Red text on white background.

Horses Haven is a not-for-profit in Howell, Michigan, founded in 1995 with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate, retain, and re-home at risk equines and the goal is to find forever homes for each horse through adoption. They work with law enforcement agencies and accept surrendered horses when the owners demonstrate an evident need of help. Horses Haven relies heavily on volunteers for the heart and soul of the organization as they work 7 days a week, 365 days a year and help cover the two shifts a day scheduled at the farm.

Black and red text with yellow halo surrounded by photographic images of Star Wars products on a black background with white stars. Top has the Hake's logo in red, white, yellow, and blue.

Ted Hake is a collector of pin-backed political campaign buttons who turned his hobby of collecting into a business which led to the founding of Hake’s Auctions in 1967. The business expanded beyond political campaign buttons and includes comic-book, vintage toys, and pop culture collectibles up for auction. In the following four decades, Ted authored 17 collectibles price guides, with those devoted to presidential campaign items, pin-back buttons, character collectibles, and Disneyana considered to be the authoritative references by collectors nationwide. Ted continues with work with Hake’s Americana as a full-time consultant. In 2012, Ted launched his personal website, tedhake.com, to offer buttons and other pop culture collectibles at fixed prices from his personal collections.

In November 2017, Hake’s Americana and Collectibles announced they were presenting Russell Branton’s Star Wars collection up for auction. Russell Branton’s Star Wars collection, one of the most extensive collections of Star Wars memorabilia assembled for a decade, contained roughly 700 to 800 pieces and included many rare and valuable items, mostly consisting of rare toy figures, figures, and playsets. Hake’s Americana & Collectibles began selling Branton’s collection over several auctions, beginning with Auction #222, which went online on October 24, 2017 and closed on November 14-16, 2017.

Black text with red illustration of top on yellow background with red border.

The Hand Tip and Novelty Co. was a manufacturer of promotional buttons based out of Newburg, New York. Hand and Tip Novelty Co. eventually became Hantico Line, a specialty advertising company with offices in Newburg and New York City. Hantico was later purchased by Uniflex, a bag manufacturer, in 1992. In 1995, Uniflex Inc. sold Hantico to American Greenwood Inc. that had a similar promotional product line. In addition to promotional products for political causes and other initiatives, Hantico made items such as buttons and tops with fun messages or branding for creative advertising for themselves.

Black illustration of smiley face on yellow background.

The classic yellow smiley face is comprised of a yellow circle, two black dots for eyes, and a black arc ending in serifs for a mouth. It was designed in 1963 by commercial artist, Harvey Ross Ball. Ball was commissioned by The State Mutual Life Insurance Company to create a happy face to raise the morale of their employees. His version was created in 10 minutes. The design was printed onto more than 50 million buttons. Neither Ball nor the company copyrighted this smiley, so it was continually used by other businesses in their promotions.

The design and concept is quite simple and was definitely used before Ball’s 1963 version. However, his has become the most iconic. Variations have been used for advertising campaigns and in popular culture ever since.

White text over black line with yellow smiley illustration to the right. Below, yellow text, all on a purple background.

Know information about this button? Contact us here.

Image of orange no sign with blue text over illustration of tan gopher wearing M cap on white background.   

The Fighting Illini refer to the Big 10 football or basketball teams of the University of Illinois. Their opponent for this match is the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. The colors, blue and gold, are the colors of the Illinois school. Along with the "no" symbol on a cartoon of a gopher mascot, this memorabilia was created to be worn at a live match up of the two schools.

White text on blue and red rectangle tilted on white background.

James R. Thompson—also known as Big Jim by his constituents—was the longest serving governor of Illinois and held office from 1977 to 1991. As a Republican politician, he was fiscally conservative and tough on crime, but took a liberal stance when it came to the working class. Thompson’s greatest achievement as governor was Build Illinois, a sweeping construction project that helped modernize state buildings and improve highways. He also spearheaded the creation of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Policies aside, Thompson was a larger-than-life character who was often clad in casual clothing and rode horses around the Capitol Rotunda during holiday parades. After serving his time in office, Thompson worked as a high-profile attorney and later served on the 9/11 Commission.

Green text on white background above white text on green background.

The Carter Mondale Campaign in 1976 consisted of Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale as the Democratic nominees for President and Vice President in the United States Presidential election. Carter had previously served as the governor of Georgia from 1971-1975. Walter Mondale had served as a United States Senator, representing Minnesota from 1964-1976. Carter and Mondale defeated the Republican candidates, incumbent President Gerald Ford and his selection for Vice President, Bob Dole. Jimmy Carter was the first President elected who represented the Deep South since the 1848 Presidential election of Zachary Taylor. The color green was used to symbolize Carter's agricultural roots.

White and red text on black background.

F.D. Wertman worked for the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association. He wrote an article for Iowa State University on the relicensure of veterinarians and mandatory education in 1977 arguing that varied medical practices creating academies were a detriment to a standard education among the states.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black text with illustration of red and white flag on white background.

John Anderson was a Republican Illinois Representative (16th congressional district, 1961 to 1981). He ran for president during the 1980 presidential campaign. Initially running as a Republican, he eventually ran as an Independent. This switch came as result of many factors, such as, his less conservative views on tax cuts, gun control, and the Republican party's failure to endorse the Equal Rights Amendment.