The Various

CLASSIFICATIONS of BUTTONS

fig. 1

Wood
To differentiate your wooden button from
plastic, look closely for wood grain. The
bamboo button pictured has an obvious
grain of narrow lines on the flat surface.
The edges, cut on an angle, reveal a pattern
of dots and dashes. Wood buttons will also
feel warmer than plastic when held.

fig. 4

Bone
Bone has many identifying properties.
Sometimes it has a very porous texture
that can be seen with the naked eye. It can
be examined more closely with a jeweler’s
loupe. When highly magnified, the naturally
formed lines in bone appear parallel to each
other and do not cross. Another test is to
check the hardness. Real bone will turn to
powder when scraped with a sharp knife.

fig. 2

Shell
Shell is one of the first materials to be used
to make buttons, and one of the most repli-
cated looks. Many types of plastic attempt to
copy the colorings and sheen of real shell.
Look for major irregularities in the texture
of authentic shell buttons, as opposed to
more uniform finishes on plastic. Another
trick is to rub the buttons against the edge
of your front teeth. Plastic feels waxier
while shell can be slightly gritty.

fig. 5

Jet
Jet is very collectible and very elusive. It is a
carbon-based mineral that became popular
as a medium for buttons in 1861 when Queen
Victoria ordered her “mourning buttons”
made from it. A trend was set, and many
imitations were made using black glass.
Some black glass buttons are mislabeled as
“French jet.” To determine the difference
between jet and glass, float them in a dish
of water. The lighter, more delicate jet will
float, while the glass counterfeit will sink.

fig. 3

Glass
Glass buttons will feel cool to the touch,
much cooler than an equal-sized acrylic
piece. Glass can be either carved or molded.
Molded glass has seams, and these seams can
have irregular edges. Carvings in glass leave
deep grooves and scrape-like marks.

fig. 6

Bakelite
Testing for real Bakelite with a simple
chemical test is a fun way to check your
old plastic buttons for vintage treasures.
This early plastic was invented in the 1900s
and was made with formaldehyde. Because
many collectors fervently seek after Bakelite,
certain test methods are quite controversial.
Most widely accepted is to run hot water
over the piece and then check for odors.
Bakelite will emit a smell like formaldehyde,
or carbolic acid.

Metal
Buttons made from metal are usually obvious. They are cool to the touch, and often have a
self shank. Metal buttons are made from a wide variety of metals, with brass, copper, and
steel being popular examples. Because this material is most often molded, the results are
buttons with great detail.