White text one a blue background.

In the late 1930s, the Chicago junkmen were troubled by a number of things. The wholesale price of steel had dropped by nearly fifty percent and troubles with retail junk shops ensued over the prices. In 1937, around fifteen hundred United Junk Peddlers union members went on strike against the retail shops. The retail owners had the junkmen arrested. A local judge told the junkmen they were not protected by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 because they were independent contractors, which ignored the fact that the union was part of the Committee for Industrial Organizations. By late November 1937, the union members circumvented the problem.  They began a cooperative junkyard and sold their steel directly to the steel mills, which eliminated the need for the retailers and wholesalers. This button from the local 467 dates from that time.

Large blue text on a white background. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

An illustration of a chicken and cow with blue text above and below the illustration.  Surrounding the illustration is an illustration of a wooden ring with separate pieces of rope wrapped around it at various points and blue text in a circular formation. Everything sits on a white background.  

The National Poultry, Butter and Egg Association (NPBEA) gained public notice in 1906 for their support of what became the Pure Food and Drug Act.  At the time, the association was called the National Poultry and Game Association. The Chicago-based NPBEA, lamented the extinction of the turkey and lobbied the US Congress to save it in the early 1920s. By the 1937 convention, the NPBEA had ridden out the Great Depression and looked towards the future. It focused on helping its constituents until the 1960s.

A red three sits in the center with blue text in a curved and straight formation above and below the number. Everything is set against a white background with a red edge. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black text on a white background. 

Founded over 90 years ago, the Illinois Title Associations is now known as the Illinois Land Title Association. Based out of Springfield, Illinois the ILTA aims to promote the business of preparing abstracts of title to real estate and ensuring titles in the state of Illinois. They have hosted an annual conference since their creation.

A illustration of a tree with an illustration of an acorn and two gold boxes filled with blue text over it on a gold background. 

Though this button is celebrating the centennial of the city, there is some dispute regarding when Chicago was officially founded. The first settlements of non indigenous persons date back to the 1780s. The settlement however was not considered to be a town until 1833 with the population of around 200. On March 4th, 1837 the city of Chicago was incorporated, to many this is the official start of Chicago as we know it.

In 1933 and 34, the city hosted the "Century of Progress" at the World's Fair, to celebrate 100 years. This fair was held to not only boost morale during the Great Depression, but also to help improve the image of Chicago, which had suffered during Prohibition due to bootlegging activity. The second celebration in 1937 was different, it was more traditional with parades, speeches, canon salutes, horse shows, auto races and other spectacles.

The white oak tree is the state symbol of Chicago, adopted in 1908.

Gold text on a purple material background. 

In May of 1934 the Chicago Trotting Club held a large event that included harness races and an amateur horse show competition. The show was held between races at the club’s track on North Avenue and River Road. Horse racing has been a part of Chicago since the early 19th century and in the 1930s the city had six race tracks, more than any other city at the time.

Large gold text sits in a stacked formation inside a black shape that is round on the top and bottom and straight on the left and right side. The black shape sits on a gold background and is surrounded by black text along the border. 

This button is from the 1941 Office Equipment Display at the Palmer House in Chicago. It was the sixth annual Display sponsored by the Office Management Association of Chicago and ran from February 11th to February 14th. The presentation was open to business men and women, and created one of the best business years for office equipment manufacturers since the beginning of the annual Display. 

Red text on two white semi circles at the top and bottom with blue inbetween with white text on it and an outer blue edge on a white background

The Chicago Chemical Society was founded in 1887 as the Chicago branch of the American Chemical Society, which encourages scientific advancement through outreach, education, professional support, and other resources. 

Red text on a white background. 

This may be a button from the 1937 American Association of Nurserymen convention in Chicago.

The American Association of Nurserymen was founded in 1876 as a way to bring the community of nurserymen across the country together and offer gardening advice to the public. It is now known as the American Nursery & Landscape Association.