Sun button

SUN: A star that is the center of a planetary system.

This button is a modern plastic snap-together.
I have over 200 snap-togethers @ Pegs Snap Buttons

Lightening button

Lightening..The visible body of very fine droplets of water or particles of ice dispersed in the atmosphere above the earth's surface at various altitudes.

Button poem A CHRISTMAS WISH

When Christmas comes and soft lights glow
And Santa's reindeers trip the snow
My stocking I'll hang by the chimney so near,
And listen for sleigh-bells I'm waiting to hear.
Just hoping and waiting for Santa to plop
The buttons I'm wanting, right into my sock.
There's "Friday" "Red Riding Hood" "Moses and Lind"
That jolly old Santa will surely put in--
There's paperweights, calico--old cloisonné
Or copper or pewter or papier mache
I could go on forever and ever to say
The buttons I want to receive Christmas Day.

Just Buttons 1942

STAR button

A celestial body visible at night from earth as relatively stationary, usually twinkling point of light.

Many star buttons are available @ Pegs Buttons

SNOWMAN buttons

Who made the first snowman? Where did it originate? How was it propagated?
--------------------------
It's a well-documented fact that very first snowman was made in Eau Claire, Wisconsin on January 7, 1809 by a Mr. Vernon N. Paul and his nine-year-old daughter, little Yetty Paul. According to Mr. Paul, he told his daughter that the snowman was intended to frighten away the Boxing Day elves. (Popular legend said Boxing Day Elves reclaimed Christmas presents.) Once the Paul family's neighbors saw the snowman, and little Yetty explained to her friends how easy it was to make (and no doubt, how effective it was at keeping the Boxing Day elves away), children all over the town were making snowmen. Word soon spread and the New York Times dispatched a writer named Hillary Sherpa to check out rumors of a town populated by snowmen. Of course, she found that Eau Claire was not really populated by snow people, but instead, effigies of people, made of snow, "seemed to virtually populate every corner of the town." According to the Ms. Sherpa's article, even though the snowmen and snowwomen "had an appearance bordering on abysmal, indeed abominable, even" the trend caught on and soon spread nationwide by the eve of the Civil War. When war broke out in South Carolina in 1861, the Times of London (and a host of other international newspapers and news reporting agencies, including Berlin's leading newspaper, Der Kruller) came to the US to report on the war. The TRime os London actually was the first international newspaper to pick up a story on the tradition of snowmen, more as a human interst story than anything else. And as they say, "the rest is history."
Source(s):
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/…

P.S. I found the above information at google. I personally think the first snowman wasn't recorded.

Snowflakes - Snowflake buttons

According to the World Book Encyclopedia: Snow always appears as tiny SIX-sided crystals, and that no two are alike. Some crystals are flat; at other times they form long needles. Snow crystals may cling together to form snow pellets over an inch thick.

Some snowflakes are like stars, but they have to be SIX-pointed stars because snow crystals are basically hexagonal. Compton's Pictured Encyclopedia states: "Although they vary greatly in details, snow crystals all belong to the hexagonal system; that is they all have SIX sides or angles". Actually, the patterns that we call snow flakes are more accurately termed snow crystals.

The tiny crystal surfaces of fresh snow reflect light and make the snow appear white. However, microscopic plants may change the color of the snow after it has fallen. Greenland and other places in the Arctic sometimes have red or green snow on the ground. In Just Buttons ( 63/68) it mentions that red, green, and even black snow has been known to fall - a phenomenon caused by fungi or dust particles around which snowflakes have formed; that snow may be red or green because of air pollution.

While the first snowflake drawing was made as early as 1555 by Archbishop Glaus Maghus of Uppsala, Sweden. The real pioneer in the field was Wilson A. Bentley of Jerico, Vermont. In a period of fifty years, he made over 6000 plates of snow and ice crystal formations.

The snowflake buttons(above)are available under mixed materials @ Pegs Buttons

PEDALING ALONG buttons

It is interesting to note the changes over the years, in the vehicle known as the bicycle. This evolved from the oldest form called a velocipede consisting of 2 or 3 wheels. It was propelled by the rider sitting astride and peddling the machine forward with a geared treadle connected by a chain to gears in the axle of rear wheel. This form of vehicle dates from the earliest part of the 19th Century. One of the oldest had 2 wheels of nearly equal size, placed one in front of the other. Others had a very large wheel in front and a small one in the rear. These had a treadle or a crank on axle of the front wheel for propulsion. The term of velocipede was soon changed to bicycle.

Other types of pedaled vehicles were known as tricycles because of the 3rd wheel added. One wheel was placed in front and 2 in rear or reversed. There is a unicycle made with only 1 wheel, used mostly by trick riders. One vehicle, also called a tricycle was a coach with 1 wheel in front and 2 in rear. It was pulled by 2 horses and as many as 20 people could ride.

In olden days, bicycling parties were a delightful form of entertainment.
Cycling was more than a sport, it was a mode of needed transportation.
The cost was high - from $100 to $150 and that was a lot of money then.
There were 7573 patents issued up to 1900 for bicycles or parts.
A man named Albert Pope was known as the father of the bicycle.

The so called "Boneshaker Bicycle" was used about 1866. It is depicted on a button with an English Registry mark dated July 2, 1869. Many buttons were made showing different types of bicycles some with riders and some without riders. One shows a "Bloomer Lady" with her cycling costume, typical of the 1849 - 1950 era. Cord coats were made for cycling. Other types of costumes adapted to riding were the divided skirt, culottes and pedal pushers.

Buttons with bicycles are found in many materials including composition, rubber, pearl, black and colored glass. Also, metals, enamels, horn, underglass, and plastics. They show men and women riders and even such unlikely riders as cupids and birds. As the bicycle changes occurred so did the button makers designs, which helps to date the button.

With the growth of the Automobile Industry, the Bicycle Industry declined. However, during WW II people were encouraged to use bicycles to conserve gasoline. The Army used them in some units. The price was reasonable and the business boomed.

Some interesting stories are found in researching - one of a gold plated bicycle ridden by Lillian Russell. Traffic jams were caused as she rode on the streets.

In European, Asian and Scandinavian Countries, bicycles are much more widely used than in our Country. They are used not only as transportation for people but to move supplies and tools. Produce and all sorts of cargo are hauled. A friend told of seeing 2 painters with a pole on their shoulders, on which was suspended several buckets of paint and a bucket with brushes, seen riding on a busy street in Holland.

In China, a richshaw is used to transport people. Once pulled by a man running, now a bicycle is used.

In the past year bicycles with trailers have been seen, some with bed rolls and tents on them. One seen lately had a covered trailer with a small child snuggly seated inside.

It would be interesting to see how many buttons with bicycles could be found. Tricycles can be found on modern buttons and there are some realistics.

Clubs of Cyclers had buttons made for their coats as well as having pinback buttons made for sporting events.

When it's all said and done, the bicycle was a good invention, there really has not been much change - 1 wheel in the front and 1 wheel in the rear - and such great and wonderful things it has caused to be done.

written in 1988 by Irma Shoop
several issues of National Button Bulletins were used as references, as were Just Buttons Magazines

I collect bicycle buttons and these are a few of my extras..available under mixed materials @ Pegs Buttons

Button poem A victim of a Hobby

BUTTONS large
Buttons hanging on the wall
Buttons here
Buttons there
Buttons lying everywhere
Buttons old
Buttons new
But Buttons few
On my shirt
Just Button Holes

unknown

Statue of Liberty button

This is a scarce button..manufactured at the time of the unveiling ceremonies for the Statue of Liberty..which was 1886. The rope like border design complements the scene of New York Harbor, boats, bridge.

Christian button

A religious subject button called Christian, from "The Pilgrim's Process" by John Bunyan
available in the METAL category
@ Pegs Buttons

Realistic buttons

What is a realistic? it is one which is made to magically become life size would duplicate the real thing. Here is a hankie and gloved hands. Made 1930's-50's. See under plastic category
@ Pegs Buttons

The Beatles music Buttons

These buttons are pictured in the "About Buttons" button book by Peggy Ann Osborne..she quotes: The author is unaware of any commercially manufactured Beatle clothing buttons that show The Beatles themselves-probably because clothing buttons were not something their management thought to license, preferring to stick with items of broader interest to their teen audience. Still, one enterprising button manufacturer found a way to "cash in" on the mania without having to pay licensing royalties; these buttons, dating from their first American tour in 1964, have a rubus design-'beetle music' (look closely.) They were available in the 2 sizes.

Smiley face buttons

I collect smiley face buttons and here are some of my extras..see in the plastics category @
Pegs Buttons This group SOLD but I have others in my store.

The First Moon Landing buttons

Metal buttons made to commemorate the first moon landing in 1969

Umbrella buttons

I collect umbrella buttons and these are some of my extras, see under plastics category @
Pegs Buttons

Button Poem

writer unknown

Glossary of Button Shank Names

by Jane Ford Adams 1959

World War I Locket Button

The front and back pieces were fastened together with a hinge. When attached to the garment by its loop shank, this button appeared like any other WWI uniform button. The G.I. could place pictures of his loved ones inside. This is from my personal collection and not for sale. The other uniform locket button originated during WWII and had a compass inside. Both buttons are scarce.

KOKOPELLI button

Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with a huge phallus and feathers or antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by some Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States.
This is a modern metal button @ Pegs Buttons

Fable button..The Fox and The Stork

Many buttons have fables, majority I have in my personal collection are depicted on metal.
MORAL: "I can hardly criticize my host for paying me back in my own coin." @ Pegs Buttons

Crosses Identified

Many buttons have the cross design..in my personal collection I find the majority are on black glass and metal.

Gloved Hand Button

Volumes could be written about hands, seldom has one part of the human structure been so idealized, revered and held in awe as the hand; the hand has been lauded by poets, painters, sculptors and historians.
SOLD: The button is antique..brass with 3 steels and available in the metal category) @ Pegs Buttons

Shoe Button Covers vintage

Shoe button covers were used in the early part of the Twentieth Century into the 1920's. See @ Pegs Buttons

Dating Buttons by Materials: from Just Buttons magazine 1949

Also with the dating list this was written
"Since this is a brief outline I cannot possibly go into details on each materials. Dates given may not cover the earliest buttons known of that material, but rather will emphasize the dates when that material was most popularly in use-thus covering those an average collector would own. I trust that following table may help the novice date buttons by materials to his own satisfaction."

The Transformation of Uncle Sam button

I found this article (below)in a old button magazine and here is a picture of a Uncle Sam button @ Pegs Buttons

Strawberry buttons

Did you know that strawberries are the only fruit that forms its seeds on the outside?
These buttons for sale (under plant life)@ Pegs Buttons

Button Poem

Today I was lonely, but not for long
For I looked at my buttons, my heart sang a song
Today I was tired and burdened with care
As I looked at my buttons, Peace took a place there
Today I was fearful--the world is so hard
But gazing at buttons, I seemed once more glad
Today I was worried about friends and foe
When I look at my buttons--these worries all go
Today, I'm happy and filled with good cheer
For I have my button treasures each day in the year
from Just Buttons

Cleopatra and the Asp theatre button

Cleopatra was the Egyptian queen in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra". The play was a composite of love, passion, lust, treachery and world history. This small button shows Cleopatra playing her harp while the asp which caused her death slithers on the hammock.
For sale (under metal catagory) @ Pegs Buttons

Modern Vegetable Ivory Buttons from Ecuador

My friend recently went to Ecuador and visited a button factory. "I had a tour today and it was quite informative. I learned of a new kind of coconut seed know as the Tagua. It is about the size of an avocado. When it is first harvested it is edible and some of the nuts are used for nutritional purposes. Most, however, are left in the sun to harden and turn into what is knows as vegetable ivory. This ivory has many decorative purposes but the main use seems to be to make buttons. The shells are sliced, then have a hole drilled through them and the round piece of ivory is used to make buttons. All of the waste material is ground up and used for cattle feed. It was quite fascinating to see the whole process from nut to finished product."
These are some of the buttons he brought back, for sale under Misc. materials at Pegs Buttons

The Lion Of Lucerne button

I was able to view this monument some time ago in Lucerne, Switerland. The famous monument was designed by Bertel Thorwaldsen (1770-1844) in a huge rock on the mountainside not far from Lucerne.
The huge lion is carved in solid rock in memory of the Swiss guards massacred in defense of the Tuileries in Paris and French Royal Family, August 10, 1792.
This small button is the exact reproduction of the monument..for sale at Pegs Buttons

Button poem MY BUTTONS

Beauty is all around me
as I sit in an easy chair
With my buttons in profusion
piled everywhere.

Some buttons tell a story
of people from long ago;
Of king's, Queens's, operas,
or history
They make a fascinating show.

On some are beautiful flowers,
Some have leaves or a vine,
others have mammals or insects,
I find some of each on mine.

There's glass of every color
with lusters, enamel and gold
to add to their value or beauty.
Some are quite modern, some old.

I find some china buttons,
calicos, and stencils are there.
Bulleyes, piecrusts and hobnails,
of beauty they have their share.

Whatever their age or material
or in what category they fall.
Expensive, or plain little buttons,
They're mine, and I love them all..
by Irma Shoop

Realistic Angel fish Coconut Shell button

In the tropics the coconut palm tree grow, bearing nuts which have a hard shell and takes a very high polish. The fibrous coating of the nut is removed and the shell is then polished. It is then ready for carving into buttons and other objects.
This button for sale at
Pegs Buttons
look under Misc. materials.

Celluloid acorn button

just listed in my button store.
Celluloid buttons were made from 1869 to 1920

Button History

Right and Left Buttoning
Men button clothes from right to left, women from left to right. Studying portraits and drawings of buttoned garments, fashion historians have traced the practice back to the fifteeth century, and they believe they understand its origin.
Men, at court, on travels, and on the battlefield, generally dressed themselves. And since most humans are right-handed, the majority of men found it expeditious to have garments button from right to left.
Women who could afford the expensive buttons of the day had female dressing servants. Maids, also predominantly right-handed, and facing buttons head-on, found it easier to fasten their mistresses garments if the buttons and buttonholes were sewn on in a mirror image reversal. Tailors complied and the convention has never been altered or challenged.

BUTTON TRIVIA

The word "button" comes from the French word "bouton" meaning bud, protuberance, or any round object.
The first buttons made in the U.S. were made of metal. In 1750 Caspar Wistar, a German immigrant, began manufacturing brass buttons in Philadelphia.
In America, buttons were once used for trading with the Indians.
Louis XIV is said to have spent $60,000 on jeweled buttons.

The Little Tailor, or Nine At One Blow button

The Little Tailor, or Nine At One Blow, from the nursery tale in which the Little Tailor tells everyone that he killed "nine at one blow" when the nine were really flies! The brass figure and fly are applied to a one piece, textured brass background. The rim is attached to the background by short bars, leaving a space open at the side all the way around. The button is extra large, scarce and NOT for sale.

Cherub rowing a boat button

Cherub Rowing a Boat
for sale at my eCrater store
MUCH MUCH nicer than my lousy picture shows

One of my favorite buttons, small pictorial

One of my favorite little pictorial buttons
not for sale

First a Kiss or Pay Toll Here button

First a Kiss or Pay Toll Here
For sale at my eCrater button store under the metal category

Sweet vintage handmade card with bone button

Sweet vintage handmade card with bone button

Postcard with bone button

My favorite antique button postcard..the button is a bone underwear/pantywaist

How long have buttons been used on clothing

How long have buttons been used on clothing

Sew on a four-hole button 126 ways to

126 ways to sew on a four-hole BUTTON

Snap-together buttons

Snap-together buttons have two or more parts that snap together to form the button. FUN BUTTONS!
I have over 200 for sale in my ecrater button store

feast your eyes on these!

Lets start by showing you some collectible buttons..
http://www.buttoncountry.com/Button%20Country.htm