All things buttons & more …
Here we have three black glass buttons with the imitation fabric look. They were a popular look in the early 1900s as they imitated the fabrics of the day e.g. taffeta. One has a fourway box shank and the other two a self shank. They look better in reality as they don’t photograph well.
I only bought these four glass buttons this year in a craft shop in Kyabram. They were handmade by a lady from Melbourne but I do not know her name. They are lampwork glass work and feature trendy faces two of which are flapper girls. They are very colourful and have a brass loop shank embedded in the back.
These buttons were a gift from my friend Di. They are very good quality and I think come from Italy. They are of white metal with a black front which has a very fine design in gold. There are two rows of tiny “diamentes” bordering the central circle. They have a clear gloss covering giving them an enamelled look.
Here are two modern watch crystal buttons. I bought them in 2021 and I think they were made in Czechoslovakia. One shows a young girl in a green cape with snow on and holding a sprig of holly. The other one is of a clockface and a lady in a large black hat. They are set in brass.
This button is very interesting and I imagine quite old. It is made of brass and the central area is ridged and has a painted floral design. The paint is quite worn. The border is a pretty leafy design with cut steels. I am sure it would have been very attractive in it’s original condition. I still like it. It was a present from my friend Suzanne.
Here are five black glass buttons with a white lady cameo on them. They are set in a brass cup and have a tiny brass loop shank. They were a present from my friend Suzanne and measure 18mm x 13mm.
Here is a glass button from Czechoslovakia which I bought in 2009. I think it is a replica of an old design. It is half silver with a lovely purple but does not show up so well in the photo. It has a metal loop shank.
Here are two buttons made from two materials. One is a red plastic with a brass flower like decoration. The other is clear perspex with a white metal decorative disc in the centre. It is rippled on the back and painted silver which shows through to the front giving a good effect.
These two lacy glass buttons are not in perfect condition as some paint is worn off the back otherwise I could probably not have afforded them. Their moulded designs are lovely. They both have gold and red paint work in their design and have a metal shank.
This is an olive green plastic button with an embossed brass disc in the centre featuring a picture of a galleon. It has the words Es Deus Spes Nostra which translates to God is our hope.