All things buttons & more …
Here are two Victorian Celluloid buttons. The metal on both has been tinted purple and the background Celluloid is in brown shades which is an unusual combination of colours. They have a japanned back with metal loop shank and measure 3 1/2 cm.
This metal button is very decorative especially the border. The background has been painted a matte black which contrasts nicely with the gold in the border. It has a flower like design in the centre and to me is a quite nice button.
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.
This Celluloid button is of a brownish green colour and has a nice buffed celluloid centre which livens it up. It is quite large at a little over 4 cm and has a japanned back and brass shank.
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.