Always a thrilling pair to examine, these combo-material buttons in Bakelite and wood are watery depictions of baroque porpoises. See their tails curled under their big fishy lips and their beady and cantankerous little eyes? The lady who sold me these buttons could not discern the aquatic animal design and mistook the featured carvings as an abstract set of pretty swirls and nothing more. Now I beg everyone who looks at these buttons to "See the porpoises!" The wood is very hard and starkly contrasted against the dramatic flowing motif of the apple juice Bakelite. I could study these poetic buttons all day. From the twenties.
-Sherbert McGee
Two tones of Bakelite comprise this old square button that's 50% wood and handsomely contoured. The Bakelite is chocolate brown and butterscotch while the wood retains a dark shellac. I like how the Bakelite colors are divided diagonally. Also, it's hard to see in this photo, but the whole Bakelite section is curved slightly upwards, giving this antique button a purposefully bent design.
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BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
This button, which combines wood and Bakelite, always reminds me of the architectural elements and interior designs from pioneer draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright. The Bakelite is one slice of apple juice betwixt two slices of orange and fitted perfectly off to the side of a wooden toggle. Notice the wood showing beneath the apple juice section as the Bakelite is positioned over the wood as well as beside it. Sleekly efficient, I love the smart construction of this neat-o button from the 1920's.
-Sherbert McGee
Carpentry, anyone? Look at the woodwork that went into this wooden flower button with a stunningly carved midsection in deep rootbeer Bakelite! The dark wood petals have the rugged look of being sculpted out of a Viking's oar while the Bakelite resembles a polished ball of gooey maple syrup. I'm defending this wooden blossom from grizzly bears and bumblebees. What a humdinger! Circa 1930.
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Here's an interesting button in black Bakelite chiseled over a piece of wood with the carved division appearing a bit like two snazzy paws. I've had this button for several years and can't recall if I found it in a Kansas City antique shop or on some other venture. It's an attractive button that likely goes back to the Great Depression. I'll be posting buttons like this all month: Bakelite together with wood.
-Sherbert McGee
This variety of button eluded me for several years before I finally found and purchased this one last year from an antique vendor in New York City. Searching for it everywhere, I'd only seen pictures of this sought-after piece in extravagant books about Art Deco and also on Pinterest. Finally, this cherry doozy landed in my collection and I'm totally keen on every nook and curve. The Bakelite top-layer is deeply carved into a stylized leaf design with the wooden base clearly visible between every cut in the Bakelite. A stunning example of Bakelite+wood that dates back to the Jazz Age.
-Sherbert McGee
A large button with a wooden center stripe flanked by Bakelite in two colors, my favorite thing about this spruce charmer is the wonderfully dramatic swirls that are visible along the golden-butterscotch Bakelite. I was able to take this photo in a fair amount of today's sunshine to show the beauty of the marbled effect. The wooden midpoint and the chocolate Bakelite are handsome sections too. What an awesome ensemble this button must've adorned back in the 1930's—with a few buttons just like it running up and down one heck of a dandy sweater.
-Sherbert McGee
This shiny emerald green button tested positive for Bakelite, but there's more to this baby than vintage plastic. Running directly through the middle, a band of wood gives the button an earthy stripe. I wish I was a connoisseur of wood, but all I can say about this dash of timber is that it's firmer and sturdier than some of the other wooden pieces on the buttons I'll be posting this month. Hardwood here for sure.
Visit Doreen's online store:
BUTTONS FROM THE ATTIC
-Sherbert McGee
Picking up where we left off yesterday, here's another button that combines Bakelite and wood. This one's a rectangular dude with a wooden middle and striped Bakelite at both ends, giving this button a stylish zebra effect. The Bakelite is apple juice and very dark espresso brown. The variety of wood is anyone's guess: Oak? Hickory? A medium-sized button, made in the early 1940's.
-Sherbert McGee
Starting today, I'm posting a whole month of Bakelite buttons that are partially constructed of wood. Case in Point: this one's a big sunny yellow button with a wooden base and two side sections with the Bakelite carved away to show the lumber layer at the bottom. I've got a colorful and interesting stash of these dual-material buttons and you're going to see them right here throughout all of April. Bakelite+wood for a full month. No fooling!
-Sherbert McGee
