click on image to enlarge
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Sunday, January 3, 2016
Bethlehem pearl buttons
Just button magazine Sept. 1957
“From the Holy Land”
The following story may very easily describe the pearl buttons brought to
this country, 1945-50 by Mr. Henry Golding
There are several in the Just Buttons Museum, a gift from Mr. Golding in
1950
“In the wide –eyed amazement we watched the skilled artisans drilling holes
(with tools dating back to the eras of the Crusades) in the Mother of Pearl
shells and beginning to scoop out the pattern (without even first sketching in
the design!)
After literally hundreds of tiny strokes with a crude chisel, the design
began to take shape and we held our breath at the last of a thousand or more
scooping's. Only one slight miscalculation and the piece would be ruined.
It was no surprise to us to learn that such highly skilled artisans
are few in number. Every year young hopefuls apply at the atelier determined to
achieve the exalted status of Master Artisan--a mush coveted craft distinction
won only after three long years of grueling apprenticeship—resulting in the
fabled wage of $3.00 a day! But no more than two or three out of ten
apprentices will make the grade. The unsuccessful aspirants are destined for the
less demanding tasks of carving beads and sculpting undistinguished jewelry for
the local market”
Mr. Golding sold these buttons by ads in the JB magazine from 1946 through
1952 then they were sold exclusivity by Sally Luscomb for several years then
late other button dealers sold them
The buttons are still being sold today BUT the workmanship carving’s are
not like the older ones
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Click on image to enlarge (buttons are much nicer than the image shows)