December 3, 2008
Celluloid pinbacks, a type of button, were popular from the 1890s to the 1940s as a cheap way of conveying a political message or advertising anything from food and clothing to movies and tobacco. In 1896 the first patent was granted to Whitehead and Hoag for a button with a textile surface covered with a thin layer of transparent celluloid. Later on the textile was replaced with lithographed paper (cheaper), and ultimately metal without the celluloid.
Advertising pinbacks, sometimes featuring cartoon characters, were often given away as premiums with cigarettes or newspaper subscriptions, or handed out at stores. They were also given as fan club premiums, as part of the membership package. On the political side, pinbacks were given away at campaign rallies.
Some pinbacks are hard to find today because so many were simply worn and thrown away. Collectors also seek to assemble entire pinback series (for example comic character pinbacks) and finding every pinback in a large series can be quite difficult.
I started off collecting comics, and still do, but I’d been given a few early Disney pinbacks as a child an… [more]
How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art fr… [more]
Mark Lansdown's excellent collection of over 800 pinbacks representing 200+ comic characters from 100+ strips. Beau… [more]
This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [more]
Duke University's library has pulled together an impressive collection of over 7,000 ads printed in U.S. and Canadi… [more]
From the Nostlagia Factory in Virginia comes this celebration of 'mid-century automotive advertising illustrations'… [more]
Ian House's gallery of early 20th Century American package designs. Browse the exhibits in slide show mode or view … [more]
Paula Zargaj-Reynolds’ blog, an extensive collection of 20th century vintage advertising, is a visual feast. Scro… [more]
Great reference on ephemera... includes examples and descriptions of various ephemera categories, selected special … [more]
This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [more]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.
Are we missing one? Tell us.
