Illustration of a pink flamingo in front of a blue, black and white cirlce on a white background

Did you know flamingos are pink because of the foods they eat? Lucky us, we get to appreciate these beautiful, balanced creatures in zoos and the watery oases where they live. Their classic pose, the one leg on the ground and the other in the air, is iconic and flamingos are found in a variety of artistic depictions from the highbrow to the lowbrow.

Black and red text on an orange background with a clown

In 1821, John Cooper and Thomas Gould established a brewery in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. When William Van Nostrand acquired interest in 1860, he gradually expanded production and distribution.  His son, Alonzo G. Van Nostrand, originated the “P.B. Ale” (Purest and Best) brand.  In the 1890’s, Alonzo became the sole proprietor of the brewery which was now known as the Bunker Hill Brewery.  It operated until Prohibition.  In addition to P.B. Ale, the brewery also manufactured; Boston Club Lager, Bunker Hill Lager, Old Musty Ale, Owl Musty and Van Nostrand's Porter.

See more photos of pre- and post-prohibition beer buttons on the Busy Beaver blog.

An illustration of a man and a woman at a table with food, beers in hand. The lettering is orange, black, and white.

Old Dutch beer was brewed in Findlay, Ohio, until March 1966. The brewery started as Brilliant City Brewery in 1891 but the production of Old Dutch beer didn’t start until the early 1900’s. In 1898 the brewery was purchased by Peter Krantz and the name was changed to Krantz Brewing Company. During the first years of Prohibition the brewery produced non-alcoholic Old Dutch beer, root beer, birch beer and ginger ale. The brewery closed in 1923 and remained closed for 10 years. With the end of Prohibition the brewery opened again in 1933. In 1936 the name changed to the Krantz Brewing Corporation. Krantz Brewing Corporation merged with International Breweries Inc. of Detroit in 1957. In 1966 the brewery closed and the Old Dutch brand was sold to Associated Brewers of Detroit.

See more photos of pre- and post-prohibition beer buttons on the Busy Beaver blog.

Red heart on a black background in a small circle at the center of the button surrounded by a yellow boarder wtih blue text and an outer white border with blue text

In 1857, Peter Weyand and Daniel Jung established the Western Brewery on Freeman and Bank Streets in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1879, Weyand and Jung partnered with Max Hellman and operated the brewery until 1885. In 1885, following the deaths of Peter Weyand and Daniel Jung, the brewery was renamed the Jung Brewing Company. The Jung Brewing Company operated from 1885 to 1890. In 1890, the brewery was sold and merged with Cincinnati Breweries Company.

In the late 19th century it was common for brewers to promote their beers as healthful or nutritious especially to counter claims of the Anti Saloon League that alcohol was harmful. Jung Brewing went beyond just healthful claims and claimed Red Heart Brand Pilsner sustained life.

See more photos of pre- and post-prohibition beer buttons on the Busy Beaver blog.

Illustration of the head and shoulders of a child in a blue outfit and red hat next to a brown dog on a white background with black text at top and bottom

The Brownbilt Club was a rewards club for customers who purchased Buster Brown shoes. In the 1930s, newspapers advertised special deals and ways to earn points and rewards. For every dollar a customer spent, they earned one credit toward a Brownbilt Club Prize, and customer points were recorded on a club member card kept at the shoe store. Sometimes, Brownbilt Club members would receive souvenirs or other small rewards just for being a member and shopping on certain days. 

Buster Brown Children's Shoe Company, founded in 1904, purchased the rights to the little boy Buster Brown and his dog Tige, who were originally drawn in a comic strip by Richard Outcault in 1902. The company thrived for over 100 years, producing it's own radio show by 1926 and a television show by the 1950s. The Buster Brown Shoe Company changed its name to the Brown Shoe Company, and is now rebranding as Caleres Shoes, owning brands like Famous Footwear, Dr. Scholl’s, and Naturalizer across the United States, Canada, and China.

Brown and lightbrown illustration or photograph of a fort with a lightbrown outer edge with dark brown text on it

The Pioneer Citizens Club was an organization that was affiliated with the Chicago Historical Society. On February 22, 1930 members of the Boys and Girl Scouts participated in a celebration of the Pioneers Citizens Club.

Blue text on a white background with a blue horizontal line in the middle

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Black text above an illustration of a man in a red and white striped shirt and polka dot bow tie with a red nose, mustache and doubled eyes

The button pokes fun at alcoholics. The phrase "on the wagon" means (of an alcoholic) abstaining from drinking. It was a popular phrase during the American temperance movement in the early 20th century. The original version of the expression was “on the water wagon” or “on the water cart”, referring to carts used to hose down dusty roads.

For more information and the etymology of the phrase: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-wag1.htm

Light blue text on a light grey background

Flatulence, breaking wind, and cutting the cheese are just a few of the many names for the physiological process of gas being released from the body. A fart can be the running gag of a joke or have people running and gagging! Nevertheless, what if the whole world farted at once? The average person farts at least 12 times a day, so if everyone were to fart all at once, it would cause a disruption, especially in densely populated areas like New York City. No need for fear about this reeking apocalypse, farting is a natural yet humorous part of life.

Black text on a white background with a red heart

The phrase “My Mom’s the Greatest” connects this button to the commercialization of Mother’s Day, a U.S. holiday founded in 1914 and promoted by greeting card companies, florists, and retailers throughout the 20th century. By the 1970s and 1980s, inexpensive novelty items like pin-back buttons became common tokens of affection and were often sold alongside greeting cards in drugstores and gift shops.

This button was made by Gibson Greeting Cards, Inc., a Cincinnati-based company founded in the late 1800s. The company grew into one of the biggest greeting card publishers in the United States, eventually expanding beyond cards into items like mugs, wrapping paper, and wearable pins. In the year 2000, Gibson was bought by American Greetings.