American Historical Ephemera & Photography, Featuring Property from the James Milgram, M.D., Collection of Broadsides, Ephemeral Americana & Historical Documents

Set of eight 22mm gilt brass flat, one-piece waistcoat buttons (general surface wear, some areas of tarnish); with 4 x 2 1/2 in. original paper-covered card (creasing). Obverse is plain, reverse with the outer ring reading "Strong Forever" with 4 six-pointed stars between the words. Inner ring reads "Old Massachusetts" with 1 six-pointed star between the words. Tice MS296 (listed as 20mm); not listed in Albert. 

Caleb Strong (1745-1819) was a Founding Father and Federalist Governor of Massachusetts from 1800 to 1807 and again from 1812 to 1816. These buttons, date from one of his gubernatorial campaigns, possibly his return to politics in 1812, when he ran on an anti-War platform. During his tenure, he refused to send Massachusetts militias to "Mr. Madison's War" believing that the federal government was trampling state and individual rights. 

[With:] Set of 11 metal flat, one-piece vest buttons (some tarnish); with 4 x 3 in. original paper-covered card (partially cut, creasing). 

Provenance: Julian Converse collection.