Showing a photograph of a presidential candidate on a button is a very common practice today. The buttons that we regard as “modern” were patented in 1894 and used extensively for the 1896 campaign which paired William McKinley against William Jennings Bryan. William KcKinley William Jennings Bryan Many collectors believe that the first presidential campaign picture buttons were issued in 1860. That year there were four major party candidates with the political differences between them divided along the lines that would result in the Civil War. The picture buttons were called "ferrotypes.” The chemicals that were used to develop pictures were too strong to use on paper. Instead the pictures were printed on thin sheets of iron. Here is a set of ferrotypes for the four candidates who ran in 1860, Lincoln, Douglas, Breckenridge and Bell. Very few collectors realize that the first ferrotype buttons were issued in the 1856 presidential campaign. The three candidates were James Buchanan, John Fremont and Millard Fillmore. Buchanan and Fillmore issued a very small number of buttons. Recently I won this Fillmore piece in an auction. It is only the fourth one I have seen offered in 30 years. The Buchanan piece is much rarer. I have only seen one in a collection. This piece is extremely small. It is only 11 centimeters wide. What do these pieces have to do coins? A great many collectors who get interested in political tokens collect ferrotypes along with the tokens.
John Milton, your collection, your knowledge, and your writeups never cease to amaze me. Thank you for sharing all three of those wonderful traits with us. Beautiful campaign picture buttons. As always, with you, I'm duly impressed.
Here’s a little more history. Millard Fillmore was elected vice president under Zachary Taylor in 1848. He became president after Taylor died from drinking contaminated iced milk following a Fourth of July celebration in Washington. Fillmore is best remembered for the Compromise of 1850. That is best remembered for the infamous Fugitive Slave Law. People condemn Fillmore for that, but I’m a bit easier on him. He and the rest of Washington were trying to find a solution to slavery short of ending it. Having thought about that for a long time, I’ve come to the conclusion that there was no way around the Civil War if the country was to remain whole. Slavery had to end, and South was not going to give up on that without a fight. The Whig Party passed over Fillmore in 1852 and nominated Winfield Scott instead. Scott lost to Franklin Pierce and the Whig Party fell to pieces not long after that over the slavery issue. Fillmore accepted the nomination of the American or “Know Nothing” Party in 1856. That group was noted its opposition to immigrants. It is not known if Fillmore agreed with their views. He may have only been using them as a way to get back into the White House. Fillmore finished a weak third, winning only the electoral votes of Maryland.
Fillmore was my cousin's favorite president for some odd reason, perhaps because he grew up in Fillmore County MN. I guess he must have been liked enough to have one county named after him. Which is ironic given his party's position on immigrants, since Fillmore County was filled with Norwegian immigrants during the 1850s (still is).
This made me think of our "Cabinet Counties" in Michigan, which were named after Andrew Jackson's cabinet members, to gain favor for statehood and the border dispute with Ohio. A few years earlier of course.
Fillmore did run as the “Know Nothing” anti-immigrant party in 1856, but it is not known if he agreed with them or was looking for a way to go back to the White House. The Whig Party passed him over in 1852 and nominated Winfield Scott instead. Scott lost the election. The Whig Party broke up not long after that over the slavery issue.
I just discovered my late Aunt collected campaign buttons. Hers were all 20th century and newer, but they have been given to me. Like coins it gives another connection to history with the buttons.
Ah, those halcyon days of civil political debate, and of people working across the aisle for the good of the country instead of falling into petty bickering.
@johnmilton I couldn't have said it better, myself. It's always a joy to see you've, posted something or responded to a post. You are a wealth of information, and I enjoy benefiting from it! Thank you for posting about something I didn't know existed. And, I love to learn, especially about historical topics.
