Elgin Watch Medallion

Buffum Collection, inventory #82

String of approximately 240 buttons from Harbinger, NC. There is one medallion from the 1870-1890’s on this string– Elgin Watch Manufacturing Co. with date 1865 on front side depicting a naked male figure with wings carrying an oversized pocketwatch in his right hand and a scythe over his left shoulder.  Reverse side is difficult to read but says: Elgin National Watch Co makes certifies that lever movement NS16006 Named Elgin Watch Co was manufactured by us of the best materials and warranted a good time keeper” Buttons are of mainly medium to large size with some small and at least one extra large size.  Buttons include pierced brass with female head, black glass w/gold luster design, riveted steel, brass picture trumpet flowers, black glass w/painted flower and silver luster, shaped steel, MOP, shoe buttons, black glass pictorials w/blue luster, black glass silver luster fox in drainage pipe, brass w/original red tint, pierced brass animal head, small glory button, brass w/abalone inset, black glass w/silver and gold high relief Mary Queen of Scots, Goodyear hard rubber ball button, openwork brass ball buttons, brass w/original purple tint w/brass running hare, brass Paul & Virginia in riveted steel border, tole painted, stamped metal daisy, square Goodyear hard rubber, black glass woman’s head w/earring in silver luster with red luster background, black glass grasshopper w/red luster and silver luster, embossed horn, vegetable ivory, glass set in metal, paisley-shaped black glass, black glass turtle with gold luster, brass Queen’s head with rose and lion, brass dog’s head with hunting horn & sword, black glass dog’s head, brass Zeus w/lightning bolts & eagle, natural horn, black glass w/gold outlined tulip, clambroth glass, molded horn, shaped black glass, guy playing long horn nighttime outside house, carnival luster, amber glass leaf set in metal, painted stamped metal, Navy button w/backmark T. Wells Ingram Patent, embossed natural horn, large black glass Deknatel elephant with bm PT Dec 28, 1880, stamped 1-pc large brass roses/bees, pressed dyed horn Liberty head, very detailed large 1-pc camel white metal, large pierced brass strawberry, large pressed horn dove, large brass buckle, military Waterbury bm button general service eagle, large composition w/MOP inset, black glass cow with cow bell around neck in front of a building with carnival luster, dyed blue MOP w/steel star escutcheon, dyed purple MOP horseshoe buckle w/riveted steels & brass buckle, carved MOP w/steels & MOP flower w/faceted steel center, brass peacock, XL large stamped 2-pc metal floral design, black glass carnival luster cottage, black glass stag & doe w/pine tree, black glass grist mill w. simulated steel border, brass woman’s head, white metal pierced flower, small white metal pierced floral, small brass w/facted steels pierced floral, brass fable button, painted pierced metal, hard rubber cone, black glass w/bone shaped gold luster center w/ dog standing/walking.  Strung on old cotton string and thread. This is a truly wonderful string of buttons– great  variety!

Old Pictorials, Horn and Vegetable Ivory

Buffum collection, inventory #81

From Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. Touch button is a large faceted black glass button, Buttons include dyed MOP, black glass, embossed and stamped vegetable ivory, dyed horn, embossed horn, black glass with lusters and MOP, black glass silver lusters, blued steel with faceted steels, brass ball, pierced vegetable ivory, small brass pictorials, brass running ostrich pictorial, pewter, silk, brass with black glass, vulcanite links (2), white glass ball charmstring button with pink foil dots, white glass ball, large black glass disk, brass eagle on anchor, brass helmeted head (2), brass pictorial that looks like half a coin being uncovered or half buried in sand, insect pictorials, florals, wallpapers, rooster and man in the moon, black glass buckle, black glass silver luster woman’s head with earring. Interesting collection of old buttons.

Memorial String

Buffum collection, inventory #80

Charmstring of approximately 485 buttons strung by Susan Buffum. String is comprised of a variety of Victorian and older buttons including waistcoats, a waistcoat with fabric background and glass jewel, various old charmstring glass buttons in a variety of colors, and styles including coronets, berry tops, pudding molds swirlback glass buttons, overlays, over 35 radiants, dewdrops and reverse painted clear glass buttons, composition with MOP inlay, enamels, glass with foil, MOP, salted glass, horn, vegetable ivory, hard rubber with Goodyear backmarks, pinshank ball buttons, ball buttons with metal bands, black glass with pictures and designs, small brass picture buttons, steel button with brass horse head escutcheon, black and white cameo on metal, Jacksonian with a rose, black glass spindle with goldstone, metal crescent moon button with red tint to background, pierced brass ball, lampwork charmstring glass, black glass with silver luster, bright pewter, Venetian glass assorted shapes and styles. Touch button is a medium molded black glass six-point star with background design. 485 truly beautiful buttons strung in memory of  friend Pauline Johnson who passed away September 6, 2014 one month shy of age 93.

Modern String

Buffum collection, inventory #79

String of approximately 154 buttons from Somers, NY. This is more of an art string of buttons comprised of a mix of old, new and made-up buttons using new jewelry findings and perhaps pieces of old jewelry or buttons. It’s a modern take on an old idea. Buttons on the string include new metals and plasticized metals designed to look old, Czech glass, beads, art glass, rhinestone/paste, plastic that imitates bone with metal escutcheon, some charmstring glass, some glass with new shanks, a few original tint older metal buttons,waistcoat, twinkle, aurora glass, black glass with silver luster, brass with amethyst glass jewel button, MOP, faceted steels, clear glass, gray glass, plastic, perfume button, painted brown glass button, brown glass with goldstone, black glass with white speckles and goldstone with inset paste stone waistcoat,, small to diminutive Czech glass, green moonglow, sparkling rhinestones set into a ball button, metal with embossed design. Maybe a hundred years from now someone will consider this mix of buttons antique!