Name/Title
Button: Davis O.K. Baking Powder. R.B. Davis Co, N.Y. N.d., ca. 1896-1910.Entry/Object ID
2010.007.0045Description
Davis O.K. Baking Powder. R.B. Davis Co, New York. No date, circa 1896-1910. Button, printed paper and celluloid with metal frame, 7/8" diameter with pin back. Manufacturer's label on back. Two examples, labeled as button 1 and button 2; slight differences in the artwork make it reasonable to consider them as two separate versions. Which preceded the other has not been determined, if possible.
Front of each is the same with a depiction of a typical container with its color printed label plus text.
Text at left: Purest and Best.
Text at right: Lbs. - 20¢, 1/2 - 10¢, 1/4 - 5¢.
R.B. Davis made this baking powder product in Hoboken at this time although corporate and sales offices were in New York. It would later replace the New York address with the Hoboken one.
The back label of Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark, N.J., who was the maker of the buttons, is slightly different on each one. The text on each one is in a different point size and weight; they both have the same text including 3 patent dates with the latest being July 21, 1896.
Button 1: clean, no fading and with the patent date on bottom edge as noted above. This copy has the latest patent date (noted above) printed on the outside at the bottom edge.
Button 2: slightly faded; no patent date on the lower edge. The container as drawn is slightly wider than on button one. Hand drawn lettering is a lighter weight than on button 1 and by comparision, they vary in several ways.
See objects 2010.007.0166 for another example with simpler text on the front. Again, which of the three preceded the other has not been determined.Acquisition
Accession
2010.007Source or Donor
Lukacs, ClaireAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Museum Collections. Gift of a friend of the Museum.Made/Created
Date made
1896 - 1910Notes
Date: 1896-1910General Notes
Note
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2010-06-09
