Atlas Prager Beer

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button GOT IT? GET IT! ATLAS Prager BEER
Image Description

The top half of the button has an illustration of two men with blue text on a white background. The bottom half of the button has white text on a blue background.

Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Year / Decade Made
Additional Information

Charles J. Vopicka, his brother-in-law Otto Kubin, and John Kralovec founded the Bohemian Brewing Company in Chicago in 1891, and renamed it Atlas Brewing Company in 1896. Atlas remained open during Prohibition as the Atlas Beverage Company producing near beer and soft drinks and exploiting its bottling capabilities. When Prohibition was repealed, Atlas Brewing Company received the first license to resume brewing of real beer in the Northern District. However, prior to this Vopicka's original partners had died and the company wasn't profiting after the initial boom in business from the repeal despite the large appeal of Atlas Prager Beer. This was followed by Vopicka's death in 1935. All of this lead to the company going into receivership in the late 1930s.

In 1940, after a bankruptcy reorganization Louis Kanne became the majority stockholder and CEO of Atlas Brewing Company. He merged the brewery with Schoenhofen-Edelweiss brewery but each brewery kept its original name. This did not prove as profitable as was hoped and led to the purchase of both breweries by Drewrys. They continued to operation until 1962 when Atlas Brewing Company was closed permanently. 

Sources

Stock Certificates -1933 Chicago Beer & 1892 Lake Shore Drive Assoc. (Vicinity 5600 N. Kedzie). (2017, January 31). Retrieved May 26, 2018, from http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=361108702

Catalog ID BE0025

Budweiser Draught Beer

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button ask for Delicious Budweiser DRAUGHT BEER
Image Description

A color illustration of a mustachioed waiter in a blue suit and business man wearing glasses with a pipe and brown suit sitting at a yellow table locking arms and toasting glasses on a green background. A yellowed ribbon hangs from the button front featuring green text and a red, bow tie shaped Budweiser logo.

Curl Text ANNEUSER-BUSCH, INC., ST. LOUIS, MO. NEWARK, N.J. LOS ANGELES, CALIF. MIAMI, FLA. U.S.A. ITEM No. 015-202-159
Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Additional Information

Budweiser beer was introduced to America in 1876 by Eberhard Anheuser and his son-in-law Adolphus Busch. In 1879, they named their company the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association. With technological innovations in pasteurization, artificial refrigeration, refrigerated railcars, and rail-side ice houses, the company was able to ship its beer over long distances and market it as America’s first national beer. Today it is still one of the most popular brands of beer in America.

Catalog ID BE0091

Altes Fassbier

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button Thirst Altes FASSBIER Power
Image Description

White text outlined in black on a red rectangle outlined in yellow in the center of blue, green, and purple arches and loops between blue text on a white background. 

Curl Text The National Brewing Co. Detroit, Michigan
Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Year / Decade Made
Additional Information

This is a button advertising Altes Fassbier beer from Detroit, Michigan. "Fassbier" is German for "draft beer", indicating that this button is advertising for Altes brand draft beer. Altes beer was brewed by Altes Brewing Company between 1948 and 1954, and was later brewed by the National Brewing Company between 1954 and 1967. It is unclear exactly when this "Thirst Power" campaign began, but it may have been used by the National Brewing Company during the 1960s, with the introducion of the new Altes Golden Lager can, which claims it tastes "like the Fassbier draft beer". 

Sources

Cybersanford (2007, June 5). Detroit's big breweries history products. Discuss Detroit [Thread]. http://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messages/6790/103701.html?1181759187

Michigan Beer Cans (2012). National brewing company Detroit, Michigan 1953-1973. Michigan Beer Cans. http://www.mbcinfo.com/mi/data/Breweries/National/Brewery.html#57-36

Catalog ID BE0090

You're No Bunny

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button You're no Bunny 'till Some Bunny Loves You!
Image Description

Illustration of a red rabbit in a green, hilly landscape with a yellow sky and blue text at the top.

Back Paper / Back Info

(embossed) BADGE-A-MINIT LASALLE ILL

Back Style
The Shape
The Size
The Manufacturer
Additional Information

The button's text is a play on words referring to the song "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" written and published in 1944 by Russ Morgan, Larry Stock, and James Cavanaugh. The song was most famously covered by Dean Martin in 1965. 

Catalog ID IB0064

My Pace Or Yours

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button MY PACE OR YOURS?
Image Description

Two pigs wearing sneakers below black text over beige background. 

Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Year / Decade Made
Additional Information

The caption "My Pace or Yours?" is a phrase common among runners and joggers, sometimes as a slighting remark. But it is also used as a flirt or innuendo between a couple. 

Catalog ID IB0116

Macho

Category
Additional Images
Text on Button MACHO
Image Description

Black background with large white text across the center encircled by a thin red line.

Curl Text SWIB, LISLE, IL 60532
Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Year / Decade Made
The Manufacturer
Additional Information

The term Macho is a Spanish word meaning male or manly. It often describes a person or thing that shows exaggerated characteristics stereotypically associated with men. The term also became popular due to a famous wrestler, Randy Savage, who went by the name Macho Man and to the band Village People who had a Billboard top fifty hit with their song "Macho Man"(1978).

Catalog ID IB0086

The Clash

Category
Additional Images
Text on Button THE CLASH
Image Description

Black text in a green circle on a black background.

Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Additional Information

This is a homemade button that features the name of the English punk rock band, The Clash. The band formed in 1976 in Notting Hill, London, England. The original members were Joe Strummer (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Mick Jones (lead guitar, vocals), Paul Simonon (bass guitar, vocals), and Nicky "Topper" Headon (drums, percussion). The Clash disbanded in 1986, but not without leaving a significant impact on rock and alternative rock. They were often referred to as "The Only Band That Matters" and in 2003 were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  

Catalog ID MU0229

Chicago World's Fair Centennial

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button CHICAGO WORLD'S FAIR 1833 A CENTURY OF PROGRESS 1933 MAY 27TH NOV. 1ST
Image Description

An illustration of the Chicago World's Fair encircled by yellow text on a red and dark red background. 

Curl Text Made in the U.S.A. Blue Point Graphics 2010
Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Year / Decade Made
The Manufacturer
Additional Information

The 1933 World’s Fair, or Century of Progress International Exposition as it was officially known, was held in Chicago from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. This was the second World's Fair hosted by Chicago and by the time it closed on October 31st, 1934 it had nearly 40 million visitors. The fair was held on 427 acres on Lake Michigan’s shoreline just south of Chicago’s downtown. The exposition focused on science and industrial development with a motto of “Science finds, Industry applies, Man adapts”. The fair boasted various technological innovations from the Sky Ride, an aerial tram, that transported fairgoers above the fairgrounds to the Homes of Tomorrow Exhibition that demonstrated modern home conveniences and new building materials. Another popular attraction was the Midway which had nightclubs and performers as well as various exhibits including freak shows, models of ethnic villages, and recreations of scenes from Chicago’s history.

This image is a poster made for the event in 1933 by artist Weimer Pursell and published by the Neely Printing Company. The poster shows the exhibition buildings with boats on the water in the foreground.

Sources

Century of Progress Exposition. (2022). Retrieved 10 August 2022, from https://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/225.html

Catalog ID CH0133

Adler Planetarium

Category
Additional Images
Sub Categories
Text on Button ADLER PLANETARIUM CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Image Description

An illustration of the Adler Planetarium on a green lawn above a black flag depicting the Earth and pink text above black text all encircled by a yellow border. 

Back Style
The Shape
The Size
Additional Information

Adler Planetarium was the first modern planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Founded by Chicago business man, Max Adler, the planetarium opened on May 12, 1930. The exhibit includes the oldest and finest astronomical instruments such as sundials and telescopes. In addition, the Adler also possess rare books and archives on astronomy. The planetarium has three full size theaters and is home to the Doane Observatory, which contains the largest aperture telescope open to the public in the Chicago area. The Adler Planetarium continues to contribute to astronomy and raise public awareness and offers many adolescent programs.  

Catalog ID CH0125