Antique Early 1900s Celluloid Lincoln Legion Prohibition With Intact Back Paper Rare LL Cursive Ledger Mark Pinback Button

Description:

Antique Early 1900s Celluloid Lincoln Legion Prohibition With Intact Back Paper Rare LL Cursive Ledger Mark Pinback Button- Pre-Owned.

Used Items Disclaimer: This Is A Pre-Owned Item And Is Being Sold "AS IS." If You Have Any Questions Concerning This Item, Feel Free To Contact Us.

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Measures Approximately: 7/8"

In Good Antique Condition. Showing Signs Of Normal Wear For Age. Scratches, Fading, Staining, Rusting, Marks, Etc. From Use, And From Being Stored.

Here is a remarkably preserved piece of early 20th-century Americana: an authentic Lincoln Legion Prohibition/ Temperance movement pinback button. Founded in 1903 by Howard Hyde Russell (of the Anti-Saloon League), the Lincoln Legion asked members to sign a total abstinence pledge card modeled after an oath supposedly penned by Abraham Lincoln in 1846. Because the organization was renamed the "Lincoln-Lee Legion" in 1912, this specific design dates strictly between 1903 and 1912. Features a sharp, color lithograph portrait of Abraham Lincoln superimposed over a patriotic American flag shield, bordered by the text "LINCOLN LEGION." The front exhibits rich coloration with minor, natural age spotting that confirms its vintage authenticity. Unlike many surviving buttons from this era, this example retains its original, intact back paper insert—a highly sought-after feature for serious collectors. Explicitly back-marked by The Whitehead & Hoag Co. (Newark, N.J.), the premier global manufacturer of celluloid campaign buttons during the turn of the century. It includes their foundational patent date: "PATENTED JULY 17, 1894". Union Stamp: Features the crisp, central oval stamp of the Allied Printing Trades Council (Union Label 3, Newark, N.J.), proving it was manufactured by organized labor. Rare Handwritten Ledger Markings: The back paper features distinct, century-old cursive pencil initials paired with an open box/bracket enclosing the letters "L L" (Lincoln Legion). This is a rare, authentic clerical marking showing that this specific badge was officially cataloged and assigned to a pledge member by a local chapter registrar.

An exceptional find for collectors of Prohibition political history, early advertising novelties, or Lincoln memorabilia!