Buttonsplus

Here are three groups of coloured general plastic buttons from over the years. It is fun just to view the variety of styles and it was also fun to take the photos. I don’t mount these common buttons but keep them in jars. I am sure you have seen a lot of these buttons and probably used some on garments over the years.

Here is a group of 1930s pressed plastic buttons in different colours and patterns. I like how the colours are subdued as apposed to the bright stark colours of these days. The patterns are gently impressed into them. I have a large collection of them.



This is a group of modern plastic buttons made in Thailand. They mainly have some sparkle incorporated in them or a central stone. There has been lots of them in the shops over the last few years but I have mainly got them from the Opp shops.

Here are two groups of Metalized Plastic buttons in a gold colour. They appear to be metal buttons but are not. There were many buttons made in this way and they are modern. The buttons in these groups are varied both in design and size. They come in silver also and I have hundreds of them having mainly got them from the opp shops.

This is a pretty fabric button with a threadback back which I think is probably quite old. The fabric is a type of brocade in a delicate floral pattern. I guess it came from a garment in the same fabric. I would love to know it’s actual age.

Here is another dark brown large chunky Bakelite button. It has a white metal escutcheon in the shape of a teardrop with a floral design in the middle. There is just the tiniest bit of carving to break up the background. These old Bakelite buttons are of good quality.

I quite like large chunky Bakelite buttons and this one is no exception. As is common this one is dark brown and has a white metal flower shaped escutcheon centred with a pearly coloured glass stone. It measures a little over 4 cm. I guess it would be an overcoat button.

These two Terracotta buttons feature a peacock’s feather and are lovely colours. In reality the colours are much brighter. The buttons are very thin and perfectly round and don’t look hand made but that is just my view. They measure a little over 2 cm.

Here are two hand made Ceramic buttons, I think they are meant to be the same design although the blue one is much more smudgy which shows that they were not made by machine. The green one appears to be leaves and either gum nuts or flowers. They are certainly not definite enough to know. They are sew through type and measure 3 cm.