| Celluloid is generally regarded as the first modern | | | | most popular advertising celluloid giveaways were |
| plastic. It was introduced in 1871 by the Celluloid | | | | pin-backs and pocket mirrors. The principal |
| Manufacturing Company of Albany, NY. The use | | | | producers of advertising celluloid pin-back buttons |
| of celluloid began with the manufacturing of billiard | | | | were the Whitehead and Hoag Company of |
| balls and was intended as a replacement for ivory. | | | | Newark, NJ, American Artworks of Cochocton, |
| However, by the late 1800s it was used for all | | | | OH, The St. Louis Button Company and Bastian |
| sorts of products from billiard balls to bobbin lace | | | | Brothers of Rochester, NY. This same group of |
| prickers, bracelets, button hooks, buttons, cameo | | | | manufacturers, along with two others in Chicago, |
| brooches, cameo earrings, charm bracelets, dolls, | | | | the Partisian Novelty Company and the Cruver |
| folding toothpicks, fountain pen bodies, guitar | | | | Manufacturing Company, used celluloid for the |
| picks, hair combs, hand mirrors, hat pins, knife | | | | backs of advertising pocket mirrors.Celluloid was |
| handles, letter openers, match safes, mechanical | | | | not the best of all materials to use for the prized |
| pencils, money clips, necklaces, paperweights, | | | | collectibles, as it was very flammable. Table |
| pin-packs, pocket mirrors, ring boxes, rulers, | | | | Tennis balls are the only products known to use |
| shoehorns, stick pins, tatting shuttles, thimbles, | | | | celluloid today.The best place to find vintage |
| toys, vanity boxes and many other items.The | | | | celluloid products and advertising celluloid products |
| celluloid products mentioned above were made | | | | is eBay.Glyn Farber has published a catalog of all |
| between the late 1800s and 1940s. Buttons were | | | | known Hickey Brother Cigar Store Tokens and |
| made by the millions for use on clothing and | | | | co-authored a book about Louisiana Trade |
| jewelry such as brooches, earrings, bracelets and | | | | Tokens. In addition he wrote several articles for |
| necklaces also saw wide spread use. Vintage | | | | The Token and Medal Society (TAMS) and The |
| fountain pen bodies made of celluloid are a very | | | | National Token Collectors Association (NTCA). |
| popular collectible today.Some of these products | | | | Glyn has been a devoted collector of Louisiana |
| were advertising giveaways distributed by every | | | | Trade Tokens, Louisiana collectibles and Lake |
| kind of business all across the United States. The | | | | Charles, LA postcards for almost 40 years. |