<![CDATA[Allie's Adornments

<![CDATA[Allie's Adornments - Button Files]]>Sat, 19 May 2012 18:33:26 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[French Silk buttons of the Victorian era.]]>Sat, 19 May 2012 18:28:17 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/05/french-silk-buttons-of-the-victorian-era.html

A bit too plain for jewelry, these lovely silk buttons are perfect for costuming & reenactors. The 2 cards at the top have a subtle stripe, while the set at the bottom has a braided center. The braided buttons are in a hard setting, most likely vegetable ivory. All have padded backs to sew through. Because these buttons would be more permanently attach having been sewn on, they were probably made for garments that weren't laundered as often such as coats & vests.

]]><![CDATA[French pierced brass buttons.]]>Wed, 09 May 2012 23:33:41 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/05/french-pierced-brass-buttons.html

Nearly a full card of pierced brass buttons with floral designs. Four different flowers among swirling leaves.

]]><![CDATA[Victorian symbolism, the anchor of hope.]]>Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:20:14 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/03/victorian-symbolism-the-anchor-of-hope.html

In the Victorian era, people enjoyed the use of symbolism in their everyday objects to provide additional meaning & transmit secret messages of love & friendship. There was entire "language of flowers," in which different floral arrangements conveyed certain feelings & messages. Even the placement & direction of a stamp on correspondence could convey a secret message of the heart.
One might expect anchors to represent the navy or military. In fact, the anchor was often paired in Victorian jewelry, accessories & buttons with a cross & heart. This trio represented faith hope & charity (or love), with the anchor meaning hope.
This card was made in Paris, France & the buttons still have their bright gold finish.

]]><![CDATA[Big lot of antique Victorian & Edwaridan buttons of various materials.]]>Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:49:23 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/02/big-lot-of-antique-buttons.html

I love having a large lot of buttons to pick through. This grouping had all kinds of buttons including pictures, storybook, twinkles, pressed pewter, Czech glass, waistcoat, black glass, plain brass, mother of pearl & velvet perfume buttons.

3rd picture from the top is a storybook button with a design known as the "Easter Boat Ride." It depicts 2 birds towing a 1/2 shell boat with 2 figures inside.

Several, like the navy twinkle buttons & those with a strawberry design have worked their way into bracelets, while others have been sold.

]]><![CDATA[Victorian button charm string.]]>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:33:03 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/02/victorian-button-charm-string.html

A charm string or memory string was a 19th century pastime which consisted of collecting buttons & other small mementos & stringing them together.
Young women of the 1860s-1900s would have parties in which they would exchange buttons & stories associated with them, Rules dictated that buttons couldn't be purchased for the collection & had to be gifts from other collectors, suitors, friends or family. The gift of a button was considered lucky & the stringing of the buttons on a string enhanced good luck.

Strings were often left in view of visitors in order to encourage donations as well as conversation starter by serving as a memento & reminder of past events. The string became a physical reminder of the button owner & times associated with that person.

Lore has it that girls who collected 999 buttons would meet her true love after adding the 1000th. Other stories claim the addition of the 1000th would doom the girl to spinsterhood. One thousand button strings are rare & most were much smaller. This one has about 150 buttons.

]]><![CDATA[Eros, cupid, fairies & angels.]]>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:36:42 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/01/eros-cupid-fairies-angels.html

In the late 1800’s William Bouguereau was one of the most popular painters in France. In 1880, his painting “Young Girl Defending Herself From Eros,” took the Paris Salon by storm. His romantic style of classical imagery was a hit with the public. This button was made in Paris & is a replica of his famous painting.

Antique metal picture buttons with cupid, angels, fairies & putti.

]]><![CDATA[Lions.]]>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:18:06 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2012/01/lions.html

Different types of lion buttons. Top:Storybook button of Sampson Wresting the Lion. Middle: Doorknocker style brass figural lion heads. Bottom: Heraldry style lion with shield.

]]><![CDATA[Heart twinkles.]]>Wed, 19 Oct 2011 13:45:51 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2011/10/heart-twinkles.html

Small ball shaped buttons with hear shapes cut out of the top that allow the interior reflective twinkle aspect to shine through & provide additional brilliance.

]]><![CDATA[Ship of Devilment.]]>Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:21:12 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2011/09/ship-of-devilment.html

This design is said to be based on an etching by Peter Fiotner, a Swiss sculptor who lived from 1485-1546. It has winged beasties on a a boat & an oar whose end has a giant bearded devil with horns.

]]><![CDATA[Geisha button, Japanese ladies with umbrellas.]]>Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:04:32 -0800http://www.alliesadornments.com/2/post/2011/09/geisha-button.html

Large figural brass button of Yum-Yum from the widely popular 1885 comic opera The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan. An English fascination for all things Japanese spread through the country as trade between Europe & Japan increased dramatically from the 1860s - 1870s. This is one of my favorite buttons because of the intricate details in the panels of the parasol & on the kimono fabric.

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