Name/Title
Button: I'm The Guy That Put Hoboes in Hoboken. Issued by Obak Cigarettes, CA.., n.d., ca.1910-1911.Entry/Object ID
2014.013.0147Description
Button: I'm The Guy That Put Hoboes in Hoboken. Promotional premium issued by Obak Cigarettes, Factory No. 171, 1st District, State of California. No date, ca. 1910-1911.
Printed celluloid over metal back, 7/8" diameter; pinback. Red field with white type. Printed insert inside back with Obak Cigarettes name and location as above. Made by: The Whitehead & Hoag Co. Patented. (Note: the company was based in Newark, N.J. and the city name usually appears with the company name, but does not on this label.)
Reputedly the phrase "I'm the guy..." originated in 1910 with Rube Goldberg, probably the most famous cartoonist of his day. It became a catchphrase that was used in many situations including commercial and business advertising.
Obak, known as Obak Mouthpiece Cigarettes, was a brand of Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co., John Bollman Subsidiary, San Francisco, CA. (Bollman was earlier a part of the American Tobacco Co.) It was one of several brands that issued such buttons. See: 2010.007.0486
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Novelty / Promotional / Souvenir / hobo / hobosAcquisition
Accession
2014.013Source or Donor
Lukacs, ClaireAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
Museum Collections. Gift of a friend of the Museum.Made/Created
Date made
1910 - 1911Notes
Date: 1910-1911General Notes
Note
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2014-12-08
