Hats off to a handsome coat button! Here's a chocolatey chunk of Bakelite from the 1940's that probably rested nicely once upon a time on a stately gentleman's jacket or some thick threads of a fine making. Of course, this button's dominant feature is the neatly carved or combed lines, which frame a raised triangle and give this old treasure a look of tidy charm. Smart and simple.
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Click here: BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Many color combinations exist in my large collection of Bakelite buttons, but I think this might be the only example of a red and orange juice merger. I see this oversized button dominating the prettiest sweater in all of 1929. Factory adhered, the cherry Bakelite square is piggybacking on the OJ Bakelite octagon and though hardly complex, the result is a no-frills design of striking beauty. Not a tacky kitchen-job made by someone with a penchant for glue, this is the real deal in terms of a genuinely manufactured product—and a work of art—from the good ole days. Oh!-so-stylish.
Visit Doreen's online store
Click here: BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Last October I shared a button filled with micro-beads and jokingly said that I'd named the button Scheherazade. Here's Scheherazade's husband—another fortune-filled doozy that's brimming with tiny particles of gold, glass and jagged fragments of mother-of-pearl. The eensy bits of treasure lie in three carved-out pockets on black Bakelite. Careful not to spill its fragile riches, I keep this gaudy sultan in a velvet pouch. A rare find, c. 1920.
-Sherbert McGee
One of my favorite acquisitions, this epic rose from Doreen still makes me swoon. Constructed of apple juice Bakelite and bright emerald green Bakelite, a total of seven pieces (of Bakelite) are glued together to form this two-tone wowzer. Doreen pointed out some tiny air bubbles in the outer rim of the apple juice section and while some persnickety collectors might consider these flaws, me and Doreen see them as enhancements. Style-wise, this button perfectly blends art deco and modernism with the old-fashioned shape of a four-petaled blossom. I love the way the contrasting circles fit together to deliver this bold serving of gorgeous geometry. Large and luscious, this coat button must've been the focal point of some killer attire once upon a time (back in the 1930's if not a decade earlier). Previously only seen in books, this button eluded me for years until Doreen was able to find several of them last year. I've mentioned her countless times on my blog and I'm doing so again: Doreen. Thank you!
Visit Doreen's online store
Click here: BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
It's been a while since I posted any cookie buttons and I'm not running low on them, so here's a couple of Bakelite cookie buttons in cherry red with centers made of creamed corn. These specific cookies are shaped in a style that's a little harder to find and that's especially true of the rectangular one. Small buttons, it's thought that cookies may have been made originally for children's clothing. From the 1920's.
In April of 2016 I posted a whole month of cookie buttons. Just an FYI for those interested in going back and seeing my major cookie bonanza. Also, thank you to all the button fans who visit my blog.
-Sherbert McGee
Vibrant, nifty, chunky and childish, these Bakelite rocker buttons are the only ones I own in this shade of bright raspberry. Definitive of the differing rocker shapes, this is the half-circle variety that always reminds me of a 1960's-70's fashion bauble with its polka-dot center and hippyish curvature.
When art deco made a "mod" comeback in the 1960's and 70's, I wouldn't be surprised if Bakelite rocker buttons (from the 1920's and 30's) were part of the inspiration. When I look at old photos of supermodel Twiggy, I see a reincarnation of the vintage flapper—replete with cloche hats, zany togs, sharp-cornered jewelry and oodles of celluloid trinkets imitating Bakelite. The rocker buttons, in particular, look like the key motivators for a retro-plastic fashion revival.
-Sherbert McGee
Let's look at some art nouveau buttons that I can't bear to keep to myself any longer. Straight out of the early 1920's, these black coat buttons tested positive for Bakelite and flaunt handsome carvings at their borders, but what really conveys the beauty of this pair is the brass escutcheons in a classic style of ART NOUVEAU. There's a lot to say about this style, but today's not the day to expound on it. What I will say is that I plan on posting a whole week of art nouveau buttons later this year and they are NOT buttons to be missed. Consider this an advanced teaser.
-Sherbert McGee
Recently added to my collection, here's a sprucely carved button in green Bakelite that's somewhat simple at first glance. Look again. This peculiar button boasts the most magical example of aurora-like swirling that I've ever seen. Back in 2012, I visited Iceland in hopes to see the famous Northern Lights (or aurora borealis), but missed out on them because a storm had blown in and the night sky was entirely clouded. Not to worry. Here's the cosmic phenomena in button-form. Fantastic plastic! Circa 1920.
-Sherbert McGee
The happiest buttons of all, these cheery and cherry red smile buttons have enormous and open grins on their faces. Two years ago I posted a couple of smile buttons, but these are a much larger variety—measuring approximately 1.5 inches across. Notice the different placement of the carved lines on this kooky twosome. What's more, these buffoons exude the art deco style. Bakelite/1920's.
-Sherbert McGee
