Checkered Wowzer

My friend Doreen sold me this button a few years ago and I've got to say it's one of the most SPECTACULAR buttons I've ever seen. Sixty-four pieces of Bakelite comprise this checkerboard button. Count them! That's a whopping 64 pieces of yellow and maroon Bakelite—all fitted together to form this masterpiece of extraordinary craftsmanship. This is a large button, likely made in the 1930's or 40's. The work that went into a simple button back then is astounding compared to the chintzy, run-of-the-mill  buttons we see today. If there was ever a button that illustrates the ornate style of last century's bygone fashions, here it is. A grand harlequin of Jazz-Age flair.

BONUS BUTTONS: Here's another pair of two-tone buttons that I thought I'd share today. The button to the left is an art deco zinger made of apple juice Bakelite that was cut diagonally after a sinfully bright piece of red Bakelite was added to the top. The angularities of the cut designs give this button a vogue splash that honors the glamour of 1920's flamboyance. Can't you just imagine a juicy row of these buttons on the blouse of Tallulah Bankhead or some other actress in the 1930's? The button to the right reminds me of a bell. An orange Bakelite ball dangles under a Bakelite arch. If this isn't a button it may very well be a charm from a larger piece of jewelry, such as a necklace.

BONUS BUTTONS II: More buttons! This assortment is too delicious and I'm totally spellbound by every piece. The apple juice square might be my favorite with striped carvings beneath each of the pointy corners. What a hoot! The rectangular button is orange with a carved leaf design that was filled in with turquoise paint. That's turquoise on orange and what a color combo! The green toggles remind me of stubby toadstools and they exude positive vibes. Lastly, the burgundy button sports a fantastic carving of a flower and leaves. All of these buttons are made of Bakelite and they all hark back to the 1920's/1930s's. I love the saturated colors and the hearty juju of genuine Bakelite.

Visit Doreen's online store:

BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC 

-Sherbert McGee

Plants and Animals

Look at some of the finest Bakelite button collections, including illustrated books of the subject, and surely you will discover some of the rarest and most highly sought-after buttons, which were made in the shapes of plants and animals. This pair of buttons comes from the extraordinary button shop of my friend, Doreen. At right, a bundle of leaves (or perhaps a posey) makes for a fetching button carved out of red Bakelite. At left, a button made of creamed corn Bakelite is shaped like a single bud above a stem and two leaves. These fine and flowery old buttons go back to the 1930's.

Animal buttons are among the hardest Bakelite buttons to find; and they are by far the most costly. Over the years, on this blog, I've highlighted an elephant, a horse, a turtle, a couple of birds, several sea creatures and even a bright orange butterfly. Today I'm unveiling two more animal buttons and here they are: a green Bakelite coyote with a glass eye and a swordfish sculpted out of rootbeer Bakelite with a painted eye. Be sure to look at the chiseled, rough-hewn texture on the wild dog. I forked out a pretty penny on these Bakelite beasts and I'm happy to house them in my vintage zoo.

Nature obviously inspired a lot of these old buttons and here's two more of them in the shapes of a spotted bug and a lovely acorn. What exactly is this insect we are looking at? Is it an exotic beetle or maybe a termite? I'm not a fan of vermin-shaped buttons, but this one doesn't creep me out too much. It's made of clear and glimmering apple juice Bakelite. The acorn is made of creamed corn Bakelite and displays the variability of this olden-day plastic with a smooth area and a lumpy crown. That's all for today. Thank you for looking at some of my all-time favorite biological specimens.

Visit Doreen's online store:

BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC 

-Sherbert McGee

The Trinket Craze

 

 

Here's a zany hodgepodge of trinket buttons from the 1930's and 40's. The trinket trend or gadget fad came into existence during the Great Depression and lasted through WWII with all manner of playful doohickeys in the forms of pins, brooches, bangles, pendants and buttons brought to life in the forms of everything from penguins to pineapples. Pictured here are eight buttons surrounding a zipper-pull. (I couldn't help but include this jolly good fellow, even though he isn't a button). Notice the range of colors and the variety of shapes. Each button has been painted as part of their design. Very collectible, these little novelties fetch high prices in the vintage jewelry market. All are Bakelite. 

 

Visit Doreen's online store:

BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC

-Sherbert McGee

These Buttons are Bananas!

Over the years, I've collected a small stash of banana buttons made of Bakelite—and here they are. Four bright yellow bananas of varying shades and styles, the lowermost button is a pressed design. The other three buttons were painted with a light smattering of brown spots and lines typically found on this popular fruit item. The largest button shown here is a Martha Sleeper creation that's been resin washed or dyed. Many of Martha's signature trinkets underwent a colorant process that altered or enhanced the original tone of the Bakelite. This bunch of buttons goes back to the 1930's-1940's.

A fun part of my button collection has been the gradual acquiring of these fruit & vegetable trinkets. All of these bright and shiny buttons have appeared at one time or another on this blog with the exception of the pumpkin (shown to the right of the strawberry), which I've not shared until now. Studying their curves and textures, each button here bears the appropriate carvings for veggie skin and fruit rinds with little bumps, dimples, lines and cleavage. Most of these buttons have painted details. They are all made of Bakelite, exemplifying the gadget jewelry fad that peaked after WWII.

-Sherbert McGee  

Martha Sleeper Clown

Shakespeare said that "all the world loves a clown." And on that note, here's my highly cherished Martha Sleeper clown button in creamed corn Bakelite with painted details. This little guy has seen better days, but I can't complain about some dingy spots and lost paint on a button that goes back to the 1940's. At any rate, let's talk about Martha Sleeper. A radiant film actress in the 1920's and 30's, Martha's Hollywood heydays brought her stardom in films such as Midnight Mary (1933) and Four Days' Wonder (1936). Tired of not getting the roles she wanted, Martha sought parts in Broadway shows and reaped rave reviews in plays such as Pygmalian and The Cream in the Well. As a hobby, Martha had been creating her own jewelry for years. Friends of the actress encouraged her to pursue a business position in the "gadget jewelry" trend that was a budding fad at the end of the Great Depression. Choosing a new career path, Martha created hundreds of prototypes of her little brooches, pendants, pins and buttons in the shapes of colorful animals, fruits, Ubangi natives, matches, inkwells, insects, pencils and flags. She molded many of these prototypes out of chewing gum and presented them to a manufacturer who invested in a full line of Martha's charms. By the 1940's, she was less an actress than a businesswoman with a thriving fashion empire and a celebrated brand in her very own name. Martha Sleeper's trinkets popped up in department stores all over the country amid a wave of popularity. The lapels of stylish ladies were whimsically decorated with Martha's badges. Blouses sported quirky treasures in the shapes of clocks and peacocks. Buttons were available, not only as clowns, but as horses and lollipops. Last year (on July 4th) I posted a Martha Sleeper button in the shape of an American Flag. Not all of Martha's keepsake jewelry was constructed out of Bakelite, but her most valuable pieces are made of the choice plastic. Gone are the dime-store prices of yesteryear when these baubles lined the counters at Woolworth's and Gimbels for mere peanuts. At auction today, these tarnished ornaments sell for hundreds and thousands of dollars. I think every collector of Bakelite ought to splurge on at least one of Martha's creations. I own three of her buttons and they're unquestionably unique. To hold an original Martha Sleeper design is to hold a curious piece of history. No clowning.

-Sherbert McGee

Painted Apple Juice: Three Flowers

Throughout this week I've been posting painted apple juice buttons made of Bakelite; and here's the grand finale. This button gives the illusion of three flowers submerged in a golden-hued pond. Like all of the other buttons I've posted this week, the back of the button was given a carved treatment with paint filled into the carved areas—enhancing this button with a vivid splash of colors. A portrait of botanical flourishes, each flower is freckled at the center with a small rash of yellow spots. Going back to the 1930's, this dreamy button concludes my week of painted AJ Bakelite.

-Sherbert McGee

Painted Apple Juice: Red Radiance

Of all the apple juice Bakelite buttons that I'm posting this week, only one of them doesn't spotlight a painted flower design. This is that button. In lieu of daisies or roses, here we have a sharp pattern of slanted lines and a wealth of bright red. The lines were carved into the back of the button and then painted black. The red paint covers most of the base of the button as well, except for a tidy square window that was left blank and which perfectly frames the 4 buttonholes on this bold masterpiece. Imagine several of these large and striking buttons on a snazzy garment from the 1920's or 1930's. This painted zinger is too hot!

-Sherbert McGee

Painted Apple Juice: Dark Bouquet

Here's another apple juice button made of Bakelite and bursting with flowers. The button was carved at the base with a design of blossoms clustered between shoots of grass. The carved areas were then filled in with yellow, violet, pink and green paint. The flowers resemble bunched pompoms if not tightly gathered buds. Once the paint was applied, a final coat sealed the back of the button in a shade of grayish black. This is unusual because most painted AJ buttons aren't fully painted and show plenty of the original, transparent, amber-tone Bakelite. This button is a dark exception with the entire base of the button covered in paint. It's a rare view of nighttime floribunda, circa 1929.

-Sherbert McGee

Painted Apple Juice: Gardens Galore

All of the buttons I'm posting this week are Bakelite apple juice buttons with painted features. Most of the painted features depict various flowers and here's a bright eyeful of just that: Flowers aplenty. Gardens galore. The large, central button has been carved along the bottom with two blossoms. These carved areas were painted a brilliant shade of red that gives the floral design a strikingly Japanese look. The smaller four buttons, also carved with flowers underneath, have been painted green, red and a splash of yellow. They too are quite eye-catching with their vintage prettiness and picturesque quality. These buttons go back nearly a hundred years. All together, I consider them to be a flowerbed of the 1920's.

-Sherbert McGee  

Painted Apple Juice: Daisies

Since last month I've been talking about this fantastic week of painted apple juice buttons that I've been excited to share; and here we are! All week I'll be posting AJ Bakelite featuring brightly colored designs, wispy tendrils and lots of flowers. Today's button is the commencement. The structure of it is a smooth mound of chunky, transparent Bakelite that was carved at the bottom with two daisies and their stems. Adding to the pictorial charm of this vintage button, the carved areas were then filled in with paint—and voila! White daisies appear with green stems through this amazing globule of light. I love painted apple juice Bakelite and I'm excited to share more buttons like this during all of this week. Get set for some fancy finds.

-Sherbert McGee