All things buttons & more …
I believe this Art Nouveau buckle may have been a Nurse’s buckle from the early 1900’s in England. I have seen similar ones on Antiques Roadshow on T.V.
It is E.P.N.S. and backmarked E.G. Stott. The flowers appear to me to be fuschias. What a beautiful design. It is a large buckle being 9 cm. X 5 1/2 cm. I have had it many years, long before I started collecting buttons.
These two bright and colourful buttons were painted by Edith and Alan Brooks ( a husband and wife team ) from England in the 1960’s – 70’s.
The designs are so free and flowing, both being flowers. They used mainly matte finished casein blanks to paint on.
Two sets of Brooks buttons were accepted by Queen Elizabeth, one each for Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
I have only just acquired them and am thrilled as they are my first. Ref. Big Book of Buttons P. 125
This button is a combination of silver metal and black bakelite and has quite an unusual shape and design.
To me it is rather smart looking with the metal escutcheon on top of the bakelite circle which makes a nice contrast. It is just under 2 1/2cm and has a metal loop shank.
Three different coloured buttons with various painted designs are shown here.
They are nice and bright and perhaps would have been sewn onto a nice hand knitted cardigan in the 1940’s – 50’s.
This button in my eyes is really beautiful. It is the most expensive button I have ever bought and it has just found my home in the last couple of days.
The Oriental lady with her parasol are placed nicely just off centre. The etching is filled with a few delicate colours, just enough to bring it alive. It is 3 1/2 cm in diameter, so a nice size. I am so excited to have it. ( Perhaps I am on bread and dripping for a few weeks now!!! )
These cream celluloid buttons have been painted over, two with brown and one with red. They are then buffed back leaving the paint in the crevices only.
Two buttons have raised designs and one incised so quite a different look is achieved. Aren’t they effective.
This metal ( probably tin ) button has been painted black with a floral design in pinks and gold added. The back is japanned and has a metal loop shank.
Here is a group of small fabric covered buttons from years gone by. It is always fascinating to see the different colours and patterns of older fabric to compare with today.
It all demonstrates the history of fashions of the period.
This is an octagonal shaped amber coloured perspex button.
It has a floral design cut and painted on the reverse. I have shown both sides.
Here we have a spindle shaped button made from matte finish clear glass with a silver lustre. It is just a bit different and although simple in design I think it is effective.