Irwin Weisfeld

Irwin Weisfeld
Born	1932
Died	1968
Occupation(s)	Author, bookseller, button designer
Known for	Legal battle over sale of Fanny Hill; creator of popular 1960s slogan buttons

Irwin Weisfeld (1932–1968) was an American author and bookseller who faced imprisonment in 1963 due to obscenity charges linked to the sale of the 18th-century erotic work Fanny Hill. This legal battle gained widespread national media coverage and stood as one of the concluding First Amendment conflicts that shaped American cultural discourse.

Subsequently, Weisfeld developed a well-known series of cheeky pin-back buttons that gained significant popularity among university students, eventually becoming emblematic of 1960s American popular culture.

Detainment of a bookstore proprietor

During the early 1960s, Weisfeld operated The Bookcase, a modest bookstore located on Manhattan’s Lexington Avenue. On September 4, 1963, a sixteen-year-old female customer purchased a copy of Fanny Hill, the 1748 erotic novel authored by John Cleland, from his establishment. This edition was a reprint issued by the esteemed publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Weisfeld displayed it prominently in his shop window accompanied by a sign highlighting recent freedoms in publishing and readership.

Following this, the girl’s mother lodged a criminal complaint, resulting in legal action against Weisfeld and his employee John Downs under Section 484-h of New York State’s penal code. This incident occurred shortly after pivotal judicial decisions permitted the public distribution of provocative works such as William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch and Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer, marking a significant juncture in First Amendment jurisprudence amidst ongoing obscenity trials including those involving comedian Lenny Bruce.

The case known as New York v. Bookcase, Inc. attracted substantial media attention, receiving comprehensive reporting from outlets like The New York Times, Time, and other major news sources.

Prosecution prompted by powerful interests

The acquisition of Fanny Hill from Weisfeld's shop, followed by the complaint lodged by the young woman and her mother, was a calculated maneuver by Operation Yorkville, an interfaith pro-censorship coalition based in New York. This organization was committed to stopping the book's circulation and wielded considerable clout, collaborating with New York Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr.—who sought to enhance the city's reputation ahead of the 1964–1965 World's Fair—alongside Cardinal Francis Spellman and Norman Vincent Peale. After Weisfeld's release from incarceration, he contested the accusations with vital backing from Barney Rosset, proprietor of Grove Press, known for publishing contentious titles such as D.H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover and Miller's Tropic of Cancer, as well as legal support from G. P. Putnam's Sons.

Court rulings

The case New York v. Bookcase, Inc. advanced through three tiers of New York State judiciary. Initiated by Operation Yorkville, district attorneys representing all five boroughs contended that Fanny Hill was obscene under state obscenity statutes and sought to prohibit its sale entirely. The legal battle involving Weisfeld and the book extended over a prolonged period.

In 1964, contrary to the desires of Operation Yorkville and prosecutors, convictions against Weisfeld and Downs were reversed; the appellate court deemed New York's obscenity laws insufficiently precise and dismissed the charges related to the book.

By 1966, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in Memoirs v. Massachusetts that Fanny Hill did not meet the criteria for obscenity. This landmark decision significantly advanced First Amendment protections, establishing new legal precedents that shaped media regulation and freedom of speech in the United States.

Portrayal in media

Irving Wallace's 1969 best-selling novel The Seven Minutes included a plotline about a small bookstore proprietor prosecuted for selling a controversial book, drawing loose inspiration from Weisfeld's experience. The narrative was adapted into a film released in 1971 by 20th Century Fox, directed by Russ Meyer.

Creation of hippie-era "kooky buttons"

Following the resolution of legal disputes involving Bookcase, Inc. and Fanny Hill, Irwin Weisfeld encountered increased competition from major bookstore chains in midtown Manhattan. In 1966, he shuttered his shop and shifted focus to designing and manufacturing humorous pin-back buttons featuring his distinctive witty slogans.

This venture began as a wager with his friend Martha Foley, who had previously championed Weisfeld’s literary endeavors. Inspired by Foley’s recollections of his sharp humor, Weisfeld crafted buttons that captured the spirit of New York’s literary circles before scaling production and distributing them nationwide via magazine advertisements. His creations gained popularity among college students and hipster communities throughout America.

Departing from the typical psychedelic button designs of the 1960s, Weisfeld’s products emphasized clever, satirical text. Memorable slogans included: "AMERICA: MURDER-MADNESS-SEX... and THE BEST DAMN ICE CREAM in the world," "DEATH IS NATURE'S WAY OF TELLING US TO SLOW DOWN," "KILL FOR PEACE," "SEX: THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS," and "SAVE WATER: SHOWER WITH A FRIEND."

During the late 1960s, Weisfeld’s buttons made appearances on television comedy programs and later became emblematic cultural artifacts representing the era in media such as Jeremy Kagan’s 1975 film Katherine, where they were shown alongside scenes depicting the Vietnam War and student demonstrations.

Death

During the height of the button craze in the 1960s, Weisfeld introduced a fresh product range: dart boards adorned with the faces of political personalities. These items were in the initial phases of promotion when Irwin Weisfeld passed away in 1968 at the age of 36, a consequence of heart complications stemming from childhood rheumatic fever.

Zodiac Killer demands buttons

In April 1970, the Zodiac Killer issued threats of violence unless he observed "some nice Zodiac buttons" circulating locally, alluding to popular slogan buttons such as the peace sign and Black Power—both manufactured by Weisfeld's enterprise. Additionally, he twisted one of Weisfeld's original designs, "Melville Eats Blubber," into "Melvin Eats Bluber," ridiculing San Francisco legal figure Melvin Belli. This link was explored in a 2012 Heavy Metal magazine feature.

Contrary to fictional depictions like the 1971 film Dirty Harry, the genuine Zodiac Killer's demands centered on having his messages published and obtaining these buttons. Subsequent letters contained exasperated requests for "Zodiac Buttons" and threats directed at Paul Avery, a crime reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle who had fallen out of favor with the killer. Although an official "Zodiac Button" was never created, Chronicle employees—including Avery—wore badges stating: "I AM NOT PAUL AVERY."

See also

• Horatio Weisfeld, his son