Blue background with black lettering and cut-out archway with photograph of Bastian Brothers employee.

Bastian Brothers Company opened in 1895 in Rochester, New York by brothers Theron Bastian and Frederick Bastian.  Originally a jewelry store, the company quickly began producing customized badges, paperweights, lapel pins, and award products. Bastian Brothers is a totally unionized firm.

Bastian Brothers employees wore these pins as their employee identification. There is a small window in the front of the button, behind which a photograph is placed. Note the interesting employee number "12345."

This button is mostly made of celluloid because of the metal rations during WW2. Only a grommet and the pin are made of metal.

White background with black text. Circular window to place a photo. This particular photo is Theron Bastian, of one of the founders of Bastian Brothers.

Bastian Brothers Company opened in 1895 in Rochester, New York by brothers Theron Bastian and Frederick Bastian.  Originally a jewelry store, the company quickly began producing customized badges, paperweights, lapel pins, and award products. Bastian Brothers is a totally unionized firm. Bastian Brothers employees wore these pins as their employee identification. There is a small window in the front of the button, behind which a photograph is placed. 

Photograph of woman wearing a photo button of a boy on her collar.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Red text on orange background.

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Red text on white background.

Incorporated in Houston in 1911, the Star Engraving Company manufactured and sold high school class rings and other commencement-related products, such as engraved diplomas and graduation announcements, in addition to buttons.

Blue text on white background

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Black text centered on white background with union bug stamped on back. 

Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Red text on white background with black and white photo of button press in center.

N.G. SLATER was founded in 1936 by Nathaniel George Slater. They specialized in “Lithographed Metal Advertising Buttons and Tabs” and were home to the very recognizable "happy face" button, of which some 50 million were produced by 1972.

Black text and an illustration of a man (Ted Hake) wearing a blue shirt covered in buttons on an orange background.  

 Ted Hake is the foremost button historian and founder of Hake's Americana. In the illustration on this button he is wearing several buttons referring to items in his catalogs, like Mickey Mouse, Hopalong Cassidy, Goldwater, Charlie Chaplin, etc. This button was made by Pinback Jack who also did a series of famous cartoonists.

Bright green text on blue background with union bug stamp on back.

Underground Uplift Unlimited (UUU) was an ephemera shop in the East Village run by Randy Wicker. They created and sold some of the most worn protest buttons of the 60s.