Button, Button. Who’s Got the Button?

At the MCHS Museum, we have been delving into our storage areas and taking a compete inventory. Some of the interesting things we find spark the desire to know more about our items. What is the history and usage, and of course, any fun facts about our collections.

Buttons are an ever-present part of our lives. Most of us remember the fun of pouring over the selection in grandma’s button tin. There is something a little charming about old buttons.

The word button is from the French word “bouton,” meaning bud or knob. The oldest button found was in modern day Pakistan. Made of curved shell, it was most likely used for decorative, not utilitarian use. Francis 1st of France (1494-1547) had 13,600 gold buttons on a single coat, which he wore when meeting King Henry VIII of England.

The more utilitarian use for buttons started in 13th century Germany when the buttonhole was introduced. Button use grew to include fastenings for shoes, tunics, and coats. The fashion at the time was for clothes to be form fitting, so buttons made it easier to fasten the clothing snugly.

As time went by, the variety and value of the material used made buttons a symbol of wealth and prestige. Metalsmiths crafted elaborate buttons with insets of ivory, tortoiseshell, and jewels. In 16th century France, button makers’ guilds started to appear. These guilds regulated the production of buttons and passed laws regarding their use.

Traditionally, men’s garments wrap from the left to right with the button on the right side. This is because most men were right-handed and they dressed themselves, whereas servants dressed wealthy women. Placing the buttons on the left made it easier for the servant facing the buttons while completing the task. Most women were right-handed and held their babies in their left arm to nurse, and access was essential.

Pre-colonial buttons were often made of shell, horn or ivory. Other common buttons were fashioned of bone and wood. These readily available wood buttons were also used as foundations for fabric covered designs. Embroidery was often used to dress up fabric buttons. Examples of these types of buttons are harder to find because of deterioration.

In the 1800s, metal, pearl, and ivory largely replaced fabric as the button material of choice. Pewter was used to make molded or stamped-out buttons. Still popular today, cast brass buttons with ornamental designs were used on both military and civilian dress.

Glass has been used to make buttons since the 18th century in Britain. Black glass buttons were popular during the Victorian era. They were fashioned to imitate the expensive black jet buttons worn by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband, Prince Albert. Most glass buttons made during the 20th century were made by skilled button makers in today’s Czechoslovakia. Between 1918 and 1939 popular styles of glass buttons included pictorial and cut crystal styles.

By the mid-victorian era, the pearl shell trade had reached its height in London with some 2,000 tons of shells being imported in 1859 from the East. By the 1890s there were over 200 factories and 4,000-5,000 people employed in Birmingham.

In the mid 1800’s, American manufacturer John F. Boepple discovered that the bend of the Mississippi River near Muscatine, Iowa, caused shells to accumulate, creating perfect conditions for mother of pearl making. He began to use the less iridescent freshwater shells found in the area to make his buttons. At production peak over one-third of the world’s pearl shell buttons came from the freshwater mollusk shells from this area.

The pearl shell industry declined during the 20th century partly due to the over-fishing of the pearl shell itself, and the end of the importation of pearl following both world wars. Also affecting the industry was the advent of cheap, mass-produced plastic substitutes.

Button-down collars were invented for an interesting reason. Going for a horseback ride with your shirt collar flapping at your face is annoying, as these collars were originally attached separately. Buttoning the collars in place was a perfect solution, especially for polo players. In 1896, Brooks Brothers offered these as the original polo shirt.

Stop in anytime and see the collections that tell the story of Marshall County.