Today ends my month-long spree of Bakelite+wood buttons and my-oh-my, look at the grand finale! The flower-carved middle piece is apple juice Bakelite, which is set remarkably in a huge wooden framework. To top it off, seven pretty leaves are whittled decoratively into the wood. The sheer size of this button is nigh on three inches across, making this one of the most king-sized buttons I own. Indeed, a button of this magnitude verges on Frisbee territory. From the 1920's.
-Sherbert McGee
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I've had an absolute blast posting Bakelite/wood combo-buttons all this month and here's a special wowzer: four colors of Bakelite adhered to a dark and spotty wood. It's like a wee rainbow clinging to a timber biscuit (c. 1929). This may be the twentieth button I've posted so far this month, but I'm not quite finished yet!
-Sherbert McGee
Unlike the buttons I posted yesterday with the Bakelite on top of the wood, this button is set up conversely with the wooden sections resting on top of the Bakelite. I can't identify the wood, but the Bakelite is a classic shade of tortoise, aka rootbeer. The wood is sectioned into a peripheral ring as well as the button's centerpiece. Owing to its thickness, it was easy to get this button to stand on edge with the sunlight streaming through the golden-brown plastic. A real zinger from the 1930's.
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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Get a load of these cherry reds! Bright and uniquely fashioned, the tops are Bakelite. The bottom layers are wood. Machine-carved, the buttons were cut at deep angles that produced a triangular design amid sculpted grooves that make the wooden bases easily visible and quite striking. And is it just me, or do these twin sisters parade an art deco flair mixed with a Native American Indian vibe?
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Of all the wooden buttons I'm posting this month, none are knotted with such pretty whorls as this awesome square-shaped winner. The Bakelite is a bright tone of pumpkin orange while the wood is covered in a flowing stream of natural lines and some darkened patches that make me wonder if this button got a little too close to somebody's campfire. The white spot is just a glare of sunlight that got caught on the Bakelite. From the 1930's.
-Sherbert McGee
Oh, my! It looks like a perfectly smooth piece of Noah's Ark has been dredged up in a polar ice cube. Try again. This is an old button from the late 1930's and while it looks like the chunk of wood is floating inside of the apple juice Bakelite, the wood is actually exposed at the back of the button where the shank's been drilled. What's more, this is the first button I ever found/purchased that merges Bakelite with wood. Held at different angles, the wood appears to rise and fall under the see-through plastic, giving the button a hypnotic effect. It's a strange beauty. Woodn't you agree?
-Sherbert McGee
TRIANGLES! Aren't these the coolest? Mostly made of wood, the lower tips of these killer pyramids are cherry red and butterscotch Bakelite. I purchased these from a man who was housing an estate sale after the death of his grandmother in Rhode Island. As the estate coordinator, he decided to auction off some sewing items as a way of promoting the much larger sale of antiquated rugs and precious silverware. Anyway, these buttons were among the listed goods and I spent a small fortune on them. (Worth every penny!) These are from the 1940's and appear to have never been used.
-Sherbert McGee
Talk about coming out of the woodwork! Here's a fancy oak button that's so ornately carved, the small topper piece is really just a trivial enhancement. That said, the black square did test positive for Bakelite—so let's give it some admiration too. The square sits firmly upon a fine example of whittled timber and on that note, this old button parades an extraordinary design. The wood is so showy, it appears to frame the Bakelite like a shiny little doorbell. circa 1932.
-Sherbert McGee
Not your everyday button, here's a luscious scoop of yummy golden butterscotch Bakelite on a wooden plate. The Bakelite is carved with a waffle-like design of crisscross grooves that give the impression of caramelized honey—a major treat for the eyes. Added to the fact that this sheeny glob of vintage of plastic is resting on a pine platter, this button is too fabulous. From the 1920's.
-Sherbert McGee
Here's a spick and span pair of chocolate Bakelite buttons with wooden inlay running across the octagonal surfaces. This variety of button also comes in a smaller "dime size" whereas these brown biggies are significantly larger than quarters. Under a loupe, the wooden stripes appear tightly made with the assembled pieces fixed together like brickwork and tooled to a smooth perfection.
-Sherbert McGee
All tied up, here's a pretty square button in both wood and Bakelite. The wood is darkly textured and sports a stately shine. The Bakelite is a deep foresty green. What's more, the dividing line between Bakelite and wood is literally laced with a black string through eight holes, favorably strung by my friend, Doreen, who sold me this tidy button a few years ago. Notwithstanding all the buttonholes, this button is backed with a metal shank for sewing onto clothing. And here we are—smack-dab in the middle of a full-month of Bakelite+wood buttons. Plenty more to come!
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
