You Interest Me

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Text on Button you interest me
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Large black text on a lime green and orange background. 

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Interest, and related feelings such as concern, curiosity, attraction, and affection, plays a part in every human interpersonal experience. As a social and behavioral phenomenon, interest has long been studied as it relates to the fields of economics, psychology, law, and communication.

Sources

The Britannica Dictionary (2023) The Difference between Interested and Interesting. Ask the Editor. Accessed February 7, 2023 via https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eb/qa/The-Difference-between-Inter...

Interest, v. (2023) Oxford English Dictionary. Accessed February 7, 2023 via https://www-oed-com.ezproxy2.library.arizona.edu/view/Entry/97736?rskey=...

Catalog ID IB0342

Lucky Number

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Text on Button 3 IS MY LUCKY NUMBER WHATS YOURS?
Image Description

Two red horseshoes interlocking to create a number three with red lines radiating away from it and blue text underneath on a white background with a blue ring around the outer edge.

Curl Text MANUFACTURED BY PARISIAN NOVELTY CO. CHICAGO
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The number 3 is a commonly known “lucky number”. The number 3 is highlighted in many religions and cultures. One example is in Christianity as the trinity: God the Father, God the Sun, and God the Holy Spirit. Another example is in Buddhism as it references the “three jewels”. In Chinese culture, the number 3 is considered to be an auspicious number. The number 3 sounds similar to “life” in Mandarin. The number 3 is also found in folk tales such as Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Horseshoes were originally made of iron, known in lore to keep evil spirits away. Originally affixed with seven nails, another lucky number with biblical significance, horseshoes gained their lucky lore from a folktale. A Christian named Dunstan, later the Archbishop of Canterbury, was working as a blacksmith. The Devil entered his shop and asked for him to put shoes on his horse. Dunstan did not acknowledge he saw through the disguise and agreed, but instead of nailing the shoe to the horse, he nailed it to the Devil's foot. Dunstan made a deal that if he were to remove the shoe, the Devil would never enter a household with a horseshoe nailed to the door. The direction of a displayed horseshoe is thought to be ends up so the luck does not run from the cup, however, others have made popular the theory that the ends are supposed to point down so the luck runs onto those who pass below it.

Sources

Number symbolism. (n.d.). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/number-symbolism/Pythagoreanism#ref248…

Syau, J. (2015). “Lucky and unlucky Chinese numbers”. http://blog.tutorming.com/expats/lucky-and-unlucky-chinese-numbers#:~:t….

"Who was St Dunstan?". (2015). St Dunstan Episcopal Church. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015.

Catalog ID IB0005

Keep on Streaking

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Text on Button KEEP ON STREAKING
Image Description

An illustration of a naked person's backside with black text on a hot pink background

Curl Text ©1974 N.G. SLATER CORP., N.Y.C. 11
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Although the act of streaking has been popular since the mid-1960s, the term "streaking" was first used in 1973. The term was coined during a mass nude run at the University of Maryland. Streaking is different from nudism, because the streaker intends to be noticed by an audience. It is also different from "flashing" in that it is not intended to shock the victim. Perhaps the most widely seen streaker in history was 34-year-old Robert Opel, who streaked across the stage flashing the peace sign on national television during the 46th Academy Awards in 1974. The high point of streaking's pop culture significance was in 1974, when thousands of streaks took place around the world. A wide range of novelty products were produced to cash in on the fad, from buttons, patches, t-shirts, etc. Ray Stevens had a novelty hit called "The Streak" and Randy Newman even had a song about streaking called "The Naked Man."

Read more about the History of Streaking Buttons on the Busy Beaver blog.​

Catalog ID IB0262

I am a Loser

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Text on Button I AM A LOSER
Image Description

Green Text on a white background.

Curl Text BUTTONS BY EMRESS SPITY CO 64 W 23 SR NYC 10010 FOR NO-CAL BEVERAGES
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Catalog ID IB0213

Tie the Bull

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Text on Button TIE THE BULL OUTSIDE
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An illustration of a bull tied to a stake in the ground with blue text and a red border on a white background.

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The phrase "tie the bull outside" is a slang phrase usually meaning "I do not believe you". This button is likely a parody referencing a cartoonish bull paired with Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose political party of the early twentieth century. The button was created by cartoonist Bud Fisher within the years following the 1912 presidential election. These buttons were likely not worn during the presidential campaign by the opponents of Roosevelt, but instead were worn in a more joking manner afterward. Fisher created multiple buttons using this phrase along with some of the "I'm the guy" buttons found in Hassan Cigarette packages.

Catalog ID IB0216

Warning Soft Shoulders

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Text on Button WARNING SOFT SHOULDERS
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Large black text in a stacked formation on a red background. 

Curl Text © Vagabond 2180 West' Carrollton. Ohio USA
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Catalog ID IB0350

Maid in Germany

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Text on Button MAID IN GERMANY
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Large white text in a stacked formation on a black background. 

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Catalog ID IB0354