Green illustration of two people playing basketball and green text on a white background

Most likely worn by onlookers, this basketball-themed souvenir was designed in support of college basketball.

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Illustration of a human figure outlined in yellow on a black background with yellow text along the bottom

The GCTC or Great Canadian Theater Company began at Carleton University in August 1975 by a group of professors and graduate students.  The founders (Robin Matthews, Larry McDonald, Bill Law, Greg Reid, and Lois Shannon) wanted a theater company that made Canadian based plays that had a social and political theme.

By the early 2000's, the GCTC had outgrown its former building and with a $2.5 million donation from the late Irving Greenberg estate, the GCTC relocated and built a new building that was completed in 2007. Renamed the Irving Greenberg Theater Centre, the new building included 262 seats and two lobbies.

Black text and illustration of an old man with a red cap, blue jacket and brown shirt on a white background

Coots characters are caricatures of elderly men designed by Mike Dowdall of Westland Giftware. Dowdall, an artist, wrote several books examining human behavior in cartoon form, such as Humans and Biddys. The 2004 book Coots featured the characters in various activities. Coots characters have been issued as collectible figurines.

Illustration of the side view of a person standing with their hands in the pockets of red pants and wearing yellow clogs, a yellow shirt and a red hat.

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Black and white illustration with black text on top

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Black and white portrait photograph of a woman's head and shoulders

Photographic pinback buttons made with celluloid material were extremely popular from the late 1800s to the 1930s.  It was during the 1860s that photography became more available on the commercial market. Humphrey E. Copley of Connecticut sought a patent in 1861 to incorporate photographs onto buttons by utilizing a metal rim to hold the photograph in place. This technology coincided with the Civil War and mourners embraced the option of being able to wear visual representations of their loved ones. John Wesley Hyatt was an American inventor who received a patent for a product named celluloid in 1870. After refinement of the initial product, Hyatt’s celluloid became the first commercially profitable synthetic material. United States patent records reflect the usage of celluloid in making buttons with photographs in the late 1880s. In 1893 Benjamin S. Whitehead acquired a patent for using celluloid over the photo to protect the image. The increased availability of photography coupled with the ability of manufacturers to produce buttons inexpensively allowed the public to create a fashion fad out of the desire to have portable keepsakes.

Black and white portrait photograph of a man's head and shoulders. He has white hair and a long beard and is wearing a black suit

Photographic pinback buttons made with celluloid material were extremely popular from the late 1800s to the 1930s.  It was during the 1860s that photography became more available on the commercial market. Humphrey E. Copley of Connecticut sought a patent in 1861 to incorporate photographs onto buttons by utilizing a metal rim to hold the photograph in place. This technology coincided with the Civil War and mourners embraced the option of being able to wear visual representations of their loved ones. John Wesley Hyatt was an American inventor who received a patent for a product named celluloid in 1870. After refinement of the initial product, Hyatt’s celluloid became the first commercially profitable synthetic material. United States patent records reflect the usage of celluloid in making buttons with photographs in the late 1880s. In 1893 Benjamin S. Whitehead acquired a patent for using celluloid over the photo to protect the image. The increased availability of photography coupled with the ability of manufacturers to produce buttons inexpensively allowed the public to create a fashion fad out of the desire to have portable keepsakes.  

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Illustration of a woman's face and short hairstyle on fabric

Tillie the Toiler was a comic strip that ran from 1921 to 1959. It was created by Russ Westover and Bob Gustfson. Originally conceived as "Rose of the Office" they changed the name to Tillie the Toiler after the main character, a secretary and part-time model named Tillie. Tillie worked for a fashion mogul named J. Simpkins, and her trademark was her impeccable fashion sense, always in the latest fashions.

Blue text with a yellow orange and red outer edge and white text ona pink red and yellow background

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Black and white text on a pink background with a white and red outer edge

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