All things buttons & more …
Here are two red and white plastic buttons from maybe the 1930s. I think they could be Casien. Like black and white buttons these too stand out. The one on the left measures 2 1/2 cm and is a two hole sew through while the right one measures just over 2 cm and has four holes.
These two plastic buttons are by Artid an English firm I think in the 1940s. They are not favourites of mine so I only have these two. One depicts a Galleon ship while the other shows a Siamese dancer. They were mainly in two colours only.
This Satsuma porcelain button is quite different to any other I have. It does not have much detail but I loved the colours against the gold background. I love purple, green and orange. The gold lines don’t show up very well in the photo. It measures 2 1/2 cm.
Here are three groups of plastic buttons from say the 1940s or are they 1950s. They are all very common designs from that time and were made in a varied range of colours. The colours are not as gaudy as those of today. Were they made by Beutron? I wish I knew the answers to all these questions.
Here are some fun Ceramic buttons made in South Africa by local village ladies. It is a great occupation for them and brings in much needed money. There is a set of six chooks and they are really cute and well made. The corrugated cardboard is the usual backing on which they market their buttons. I have quite a few sets of their buttons as I find them interesting and it is a great organization.
I rather like these three chunky plastic buttons as they are very smooth and tactile. Each has been carved, one having colour added. I believe that they could be Bakelite but am only guessing. They each have a metal loop shank.
These porcelain buttons were handmade by Tracey Sharkey in 2007. They are of a floral theme and I like the way they only have portion of a leaf or flower on each button. There is a set of six. They are a gentle colour and would look nice on a plain white or green fabric. They measure just over 2 cm.
Here is a trio of black and white modern plastic buttons which I bought new several years ago. As ever black and white are always striking. They remind me of the black and white craze in buttons of the 1930s or thereabout. Fashion goes in cycles so this is just an example of that. The two on the right are the same design but look quite different because of the reverse colour scheme. They measure 2 1/2 cm.
These buttons were bought new maybe ten years ago. They are quite different and are an odd shape. . I don’t know if the floral design on top has been layered on and then cut away or if it has just been sort of painted on. but it is certainly a separate layer. They are some type of plastic and measure nearly 4 cm at the widest point.
I have many Metalized Plastic buttons both in gold and silver which have mainly been got at Opp shops. Many people think they are metal buttons which is not surprising. Their weight gives them away. This group varies in sizes and designs. In the first picture the top left button is very similar to a black glass with gold lustre button that I have. Plastic can imitate many materials and designs.