Illustration of a toilet and text in white on brown background.

This catchy motto was coined in the 1980s during a water shortage in New York by Mayor Ed Koch. The drought was caused by lack of rain so the reservoirs were only at 30% capacity. The normal capacity was 88%. To solve this, Mayor Koch called for cutbacks in water usage and this quip was utilized.

Mayor Koch, a democrat, was mayor from 1978-1989 and one of three mayors to be elected a second term. He was known for his humor and brash personality.

Image of a plane in the sky with black text on blue background.

During the Korean War, the U.S. Air Force was in need of a high-performance bomber that was capable of accurate weapon delivery at night and in poor weather conditions. The outdated Douglas B-29 Intruder could not meet those demands despite its success as an Allied plane in World War II. Since there was not enough time to design, build, and test a new bomber from scratch, the Americans looked to the United Kingdom for some help. The U.K. allowed the USAF to adapt its newly developed jet—the English Electric Canberra—to suit the wartime needs of the United States. The resulting product was the Martin B-57 Night Intruder, which was not only well equipped for volatile weather, but also fuel-efficient. 

In collaboration with the Glenn Martin Company, the USAF manufactured over 400 B-57 Night Intruders between 1951 and 1959. The aircraft took its maiden flight on July 20, 1953, and was officially retired in 1983. The plane was also sold and exported to other nations including Pakistan, which used the B-57 Night Intruder in the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971.

Image of a plane in the sky with red text on dark blue background.

The Douglas XF4D-1 Skyray was a single-place, single-engine delta-winged fighter powered by a turbojet engine. It had retractable tricycle landing gear and was to operate off of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers as a high altitude interceptor. The Skyray was designed by the legendary Ed Heinemann, for which he was awarded the Collier Trophy in 1954. Two prototypes were built (Bu.Nos. 124586, 124587). It was a delta-winged aircraft, though the wingtips were significantly rounded. 

Illustration of a person made of fruit dressed in top hat and kilt

Keiller is a well-known brand of marmalade named after Janet Keiller (1735-1813) who, in 1797, adapted an existing recipe for marmalade by adding orange rind. The Keiller brand was bought by Crosse & Blackwell Ltd in 1920. After a number of changes of ownership, it was eventually subsumed into the Roberston’s brand in 1988.​ Keiller was a leading brand of chip-marmalade (containing the fruit rind) and a major competitor to the likes of the Roberston’s Golly and William Moorhouse Sunny-Sunglow brands. In its heyday, Keiller marmalade was exported worldwide especially to expatriates throughout the British Empire. Keiller stoneware jars are still found everywhere.

Alex Keiller opened a new factory in Guernsey (Channel Isles) to produce his Dundee (Chip) Marmalade under the same label. The new factory accounted for over a third of all Keiller’s output and was established to take advantage of the island’s exemption from the new Sugar Tax. The Guernsey factory operated there from 1857 to 1879 which also gave the company better access to the more lucrative markets of South-East England, including London.

Illustration of a woman hiking up her dress to fix her stocking while a man stares from the lamp post holding a sign that falsely indicates he is blind.

An Edwardian naughty joke from the early 1900s, the illustration portrays a woman seeing a "blind" man, which gives her no accord as she lifts her skirt up to daringly show her leg. The joke is on the woman because the blind man isn’t blind, which can be inferred from his glasses, head tilt, and facial expression. Skirts in that era revealed no more than an ankle, as that was considered modest for the time. The woman’s fashion is very up to date and her silhouette has the fashionable S-bend, bodice shows the “pigeon-breasted” monobosom, and large hat is carefully pinned to sit forward on her head. Similar fashion can be seen in a 1903 Edison silent film, The Gay Shoe Clerk, whose plot similarly features a woman who gives an eyeful to an unfortunate shoe clerk.

Illustration of boy in baseball hat and pink nightgown holding a baseball bat on a white background.

The Little Pinkies were a series of 20 pinback buttons made by Whitehead & Hoag Co. for American Pepsin Gum to give away in their packages of gum. The Little Pinkies appeared in 1896. Some say that they were a very early comic strip. Others suggest the characters were inspired by the popularity of Palmer Cox’s Brownies.

Pepsin powder was used in many chewing gums in the 1890s as is was thought to cure indigestion, or dyspepsia as it was called then. In fact, Pepsi-Cola was marketed as a digestion aid around the time this button was made.

For other Little Pinkies buttons in our collection, you can visit the Policeman, the Colonel, and the Boot Black.

Illustration of boy with blue fez in pink pajamas carrying soap box and pencil

The Little Pinkies were a series of 20 pinback buttons made by Whitehead & Hoag Co. for American Pepsin Gum to give away in their packages of gum. The Little Pinkies are not very well documented. All sources say that they appeared in 1896. Some say that they were a very early comic strip. Others suggest the characters were inspired by the popularity of Palmer Cox’s Brownies.

Pepsin powder was used in many chewing gums in the 1890s as is was thought to cure indigestion, or dyspepsia as it was called then. In fact, Pepsi-Cola was marketed as a digestion aid around the time this button was made.

For other Little Pinkies buttons in our collection, you can visit the Policeman, the Colonel, and the Boot Black.

Illustration of soldier in blue coat and red hat on white background.

The Little Pinkies were a series of 20 pinback buttons made by Whitehead & Hoag Co. for American Pepsin Gum to give away in their packages of gum. The Little Pinkies appeared in 1896. Some say that they were a very early comic strip. Others suggest the characters were inspired by the popularity of Palmer Cox’s Brownies.

Pepsin powder was used in many chewing gums in the 1890s as is was thought to cure indigestion, or dyspepsia as it was called then. In fact, Pepsi-Cola was marketed as a digestion aid around the time this button was made.

For other Little Pinkies buttons in our collection, you can visit the Policeman, the Colonel, and the Boot Black.

Ivory and yellow text on purple background.

"Not always right but never in doubt" is a phrase attributed to Davey Crockett (1786 – 1836) who was a US Congressman for the state of Tennessee. He joined in the Texas Revolution and died in the Battle of the Alamo.

Yellow text on dark blue background.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.