Button Links / Resources

 

NEW:  Button Programs via YouTube

One positive outcome of the pandemic is virtual button programs being recorded and shared on YouTube.   As I see them I will post there here.

Compliments of the New Jersey State Button Society
Annie Frazier, Past President of the National Button Society and Judging Chairperson of New Jersey and Pennslyvania presents a study of Pearl and Shell Button. There will be three parts.  Links to Part 1 and Part 2 are listed below.

• Part 1 of a Study of Pearl and Shell Buttons – Iridescent and non-iridescent buttons and clues to identify the shells that these buttons are made from.  Approximately 20 minutes in length.  9/21/2020
• Part 2 of a Study of Pearl and Shell Buttons – Decorative finishes and Uniting Methods.  Approximately 20 minutes in length 12/21/2020.
• Part 3 of a Study of Pearl and Shell Buttons – Blue Book 11/6 – Mounted in Metal; Backgrounds, OEM Glass, Rhinestone/Paste, Cut Steel, Escutcheons, Watch Wheel, Yellow Metal, and then working methods. Approximately 20 minutes in length.  1/18/2021

 

Simone Kincaid, Associate Editor of the National Button Society, Member of the Historical Button Club and co-author of “Black Glass Buttons A Handbook for Collectors” was the featured speaker at the virtual New Jersey Spring Button Show. Check out her 40 minutes presentation entitled “Buttons in Miniature” based on buttons from her own collection and from the book “Buttons” by Diana Epstein and Millicent Safro (1991)

 

Barbara Figge Fox, President of the New Jersey State Button Society shows what kind of metal buttons are available, how they were made in Birmingham, England, and offers some examples in her presentation entitled “Every Button Has a Story: Metal Buttons – Where Were They Made? How Were They Made? What Do I Look For?”

There are many sites with button-related information. We recommend these sites for all types of collectors.

• National Button Society
• Northeast Regional Button Association (NERBA)
• The Western Regional Button Association (WRBA) – They have some terrific resources including button classification worksheets with photographic examples (under Publications) and that just scratches the surface.
• Button Country – An Educational Resource for Button Collectors
• The Buckeye State Button Society (Ohio) website has some wonderful resources.  My very favorite of all is the wonderful quality photos of winning trays since 2006.  
• The Colorado State Button Society has an informative Facebook Page that is open to anyone.
• Flying Button Ranch has a mission: “To share the delicious addiction of collecting beautiful old (and new) buttons along with sharing some of the history and background on the materials, manufacturers, oddities, rarities, fun buttons and helping to determine age and eras of all kinds of fabulous buttons.”

On Facebook there are sites you can request to join:

• The Button Collector’s Group is a place where members can talk all things related to Buttons. Usually people post photos of a button they are curious about and members help identify it.
•  Buttonbytes is focused on education. If you need help identifying buttons you have, you can do a post and ask for help.
• The Oklahoma Button Society Facebook page has interesting content added on a regular basis.  Members collect vintage and modern buttons and fasteners and enjoy learning about buttons and sharing that knowledge.