Saint Patrick's Day is coming up and I'll be posting nothing but green buttons between now and the day we celebrate the patron saint of Ireland. To get this week rolling, here's a green goodie in deep emerald Bakelite. Artfully rendered carvings give this old gem the look of a handsome flower, but a little 8-edged star (or leaf design) punctuates the top midsection of this button as well. A viridescent zinger from the 1920's-1930's. I Love Green Bakelite!
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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
March 9th has traditionally been the date I post one of these five-petaled flower buttons crammed with stubby little knobs. Three years ago I posted a button just like this in licorice black. Two years ago I posted one in dark maroon. Last year I posted a rootbeer version of this button; and here's the final one in glaring red. That's a set of four and I have no more to share. So there you have it, folks. A Bakelite marigold button, posted annually for 4 years straight!
-Sherbert McGee
Check this out! I'd never figure cork would be a viable material for a button, but here's just that: A CORK BUTTON! It's a big and chunky mound of honest-to-goodness cork, but look what else this button has to offer. Fitted right over the surface of the cork, this button gets even crazier with a wrap-around belt of creamed corn Bakelite! The Bakelite is carved with an up-and-down roller coaster shape and the cork is shanked at the bottom. And while we're on the subject of cork, here's a picture I took a few years ago in Cork County, Ireland. This is a view of the famously magical "Blarney Castle" (and yes, I did hike up to the very top of this rickety fossil where I planted a big ole smooch on the Blarney Stone). Let this photo be a lucky hint of some exciting (and very green) things I'll be sharing during the week leading up to Saint Patrick's Day. Get ready for a major display of emerald delights!
-Sherbert McGee
Bakelite buttons are out of this world and this one literally has the shape of a UFO! A fine example of rootbeer Bakelite, this smooth spaceship has a blister-like midsection that slopes into its narrow rim. Probably dating back to the 1930's (if not earlier), this cosmic wonder is a large button with all the whorls, whirls and swirls that are characteristic of rootbeer/faux tortoise Bakelite. Spacey stuff!
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
As unique a toggle as I've ever seen, here's an elongated button that almost looks like a narrow vial filled with cider or some fascinating potion. The ends of the button are capped in cherry red Bakelite while the middle-section is a faintly ribbed barrel—made of apple juice Bakelite and shimmery as a glass tube of some secret elixir if not a slender bottle of perfume. What's more, this toggle is in mint condition without the faintest sign of wear. And that's saying something for a fashion relic that dates back to the 1930's. Pretty as it is, I wish I could drink this button up!
-Sherbert McGee
Last month I purchased a rather huge lot of Bakelite buttons from my friend and fellow-collector, Doreen. This month I'll be posting quite a few of those buttons, starting with this large and luscious masterpiece in black licorice Bakelite with a positively sensational depiction of two carved flowers—plus additional stems and leaves sculpted into this fancy garden of 1930's fashion. If you think this button is something special, just wait until you see what else I plan on showcasing this month.
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
One of my favorite of the harder-to-find Bakelite colors is a deep and juicy maroon. Here's just the shade I'm talking about on a nicely carved button from the late-1920's/early-1930's. Like ripples of cranberry sauce, the button exudes a wonderfully sumptuous texture. A substantial patina is present here as well. I took this photo today around 1:30 p.m. during what I'd like to call a maroon afternoon.
-Sherbert McGee
