How do you feel about buttons?
Are they something just there to hold your clothes together?
Or do you have a fascination with them?
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| One of Great Aunt Violet's button tins. Love her coronation Oxo tin. |
Happy hours spent delving into Grandma's button box, finding all the different sizes, shapes & colours; trying to see how many you could match up. There is something tactile about holding a button and they are a great way to change the look of an item of clothing.
Looking back through time, there have been some amazing buttons, some of today's modern ones seem tame in comparison. Our favourites are the really old ones. Let's have a little peek into the past...
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| Dorset Buttons |
Used for several centuries as a way of making a decorative button. Originally, the disc was made from the horn of Dorset sheep.This was then covered with a piece of cloth and overworked with linen thread. During the industrial revolution, the horn was replaced by metal rings which were easier to work with and cheaper.
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circa 1770-1779
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The 1700's saw some amazing embroidered buttons and steel buttons became popular too...
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| Cut Steel Button circa 1795 |
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| Mother of pearl buttons come in all shapes and sizes |
Mother of pearl buttons were popular especially in the late 19th century when they were first mass produced. They are famously worn by the Pearly Kings & Queens in England.
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Mini Pearly Princes & Princesses
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Following the death of Prince Albert, jet buttons became popular and were referred to as mourning buttons. A cheaper version was made in black moulded glass.
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| jet buttons or "mourning buttons" |
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| Mass produced glass buttons |
source: buttonsandoffal.tumblr.com
Glass buttons were also popular in the first half of the 20th century. Love the comment at the bottom of the card..."Will not break in mangling".
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| Art-Deco Bakelite buttons |
The 20th century also saw new materials such as Bakelite and plastic being used as a cheap alternative to some of the traditional materials. They could also be moulded into interesting shapes & dyed in a multitude of colours.
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| Elsa Schiaparelli - The Circus Collection 1938 |
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| 1950's rhinestone buttons - for that little bit of bling... |
We have some vintage buttons arriving in the shop this week. Do have a look and maybe buy your own piece of history...
Such wonderful scent from these, so uplifting, like spring in the air.
