Yellow and Red No

Red text on a yellow background

The Knickerbocker Leather & Novelty Company, also known as the K.C. Leather Novelty Co.,  was established in 1909 by Saul L. Kowarsky at 314 Broadway in New York City. It became well known for its miniature leather-bound books—especially its Shakespeare collections—and other novelty items. The company operated until 1956, when it went bankrupt. Knickerbocker was part of New York’s active leather goods industry, where unions like the Pocketbook Workers Local 1 and the International Leather Goods, Plastic and Novelty Workers’ Union played a significant role in organizing workers. A key 1916 strike by leather workers and the industry-wide contract in 1918 helped pave the way for shops like Knickerbocker to come under union influence. In this field, union affiliation was often indicated by the “union bug,” a small emblem that showed a product was made under union standards, with fair wages and safer working conditions. Although there’s no record of Knickerbocker taking part in major strikes, the company appeared in National Labor Relations Board cases in the 1950s related to illegal anti-union practices, highlighting the common employer resistance during that time. Union bugs held a strong meaning: they weren’t just logos but symbols of solidarity and pride in union labor, especially when employers resisted organizing efforts. Buttons also contributed to this culture of expression—simple messages like “NO” or “YES” often conveyed support or opposition to political, social, and labor causes, turning minimal designs into powerful symbols. Thus, Knickerbocker’s story blends product creativity with the labor struggles and symbolic tools of solidarity that defined its era.