBEW was able to organize utility and factory workers.  By 1941, IBEW was working with other organizations to have the National Apprenticeship Standards for the Electrical Construction passed. However, the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 made it again difficult to form unions, and the IBEW and labor reform suffered. Currently, the union has about three-quarters of a million members.

In the early 1980s, this style of button became a focal point in a federal court case.  The button wearer was asked not to wear it while working with the general public.  The wearer's supervisor was concerned that the button could be the start of an argument between union members but the IBEW disagreed.  The court ruled that the employer could prevent it being worn while working with the public.  

Catalog ID IN0047

Heywood-Wakefield Company

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Text on Button Heywood-Wakefield Co. 1300
Image Description

Black and white photograph framed by yellow with black text contained within a metal button. 

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The button is believed to have been a Heywood-Wakefield Company employee identification badge.  Five brothers from Gardner, Massachusetts founded a small furniture manufacturing company in 1826.  It was successful and expanded into, among other places, Chicago's West Side, where it build a warehouse (1883), a factory (1884), and a salesroom (1891).  In 1913, the Chicago facilities were expanded with the sale of one million dollars of general stock.  In 1921, the company became the Heywood-Wakefield Company under Massachusetts law when it liquidated its New Jersey holdings.  The employee identification badge dates from 1921 or after since it reads "Heywood-Wakefield Co."

Sources

Heywood-Wakefield Company. (1926). A completed century, 1826-1926: The story of Heywood-Wakefield Company. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/completedcentury00heyw.

Catalog ID IN0031

Great Balls of Fire

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Text on Button GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!
Image Description

Outlined flaming piano surrounded by five red lights below white text over black background.  

Back Paper / Back Info

TAIWAN

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The song "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis was one of the most popular Rockabilly songs during the 1950's. Peaking at #1 on the charts, the song sold over 1 million copies in the first 10 days after the record was released on November 11th, 1957.

The image is reference to the legend that Jerry Lee Lewis set his piano on fire one night while performing. Reportedly there was a conflict between Jerry Lee and Chuck Berry, another famous performer during the era. Jerry Lee wanted to close the show and Chuck Berry would not let him. In order to upstage him, Jerry Lee lit his piano on fire while performing 'Great Balls of Fire' and sang until the piano burned to the ground. In a 1999 article in Country Weekly Jerry Lee was asked about the notorious incident and said "I don't know where people would get an idea like that. Someone would have to be crazy to set a piano on fire. Of course, that was so long ago and the story's been told so many times, I sometimes wonder if I really did do it." neither confirming nor denying the story.

Jerry Lee Lewis' career ended quickly when news that he married his first cousin once removed Myra Gale Brown. Due to her young age (13 years old) controversy broke out and Jerry Lee was blacklisted from the industry. His career would never recover.

Catalog ID IN0033

Feltron vs Kickstarter

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Text on Button FELTRON VS K
Image Description

Gold, glow in the dark paper, and striped circles with gold and white text over black background. 

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This button was a Kickstarter campaign gift for backers of $20 for Nicholas Felton's infographic book. The innovative effect is glow in the dark and gold platted button combination.

This button was manufactured by the Busy Beaver Button Co.

Catalog ID IN0058

Erin Go Bragh

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Text on Button ERIN GO BRAGH
Image Description

Two flags with a three-leaf clover below black text over white background. Olive green ribbon hangs below connected to two lucky rabbits' feet, one green and one brown. 

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During the 1850s, the potato famine caused many Irish to immigrate to the United States. The Irish phrase "Erin Go Bragh" means Ireland forever. The phrase is often used to express pride for and allegiance to Ireland. The shamrock and the green harp flag are also symbols of Irish identity and nationalism.

The rabbit foot, like the one attached to this button, is considered to be a good luck charm.

See more innovative and unique buttons in action on the Busy Beaver blog.

Catalog ID IN0053

Drink Coca Cola

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Text on Button DRINK Coca-Cola TRADE-MARK IN BOTTLES
Image Description

Red text over yellow background.

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The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational beverage corporation and manufacturer, retailer and marketer of nonalcoholic beverages. The company is most famous for its flagship product Coca-Cola which was invented in 1886 by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton.

This button was manufactured by the Parisian Novelty Company which was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1898. In 2008, the button portion of the Parisian Novelty Company was sold to the Matchless Group and renamed Matchless Parisian Novelty, Inc. 

This button is a nail puzzle. This means that two of them can be interlocked. The object of the puzzle is to unlink the nails. The following link demonstrates the puzzle's solution: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/trjul98a.htm

Catalog ID IN0048

Dave Cook Sporting Goods

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Text on Button DAVE COOK SPORTING GOODS CO. MA, 3555 Corner 1601 Larimer St.
Image Description

Compass nestled between red text over yellowed background. 

Curl Text PARISIAN NOV. CO. CHGO
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In 1924, Dave and Max Cook opened and started the first sporting goods company in Colorado.  In 1932, Dave Cook bought out his brother Max's share of the business.  Dave Cook Sporting Good Company was opened in 1936 in Denver, Colorado at 1601 Larimer Street. The company gained attention from many due to the company being opened and operated by a Jewish businessman.  Dave Cook Sporting Good advertisements could be seen in popular magazines such as Field and Stream and Boys Life.  In 1988, Dave Cook Sporting Company was purchased from Gart Brother's Sporting Good Company for 20 million dollars.  The Cook family remained employed until late 1989 when they are resigned.  Gart continued to use the Cook name until the early 1990's when all store names where gradually changed to reflect Gart.

Catalog ID IN0069