Our annual button auction on Friday night provides financial support to our Society and a fun opportunity for our members to experience the thrill of participating in an auction that could result in winning button treasures.

A successful auction requires generous people to donate items. When donating, you have two choices:

1) You can donate an item and have 100% of the earnings, donated to the NYSBS
OR
2) you can sell an item and have 20% of the earnings donated to NYSBS and you keep the remaining 80%.

Donations are collected at 2 PM on Friday of the show. Bring your item(s) to the designated room. Let the Auction chair know your donation choice.

If you have questions about the auction, feel free to reach out to Show Chairperson, Shirley Clark, phone 607-749-4510 or email shirleyc@twcny.rr.com 

That’s right, nobody asked me, I just saw an opportunity to use some skills I missed using (web design) and mix them with my desire to learn more about button collecting. That was in 2018. I had only attended 3 or 4 local button club meetings and my very first show, so I knew little about button-collecting clubs. The thing I was sure of though was I  wouldn’t be perfect being the NYSBS webmaster. I would need to learn while doing – not only the web part but about the NYSBS.  For example, I designed the website with tones of green and then was told it needed to be purple!  Why? Well, that’s the society’s color! When I was told the theme for the 2019 NYSBS Show would be “The Children’s Hour,” I didn’t understand what THAT had to do with button collecting. I learned that the theme can be anything that inspires collectors to categorize their buttons in unique ways.  

In March of 2019, Kathy Arbogast was ready to give up being the editor of the NYSBS Bulletin and I raised my hand for that position too.  Again, it was about utilizing skills I missed using (newsletter design and editing) and my desire to keep learning about button collecting. This was an elected position and made me a member of the Executive Board. This past May, when we couldn’t find someone to take on the role of Secretary, I filled that position too – which is really too many roles for one person and restricts the board from enjoying a full committee with unique ideas.

The thing about the Executive Board is that it has been running like a finely tuned society for over 80 years! Beverly is our 40^th  President! And best of all, we all help each other figure things out. Joining the board means you are carrying on the work set by our predecessors and delivering on the NYSBS mission. Please consider the talent and skills you have, along with your love of button collecting, and seriously consider becoming the newest member of our Executive Board. 

NEEDED (Note – these positions are unpaid volunteer opportunities):

1st Vice President
The 1st VP position is a leadership role that leads to being President of the NYSBS after completing a 2-year term. The 1st VP must have a sincere desire to develop leadership skills to promote and drive the mission of the NYSBS. Strong communications, organizational skills, and the ability to lead a team are also important. The 1st VP will assist the President in any way possible, which may include representing NYS at State, Regional, or National Shows. Manages special projects, such as fundraisers and tributes to NYSBS. Act as Program Chairperson in charge of the Program for the NYSBS Show.

2nd Vice President
The 2nd VP position is a leadership role that leads to being President of the NYSBS after completing a 2-year term as 2nd VP and a 2-year term as 1st VP. The 2nd VP must have a sincere desire to develop leadership skills to promote and drive the mission of the NYSBS. Strong communications, organizational skills, and the ability to lead a team are also important. The 2nd VP will attend and fully participate in Board and President’s meetings, complete special assignments from the Executive Board or at the request of the President, and develops an advertising plan in order to promote and grow the NYSBS, Membership, and the Show.

Any of the current board members would welcome a conversation about any of the Executive Board positions – no strings attached. Feel free to call or email us today.

Cindy Clauss, NYSBS Webmaster, Bulletin Editor

A Video Interview by Ben Aaron – Lou Lou Buttons, NYC

Imagine my delight when a grammar school friend sent me a link to this six-minute video visit by Ben Aaron with the owners, Roz and Gary of Lou Lou Buttons in NYC. According to Aaron, Lou Lou Buttons is one of the last of its kind in the NYC fashion district. As I watched the video the first time through I was shocked that there were two buttons I acquired within the last 6 months which I was researching we little luck and the videographer actually panned past them while videoing. One of the buttons I featured in the January 2023 bulletin! Now I know who designed the buttons. Check out this fun romp through their shop. Just an FYI, this video is on Facebook.  

I received an overflow of photos for the upcoming bulletin, so I am happy to share there here!

Photos from Becky Vogel of the Elmira Button Club. She captured their annual activity of decorating the Christmas tree at the Big Flats Historical Society. Of course, if you look closely, you’ll see some very creative button ornaments.

Photos from Sherry Roach of the Half Moon Button Club of the Capital Region.

I recently won a couple of button cards from an online auction in Ontario Canada. Below is one of the cards I received – just in time for Halloween! Cindy Clauss

Members of the Rochester Button Society were treated to a fun, hands-on workshop in place of the regular monthly program at the March 15th meeting. Patti Clark, Club Secretary, requested that everyone bring a favorite button or buttons from their collection and she would supply mat boards, decorative paper, frames, glue, and other decorative materials so members could try their hand at creating a decorative display card. Patti brought a few of her beautiful button displays showing ways she creatively shows off her favorite buttons to encourage club members. Below are the displays created by members during the meeting. They turned out great!!

A few weeks ago, I was reading a Western theme magazine and found an ad for Concho Buttons (www. ButtonBird.com). I looked at the site and have ordered several times from it. It’s online sales only and has many different types of buttons as well as conchos and some lovely fabrics.

Conchos come from the Mexican vaquero tradition and served both a decorative and utilitarian role on western saddles. They are metal discs and originally had two slits in them to allow saddle strings to pass through to secure the saddle’s skirts. Most are silver in color, made from sterling silver or more commonly today, from Nickel silver. This is an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc, silver in color but contains no elemental silver. It’s also called German silver from its development by German metalworkers.

In the nineteenth century, particularly after 1868, North American Plains Indian jewelers were able to easily acquire sheets of German silver. They used them to cut, stamp and cold hammer a wide range of accessories and also horse gear. Presently, plains metalsmiths use German silver for pendants, bracelets, armbands, earrings, belt buckles and conchos or oval decorative plates for belts and purses. Conchos don’t always need slits in them so they are solid discs. Navajo and Pueblo silversmiths are famous today for their silver belts and jewelry using conchos as well as decorative horse wear.

The larger conchos on my card have a post and screw to attach them. The concho buttons have a metal loop, sometimes two loops, to fasten them to a garment or other item. There are many sites online selling both styles and since I have a number of bridle rosettes and horse brasses already, I thought “why not?” And yes, my husband has two horses in the pasture below our house.

The Half Moon Button Club is excited to resume meetings and activities again! Some recent highlights include these two fabulous display cases that Lea and Sherry filled with buttons to showcase the hobby of button collecting at the Guilderland Library for the month of November.

Display Case by Lea  Mastrianni

Display Case by Sherry Roach

The Half Moon “Craft Coalition” also started back up at the senior day program that had been temporarily paused. One of the recent crafts was making button bracelets.

In-person button club meetings are finally starting up again! Norma Brown shared that the NYS Genesee Club met on March 31 at the Holland Land Company (museum) in Batavia NY. President Amy Burgess presided over the meeting. This was our first meeting for the new year. Our hostess and helper, Jennifer Covert, and her son Matthew (on the left in the photo) gave a program on “Venery.” We were surprised and learned so much along with great button examples.