Nov 2015:

Martha Scott presented an informative program on the button collection that she inherited from her mother. She remembers as a child, helping sort through newly acquired button jars to see what treasures could be found.

She explained that there are many button collectors. Her buttons were mounted on cardboard backings to protect and organize them. They have to be kept dry too as moisture is especially detrimental to their preservation.

A collector could categorize their buttons into themes and mount them together on labeled cardboard backings to be entered into button shows. The buttons are judged on various criteria. The themes might be Birds or "Heads" or perhaps the material from which the buttons were made. ie Pewter or Cut Steel.

After explaining some of the history of button making, Martha passed around buttons made of fabric, bone, casein, vegetable ivory, tortoiseshell, abalone, china, enamel, glass, dyed metal and silver cut steel. There were also buttons with modern wedgewood designs, buttons with pearl centres and light iridescent buttons to name a few.

 

Very impressive and informative and enjoyed by all.