Book By Elinor Graham, The Macmillan Company, New York, 1946.

Reviewed by June Kosier, June 2020 

I recently found this book in a box of books under my bed while cleaning during the quarantine. I don’t remember buying it but it contained a button dealer’s card. I called him up and he told me he had his store in the 1990’s. The price was $5. The same book is selling on Amazon now for $14. (I wouldn’t pay that much for it.)

Elinor Graham was an actress and teacher before she moved to Maine after getting married. Her maiden name was Elinor Mish and she lived in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Before she became a button collector, Elinor was a gardener. One day she finds a button from the Revolutionary War in the dirt. She is next given some buttons from a charm string and thus gets hooked on button collecting. She often visits neighbors and lets them know she is looking for buttons. She never seems to pay more than $10 for a button, but acquires many of her buttons through trades or as out-right gifts.

I have an interest in George Washington Inaugural buttons. One day Elinor is given a second inaugural button. She had previously been offered one for ten dollars and did not buy it. It was a flat copper button with “G. W.” at the center and “Long Live the President” in block letters at the top in a semicircle. Today, the button is worth between $5000 and $6000. This is why I do not have any of those buttons.

I found the book to be rather folksy. What is interesting is how button collecting was accomplished before the days of eBay. I also did not learn anything useful about buttons or button collecting. In the end, Mrs. Graham gives up button collecting and that is how the book ends.

by June Kosier

I am Gretel of the button world. Let me explain.

A few years ago, I was to drive my car in the Troy, NY Flag Day parade for the Van Rensselaer Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). My car was new and blue. We decorated it with red, white and blue patriotic decorations including Uncle Sam images and especially flags. Troy, NY is the official home of Uncle Sam.

I had the brilliant idea (much to my husband’s dismay) to decorate my license plate holder frames with red, white and blue buttons. I included Uncle Sam, flag and DAR letter buttons. They looked great.

After that, I decorated the frames with flower buttons for the summer. (My husband just loved switching the holders for me each time.) It never occurred to me to make Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or even winter license plate frames. I guess I better get busy and make Easter ones now.

The flower holders are still on the car with what buttons haven’t fallen off. My driveway is full of flower buttons which I intend to pick up and re glue on my current frames once the weather cooperates.

When I describe my car to someone who I am meeting, I always say “It is a blue Mazda with buttons around the license plate.” I don’t think there are many cars like this.

I recently went to the cemetery where my father is buried to change the winter flowers on his grave to spring flowers. As I opened the car door, I had to laugh. There on the ground was one of the flower buttons off my license plate frames. I was soon standing in the cemetery laughing my head off.

I have visions of roadways that I frequent with my flower buttons along the way. Since I don’t have GPS, I guess I will be able to backtrack home, if I get lost, following the buttons.

June Kosier of East Greenbush, NY shared a few examples of how buttons are playing a small part in helping in face mask comfort in a big way.

If you’ve ever worn a face mask, it doesn’t take long to realize that the elastic around the ears can pull, rub and hurt.

Enter the button!

Two face mask related button uses have been in the news lately to help in the prevention of pain and injury to one’s ears.

First, by medical personnel who found that if buttons are sewn to the sides of a headband, the elastic loops of the face mask can be pulled around the buttons on the headband, thus saving ears from pain and irritation.

Second, a method where a short strap with buttons sewn on each end are secured near the base of one’s neck. Pull the mask loops around the buttons and the pressure is off the ears. One woman from Flushing New York makes crocheted straps. The straps can also be made from any soft fabric such as a ribbon or flannel.

With the announcement on April 15th that Governor Cuomo will issue an executive order requiring all people in New York to wear masks or face coverings in public, mask comfort will matter to more people.

Check out the helpful links for making face masks, headbands and straps. I personally made a few child and adult sized face masks following Leah’s tutorial.

Cindy Clauss