All things buttons & more …
Here are three white metal buttons each with a different coloured gemstone in the middle and small ones around the edge. They are quite heavy and would need to be used on a solid heavy fabric. They are domed and hollow at the back with a metal loop shank. They measure about 2 1/2 cm.
These two Uranium glass buttons are realistic flower buttons. They glow quite green with the UV light shining on them. They are painted silver on the back and have a brass four way shank. They measure 2 cm.
These two buttons are modern and made of plastic with a wound braid centre of the same colour resembling a rose. One is terracotta and the other olive green. They are rather chunky so would only be suitable for a jacket or cape I think. If only they could tell.
This is not a pretty button but it would be interesting to know what it represents. It is of black fabric with a brass centre featuring a head. To me it appears as though there is a chieftan’s headress so is it an American Indian? It has a tin back and loop shank and measures 3 cm. I am not sure what type of garment it would be worn on. I have had it for quite some time and don’t remember where I got it from.
Here are two very old fabric covered buttons. The fabrics are a sort of brocade in lovely colours which don’t really show up to their best advantage. Neither has a shank but a thread back where you need to stitch under a few threads to be able to secure the button to the garment.
Here are three modern enamel buttons with a sort of geometric design. The colours are much richer in reality. If I remember rightly I got them at a local Opp Shop quite a few years ago. They measure 2 cm. The days of getting good buttons at Opp Shops are over now as they hardly ever have buttons for sale any more. What a pity.
This is rather a nice enamel button I feel with a black background and a group of pink and blue flowers which stand out nicely. It has a border of Cut Steels and you can see on the back where they have been rivetted in separately. It measures 3 cm so is a nice size too.
Here is a little group of Black Glass buttons which have a painted design on them. It is not easy to find them with the paintwork in good order as it wears off over time. The painted designs I think would limit the choices of fabric they could be used on; maybe just a plain colour. All of these buttons have a self shank and measure a little over 1 1/2 cm. Black glass buttons do not photograph well and are better in reality.
These two Bakelite buttons are coat buttons and both are dark brown with some simple carving. They both have a decorative white metal trim and have a metal loop shank. They measure just over 4 cm. Many of the Bakelite buttons of this period were dark brown or black.
These two Bakelite buttons are entirely different in design. One has a decorative brass disc in the centre while the other has gold inclusions. Actually the one on the left is largest at 3 1/2 cm and the other one is just over 2 1/2 cm. I think they have a brass loop shank but can’t check now as they are mounted in a frame.