Characters with Canes (Part 5)
Charlie Chaplin’s “little tramp” character is quite possibly the most famous character with a cane. In the 1980s, IBM used the likeness of Chaplin to sell their personal computers. This IBM campaign sought to warm up its corporate image and show how easy the computer was to use.For more characters with canes buttons, check out...
Buttons Help Save The Historic Prentice Building
Check out the custom buttons which Save Prentice Coalition is using to help their campaign to protect a historic Chicago building from demolition: Designed by renowned Chicago architect Bertrand Goldberg and completed in 1975, the Prentice Women’s Hospital is on the Preservation Chicago’s 7 Most Threatened list. This building has a cloverleaf shape which rises...
Characters with Canes (Part 4)
For our latest edition of the Characters with Canes series, we have Mr. Pikle. This button from the 1940s extols one of the virtues of eating pickles; as the button states, “Pikle-Rite Keeps Your Weight Right”.Did you know that a former Busy Beaver now owns his own pickle company? Yep, former button maker Tom Perkins...
Characters with Canes Buttons (Part 3)
This illustrated character dons a tuxedo, bow tie, top hat, and a cane. To me, the most noticeable part of this button is the Rod Blagojevich-like hairstyle on this guy.For more characters with canes buttons, check out Part 1 and 2.
This is the Ultimate Button
We are often asked by button museum visitors what our favorite button is. We have many buttons we are tremendously fond of but, This is the Ultimate Button!
Characters with Canes Buttons (Part 2)
In part 2 of the Busy Beaver Button Museum characters with canes series, we find Mr. Peanut. This classy character was created in 1916 by a fourteen year-old schoolboy in a contest to create a new company logo for Planters peanuts. An artist later added the finishing touches including spats, a top hat, monocle, and...
Characters with Canes Buttons (Part 1)
As the Busy Beaver Button Museum grows, new categories are born. It turns out we have enough illustrated characters holding canes to create a new category! This charming button from the early 1900′s features a character with a tomato head, pickle body, and green bean arms and legs. One of the green bean arms is...
Who Remembers Tuts in Chicago?
This button comes from the “Chicago” section of the Busy Beaver Button Museum. With King Tut wearing sunglasses for its logo, the legendary punk and New Wave club Tuts was located on Belmont Ave from roughly 1980-1984. Many bands played here including Bob Marley, Tom Waits, R.E.M., Prince, Run-DMC, The Cramps, Naked Raygun, Black Flag,...
I Toured the White House Button
The White House seems to be in the news a lot these days— President Obama wants to renew his lease, but Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and a few others have their sights set on this prime piece of real estate as well. Luckily, you don’t have to be a candidate to see the “President’s Palace“....
Thinking Inside the Oval
Sometimes it’s a natural fit, but other times the oval button can present a challenge for button designers. This early 1900s button is a prime example of the creative use of the oval design. The top of the barrel has open space for promotional information and the stock artwork template is a detailed illustration of...
The Less Famous Moon Landing Quote
Most of us know the famous Apollo 11 quotes: “The Eagle has landed” and “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Few of us know Michael Collins’ much less popular quote, though. As Collins remained on the space craft moments before the moonwalk, he told Neil Armstrong and future “Dancing with...
