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1896 Antique "Little Pinkies - The Boot Black, Shine " Celluloid Pinback Button
Distributed by the American Pepsin Gum Company • Manufactured by Whitehead & Hoag Co.
BONUS: Includes Black 3D Floating Frame Display Case!
Up for sale is a rare, authentic piece of late-19th-century advertising history: an 1896 "Little Pinkies" celluloid premium button featuring the "The Boot Black, Shine"
These highly collectible 7/8" buttons were distributed as promotional premiums inside packages of chewing gum by the American Pepsin Gum Company during the 1890s. The "Little Pinkies" characters are a famous series of 20 distinct illustrations heavily inspired by the era's popular "Brownies" comic illustrations by Palmer Cox.
BONUS Display Case Included:
To ensure this antique piece is beautifully preserved and ready for immediate exhibition, it comes included with the black 3D floating frame display case pictured. The dual flexible PE membranes gently suspend the pin in mid-air, creating an eye-catching "floating" effect while shielding the delicate celluloid from dust and handling, and safely housing the sharp straight-pin back.
Key Features & Details:
Front Design: Features the adorable "The Boot Black Shine" character illustration with the crisp text "LITTLE PINKIES"
Curl Text: Plainly stamped with the original patent date: "PAT. JULY 21, 1896" along the bottom edge.
Original Back Paper: Includes the rare, completely intact vintage back paper advertising insert from the American Pepsin Gum Co., marking it as an official manufacture piece of The Whitehead & Hoag Co. of Newark, N.J.
Authenticity Guaranteed: This is a 100% genuine antique Victorian-era pin—not a modern reproduction.
