The Butter Guppy

Let's dive in! I've been posting "ocean buttons" all week and this one might be my very favorite. Glorious and dramatic, this chunky beast is a heavy coat button from the 1930's. Constructed of butterscotch Bakelite and carved into a wonderfully animated fish, this unusual gem is drenched in a golden shine and charged with that special heft that makes Bakelite so magical. This ends my week of marine-related buttons, but keep your eyes out for a dazzling leftover that I'm bound to share in the days ahead.

Oceans of peace,

-Sherbert McGee

Seaside Set

Here's Day Four of a full week in which I'm spotlighting buttons marked with ocean motifs. I love beaches and mermaids and anything to do with maritime imagery, so these buttons truly call out to me. This particular set goes back to the 1940's and is made of bright red Bakelite. Each button bears a white celluloid piece that works as a naval emblem. The overconfident pose of the sailor reminds me of the old-timey "Sailor Jack" mascot that can still be found on boxes of Cracker Jack caramel-coated popcorn. Stay tuned for another sea-themed button tomorrow.

 

-Sherbert McGee

 

“For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)

it's always ourselves we find in the sea.”

—e.e. cummings

Very Fishy

Focusing on oceanic buttons this week, here's a leaping barracuda in carved brown Bakelite. Or is this a freshwater trout? Let's just call this a fish and leave it there. Notice the sharp dorsal fin and the carved scales on this interesting creature—as well as the bit of green paint in the mouth and eye. I'm not the greatest fisherman, but this button is a magnificent catch. From the 1930's.

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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee

Red with Intaglio

Welcome aboard, friends! I'm posting sea-themed buttons all this week and here's Day Two of the adventure. What you see here is an old button made of radiant red Bakelite with a sparking intaglio at its center. As if looking through a telescope, you can watch a sailing vessel pass by on the tide—replete with wind in its sails. These intaglioed rarities are exquisitely pretty. I call them "window buttons" since they offer a small, framed glimpse of a dog or a boat or a horse. Thank you for looking at my collection and be sure to check back tomorrow for another seaside treasure.

-Sherbert McGee

Compass-Button

Ahoy, mateys! Here begins a full week of buttons that pertain to ocean-related subjects. To get things going, I'm sharing my dual-purpose anchor button—made of creamed corn Bakelite and featuring a working compass! It's a rare thing indeed, the reality of a button that does more than just fasten clothing. Part trinket and part navigational tool, it's truly an exciting novelty item for collectors. Look at the smooth simplicity of the Bakelite design. The glass cap over the compass is tarnished, but the magnetized pointer functions correctly, which is pretty astounding in light of the fact that this button is approximately 85 years old. As a compass, it probably won't be coming with me on any seafaring voyages, but as a cheery piece of bright yellow Bakelite it definitely makes a big splash. Stay tuned for a nautical-themed week of some very unusual buttons.

-Sherbert McGee

Bakelite Threesome

Somehow these mismatched antiques look they belong to each other. So here's a medley of Bakelite buttons from the 1930's—sunning themselves on my patio for your viewing pleasure. The AJ button sports a carved star. The orange hexagon obeys all the geometric rules of the art deco style. And the big button at the top is my favorite in a savory tone of smooth cranberry. Enjoy!

-Sherbert McGee