N.Y. State Horticultural Society

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Text on Button NY STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 1930
Image Description

Red apple design with gold text. 

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Fruit farmers formed the New York State Horticultural Society in 1855. They chose three goals for the society. The first is to support educational opportunities for members. The second is to promote the fruit farming industry, and the third is to represent the industry in public policy matters.

Catalog ID CL0036

Mickey Mouse Globetrotters

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Text on Button MICKEY MOUSE GLOBE TROTTERS MEMBER EAT MORE RICH LOAF BREAD
Image Description

Illustration of Mickey Mouse carrying a suitcase on white background. Meridian lines of latitude and longitude as would be found on a globe across entire button. Text in red at top, black text on red banner beneath. Bottom text in black. 

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Copyright Walt Disney Enterprises. Kay Kamen Ltd. Sole Representative. Image of Mickey Mouse. 

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The Mickey Mouse Globe Trotter weekly promotion of the 1930s saw Disney partner with bread and dairy companies to produce branded buttons, as well as the "Globe Trotter Weekly" color newsletter. 

Catalog ID CL0032

Member

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Text on Button Member
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Ornate dark blue text on white background. Decorative flourishes above and below text. 

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Have info on this button? Contact us here.

Catalog ID CL0022

Modern Brotherhood of America

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Text on Button M.B.A. F.L.P
Image Description

Illustration of two hands shaking. Dark blue background and gold text. Green drawing of leaves on left, white and gold book below, cornucopia in black and white on right. 

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Made by Cruver Manufacturing Co. Chicago, IL. Union bug stamp.

Curl Text Cruver MFG Co. Chicago
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The letters stand for "Modern Brotherhood of America, Fraternal Beneficiary Society," which was a society organized and incorporated in the state of Iowa during the 1890s. it offered a "duofold  protection" plan which covered life insurance and provided a modest savings plan for old age. The MBA's headquarters were in Tipton, IA and Mason City, IA until its merger with the Independent Order of Foresters.

Catalog ID CL0056

Maltex And Maypo Health Club

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Text on Button Maltex and Maypo Health Club
Image Description

An illustration of Maypo's Marky stands over a bowl of Maypo cereal with black text and a white background. 

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Maypo was a maple flavored oatmeal cereal that was originally manufactured by the Maltex Corporation. It was created in 1953 by Herbert A. Bahrenberg. Maltex corporation introduced a health club that customers could join as a means to promote eating a healthy breakfast. Pins were issued to members.

Despite its beginnings as a potential tax write-off for a failing product, the 1956 ad campaign featuring "Marky" became incredibly successful, boosting sales of Maypo by 78%. 

Catalog ID CL0060

Loyal Order Of Moose

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Text on Button P.A.P. LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE KANSAS CITY, MO. 1912
Image Description

Color illustration of a moose head with prominent antlers. White text in red circle surrounding illustration. Black text on white outer rim. 

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The Loyal Order of Moose is a fraternal club that originated in 1888. It has nearly 800,000 members and operates orders in the United States and Great Britain.

Catalog ID CL0015

Lions International Forest Elliott

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Text on Button LIONS INTERNATIONAL WE SERVE FORREST ELLIOTT
Image Description

Member name written in ink on yellow background. Inner circle of white with gold text above. Lion's Club logo at bottom in gold and blue. Dark blue outer rim with gold text.

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The Lions Club was started in Chicago in 1917 by Melvin Jones. Now an international organization, the Lion's Club has 1.3 million members. Clubs allowing women to join opened in 1986. 

This button belonged to the curators' grandfather.

Catalog ID CL0046

Liberty Bell Bird Club

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Text on Button THE LIBERTY BELL BIRD CLUB PROTECT OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS The Farm Journal Philadelphia
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Color illustration of a bird flying over a bronze bell. White background with black text and red outer rim. 

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THE A.J. KEIL CO.
Specialists in Novelty Advertising 
Betz Bldg
Philadelphia

union bug

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The motto of the Philadelphia-based Liberty Bell Bird Club was: "Protect our feathered friends." 

In January 1915, the Farm Journal printed an article from the Liberty Bell Bird Club. This article explained that the club has started two years prior in 1913. The membership of the club began with one person in January 1913, 86,000 members in January 1914, and 260,000 members in 1915. The club was founded to protect birds throughout the United States. The article reports on active bird clubs and also on bird populations for the season. Some of the advice that is supplied in the article for fellow members is “to attract the birds for nesting [by building’ a feeding station and keep it supplied with food for a week or more, then place a house near the station.” (pg. 41). Some of the accomplishments of the Liberty Bell Bird Club, for 1914, were bringing “the battle for the birds before 3,000 county superintendents, 100,000 teachers, and [having] introduced bird study into more than 1,500 schools.” (pg. 40). The club was also at the forefront of the movement for more bird sanctuaries. The article also emphasizes that anyone can become a new member of the club by copying the pledge, signing their name, and sending their address to the Liberty Bell Bird Club to be enrolled and have a membership button sent to them. The club’s pledge is as follows:
 
“I desire to become a member of the Liberty Bell Bird Club, and promise to study and protect all song and insectivorous birds, and do what I can for the Club.”
 
The Liberty Bell Bird Club. (1915, January). Farm Journal39, 40-43.

Catalog ID CL0067

Left Hander Club

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Text on Button LEFT-HANDER CLUB
Image Description

Illustration of a left hand in green on a white circle. Green band on outside edge with text in white. 

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Famous left-handeders include Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Alan Turing, and 4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer. 

Catalog ID CL0002

Lane Tech Polish Club

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Text on Button LANE TECH POLISH CLUB
Image Description

White text on red background. Illustration of Polish crest (White Eagle). 

Curl Text GEO. Lauterer Corp. Chicago. ILL 60603
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The Polish Club at Lane Tech dates back to the 1970s and is still going strong. The student group can be seen performing at Lane Tech's International Days and Nights.

Catalog ID CH0168