Purple psychedelic illustration of two men wearing hats on carousel horses with purple text on white background.

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Smug-looking red-haired man wearing suit with knickers and red tie. Holding aloft a book labeled "bank book." Text in blue on a lime green background.

Thrifty Alexander is the invention of the Harvey Blodgett Company who specialized in bank and trust company promotion. Blodgett's character shows up in ads for several banks in the 1920s touting the benefits of savings accounts. One particular gimmick involved a series of 52 collectible poster stamps available from banks upon opening a savings book account or for general bank promotion. The stamps chronicle Thrifty Alexander on his road to fortune.

The artwork was the creation of noted American cartoonist and graphic designer Frederick Goss Cooper. FG Cooper is best known for his big-head characters and work in lettering and graphic design. His logo appears in the print ad of the Syracuse Journal for the City Bank Trust of Syracuse, NY (1923, righthand column). Cooper's work is featured in posters, ads and books from 1910-1930. He was also a founder of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

Black image of of legs and feet dancing on the toes with Michael Jackson signature behind the crux of the knee, red and blue text on silver reflective background.

The California-based sports shoes and apparel company LA Gear paid $7.5 million to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, to market a line of shoes and apparel for the brand in 1989. The campaign slogan was "Unstoppable" and the graphic illustrates Jackson's signature 'up on his toes' dance move that is part of his company's logo. Up until this endorsement, Jackson's product deals typically didn't require him to do much, his name being quite enough to sell a product. For the LA Gear commercials and ads, Jackson actually wears the products including a pair of MJ athletic shoes.

The "MJ Billy Jean" shoes were in line with the pop star's sense of style at the time: all black, leather and suede, boot-like sneakers with a bunch of buckles and studs. Unfortunately by 1992 LA Gear was suing Jackson for fraud and breach of contract citing the performer's failure to wear the shoes in three music videos as stated in the contract led to poor sales. If you happen to have picked up a pair, they are worth big bucks now!

Red text on white background. Printed slightly off-center.

Maxotires were an automotive product manufactured by K&W Rubber Co., established in 1908 in Ashland, Ohio. The Maxotire was actually an inner tube, or liner, sized to fit inside any tire that was sold to extend the life of the tire. Using the Maxotire was advertised as reducing blowouts, the need to replace tires due to punctures and essentially made tires safe and "trouble-proof."

Blue and black illustration on aqua background.

Schweber Electronics was a distributor of semi-conductors, connectors and other electronic components located in Westbury, NY.  Founded by Seymour Schweber, the company was considered a pioneer in the electronics distribution industry and published books on microprocessors and semi-conductors. It merged with LEX Electronics in 1982 and was subsequently acquired by Arrow in 1991.

A large red barn-like building sits in a scenic green setting. A red border circles the button with white text on it.

The Massachusetts historic Landmark, the Longfellow's Wayside Inn is the oldest operating Inn on one of the oldest roads in America, the Boston Post Road. Howe’s Tavern, a “house of entertainment” was established in 1716 by David Howe. The tavern was an extension of Howe’s home which sat on the one of the first mail routes which experienced busy coach traffic between Boston, Worcester and New York. Four generations of Howes operated and expanded the Inn until 1861 when it eliminated short-term stays at the inn.

The inn was renamed Longfellow’s Wayside Inn by its new owner in 1892 after a series of poems—Tales of a Wayside Inn—by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who visited the Howe Tavern in 1862.  The poems were published in 1863 and recount stories from characters gathered at the Sudbury tavern.

Henry Ford purchased the property in 1923 and before his death established a non-profit institution to operate the Inn and associated museum, water mill, and archives. A devastating fire, financial trouble and board issues have been resolved and since 1960 the property has been financially stable.

A police man is running with a billy club. Small black text appears over a white background.

"The Policeman" is one of a series of pins that was produced by Whitehead & Hoag Co. for the American Pepsin Gum Company. The Little Pinkies series includes The Fireman, Uncle Sam and the Sailor. Early in the 20th century, New Jersey based American Pepsin Gum Company, a gum and candy business, distributed these pinback style buttons in their products.

Many gum manufacturers in the late 1800's used pepsin powder in their chewing gum and marketed it as a way to aid in digestion.  Pepsin was thought to settle stomach issues and help people with digestive concerns.  

The oval shape of the button and design contribute to the three-dimensional look of the illustrated barrel, complete with brown wood grain detail and bands rendered to look like shiny metal. In the open mouth of the barrel on the left is black text over a white background.

No longer in business, Limbach & Stone were liquor wholesalers operating out of Massillon, Ohio before the days of Prohibition. 

Red and green illustration of a rooster on white background.

Cornelius™ Rooster , Corny™, has been featured on Kellogg's Corn Flakes boxes since 1957. A creation of Rena Ames Harding of Leo Burnett, the colorful illustration of a Wellsummer rooster was intended to remind people to “Wake up to Breakfast.” Prior to Corny, the cereal had been advertised using a variety of characters.

Corn Flakes were an accidental invention of Will Keith Kellogg, younger brother of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg of The Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. Attempting to make granola, Will created toasted wheat flakes the patients loved. Trying other grains, they found corn flakes. A disagreement about adding sugar to the flakes created a riff and the establishment of two competing cereal companies: Will’s Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company and John’s Battle Creek Food Company. Eventually, the former became responsible for the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes we eat today around the world.

A man in black is holding a red handled, bloody hatchet over his shoulder while walking and wearing a black mask over his eyes. He has unnaturally long feet that follow the curve of the thin, black circle surrounding him on a white background.

This button features the emblem of the 25th Bombardment Squadron.  The Squadron flew antisubmarine patrols over the Pacific approaches to the Panama Canal during WWII between December 1941 and May 1943.

The button is one of a set of military insignia pins issued by Kellogg's with their PEP cereal in 1943. The set is known as the “Pep War Insignia Pins” and features 36 WWII military squadron emblems. It was created for Kellogg's by the legendary "Premium King" Sam Gold. The Kellogg's Pep cereal brand sponsored radio programs and was known for giving away premium items such as trading cards, badges, and pinback buttons.