Some of my favorite buttons. (All photos and text ©Maureen Janson 2013)

Welcome!  I realize that I enjoy looking at photos of buttons almost as much as looking at the real thing!  So thought I'd share some photos of my collection.  In this case, I chose some of my favorites.  I'll be adding historical information about them as I find it.  And will be posting photos of more buttons from my growing collection.  Take a look and enjoy!! 

This card has some of my favorite buttons!  The all are made of metal or have metal components.  And they are all small, measuring near 1/2 inch in diameter.  I'll show a few close-ups of them individually.

This is a sensational "cut steel" button with a lucky shamrock in the center made of steel.  Possibly made in the late 19th century.

Here's another angle of the shamrock.

This wonderful "cup" shaped construction features a thin steel cut flower with a green glass center.  (Here you can see the light shining through the glass.  Late 1800s button.

This is a lovely silver-colored pattern on this button.  There aren't any cut steels on it, just a neat design.

This one has a mother of pearl base with a cut steel flower in the center.  When it moves, the colors are amazing!

Here's a slightly different angle of the same button.

Perhaps one of my all time favorites, this button has a celluloid backing set in a metal base, with metal (brass?) filigree and design on top.  Something about the mix of these media, I really like.  Plus this is the only one I have that's made of this combination of materials.

This small button is quite unique.  The base is a pierced metal cup topped with cut steels.  So when you see this one from the side, light passes through the lacy holes of the metal. 

Here's the top.

And here's a side view.  Not so great to see it, but it's a very unique design.

This button is simple and very elegant.  Wish I had a whole set of these!

Here's another view of the same.

Like one of the others above, this victorian metal button is made of two different colored metals, with a glowing green glass orb in the center.

And this is how it catches the light!

This sweet little button is metal made to look textured like fabric.  There is a "mirror" metal visible in the cut out shape of the star.  

Another view of the twinkle star!

This is a terrific triangular shaped rhinestone (glass) button.  Set in metal, there are three different sized stones.  

And here's the back of the button above.

This is another triangular-shaped rhinestone button set in metal. I love the circular stones in the square setting.  The rhinestones are sometimes called "pastes" which apparently means "glass that has been cut into gem shapes".

Here's the back side of the button above.

This beauty is half of clasp with pierced metal--likely brass--and enamel paint in a lovely pattern.  This particular enamel is called Champlevé and this button was probably made in the late 1800s.

This angle shows the unique design.  Note the hook on the left side.  Its companion button probably had an eye or some sort of side shank for hooking and holding the clasp together.

Here's the back.  Note both hook and shank.  (And the design even looks gorgeous from this side!)

This metal button is painted with a lovely asymmetrical design.  Likely made sometime prior to 1920.

The back of the painted button.

I believe this lovely lily pad is made of pewter.  It reflects the light in such a lovely way, but that made photographing it somewhat difficult.  This button is very graceful.

And the underside of the lily pad.

The raised pattern on this painted metal button is fantastic, despite that the paint has come off in a number of spots.  It's still gorgeous!

Here's a good view of the colored paint on this button.  If it was in original condition, I"m not sure how much of the metal would actually show.

And here's the plain back side.  It has a particularly large soldered loop shank.

Here's another great painted metal button, pre 1920s.

Here it catches the light in a different way.  

So this one is actually a two-piece button.  A little rusty on this back side, so perhaps this is made of steel?

Over to a celluloid button for a moment, this one is also among my favorites.  I adore the little flowers attached to the button.  It's fairly large, at over one and 1/2 inches in diameter.  

Here's the shank--typical celluloid shank.

And here's a zoom in on the adorable flowers!  

Here's a celluloid wafer button that looks rather plain.

Here's another view at a different angle.

The back side looks quite different.

And here's what it looks like when you hold it up to the light!

A wonderful surprise!!!

Here's a large lucite button.

And it looks like this when held up to the light!

This is a medium-sized celluloid wafer button, carved, with several layers.

Hold this one up to the light, and a little magic happens!

Another plain celluloid wafer.

And it's back side.

Hold it up to the light, and voila!

And one last really boring looking celluloid wafer button.

Its boring back side.

Add a bit of light, and surprise!  It's beautiful!!

I believe this to be celluloid, or some other material like that. This is a gorgeous button with golden rhinestones studding the edges of a beautiful flower design.

The detail and texture on this button is fantastic.  It measures about an inch in diameter.

Here's the back side.  If you recognize the material it's made out of, please let me know.  Thank you!

Buffed celluloid tight top style button.

And the unusual shank it has.

Three wonderful Goodyear rubber buttons!

And their terrific back marks, Goodyear 1851, I. R. C. Co.  (India Rubber Company)

This button is unique in construction.  It's green celluloid, surrounded by metal on top, and like a tight top with a separate metal back/shank.  In this photo, the lighting is kind of odd.  It shines a bright silver with a more uniform green behind it.

Here's the back.  

Had to get this, as my first name starts with an "M"!  Beautiful brass monogram button.

This terrific back mark says:  "J. R. Gaunt & Son. Inc.  New York"  The inner circle says:  "Made in England".  Best guess on a date for this one is sometime between 1870 and 1900.

Although a little blurry, here's a terrific picture button with a train.  It probably was a railroad uniform button of some sort.  It may be made of tin.

Here's the fancy back:  A. K.  Istanbul.  So my guess is that it is Turkish, or at least manufactured in Turkey.

Finally, a decent picture of a "twinkle" button!  I think that sometimes these are called "mirror backs" as the layer under the top metal filigree design reflects like a mirror.  This particular one has a splendid pattern.

Here's the same button, and this image shows the design very well, but not the reflection of the mirror back.

Perhaps another of my all-time favorites.  This is a stunning chunky carved bakelite button.  I could take a million photos of this one and each would be different.  This button is spectacular.

Here's the back and shank.  Can't really tell from this photo, but it's about 1/2 thick from shank to top if you look sideways.

Same beauty, in the sunlight.

And one more view showing the intricate carvings.  

Here's a sensational painted pierced metal button with a single cut steel piece in the center.  This shows some wear, but I think that adds to its beauty. 

Here's another view showing the detail of the painting.  And it's about two fingers in diameter.

Back of the beautiful floral pattern metal button.

Here's a stunning pair!!  Good friends.

Another painted pierced metal button.  This one may be brass underneath, and is larger in size.

Fantastic basket weave detail in the center, with sweeping white/silver leaves surrounding it.  Superb!

And the underside, showing the layering of metals to create the design.

This terrific mixed media button is absolutely fabulous!  To the best of my knowledge, it is carved applejuice bakelite with flecks of mother of pearl filling in the triangles on the top.

Truly an exceptional button!!

I'm not exactly sure what the tiny tiny round bits are surrounding the mother of pearl chips, but my best guess is that they are little balls of bakelite perhaps?  I welcome your thoughts.

And here's the back, with it's wonderful carvings.  Almost as gorgeous as the front!

Here's a large metal button with fantastic geometric design.  It looks to be made of a few different kinds of metals.  Simple and elegant!

And this terrific script on the back!  All I can make out is "Extra"  and I think the bottom letters are F G J P.  Can't really make out all of the other letters, and after a bit of research, can't seem to find another with the same marking. (Maybe it's FAIR?  But the "R" would then not match the R in EXTRA....)  It's a mystery!!!

Here's a fun trio of plastics.  The two on the right are whistle shanks--with one hole on top, tow on the bottom.  The other is a self-shank with Paris back mark.

Here are the backs.  From this view, the Paris one looks like made of wood, but I'm pretty certain these are either horn or a carved plastic.

Here's a close-up of the Paris button.  Upon careful scrutiny, it appears to be made of horn. (I need to clean this one!!)

Back mark "Deposé Paris A P & Cie.  Albert Parent and Company of Paris supposedly used this back mark between 1894 and 1916.

Much more modern, a tiny lucite button with flower interior.  Looks like some undersea creature!  Post 1930s.

Back of the little lucite cutie.

Not very spectacular small metal button, til you see the back...

Here's the surprise!  Couldn't uncover any details on the mark, but it's a Paris back, at least.

A trio of lovely old carved mother of pearl buttons.  Sensational color and shine!

Here are the two floral carved "smokies" up close.

Darn--a little blurry again! But this is an adorable little horn button with some crushed mother of pearl in the center.  

And here's the unique shank to this little one...

Another little horn button with carvings and mother of pearl flecks on one side.  I love the asymmetry of this one.

and the neat way it catches the sunlight!

Here's the back of this button.  It does not have three holes, but the hole at left is the pick mark which occurs when the button is lifted out of its mold by a pick.

Nice, old (but cracked) carved, vegetable ivory whistle shank.  I'm drawn to the natural beauty of the vegetable ivory buttons.  

Good example of the whistle shank back side.  And you can see the natural imperfections of the tagua nut from which it is made.

Another whistle-style button, this one made of bone or some sort of animal antler. Have no idea how old it might be.

Another view of the bone/antler button.

Here's the back.  (in person it looks rather smooth, but these close up photos show every single imperfection, like looking under a microscope!)

Little whistle-style theme here....  This is a lovely composition button.  My guess is that it's made of different kinds of molded plastics.

The color on this one are particularly brilliant!  And it's a bit over an inch in diameter.

Here's the equally awesome and colorful back side.

And another view of the back, since this one is so neat!  

I grew up in Chicago, so when I found this button, I had to have it!  This is a spectacular brass Chicago Police uniform button dating to the late 1800s.  I am told that in 1905, the city changed their design, placing the ship to the left of the seal, and the "Indian" to the right.  No one knows why they did that, but it's currently that way.

Even cooler is this back mark:  "Detective Publishing Co., Chicago ILL".  Apparently the Detective Publishing Company (formerly at 1029 S. Wabash) was the oldest and largest dealer of police supplies in the U.S.