Illustration of an American flag in the shape of a heart with a yellow ribbon tied around it ona white background

In the United States the yellow ribbon is frequently a symbol of support for American troops. The earliest known instance of this is in the early 19th century when women wore a yellow ribbon in their hair as a sign of devotion to a spouse or sweetheart serving in the U.S. cavalry. Between November of 1979 and January of 1981 the yellow ribbon was displayed in support of Americans that were held hostage in Iran, but during the Gulf War in the early 1990's the ribbon appeared alongside the “support our troops” slogan and was used in this way again during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Blue text around an illustration of a red paint palette shaped like a heart with two paint brushes

Norman Rockwell was a 20^th-century American illustrator who is famous for his cover illustrations of The Saturday Evening Post, which portrayed the lives of average Americans. In addition to The Saturday Evening Post, he also illustrated the Boy Scouts calendars from 1925 to 1976. Some of his most famous works include Rosie the Riveter, The Problem We All Live With, and the Four Freedoms series. He produced over four thousand original works and was commissioned to illustrate over forty books. 

White text on a red heart illustration on a white background

The heart shape is a graphic symbol representing an expression of love. The use of the heart shape originated in the Middle Ages, though it wasn’t used to symbolize love until the 15th century. Today, it is frequently used to indicate a specific love of something.

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Illustration of a red heart with an arrow through it with blue text around the outer edge.

La Prelle-Williams Shoe Co. was a six-story shoe factory based in St. Louis, Missouri. The La Prelle-Williams brand was patented in 1900, and the factory began building in 1901. The company had salespeople who traveled throughout the Midwestern United States. The company only lasted for another year until the retirement of Williams, after which the name La Prelle-Williams Shoe Co. was changed to the La Prelle Shoe Co., which went out of business four years later. 

Blue text on a white background.

The Parisian Novelty Company originated in Chicago, Illinois, in 1898 as a manufacturer of advertisement novelties such as pinback buttons. During the late 1800s, celluloid was popular for creating plastics due to its flexibility, durability, and transparency. The Parisian Novelty Company would reach its peak during the late 1910s, and early 1920’s when they created vanity cases, which were often used to hold money or makeup. The company would eventually be sold in 2008 and renamed Matchless Parisian Novelty, a manufacturer of pinback buttons and button parts.

White text on a green background with a clip attached

Before the ubiquitous plastic blue tarp, canvas was the preferred material for making tarps. The full word, tarpaulin, is a compound word from “tar” and “palling” which refers to sailors covering objects on ships with tar-coated canvas palls.

Canvas Products Co. is not well documented, although they are in the 1955 Cleveland City Directory. At best estimate, this clip dates between 1949 and 1963.

White text and a white illustration of a diamond shape with lines emanating along the bottom with a diamond like gem in the center for the button

This button commemorates the 75th Diamond Jubilee of the establishment of the town of Culbertson, Montana. The celebration activities took place from June 1- 3,1962. The expansion of the Great Northern Railroad led to the creation of the town in June 1887. The town was named for Major Alexander Culbertson who was the Clerk of Fort Union and the former head of the American Fur Company at Fort Union. The military posts along the Missouri River required horses to supply their cavalry units so the primary occupation of the townspeople was horse ranching. When cattle prices rose, cattle ranching took over as the predominant way of life. The Homestead laws of 1909 saw the arrival of homesteaders who increased the area’s farming output. For decades, the combination of successful harvests and the railroad served to make Culbertson a leading agricultural trading center of the area. After World War II, Culbertson saw a decline in both businesses and population. Today the town is home to an estimated 815 residents.

Illustration of a light brown turtle shell with red text on it on top of a green metal turtle

The Dames of Malta are part of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which is a Roman Catholic religious order that was founded in 1099 in Jerusalem. Its main mission is to defend the Catholic faith and help the poor. The Dames of Malta are a group of women within the Order of Malta. In the United States, the Order of Malta was founded in 1927 with its headquarters in New York City.

White text on a blue background with a white ribbon holding a small metal ice cube tray

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Illustration of a blue ribbon with gold text on it all on a white background

The blue ribbon has been used for different purposes throughout history. Nowadays, a blue ribbon is typically associated with high quality and excellence. This is an association that comes from the sixteenth century French knight’s order, known as Ordre du Saint Esprit, in which members were called Cordon-bleus after the blue ribbons that they wore. There is also some association from the prize of an unofficial accolade, known as The Blue Riband, which is awarded to the fastest passenger ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The symbol of the blue ribbon is also used by companies and sellers as a marketing ploy to attract buyers.