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Button, button, who's got the antique, Civil War, MOP, Jet buttons?
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Button, button, who's got the button?
OK, I couldn't resist that silly saying, I know it's old but I don't know where it originated. If anyone out there does, I'd love to hear it.
Seriously though, since I've recently consigned one of the nicest collections of buttons I've ever had, so of course, I figured I'd have to write about about it.
I'm not sure how manly getting excited over a such an array of antique buttons is, but wow, there's some great stuff here.
Fortunately for me, these buttons, like most things will stay in my hands just long enough for me to catalog them, learn something, and teach about them, so no one can really prove that I light up when I handle them.
These days you gotta get what juice you can out of an article, and since I'll be selling these, and HAVE sold many button lots in the past, I can do an article and promote the lot I'm selling at the same time.
To start the story of this particular button collection I have now, we have to go back to the North Adams trust I started liquidating on eBay a little over a month ago. Bad weather and power outages has be about a week behind schedule on this lot, but that's good news for those who care to learn about what's in it.
I'll start off with some of the ones that are already listed on eBay now: there are some excellent early brass relief buttons of a hound, fairy tale themes and more.
From antiquebuttoncollecting.com
When it comes to collecting, nothing really beats antique buttons. Button lovers get crazy about their subject, and there are many online sites to wander through by searching such items as antique buttons, collectibles, antiques and Victorian buttons.
There are button clubs, button conventions and button fairs, not to mention the fact that some buttons are truly valuable treasures, for the savvy huntress of antique buttons, collectibles, antiques and thrift shops.
Many buttons before 1912 will sell for good money separately.
One of the most popular genres in any niche, be it buttons, clothing, jewelry, art, and decor, Gothic is hot, hot, hot. So I was more than happy to scan these and send them to auction. Those crazy Edwardians had some flair!
If you go in for a closer look, pay attention to the Marcasite cuts and the jet glass examples. (Marcasites, are metal cut relief designs which mimic stones, I've always been fascinated by them. Jet, glass is black, as in jet black. Many times these will be embellished with silver & gold decoration over carvings)
Shank buttons have a small ring or a bar with a hole called the shank protruding from the back of the button, through which thread is sewn to attach the button. Covered buttons are fabric-covered forms with a separate back piece that secures the fabric over the knob.
Flat or sew-through buttons have two or four holes punched through the button through which the thread is sewn to attach the button. Flat buttons may be attached by sewing machine rather than by hand, and may be used with heavy fabrics by working a thread shank to extend the height of the button above the fabric.
Worked or cloth buttons are created by embroidering or crocheting tight stitches (usually with linen thread) over a knob or ring called a form. Mandarin buttons are knobs made of intricately knotted strings. Mandarin buttons are a key element in Mandarin dress (Qi Pao in Chinese), where they are closed with loops. Pairs of mandarin buttons worn as cuff links are called silk knots."
This information found: Wikipedia Encylopedia
Some buttons can fall into several different collector catagories, such as the authentic Civil War and Civil War period buttons I'll be auctioning on eBay shortly from the trust mentioned above.
In this collection there are "enlisted" buttons, cuff buttons and more. There are also some GAR buttons, which are from the Grand Army Republic a post Civil War Veterans group and many others including one from the Harrison Reform which I am still researching.
Many Civil War button collectors have buttons dug from actual battle sites such as:
Adairsville Georgia May 17, 1864
Albemarle Sound North Carolina May 5, 1864
Blair's Landing / Pleasant Hill Landing Louisiana April 12-13, 1864
Camp Allegheny / Allegheny Mountain West Virginia December 13, 1861
Campbell's Station Tennessee November 16, 1863
Jackson Tennessee December 19, 1862
Lynchburg Virginia June 17-18, 1864
Tupelo / Harrisburg Mississippi July 14-15, 1864
Wilson's Creek / Oak Hills Missouri August 10, 1861
Wyse Fork / Wilcox's Bridge North Carolina March 7-10, 1865
Yellow Bayou / Norwood's Plantation Louisiana May 18, 1864
Yorktown Virginia April 5-May 4, 1862
All 3 gold Civil War buttons posted above will be posted at my eBay auctions soon along with many others.
One of the best sources I've found online for button information is run by Sisters Vintage Button Accessories, click here to go there.
Buttons fall into 4 basic categories: Metal, Plastics, Natural and Glass
Metal buttons:
Pewter: In the late 18th & early 19th centuries, pewter was used for buttons in men’s fashions, but by 1830 the brass button replaced the pewter button. Pewter buttons appeared again in the late 19th century, however, this time in ladies’ fashions.
Silver: Silver buttons became fashionable in the mid 1800s through the early 19th century. In the 19th century silver buttons were large and made for men’s overcoats.
Brass: An alloy of copper and zinc, brass has been used to manufacture more buttons than any other material. The brass button industry peeked between 1820 & 1850. This period is often called the “Golden Age” because of the superior quality of these buttons.
Plastic buttons:
Celluloid: First used as a substitute for tusk ivory and wood. Buttons constructed with celluloid parts appeared in the 1897 Sears & Roebuck catalog. These buttons are rather fragile.
Bakelite: Bakelite buttons became very stylish about 1940 to 1950. They produced a fresh warm feel, the color combinations were delightful.
Lucite: Lucite, the trade name of synthetic thermoplastic acrylic resin, was used to make buttons in the mid 1930s. Lucite was produced by DuPont Plastics in Arlington, New Jersey. During World War II, Lucite was used to make gun turrets as well as other practical home items.
Natural buttons:
Wood: The earliest surviving wooden buttons are smooth, turned discs mounted with nailhead shanks made during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Vegetable Ivory: First presented at the 1862 Universal Exposition in Paris, “vegetable ivory” buttons were carved from the corozo nuts of the tague palm. The material resembled ivory, therefore “vegetable ivory”. The material was so dense, the dye would only penetrate the surface layer, the interior remains uncolored. Production reached a peak between 1870 and 1920.
Hard Rubber: In 1839, Goodyear secured a patent for vulcanization, a process using extreme heat and sulfur with hard rubber to form products. One famous rubber button was the “Anchor” design with border stars which was originally manufactured for Navy peacoats.
Mother-of-Pearl: Pearl buttons are made from the nacreous (pearly) lining of shells of various marine or freshwater mollusca found principally in warm waters. Freshwater pearl buttons have less iridescence than ocean pearls. Eighteenth century pearl buttons were large (approximately 1-1/4 inches) and considered the most beautiful ocean pearl buttons ever made.
Shell: Shell is a term used by American collectors to differentiate buttons made from mollusca shells rather than nacreous (pearly) linings. The earliest buttons were cut from the white layer, the grey or brown portions were considered to be inferior. It was not until after 1800 that brown or grey shells were used.
Glass buttons:
Passemeterie: Named for the 18th century design of fabric buttons, these buttons were faceted pieces of black glass soldered or riveted to a metal back to form an open work design. Quite rare.
“Jet” and Black Glass: Prince Albert of England died in 1861 and Queen Victoria, the fashion setter of the times, went into mourning. Her mourning jewelry and buttons were made of “jet”, a light weight, highly fragile, expensive mineral mined in Whitby, England. Overnight, the black glass industry became highly active. Black remained the predominant fashion color for over two decades. True “jet” is rare and feels warm to the touch.
Luster Finishes: Luster is a metallic sheen applied to black glass buttons for a wonderfully, unique look.
Calico: Calicoes refers to China buttons painted with the designs of the calico fabric. “Calico” fabric made by the Calcutta Indian Company about 1840.
Molded Glass: Fancy g lass buttons of the late 19th century were molded clear with paint or transfer designs applied to the back.
Moonglow: Moonglow buttons have opaque bases which give the illusion of swirl or eye in the center and made between 1940 and 1960.
All it all, as an auctioneer, the thing I love about buttons is the wide market appeal they have to the various groups of people that collect them for so many different reasons. Whatever your reason for button collecting, they are rich in history and are a classic collectible, and the classics are always revered in the marketplace.
Thanks for reading,
AW
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