A fake; a showy but inferior or worthless item. This is sometimes used as a catch-all phrase referring to buttons and other collectibles that have been rejected by collectors, and that are considered fakes or otherwise unworthy. The clearest example of brummagem is an item that purports to be from a certain campaign, but was actually made months, years, or decades after the campaign was over.
Pronounced "SELL-o." A button made by printing a circular design on a piece of paper, then covering the paper with a clear piece of celluloid, and finally attaching the layers to a metal pinback button. Recently the celluloid material has been replaced by a form of plastic, but the buttons are still called celluloids.
Lapel device consisting of a tintype photograph and a frame. Unlike later lapel pins, ferrotypes were not produced by a printing press but by the photographic method of exposing a light sensitive surface to a negative and then developing the image. The ferrotypes were made from a large sheet of metal onto which a light sensitive surface had been applied. Numerous photographs were made on the sheet, and then the photos were cut out. The photos were then mounted in a brass frame.
A candidate who hopes to gain the nomination of his party for a certain office. Political memorabilia supporting such candidates are referred to as hopeful items. For example, items supporting Robert F. Kennedy or Eugene McCarthy for President (dating from 1968) are hopeful items, since Kennedy was assassinated before the Democratic convention and McCarthy lost the nomination to Hubert Humphrey. Some candidates are hopefuls one year and major party candidates another year. For example, Humphrey was a hopeful in 1960 and in 1972, but was a major party nominee in 1968.
Pronounced JOO-gt. Political item picturing two persons, usually in bust. For example, a pinback button picturing Nixon and Agnew is a jugate. Tokens, postcards, pamphlets, adhesive stamps, and other items may also be jugates. The most common jugates picture the presidential and vice-presidential nominee, but other combinations are possible. Jugates are among the most popular of political collectibles.
A pinback button, often made of tin, that has its design painted or printed directly on the metal. Lithos are inexpensive for button manufacturers to make. They typically have less intricate designs, and they do scratch easily. By consensus in the button hobby, lithos may contain a few small nicks and scratches and still be considered to be in excellent condition.
Similar to a litho button, but instead of being attached by a pin, the tab is attached to the wearer's lapel or shirt pocket by having a metal tab folded over to clasp the clothing. Tabs are usually rectangular or round, but there are a great many shapes possible. Tabs generally are flat or only very slightly domed. They tend to be a good deal less expensive than buttons in the collectors' market, although as always, there are exceptions.
Button, ribbon, token, or other item showing three persons, usually in bust. Typically the three persons depicted may be candidates for president, vice-president, and governor, or perhaps for president, governor, and U.S. Senator. Other trigates may be wholly local, or may even be international (depicting world leaders). Collectors enjoy trigates because of their interesting design and because the number of different items in existance is not completely overwhelming.
