History

Button Badges
Button badges were made possible by the invention of celluloid in 1870. The first button badges were manufactured in 1896 by Whitehead and Hoag of New Jersey. Millions were pressed in the first year celebrating baseball stars, actresses, red indians etc. and given away free with cigarettes.

The medium erupted again in the 1950s promoting holiday camps, comics, cinema clubs and products. The 1960s saw the growth of anti-establishment/protest  badges, quickly followed by the music/punk  explosion of the 70s.

Enamel Badges
The invention of the dropstamp machine around 1840 made mass production of enamel badges possible. They first appeared in quantity towards the end of the 19^th century. Manufacturing methods have hardly changed, enamel badges are still fired and polished by hand for the best finish. Every sphere of human activity has an enamel badge to celebrate it.

Acrylic badges are cheaper to produce than enamel badges, more common now and much inferior.

Pinned Down Badge Exhibition
The first exhibition of badges, Pinned Down was at the Midland Group, Nottingham in 1980. A second exhibition at the Badge Shop, Earlham St, London took place later in the year.

Badge Collectors Circle
The badge collectors circle caters for badge nuts, publishes four newsletters a year and meets annually. Contact Frank Setchfield, 57 Middleton Place, Loughborough, Leics LE11 2BY.
Tel: 01509 569270