Glass Button Collecting

Glass has been in existence for thousands of years and buttons have been used by people since they first were created from wood, bone or stone. When the craftsmanship of glassmaking was established, buttons were often made from the bits of glass that may not have been quiet good enough for other projects or for aristocrats who wanted something of value to set their clothing apart as special, a status symbol of sorts. Queen Victoria choose black jet for her mourning clothes after Prince Albert passed on, and the glass buttons were common in European countries before that, appearing in the early 1500’s. The black glass made popular is often not truly black but has a dark blue or smoky color to it and often there were different designs used that were popular for the time, such as mythological people, places or things pressed into the glass.

The Czech Republic is the glass capital of the world, and the only original remaining plant in the country is in Jablonec. The glass canes are made and the buttons manufactured from them some of the canes used were made over fifty years ago and are still used today. There are fourteen different steps used in making buttons, from cutting and shaping the glass to several different colors of paint and firing in a kiln. One of the most famous glass jewelry producers and exporters was Josef Dressler, mentioned in 1773, the house he owned is now a centerpiece museum for buttons and glass collection in the Czech Republic.

One type of glass button that is very collectible is called moonglow, due to the thin layer of glass that protects the thicker layer from damage. Some of the glass buttons are made of milk glass others include painted glass or fused glass. Art deco glass is often used in older buttons and the glass is sometimes paired with metal or gold leaf to enhance the design engraved on it.

There is a wide range of styles, types and techniques used. The National Button Society has great information of shows and collectors as well as featured articles that help the collector to find out if the button he or she has is a hidden treasure. Go through your grandmothers or your mothers button collection again, let the memories come and check out those tiny bits of glass that are so intriguing the buttons that help keep our lives in place and add the glitter of something precious to what we wear.

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