Nifty Bakelite Inlay

Something I always keep an eye out for is buttons with any kind of "inlay" craftsmanship. Usually with Bakelite buttons, these include inset pieces of wood or mother of pearl. But sometimes I find Bakelite buttons that have been inlaid with pieces of Bakelite—and this is what I love the most. Today's button is exactly what I'm talking about. It shows a plain piece of creamed corn Bakelite that's been inlaid with two precision-cut pieces of black Bakelite. The result is a starkly noticeable design; and in this case, I see a chic, geometric statement that is decidedly art deco. Usually, I find this Bakelite-set-in-Bakelite motif on bracelets and earrings and other forms of Bakelite jewelry, but here we have a button (probably going back to the 1930's) and it's a snazzy example of the lengths designers went to in advancing Bakelite as a versatile fashion substance/work of art.

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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee

My Grooviest Oranges

What's better than an orange button made of Bakelite? How about two of them? Years ago, I shared a pair of buttons just like these in a bright tone of fern green. I never imagined I'd find another set in this perfectly gleaming orange. Carved with groovy waves, they're quite an eye-catching pair. These are large buttons that go back to the 1920's. Clinked together, they sound like Bakelite castanets.

-Sherbert McGee

The Stygian Three

Beware of this sinister trio! I purchased these buttons last year from my friend, Doreen, and aren't they wild? The Bakelite factory that churned out these licorice witches must've gone into hyper-drive to achieve the extremely chiseled effect they put forward. I don't think Bakelite buttons get any more carved than this fiercely craggy threesome. Beauty and darkness collide. Circa 1930.

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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee

The Pale Pacifier

Bakelite as a stress-reliever? This rather large button, made of a smoothly pale tone of creamed corn Bakelite, is carved with soft dips and easy contours. The wider four sections that are carved seem custom-made for my thumb. As I rub this button, it does indeed induce a peaceful comfort; and so I call this old treasure a stress-reliever. This button feels very old to me. It may go back to the 1920's. Truly, a dreamy find.

Visit Doreen's online store:

BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee 

Brown & Brassy

I'm in the mood for chocolate and here's just the thing—a big chocolate Bakelite button, topped with a bright gold escutcheon! Don't get too excited. It's brass. But what a marvel! I love the carved loops on the Bakelite and how the design is accentuated by the brass coils. It's as though this old button is crowned with a gilded serpent à la Medusa. From the 1930's.

-Sherbert McGee  

Bakelite Jumble

Here's a fun handful of various Bakelite trinket buttons that go back to the 1920's and the 1930's. My favorite of these is the black fish. Curiously enough, this fish is carved the same on both sides, which is really unusual. Notice that the domino and the lemon buttons are enhanced with a little bit of paint. Moreover, the bright yellow lemon has been textured to resemble a bumpy citrus rind. The two-tone button in red and AJ is a gorgeous seashell that comes from an antique dealer in London. And the little orange flower is a pressed design. Colorful and unique, all tested positive for Bakelite.

-Sherbert McGee

Bits o' Gold

Lately I've been posting multiple buttons in a single photo; and today is no different. Behold, seven golden Bakelite buttons from the 1930's. Maybe these aren't really gold, per se, but they're all tones of butterscotch, creamed corn and a couple of buttons verging on orange. Initially, I was just going to feature the square-shaped button (at the center) with its carved design, thick patina and a bit of flaky red paint set in the line pattern. All of the other buttons just sort of came along as a decorative afterthought. At any rate, for all of the "yellowish" Bakelite in this batch of buttons, there is not a true yellow among these finds. If you want to see a true yellow button made of Bakelite, I'll be posting just the thing tomorrow in the shape of a gorgeous lemon.

Visit Doreen's online store:

BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee