List of raw materials used in button-making

Please see external links for images of buttons (front & back) made from the material(s) in question. ("NBS name" refers to labelling used by the National Button Society, USA.)

Natural materials

animal-derived

• bone ^[1]
• horn ^[1]
• horsehair ^[2]
• ivory ^[1]
• leather ^[1]
• pearl
• shell ^{(Images of buttons made from all the shell types listed below)}

seashells:

• abalone
• conch
• cowry
• helmut
• mother of pearl
• mussels
• nautilus
• operculum
• oyster
• pearl oyster
• pinna
• trochus
• turbo snail

land shells:

• emerald green snail shell

plant-derived

• coconut shell ^[1]
• bamboo ^[1]
• gourd ^[1]
• gutta percha ^[1]
• Tagua Nut
• natural, woven fabrics and/or textiles ^[3]
• linoleum ^{[4] [5]}
• paper (e.g. papier mache) ^[1]
• rubber ^{[1] [6]}
• vegetable ivory ^{[7] [8]}
• wood ^[9]

Rocks and minerals (or predominantly mineral-derived substances)

• bauxite
• catlinite
• cinnabar ^[1]
• coal ^[10]
• enamel ^[11]
• glass ^{[12] [13]}
• gypsum (a.k.a. plaster of Paris) ^[1]
• marcasite
• metals: ^[14]

aluminium

brass ^[15]

pot metal

sterling silver

steel ^[16]

• whiteware ceramics:

earthenware ^[17]

• china ^{[18] [19]}

Synthetic materials

plastics

• acrylic resin
• bakelite ^[20]
• catalin (NBS name: phenolic or bakelite type) ^[21]
• celluloid ^{[22] [23] [24]}
• galalith, a.k.a. casein ^[25] (NBS name: casein) ^[20]
• lucite
• melamine formaldehyde (NBS name: amino resin)
• phenolic resin (NBS name: phenolic or bakelite type)
• urea-formaldehyde (NBS name: amino resin)

synthetic fibres

• synthetic textiles

See also

• Button collecting
• History of technology
• Seashells in personal adornment

References

1. Button Country (2010). "Other Materials (Section 15)". Georgia, USA: buttoncountry.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010. (To view reverse of button, hover mouse over image.)
2. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.100. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
3. "Fabric1". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
4. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.122. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
5. Gorski, Jill (2009-07-16). "Goodyear rubber buttons". Bead & button magazine. USA: Kalmbach. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
6. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, pp.170-171. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
7. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.209-211. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
8. "Vegetable Ivory". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
9. "Wood". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
10. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.42-43. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
11. "Enamel". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
12. "Black Glass". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
13. "Clear/Colored Glass". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
14. "Metals". Archived from the original on 2010-10-11. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
15. "Back Mark Types". Archived from the original on 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
16. "Buttons". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
17. Victoria, Albert museum. "Tin-glazed earthenware livery-button, ca 1651". V&A Jewellery collection . London, UK: V&A Images. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
18. "China". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
19. "The China Button Exchange".
20. Button Country (2010). "Synthetic Polymers (Section 12)". Georgia, USA: buttoncountry.com. Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2010. (To view reverse of button, hover mouse over image.)
21. Howells, Jocelyn; Joan MacFarlane (n.d.). National Button Society Section 9-A Synthetic Polymers Handbook. Nikki Deal. USA: National Button Society (USA). p. 40.
22. "Celluloids". Archived from the original on 2010-06-05. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
23. "Celluloid Buttons > Button Club > Ottawa Valley Button Club Articles". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
24. "The History and Properties of Celluloid > Button Club > Ottawa Valley Button Club Articles". Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
25. Morrell, George (2010). "1935 - Making Casein Buttons". Sampling One Hundred Years of Button Patents. Georgia, USA: Peach State Button Club. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2010.

Bibliography

• Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN   0-7643-1815-2. LCCN   2003101645.
• Osborne, Peggy A. (1997). Button, button : identification and price guide. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 167. ISBN   0-7643-0082-2. LCCN   92063104.
• Peacock, Primrose (1978). Discovering old buttons . Discovering series ; no. 213. Rosemary Godsell (illus.). Aylesbury, UK: Shire Publications. pp.  76. ISBN   0-85263-445-5.
• Wisniewski, Debra J. (1997). Antique & collectible buttons : identification & values. Charley Lynch. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 168. ISBN   0-89145-711-9. LCCN   97122120.