Pinback button featuring Willie Simms: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A circular pinback button with an illustrated portrait of American jockey Willie Simms, part of a collectible set from American Pepsin Gum Company. The button has a white background with black type above the image of Simms that reads: [SIMS, (sic) CELEBRATED AMERICAN JOCKEY.]. The center of the pin features the image of Simms wearing a white shirt with a blue stripe and white hat. The back of the pin has a printed back paper reading: [THE / WHITEHEAD &HOAG CO. / NEWARK, N.J. / PATENTED / JULY 17, 1894. / April 14, 1896.] and an unlocking pin style fastener.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1896
• Manufactured by: Whitehead & Hoag Company, American, 1892 - 1965
• Subject of: Willie Simms, American, 1870 - 1927
• Type: buttons (information artifacts)
• Medium: ink on paper, metal and celluloid
• Dimensions: Diameter: 7/8 in. (2.2 cm)
• Place made: Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Athletes
• Topic: Sports
• Object number: 2011.159.3.66
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift from Dawn Simon Spears and Alvin Spears, Sr.
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The displayed image also has an explicit CC0 designation. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.