Button-making was an important industry in its own right. By the 1770s it is recorded that over 80 master button-makers, producing all types of buttons, were working in Birmingham where button-making had been prolific for over 100 years. Sheffield plate was ideal for this purpose and had been used for button-making since it was discovered by Thomas Boulsover circa 1742. By the 1780s Birmingham button-makers produced large quantities of buttons and included among their numbers Matthew Boulton’s Button Company which was started in 1782. Sheffield plate had gained for itself such a good reputation as a substance for button-making that an Act was passed in 1796 which regulated the quality of metals used for buttons. (more…)

Buttons

Buttons were made in various metals including gold, silver, gilt, Sheffield plate, pewter, steel, wire and brass. With the exception of certain metal buttons, they were generally dome-shaped during the first half of the eighteenth century and usually of a medium or small size. Until the days of Elizabeth I, buttons had been ornamental only, since clothes were fastened by aiglets or hooks-and-eyes and various other devices. Nevertheless, buttons were popular even then, as can be seen in contemporary portraits whose subjects are often dressed in costumes liberally decorated by this form of ornament. Very early silver buttons, however, have mostly disappeared over the years. (more…)

When talking about cameos we had a look at the large conch shell, with its cameo carved out of the layers of the shell.

Another kind of shell is used for all that charming shell ware our forebears liked so much. Perhaps the most popular was mother-of pearl, the lining of pearl mussel shells, and everyone will surely have somewhere in a drawer some fruit knives and forks with handles of this shimmering material. There were also tiny pocket knives for the handbag, buttons (see page 61), fansticks, and one often sees in antique shops whole heaps of those mother-of- pearl counters used for playing games in Victorian evenings. Some were square, some oblong, others were fish-shaped and sometimes you will find them carved with the owner’s initials. Needle cases and thread winders in mother- of-pearl were mentioned under “Workboxes”. Bouquet holders, spectacle cases, album covers all used mother-of-pearl. But perhaps the most attractive pearl ware are the many trinket boxes and jewel caskets, sometimes in combination with tortoiseshell, sometimes inlaid into papier Bache, very often just plain, but skilfully arranged in panels of different shades. (more…)