Category: CELLULOID

I really think these buttons are rather jazzy with their orange and green colours with splashes of gold.

They are quite different to all the other Celluloid buttons that I have and have a sort of modern look about them.

There are some nice mixtures of colours in this group of small Celluloid buttons.

They are all just over 1  1/2cm in diameter and are also all sew through type.  They come from the 1930’s.

Here is a nice group of Celluloid Bubble Top buttons.

They are various sizes and colours but mainly earthy colours.  The backs have all been painted black.   They are from the 1930’s.

A lot of Celluloid buttons are earthy browns and fawns, but these two groups are nice and colourful.

The three chunky green buttons have interesting patterns and each has a cream back with a Celluloid shank.

The striking red oval buttons show a diamond design in black and gold and are typical of the Art Deco period.  They have a black Japanned back.  Each group has been a gift to me.

Both of these buttons are single pieces of Celluloid moulded into their pattern and shape.

One has a type of basketweave design in brown and cream.  It is just over 4 cm in diameter.  The other is a realistic flower button measuring 3  1/2 cm.  They both have a Celluloid shank added to the back.

Celluloid, being one of the first plastics produced was popular from the late 1800’s right up til  the 1930’s.  As it was highly flammable, it was then replaced with various other synthetic plastics.  These three buttons are all large, being approx. 5 to 6 cms in diameter. They are all tin backs with a metal loop shank.  They are also all in a shade of brown which was a common colour of the early 20th Century.

This group of six buttons have a metal base. The background on each is of a different coloured celluloid (thus the name Celluloid Backs) The ornamentation on the top is also of metal and very delicate in design. I really like them.

The combination of the blue and black is rather striking and with the fine strip of tin it makes a good Art Deco design.
They have a celluloid back and shank.

CELLULOID

This button is large at 5cms in diameter.
It has a cream coloured background with an unusual “abstractish ” (like that word!) pattern painted on with reds and pale pink.
The celluloid shank is glued onto the back.