My Favorite Buttons- Old Ceramics



I know, it's hard to decide what your FAVORITE buttons is- there are so many to love! I've got lots of buttons, but the ones I've decided to collect to keep are these china/ceramic buttons. I'm not sure of the exact age but they started making them in the 1800's and stopped somewhere around 1930.

These are calicos- the small print is similiar to calico fabric.

These are stencils.



This group of white china buttons has a bunch of different kinds of buttons- unfortunatley I don't know the names of a lot of them. The buttons on the bottom are called Whistles. They had one hole on the top and two holes on the bottom. I'm really not sure how they were attached.

The round buttons in the top group with the fluted edge are called...pie crusts- because there edge looks like the fork tined edge of a pie.
So what are your FAVORITE buttons?


Comments

The Queen of Fifty Cents said…
Wow, those are fabbo! I'll have to go through my stash looking for some of these.
December 28, 2008 at 1:30 PM
karlascottage.typepad.com said…
Good,I am glad to see that I bought the right kind of button for you, Beth!
December 28, 2008 at 1:46 PM
Rose Brier Studio said…
Whistles are really cool. My favorite buttons are mother-of-pearl with etched designs. I even have some whistles with these etched designs. It's not so difficult to sew whistles on, you just kinda ignore that the top hole is single and go up one side and down the other from the back. A magnifying glass makes that task a whole lot easier.
Thanks for sharing your china buttons, they are wonderful!
December 28, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Phyllis said…
Those old buttons are so COOL! Thanks for sharing!!
December 28, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Jenny said…
I LOVE the old ceramic ones!! Do you have a calico with the blue stars? I want just one or two to make earrings out of since I collect stars!! Willing to purchase!!!!!!! Let me know!
December 28, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Unknown said…
All of these are my favorites! I don't think I knew of ceramic buttons before. Something new everyday : )
December 29, 2008 at 5:14 AM
xashee's corner said…
Thank you for sharing your AWESOME button collections!! FASCINATING & beautiful too! my button stash is all normal/regular and very boring! lol Your collection is WONDERFUL!! wishing you a safe & Happy New Year!
December 29, 2008 at 11:45 AM
Tina Peacock said…
Oh my Goodness, your buttons are absolutely beautiful! I don't feel quite so enthused about my own button collection now but hey ho! I'd better get searching for more interesting ones in the New Year! Well done on your gorgeous buttons!!
December 29, 2008 at 2:25 PM
Jean said…
Those buttons are fantastic. I don't blame you for collecting them. They are so unusual and colorful. Thanks for sharing them.
Jean in Virginia
December 29, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Naturegirl said…
I've never seen china or ceramic buttons before coming by your blog!
Treasures all of them!
It's the tiny details one must pay attention to including buttons.. :)
December 30, 2008 at 5:44 AM
bluemuf said…
Beth, The China buttons are so neat. I will also have to go through my buttons again and look for some.

Karen
December 30, 2008 at 7:06 AM
Anonymous said…
Wow, Beth, those are great. You must be in heaven looking at the calico buttons in the Steamboat Arabia museum.
December 30, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Lois said…
Hi Beth!
It is amazing what you learn when reading blogs. I like buttons. I don't collect them but always kept them when I found or got any. For years I had an old tobacco tin that I kept them in. Just this year I passed the tin to my daughter as she has taken up sewing (she sure didn't get that from me...LOL!)and I thought she might get more use out of them than I was. Anyway, I digress. What I wanted to say was that I didn't realize that they made buttons out of ceramic. I thought they were always made out of bone. Thanks for sharing. I found this blog especially interesting.
Lois
P.S. Have a very happy and safe New Year.
December 30, 2008 at 10:48 AM
L Melohn said…
These are beautiful! My all time favorites are rhinestones!
December 30, 2008 at 6:26 PM
robin dudley-howes said…
oh I love buttons and I love your banner!!
robin
December 30, 2008 at 7:49 PM
kari and kijsa said…
Here's to a joyful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
December 31, 2008 at 12:14 AM
TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said…
Hi Brenda, I love your buttons. I have a big cookie jar filled with buttons, I think I have had it since I was 10 years old. It was my treasure then.
I wish you and your family to have a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! Lots of Love TYRA
Ps If 'Brenda Kula' is your name I just want to say I love it!
December 31, 2008 at 2:15 AM
Betty said…
I love all buttons!! I think my favorite might be the old colorful abalone shell buttons that are still black on the back. (at least I think they're abalone)
December 31, 2008 at 6:58 PM
~ Phyllis ~ said…
OOHHH What lovely buttons.
Drool!
January 1, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Jenn said…
Those buttons are fabulous! I immediately popped over to Ebay to see if they had any for me too LoL What an adorable bunch, thanks so much for sharing (and making me jealous...)

Jenn
January 2, 2009 at 6:29 PM
Book Bling said…
I have always loved buttons also. I think I got this addiction from my mother. I have a few ceramic buttons and they are little faces. The two holes are the eyes and the faces have little smiles and cute curly hair painted on the sides. I have wondered if they were old or not, so now I have an idea. TFS
January 17, 2009 at 5:40 AM
Sally L. Smith said…
I've never seen the decorated glass/ceramic buttons though I have many plain glass ones. I guess in the midwest were I live, the ladies of the past were plain--thus my collection.
January 18, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Libby Buttons said…
I adore them all!
smiles
LiBBy
January 25, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Just Me! said…
I have loved looking at your button posts. The first time I saw calico buttons was when I was in KC at the Steamboat Arabia Museum.(http://www.1856.com/) It was steamboat that sank in 1856 in the Missouri Rivr in the midwest USA. Only recently was the cargo brought up and so much was intact, hundreds of these beautiful buttons (plus amazing amounts of other items) The museum is still cleaning and preserving items. (http://web.mac.com/davidh103/Site/Lab_Reports.html)

Judy
February 22, 2009 at 3:11 PM
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