Badges from an activist collector

Most collectors have a few badges and many have hundreds if not thousands. We will show you a selection from three different types of collectors. We would happily feature more – get in touch if you would like to show some of your badges.

1. The activist collector

Here is a collection of badges from Babette who collects objects that document her interests. This happens to include badges.

Babette has a range of badges protesting about the Grand Prix at Albert Park Lake; it is great to see badges produced about the same issue, from the same action group over the long years of protest.

The Australian grand prix was originally held at Phillip Island and its current location, Albert Park Lake, in 1985.

These badges probably date from the 1980s (the oldest likely to be the badge featuring the then Premier Jeff Kennett who was responsible for moving the race to the inner city location). It looks like the early protest slogan was “Save the park” and at least by 2001 it changed to “Save Albert Park”. The picture of the lake badge is a reproduction of a painting by Anne Gunner. Babette believes that the most recent badge is the “A Lemon on Wheels”.

These badges have various manufacturers – the “Save Albert Park: Vigil 2000 days” was produced by Badge-A-Minit; the others have no identified producer.

Handpainted

This is a lovely local badge, handpainted and then reproduced. The badge was painted by artist Ann Gunner.

Exception to the collecting rules

There is always an exception to the rough rules that define a collection. This next badge has no political content.

Rather it is amongst some memorabilia created for those who participated in a theatrical experience at the Melbourne International Arts Festival in October 2005. The participant took a virtual trip courtesy of the Red Shoe Delivery Service. Babette chose to go to Asine, Greece, and is captured in her red travel shoes in front of a view of Asine.

 Thanks Babette.