All things buttons & more …
We have three different old plastic buttons here.
The yellow one has a cut out design as well as the olive coloured one (it may be Bakelite, I am not sure.) The maroon one has a mottled look with an effective pattern.
I generalize with plastics as I can’t differentiate between all the different types. Too hard for a little old lady like me!!!!!
I think this button has a good look about it.
The details of the couple painted in the centre are very fine, even down to the buttons on the man’s coat. It has a lovely enamelled brass border to set it off and a brass back and loop shank. It measures 3 1/2 cm.
The first button is made of brass and has a bird on a branch with some flowers. It has a wood background which is a little unusual and a decorative border. It has a brass back and is just under 4 cm.
The second one is also made of brass and has a bird sitting on a fence on a tinted background. It has a japanned back with a loop shank and measures 3 1/2 cm.
This little button is glass with a floral pattern set in gilt. It is backmarked Sword Make, British Make and has a rather long shank. At about 13 mm it is quite small.
Here are two buttons which I have purchased new in the last 3 or 4 years.
They are made of shell and have been dyed or painted with bright pink and purple and have a thick clear gloss coating over the top.
They measure just under 3 1/2 cm.
Here are two different buttons both with chips of turquoise set into them. One is domed silver and the other flat brass. I think the silver one may be from India. They are similar in size being 1 1/2 cm.
I think these two buttons are called cold enamel. They have a dull finish.
One is in greens and pinks with a blue flower. The second one is an Art Nouveau style with flowers on a white ground and lots of scrolls. It also has a scallopped edge. They are similar in size being 2 1/4 cm.
I think the colours of this button are lovely. The centre is a light grey while the two outer sections are a nice blend of blues and greens. It is also outlined with a gold lustre.
The photo of the back shows a different type of shank. It measures 2 cm.
Here is an old fabric covered button which has a thread back which is always interesting. What a lot of work to create it.
The fabric itself is a fawn with purple and red floral. It measures 1 1/2 cm.
These three buttons all have cut steels incorporated in their design. The cut steels were made from old horseshoe nails. Each of these buttons are nice in their own way.
One has a type of basketweave brass background with flowers and cut steels as centres. The next is white metal with three leaves and four cut steels. The last one has a star shape with a styalized flower in the centre and six cut steels.