Vintage Buttons 101…

May I share another interesting fact regarding Vintage Buttons?

 

Just look at this beautiful blue vintage button. If you’ll notice, both sides are incredible! The molded design is pretty on both sides. That is something that you don’t find today, so it might even be hard for you to choose which side of this button that you actually want to use on your clothing, or project. So, as I’ve said before…the colors pop, and the designs and molding are amazing!

Thanks for allowing me share. I was looking at this button for my next project and couldn’t help but think about that, so I just stopped and snapped a couple of pictures! 🙂

Art Deco, Glassblowing, Fabrics, Children’s Books? Inspiration for Buttons…Who knew?

We have always needed buttons to keep our clothes fastened, haven’t we? And, did you know that buttons can be made out of just about anything – from bone, glass, metal, stone, ceramics, and even antlers. There are “Diminutive” buttons (less than 3/8″ across) and “Large” buttons (greater than 1 1/4″ wide), “Old” buttons (pre-1918), and “Modern/Vintage” ones (post-1918).

Military buttons are kind of in a class by themselves, and made of pewter, lead, or two-part buttons that are curved outward, and specific buttons produced for officers. Buttons seem to fascinate so many of us, because of all the materials, age or size.

Buttons don’t have very many parts. There is: the face of the button; the back of the button, and some have shanks. The shank is a loop that helps you attach the button to clothing, etc.  It can be built into the button, or made out of metal. Brass picture buttons from the Victorian era are very collectible. A lot of these had images on them taken from operas, children’s books, etc.  One reason that people would wear these buttons on their shirts or coats, is that you were telling everyone that you loved literature. Some buttons came from nature, astrology, or even mythology (fairies, etc.)

Some glass buttons were detailed to look like animals or plants. Some were created to appear like fabrics. Some were given an iridescent luster or silver to imitate crochet or needlework.

Another collectible type of glass button comes from what is now the Czech Republic.  Many artisans from this area made buttons to resemble Art Deco.  After World War II, Bohemian glassblowers produced “moonglow” buttons, which looked opaque and clear.

I will come back at a later time and discuss more types of buttons and their particular era. I think there is enough interesting information this time! ha!

One thing is for sure, we all use them…and even appreciate them, for many different reasons!

God is like buttons…long lasting; give security; join and bring together.    –anonymous

These vintage cloth buttons are
BEE-UTI-FUL!
Such pretty colors, patterns and shapes! Unique Red; Lime Greens, Green & Gold shiny; lovely textures too! Found these today at a Thrift shop in town. They said some “Senior Citizens” had been in and brought some goodies in with them.

These buttons are from the 1930’s-40’s.

Copy of an Ancient Roman Coin!

OK, this is one of the many reasons, I love vintage and antique button searching! In one of my button jars, I found this awesome old COPY of an ancient Rome coin. At first, I thought it just might be really one of the coins, and noticed that it was marked “Copy” on the back of the coin, but it is just amazing! I am on top of the moon. I got out my magnifying glass (a MUST for all Button collectors), and looked it over! Then, I searched online, and voila . . . this is what it is:Ancient Rome KAICA POC (of Ceasar) 9AD to 12AD A coin from ancient Rome about the time of Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago. Way cool! The inscription KAICA POC means of Ceasar and the LN is a coded date. Am I excited about this little jewel in my jar????? You bet! On the back is a stalk of wheat, and what you see on the front, is a Palm Tree, and little dots encircling the coin. And, it has the words, KAICA POC on it too! (Everything is faded, but clearly there!) I smiled for a couple of days after this find! See More

Button Storage

Button storage . . . very important. The buttons I’m showing in this post were NOT stored properly. I picked up a batch of buttons at a flea market about 6 months ago that were stored in an old plastic candy container with a tight lid. I’m sure the lid hadn’t been opened in – well – could have been years.

I’m just showing a few of the ruined buttons in the container. The white button on the upper left of the heart, has had a button melt into it, and can’t be cleaned; the red button under it crumbled and broke from being in a hot, tightly covered container; the orange button, as you can see, had another button melt into it, and there isn’t anything that can be done about that; the beautiful, or what would have been beautiful grey Mother of pearl button has had a white “chalky” substance melt on it, and can’t be washed or scraped off; and the pretty golden yellow vintage plastic button melted and is almost an oval shape now; and finally, the clear, vintage acrylic button has also had a button melt on it, and the dirty looking brown substance, can’t be cleaned off.

For me, it doesn’t matter if I store buttons in containers with closed off lids, because I open those containers all the time. But, if they are going to sit for years, without the lid being opened, put them in open containers that allow your buttons to breathe. And, please don’t store them in a hot place, that isn’t ventilated.

Remember, these buttons are made of different materials – plastic, acrylic, shell, wood, metal, etc., and they will all “mesh” together if not properly stored.

Whistles!

I wanted to share a very special button with you. This is what’s known as a “Whistle” button. They come in various sizes, shapes, colors. This one is a vintage paisley design, and I couldn’t help but share it with you.

In the first picture, I asked my husband to hold it, so you can see – this side of the button is the side with only ONE HOLE, and he held it to the light, and you can faintly make out that it really has two holes on the other side. This is a true WHISLE BUTTON. Then, you can see the other side has TWO WHOLES. Plain as day. When you look straight through . . .  you should be able to see a small portion of the two holes through the top hole.

This looks like it is a wooden button, but at closer examination, it is Celluloid. Very unique.

Toga fasteners?

The earliest buttons came from a variety of natural materials. Ancient Greeks and Romans used buttons and loops to fasten their togas and tunics.

Many believe the medieval Crusaders introduced the idea of the buttonhole to Europe as they returned from what now is known as the Middle East. This innovation revolutionized fashion and tailoring, and allowed for a more fitted, sophisticated style of dress.

In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, jewelers began creating gold-plated buttons as decorative elements, mostly for men. They were very expensive, making them well out of reach for most people.

Much later, in the seventeenth century, simpler artisan buttons made of natural materials became widely available.

–Taken from “button it up” by Susan Beal

Vintage Metal Buttons!

Vintage Metal Buttons are some of the most beautiful buttons you will find!

You will want to use a polishing cloth to clean them! Moisture and oils from our hands tend to cause metals to deteriorate.

Brass is very common for metal buttons. It can look just like gold, but without the heaviness or price.

Pewter buttons contain lead, so something neat with these buttons, is if you rub them on paper, you’ll see a “pencil” mark. Here is something pretty cool – you can buff your pewter button with the outer leaf from a cabbage head, and then, of course, follow up with a soft, dry cloth.

If you have a Steel button, a magnet will identify it. You will want to handle steel buttons as little as possible. Rust can be removed with an ink eraser, and you can clean with small cloths, like the ones to clean your eye glasses!

*Some information taken from Warman’s Buttons Field Guide by Jill Gorski.

Ahhh . . . Filigree!

Filigree Buttons – The word filigree is derived from the Latin word “filum” (meaning thread). It is ornamental openwork of delicate or intricate design.

Filigree suggests ‘lace’ in its design. It has a very specific feminine look since 1660 to present. Every year the filigree look is somewhere in fashion!

These button examples are in vintage and antique metal and plastic. So beautiful!

Vintage Button Brass Clasp!

Early 1960’s Women’s Coat, Jacket, Vest, etc., clasp – Button, Brass. Dyno-Japan on back. Pretty Paisley pattern. I found these separately in a tin of vintage buttons. The button on the right was darker due to age, so harder to see pattern. Very cool!