A Very Brief History of Buttons

Pat here:

I’m still digging around in research for my current, very tentative, historical idea. I’m thinking the village I talked about last time has lost its inhabitants to industries which pay better than farming small plots. And I’m thinking whatever cottage industry once paid women has also died, so young people packed up and left, and there’s no one left.

If I’m aiming for a Regency-era story, then I know the fashion for buckles died abruptly about 1786. Manufacturers

18th c buckles

collapsed. Buckle making components were once farmed out to householders who put the various bits together and got paid by the travelers who brought them the materials..

However, after the demise of the buckle market, the button making industry grew. So I’m digging around to see if anything interesting turns up. (Writers waste a lot of time falling down these bunny holes that seldom end up anywhere!)

3rd c BC button

So here are the fun facts I’ve found— The earliest known button dates back 5000 years to Pakistan and was merely a carved shell fitted to a loop to attach to the fabric. Buttonholes hadn’t been invented and buttons were mostly like brooches—decorative only.

The Romans, however, occasionally used buttons as closures. Heavy fabrics like linen and wool required more than a pin, so substantial buttons made of bone, horn, or bronze, were used with button slits and knots, although buttons of this type were more architectural than beautiful. Securing fabric with a knot still worked best, with a pretty button as a decoration.

By the middle of the 11^th century, clothes became more close fitting than togas.

post-medieval lead alloy button

Thick pins poked holes in fabrics, especially silks, so buttons finally found a purpose in creating the tight lines of fashion among all the yards of fabric. Let us keep in mind that it was men wearing those buttoned up, tight-fitting vests. . . Women still used lacing.

Although slits in fabric to hold the button had been used since Roman times, we all know what happens to slits that aren’t reinforced, so buttonholes had limited usage. And then, voila, Germans invented the reinforced buttonhole! Now buttons could be used to fasten shoes, tunics, hoods, and those snug-fitting. . . vests? Where would pantaloons be without them? Which came first, the button or the garment? Inquiring minds quit there.

Anyway—the first button-makers guild formed in France in 1250. They were still regarded as a form of jewelry and restricted by sumptuary laws. They were not inexpensive. If you wore too many buttons, the law could came after you for flaunting your wealth. (As a side note—maybe we should return to sumptuary laws so Rolexes don’t tempt thieves. . .)

By this point in time, the button was attached using a shank on the back, so the front could be carved, painted, gilded, whatever the jeweler or owner preferred. Buttons were so valuable that a man could pay off a debt by cutting off one of his buttons.

By the 18^th century, buttons could include keepsakes like hair or insects or flowers and were even used by smugglers to hide jewels. As buttons became a part of

18th c French button

every outfit, tailors and seamstresses for the wealthy began setting male buttons on the right, so men could fasten them themselves. Women had ladies’ maids, so their buttons went on the left for the ease of the maid. Pity we still don’t have maids today—or manufacturers haven’t figured out that the majority of women are right-handed, just like men. For once, left-handed women have the advantage!

Sources claim the first political button was George Washington’s in 1789. The button could be used to close breeches (!!!! The mental image is. . . staggering) or a jacket while broadcasting the person’s political affiliation. Charming. Political buttons were a little less. . . functional. . . by the time Lincoln ran for office.

And let us face it—buttons were expensive unless one made one’s own. A fortunate working class family might have a button mold, similar to a bullet mold. They’d pour hot lead or pewter into the mold and set it on hot coals to form a button shape. If they had enough leisure time, they could paint it or cover it with cloth.

And this is where my story would step in—if you can make your own, you can also make them to sell. So far, I haven’t turned up much interesting history so this may

Button Mold 1825

fall by the wayside along with all the other rooting around I’ve been doing. But in the Regency era, handmade buttons were still a thing. By 1852, though, button making had become a mechanized process with tons of patents involved for glass or pearl or wire buttons and even the cards

18th c French button sample

on which they were displayed.

And after all those years of developing gorgeous buttons, these days, we now seem to be down to bits of cheap plastic that break off if you look at them crooked. Do you remember real buttons, in all the fun colors, shapes, and materials? (see top photo) Did you ever collect them? I can remember going to the store and buying fabulous buttons for the clothes I made myself or to replace the ugly ones on store-bought clothes. I should have kept that button jar!

Comments

[Mary M.]

As a child in the 1940s, I loved playing with the contents of my mother's button jar. Later, I used some of them on garments I made for myself and my daughter. Come to think of it, I still have my mother's sewing kit, one of those furniture-grade ones where the trays accordion out on both sides. Bet the buttons are still in there!

[Jo Banks]

My Grandmother had a huge button bag full of some really fascinating which was always worth a good rummage. There were metal military naval and police buttons (grandad wad a Victorian /Edwardian police officer)Then there were the pretty ones cut off various ladies clothing .I wish I still had it.Not sure where it went when my mother passed away.

On the subject of your rabbit hole and buttons in the Regency button making was apparently a cottage industry in Dorset 18th /19th century. Look up Dorset Buttons .Lovely looking things but I'm not sure how you used them!Possibly with a pin !

[Mary Jo Putney]

Oooh, Pat, button fun! Today's boring little plastic buttons are just sad by comparison. I'm tempted to steal your research for my WIP. *G*

[Wendy A.]

I have a huge button collection so as soon as I saw the title of your piece I was "hooked" so to speak. Thoroughly enjoyed it and also wanted to ask if you had come across Dorset buttons which were also a mini industry in England at one time.

[Karin]

I do have a few old buttons from my mother and grandmother. And I used to have a friend who was a "button jobber". That's a very specific job that exists in New York because of the garment industry. They source and supply buttons to clothing manufacturers. Sometimes designers are looking for a very specific or unusual button.

[Janice]

My local Jane Austen Society recently had a member of the Button Society speak to us. Fascinating. Buttons were, indeed, a cottage industry, especially in the UK. I do have a button box with some treasures along with the cheap plastic ones we more commonly use.

[SUSAN WARD]

I still have my Grandmother's button box. I remember playing with the buttons in it . I learned to count using the buttons in her box.

[Patricia Rice]

You have a treasure hidden away! Decent buttons these days are few and far between

[Patricia Rice]

thanks for the tip! I'd love to have a good image of them.
Edwardian police buttons! Oh what a shame not to have those. I hope they made it to a nice museum

[Patricia Rice]

help yourself. maybe we can start a button maker series!

[Patricia Rice]

Jo Banks mentioned Dorset above. I'll have a look. I've been concentrating on the area south of Birmingham but I'm not committed yet... although I probably should be.

[Patricia Rice]

I think I would have loved that job! I wonder if they had anything similar in the UK?

[Patricia Rice]

the cheap plastic ones multiply like hangers in a closet! Hang on to those treasures. they're increasingly rare

[Patricia Rice]

Take them out and have a look and admire the craftsmanship and materials we don't have any longer...

[Christina Courtenay]

I played with my mother's button box as well - loved it! And she's still got it so maybe I'll inherit it one day. Happy memories!

[Christina Courtenay]

Fascinating, Pat! I'm not sure if clothing manufacturer's still do it, but you used to always get an extra button when you bought a nice garment and I kept them all so have a big box of lonely buttons now. No idea if I'll ever use any of them ...

[Constance]

Thanks for bringing back so many happy memories, Pat! Both my grandmothers were seamstresses (one made dresses for bridal parties), but I am the only grandchild who sews, so I got all the buttons, and I must admit I have used very few of them - I'd much rather look at them and remember or imagine the clothing their siblings adorned.

With one grandmother, we used to play a game: Button, Button, Who's Got the Button? One player would keep a button between her two flattened hands, then slide them through the flattened hands of the other players, depositing the button with someone along the way. Whoever was "it" had to guess who had the button - and if you got it right, you got to keep the button! I have a separate small jar of those buttons which I am told I began collecting when I was about 3!

[Patricia Rice]

we need to find uses for these treasures!

[Patricia Rice]

oh yeah, I have tons of those shoddy plastic buttons in little plastic bags... I think they did it because the sewing on the buttons was usually lousy and they always fall off

[Annette N]

I have a box of buttons. I have ones which remind me of clothes my children wore when they were little. Very nice for me, but no one I know thinks of that kind of thing as a thing.
Thanks for the terrific post. You have reminded me of my grandmothers and mother who all had their own button box or jar. And if one was needed, we could find one to match.

Hope everyone is well and cool. Literally cool, cause it is hotter than a depot stove here in Texas.

[Patricia Rice]

oh what a fabulous memory! I'd forgotten that game.

I think we end up with button jars because a garment requires at least five or six similar buttons, and our jars never have matching ones. We could start a style for mixed buttons!

[Nancy Mayer]

I once read a book on the history of buttons that said that while there were many different buttons on men's clothes,women's clothes had few and most were thread covered. I think the book was written by someone in the button society. I wish I could find it again.

[Lil]

Those Dorset buttons are intriguing. They were useful, not for show, and used for things like closing the neck of your shirt. They are one of those "Don't waste any part of the animal" because they were made of thread twisted around thin slices of the sheep's horn. Definitely a cottage industry, and something the housewife could do while she was waiting for the pot to boil or getting off her feet in the evening. As I recall, someone set up as a sort of wholesaler for them. The business died out once cheap manufactured buttons could be made.

[Patricia Rice]

than a depot stove, I like that! I'm in SoCal with ocean breezes but the rest of the state is...sometimes quite literally...burning up. Scary stuff.

Yes, originally the button boxes would have found a button similar to the original. Very handy!

[Patricia Rice]

I know I read in my research that seamstresses would use matching fabric to cover the metal buttons with shanks. But the early buttons were mostly on men because women used laces--to let the waists and busts in and out? Or maybe men could afford them more.

[Patricia Rice]

oh wow, yeah that is interesting. Not the lead mold type but genuine horn or bone. Maybe this is what Nancy was referring to above. And yes, by the 1850s, looks like mechanization had just about taken over.

[northirthanthiou]

Thank you for sharing this.

[Kareni]

Patricia, thanks for a fascinating article. My grandmother was a seamstress, and I have a vague recollection of playing with the buttons in her button tin.

[Anne Gracie]

Loved this post, Pat. My grandmother and mother both had button jars. I don't know what happened to Nana's, but I still have Mum's plus another jar that I have added to over the years. They were both very thrifty and cut off any buttons on garments that were going to the rag bag. I do the same, but onoy if the buttons are special. I've noticed that mother-of-pearl buttons are popping up more lately — I have several blouses with them on. The button jars have heaps of them from old shirts, I suppose. These days there is also a market for antique buttons.

I spent many an hour as a small child tipping out all the buttons onto a tray and sorting them into colours or sizes or shapes or whatever. I still have my favourites. And whenever I've had friends little ones visiting, it keeps them happily occupied as well.

[Patricia Rice]

thank you for reading my blathering and making my research worthwhile!

[Patricia Rice]

ah, the days of old...

[Patricia Rice]

ooooo, I've not seen mother of pearl in ages! I must be shopping the wrong places.

[Vicki L]

Fascinating topic! And all the informative comments make it extra special.

If you are looking for "special" buttons, try yarn stores. All those fabulous hand knits need special buttons.

A friend of mine makes pottery buttons to sell at festivals. Her partner is a potter so she has access to clay, kilns and glazes. The buttons are way cool. Very sturdy and would look good on many clothing items.

It was tricky at first learning how thick to make the button disks and the holes because when they are fired the buttons and holes shrink down. Who knew! But once she mentioned it I went oh yeah, duh....grin.

So you could have another specialized kind of button making if you wanted it. Since you are creating your world you could create a varied button making industry. Horn. Bone. Clay. Wood. Pottery. Shell. Specially decorated fabric ones for great contrast.

[Patricia Rice]

oh wow, a most excellent home industry for those with kilns! We're back to the beginning. but what a cool button for knit products

[Mary M.]

Pat, I love the mixed-buttons idea! If only all my clothes now weren't fitted by elastic rather than buttons and plackets ...

[Linda S]

Have you read the book The Coat Route by Meg Lukens Noonan? It has a fascinating chapter on the button industry in England. According to the book, button making as a cottage industry grew out of nail manufacturing at home in the Midlands. The time period might be a little late for you, but the entire book is fascinating. It recounts the making of a bespoke vicuña overcoat for a wealthy Australian by an English tailor. No expense is too great! Noonan examines the history of all sorts of industries from silk manufacturing to hand engraving (for the coat’s “label”).
As a home seamstress, I’ve always had buttons around, and I once spent an enjoyable hour in a button shop in the Los Angeles garment district picking out a few sets.

[Patricia Rice]

so, yeah, what's with all the elastic? Is it cheaper to sew in than buttons and buttonholes? Or are we too lazy to button our clothes anymore?

[Patricia Rice]

No, I haven't read it but should I take this direction, I'll look it up, thank you!

I used to love picking out buttons and fabrics...

[Michelle H]

I just loved this post, Pat. I'm late here, but had to say thanks for the memories. Buttons have been on my mind (old ones) because...down another kind of bunny hole, I've been watching YouTube videos of embroidery and 'slow stitching' which has apparently made a come back. Ladies are searching for vintage fabrics and buttons to use. I've always been into needle arts of all kinds but have had to give most up due to my hands. I'm kind of living vicariously through these videos. But because of all this I was reminded of my Mother's and Grandmother's button boxes which were so much fun to go through and play with. I imagine those were junked, or sold at an estate sale in the case of my Grandmother. I was living in another state at the time. I'd like to think someone enjoyed getting those at the time. Fond memories.

Button making is a fascinating thing to be part of a historical fiction book. I'll be watching for that.

[Linda S]

A correction to my post: the tailor who made the coat is Australian, not English. Apologies to Anne and her fellow Australians for the mistake.

[Patricia Rice]

Given the response here, I think I HAVE to write buttons into the story!

So many lost button boxes... I wonder who ended up with them?

[Barbara]

Maybe you are looking into products produced by “outworkers” or through domestic manufacturing? This article gives an overview and may suggest more keywords that would be useful in a search:

http://historywithmrgreen.com/page7/assets/The%20Industrial%20Revolution%20Cottage%20Industry%20and%20the%20Factory%20System.pdf

It also talks about the various people who distributed raw materials or collected finished work.Having regular outsiders dealing with your villagers might be useful when shaping the plot — you can introduce “familiar” strangers and unfamiliar strangers in plausible ways.