List of raw materials used in button-making

Please see external links for images of buttons (front & back) made from the material(s) in question. ("NBS name" refers to labelling used by the National Button Society, USA.)

Natural materials

animal-derived

• bone^[1]
• horn^[1]
• horsehair^[2]
• ivory^[1]
• leather^[1]
• pearl
• shell ^{(Images of buttons made from all the shell types listed below)}

seashells:

• abalone
• conch
• cowry
• helmut
• mother of pearl
• mussels
• nautilus
• operculum
• oyster
• pearl oyster
• pinna
• trochus
• turbo snail

land shells:

• emerald green snail shell

plant-derived

• coconut shell^[1]
• bamboo^[1]
• gourd^[1]
• gutta percha^[1]
• Tagua Nut
• natural, woven fabrics and/or textiles ^[3]
• linoleum^[4][5]
• paper (e.g. papier mache)^[1]
• rubber^[1][6]
• vegetable ivory^[7][8]
• wood ^[9]

rocks and minerals (or predominantly mineral-derived substances)

bauxite catlinite cinnabar[1] coal[10] enamel [11] glass [12][13] gypsum (a.k.a. plaster of Paris)[1] marcasite

metals:[14] aluminium brass [15] pot metal sterling silver steel [16]

whiteware ceramics: earthenware[17] china [18][19]

Synthetic materials

plastics

• acrylic resin
• bakelite^[20]
• catalin (NBS name: phenolic or bakelite type)^[21]
• celluloid^[22][23][24]
• galalith, a.k.a. casein^[25] (NBS name: casein)^[20]
• lucite
• melamine formaldehyde (NBS name: amino resin)
• phenolic resin (NBS name: phenolic or bakelite type)
• urea-formaldehyde (NBS name: amino resin)

synthetic fibres

• synthetic textiles

See also

• Button collecting
• History of technology
• Seashells in personal adornment

References

1. Button Country (2010). "Other Materials (Section 15)". Georgia, USA: buttoncountry.com. Retrieved 6 March 2010. (To view reverse of button, hover mouse over image.)
2. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.100. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
4. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.122. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
5. Gorski, Jill (2009-07-16). "Goodyear rubber buttons". Bead & button magazine. USA: Kalmbach. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
6. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, pp.170-171. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
7. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.209-211. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
10. Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons, p.42-43. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
17. Victoria & Albert museum. "Tin-glazed earthenware livery-button, ca 1651". V&A Jewellery collection. London, UK: V&A Images. Retrieved 10 March 2010.
20. Button Country (2010). "Synthetic Polymers (Section 12)". Georgia, USA: buttoncountry.com. Retrieved 6 March 2010. (To view reverse of button, hover mouse over image.)
21. Howells, Jocelyn; Joan MacFarlane (no date given). National Button Society Section 9-A Synthetic Polymers Handbook. Nikki Deal. USA: National Button Society (USA). p. 40. Check date values in: |date= (help)
25. Morrell, George (2010). "1935 - Making Casein Buttons". Sampling One Hundred Years of Button Patents. Georgia, USA: Peach State Button Club. Retrieved 12 March 2010.

Bibliography

• Luscomb, Sally C. (2003). The Collector's Encyclopedia of Buttons. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 242. ISBN 0-7643-1815-2.
• Osborne, Peggy A. (1997). Button, button : identification and price guide. Atglen, PA: Schiffer. p. 167. ISBN 0-7643-0082-2.
• Peacock, Primrose (1978). Discovering old buttons. Discovering series ; no. 213. Rosemary Godsell (illus.). Aylesbury, UK: Shire Publications. p. 76. ISBN 0-85263-445-5.
• Wisniewski, Debra J. (1997). Antique & collectible buttons : identification & values. Charley Lynch. Paducah, KY: Collector Books. p. 168. ISBN 0-89145-711-9.