Antique Advertising Hatpins

In Search of Old Advertising, Souvenir, Commemorative Hatpins & Stickpins

Many types of hatpins and stickpins were made, but I think the most interesting were the ones that depicted Products, Places and Events. These types were given away by Advertisers, Establishments, bought as Souvenirs, and given away as Commemoratives.

Thousands were made by the Advertisers to be given away to customers that used their products in the late 1800's into the early 1900's. These Companies also made tiny hand mirrors for handbags, paper fans, trade cards, tokens, watch fobs, colored pin-back buttons and other items to promote their products. Many hatpins and stickpins had continued advertising written on the back if there wasn't enough room on the front or top. Hatpin lengths varied from 12" long down to approximately 5". Stickpins were usually 2" to 3" long and were worn by both men and women.

I will be posting more as I find and add them to my collection, but they aren't as plentiful as some of the other types, so the search is a real challenge.

A Group of Advertising, Souvenir & Commemorative Hatpins displayed in a handpainted Hatpin Holder

Individual hatpins are pictured and described below. Click on any picture to view the larger version for more detail.

Touch Wud

Strange brass hatpin with a woman's body, a round wooden head, and yellow rhinestone eyes. Marked "Touch Wud" on the back. 7" pin.

Advertising for Aristo Chocolates

Celluloid top with roses. Marked on back "Aristo Chocolates Always Good". 10" pin.

1908 "Billy Possum" Campaign

1908 Campaign Hatpin depicting Billy Possum holding a golf club. Republican William Howard Taft was known as Billy Possum and his favorite game was Golf. A poem found on an old postcard: "We love Billy Possum - his coat is so warm. If even we eat him he'll do us no harm; No more Teddy bear will we fondle with glee, Billy Possum in future our mascot shall be." 10" pin.

Asbestos Sad Irons

Asbestos Sad Irons. The Dover MFG Co., Canal Dover, Ohio, 10" pin.

Advertising for Independent Telephone Co.

Independent Local And Long Distance Telephone, 8" pin.

Advertising for a Clothing Co.

Compliments Of T.W. Garland, Ladies' Clothing Store, St. Louis, MO. (on reverse). Enamel, 8" pin.

Hammond Typewriter Trade Mark For All Nations And Tongues

Hammond Typewriter Trade Mark For All Nations And Tongues/ Universal Exposition 1904 St. Louis. 7 3/8" pin.

Advertising for The Malleable Steel Range

The Malleable Steel Range Mfg. Co., South Bend, Ind. 8" pin.

Pingree Shoe Girl

"The Girl of The Pingree Shoe", Pingree-Made Shoes, Fit-Style-Service. 9 3/4" pin.

A.L.O. Buffalo Paint Co.

A.L.O./Buffalo Oil, Paint & Varnish Co. 7 3/4" pin.

Columbia, Recording Thermometer, Night-Day

Columbia, Recording Thermometer, Night-Day/The Schaeffer & Budenberg Mfg. Co. "Instruments For The Promotion Of Schaeffer Management", Brooklyn, N.Y. & Chicago, ILL. 7" pin.

Advertising for United Electric Light & Power Co.

The United Electric Light & Power Co., 1170 Broadway N.Y., Alternating Current. 8" pin.

Advertising for Vassar Chocolates

Vassar Chocolates Always Fresh, Loose-Wiles, Kansas City. 8" pin.

Comptometer Adding Machine

Comptometer/Adding & Calculating Machine, Chicago, U.S.A. 7 3/4" pin.

"Slim Jim" "Fat Bill" Sugar Glen Molasses

"Slim Jim" "Fat Bill" Sugar Glen Molasses/Sugar Glen Molasses, Lucious Juice of The Sugar Cane, C.E.COE, Memphis, Tenn. 6 3/4" pin.

Pen Angle, Penmans Knit Goods

Pen Angle, Penmans Warranted High Grade Knit Goods, Penmans Ltd. Paris/ Penmans Ltd, Manufacturers of Underwear, Hosiery and Sweaters, Paris, Ont. 7 3/4" pin.

The Grey Hound Route

(The Grey Hound Route.)/Eastern Texas Traction Co., General Offices, Greenville, Texas. 9 3/4" pin.

Niagara Falls Souvenir Stanhope

Niagara Falls Souvenir Stanhope. Hatpin top is made of Feldspar and is in the shape of a barrel, with 6 different miniature views of Niagara Falls inside the tiny peep hole which can be seen when held up to the light. 9 1/2" pin.

Souvenir Hatpin Holder from Ramsgate, England

Ramsgate is a seaside resort and yachting harbor in the Isle of Thanet, Kent, SE England. Queen Victoria lived there as a young princess. This is a souvenir hatpin holder probably from the early 1900's.