When Did Candidates Begin Using Celluloid Campaign Buttons?

Visit a website and you'll see today's era of political campaigning with a candidate's digital ad, linking to their website. But 19th century technological advances in photography and printing led politicians to use celluloid campaign buttons.

Campaign Photo History

Leaders posed for photographic campaign images as far back as Napoleon III in 1859 and Lincoln in 1860. Antique Roadshow appraiser Rudy Franchi noted the first use of the plastic celluloid was the1896 presidential race of William Mckinley versus William Jennings Bryan.

Mass Produced Celluloid Prints

Celluloid first invented as an inexpensive substitute for ivory billiard balls became a film with Hannibal Goodwin's invention in 1878. The book "Texas Political Memoribilia" explains the evolution of photography from Daugertypes, Ferrotypes and eventually the inexpensive mass production of celluloid for photographic and printed images.

Patents

Paul Storch detailed the history of the patent acquired by Whitehead and Hoag in the Minnesota Historical Society article "Care & Conservation of Political Campaign Buttons." Starting in 1892 working with celluloid laminate, they expanded its application to a round metal base and a collet to hold a spring pin back. Their paper patent label back dates the patent issue dates of July 17, 1894 and April 14, 1896.

References

• Antique Roadshow Archive
• Texas Political Memorabilia: Buttons, Bumper Stickers, and Broadsides
• Care & Conservation of Political Campaign Buttons by Paul Storch
• Antique Memorabilia of the Canadian Anglo-Boer War Museum
• Digital Photography Tips Central - History of Photography Timeline

Resources

• Lost & Found - Rediscovering Early Photographic Processes
• Nehushtan Antiques - Whitehead & Hoag Collection