Persia Flag

Illustration of a flag with an outer blue edge and white center over black text on a white background

Persia was established by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC and was located in what is now the country of Iran. Cyrus the Great and the subsequent ruling dynasties conquered much of the Middle East and by the 5th century Persia was the largest empire in the world. Combining Persian, Turkish, and Mongol traditions, the lion and the sun became the national emblem of Persia. The lion and the sun are symbols that have been used on flags and banners by Persian rulers and are still used today in Iran. The lion represents divinity and the lineage of the kings and the sun symbolizes the king as ruler of the heavens.

Designed and manufactured by Whitehead & Hoag Co. advertisers like Sweet Caporal cigarettes were able to insert their own backings to this button. Sweet Caporal was a brand of cigarettes created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1878 and sold to the American Tobacco Company in 1911.  Sweet Caporal was a very popular brand, especially in Canada during the early part of the 20th Century.  In 1908, 50% of cigarette sales in Canada were comprised of the Sweet Caporal brand.