button types
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Clothing
Buttons
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Clothing Buttons
Clothing buttons may be the earliest form of American political button.
They are the direct ancestor of the modern political button. Political
clothing buttons were intended to be used as functional buttons on clothing.
They were looped or shanked so that they could be attached to clothing.
There are about 27 different varieties of clothing buttons with designs
to celebrate George Washington's inauguration. It is thought by some that
Washington may have worn a set at the inauguration. Washington buttons
are flat copper or brass disks with a soldered shank between 15 and 36
millimeters in diameter. They have stamped on their obverse various designs
commemorating the event. Their value today is probably between $1500 and
$5000 depending on condition and rarity of the variety. There are other
flat buttons for Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.
Beginning in about the 1830s, two-piece buttons, similar to modern military
buttons, replaced the simple flat disk. These buttons are much more affordable
than the Washington buttons. A typical William H. Harrison clothing button
from the 1840 election can be purchased for about $40. This type of political
memorabilia is most commonly a nineteenth century item, although there
are twentieth century examples.
(L to R) William McKinley, 1896; Zachary Taylor 1848; Theodore Roosevelt, 1904; Theodore Roosevelt, 1904; Grover Cleveland and Hendricks, 1884; James Blaine and Logan, 1884; James A Garfield and Chester A. Arthur, 1880; William Henry Harrison, 1840