DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0206
OF THE WORLD'S INDUSTRY. 173
size of the button, and soldered to it. The knob buttons are made in a mould: a long
rod of glass being softened in a furnace and clasped in the mould, in which the
shank has previously been fitted. The black glass buttons, for coat-links, are made
at a lathe. Agate, cornelian, and stone buttons are imported from Bohemia, and shanked
and finished in Birmingham. There were several other kinds of buttons, as the iron and
brass buttons with four holes, used for trowsers, steel buttons for ladies' dresses,
wooden buttons and bone buttons for under clothing. The former are punched by one
press, rendered concave by another, and pierced by a third, and then a hand-piercer is
introduced from the opposite side to that which receives the blow, in order to smooth the
edges of the holes. Having been cleaned, the buttons receive a white coating, by means
of a chemical process. The steel buttons are made by the steel toy manufacturers.
The wood buttons are made by wood turners; and the bone buttons are chiefly made
by the horn button makers.
Having thus enumerated the principal forms of buttons, we will pass in review-
some of the specimens exhibited. Messrs. Twigg had some very handsome specimens of
the " Jeames" button, and some boldly embossed naval buttons, with appropriate
ornaments. Some of their cut-glass buttons in metal were effective. Messrs. Pigott's
bronzed buttons, with sporting subjects, were among the best we have ever seen:
and Messrs. Hammond had some particularly bold and well-executed device-buttons—
a set which we noticed, as made for a " curling club/' being very characteristic.
Messrs. Ashton not only showed a handsome assortment of all kinds, especially of the
Florentine class, but they introduced a series designed to illustrate their manufac-
ture—a course which was very much in conformity with the spirit of the Exhibition,
and one which we could wish had been adopted wherever it was conveniently prac-
ticable. Messrs. Inman had also some bold and well-executed buttons, some of them
honoured with the episcopal insignia, and others for the servants of the London Docks.
Some of the prettiest cut-glass buttons in the Exhibition were those of Messrs. Neal
and Tonks; and Messrs. Chatwin's case contained as highly-finished specimens as any
assortment around them. In connexion with Mr. Banks's buttons, we observed some
large and fine specimens of the shells used in the manufacture of pearl-buttons, above
described, which were brought from the Gulf of Persia, and from the Sooloo Isles. A
very small but pretty contribution was made by Mr. Knowles, consisting of gold plated
and enamelled buttons: there were, we think, about a dozen only. Mr. Wells
exhibited some horn buttons of considerable merit. A case contributed by Messrs.
Smith, Kemp, and "Wright, showed us a very brilliant assortment. The sporting
buttons, representing the neck-and-neck end of a race, the hunter clearing a hedge, the
sportsman bringing down his partridge, with other varieties of amusements, were very
cleverly designed. There was a good St. George and the dragon, and indeed a very rich
multiplicity of devices, enamels, crests, buildings, military and naval buttons, a capital
lion, and other designs for ornamental buttons. Messrs. Allen and Moore, among
many choice and beautiful articles in hardware, exhibited metal buttons of fine finish;
and Mr. Ashton, showed velvet buttons, which we marked as very rich in their effect.
We have spoken of the manufacture of pearl buttons, and Messrs. Elliott exhibited some
with metallic rims—an arrangement which conveyed the desirable idea of exceeding care
in the finish. Messrs. Ingram illustrated very fully the horn button in its history and
varieties. Messrs. Heeley also had some metal articles amid their beautiful hardware.
Mr. Nash, a die sinker, showed the dies by which the metal buttons were stamped.
In a case exhibited by Mr. Brissrabb, were specimens of the mother-o'-pearl button, and
among them some of the black pearl.
The general characteristics of the specimens of button manufacture must, of course be,
VOL. II. 2 Y
size of the button, and soldered to it. The knob buttons are made in a mould: a long
rod of glass being softened in a furnace and clasped in the mould, in which the
shank has previously been fitted. The black glass buttons, for coat-links, are made
at a lathe. Agate, cornelian, and stone buttons are imported from Bohemia, and shanked
and finished in Birmingham. There were several other kinds of buttons, as the iron and
brass buttons with four holes, used for trowsers, steel buttons for ladies' dresses,
wooden buttons and bone buttons for under clothing. The former are punched by one
press, rendered concave by another, and pierced by a third, and then a hand-piercer is
introduced from the opposite side to that which receives the blow, in order to smooth the
edges of the holes. Having been cleaned, the buttons receive a white coating, by means
of a chemical process. The steel buttons are made by the steel toy manufacturers.
The wood buttons are made by wood turners; and the bone buttons are chiefly made
by the horn button makers.
Having thus enumerated the principal forms of buttons, we will pass in review-
some of the specimens exhibited. Messrs. Twigg had some very handsome specimens of
the " Jeames" button, and some boldly embossed naval buttons, with appropriate
ornaments. Some of their cut-glass buttons in metal were effective. Messrs. Pigott's
bronzed buttons, with sporting subjects, were among the best we have ever seen:
and Messrs. Hammond had some particularly bold and well-executed device-buttons—
a set which we noticed, as made for a " curling club/' being very characteristic.
Messrs. Ashton not only showed a handsome assortment of all kinds, especially of the
Florentine class, but they introduced a series designed to illustrate their manufac-
ture—a course which was very much in conformity with the spirit of the Exhibition,
and one which we could wish had been adopted wherever it was conveniently prac-
ticable. Messrs. Inman had also some bold and well-executed buttons, some of them
honoured with the episcopal insignia, and others for the servants of the London Docks.
Some of the prettiest cut-glass buttons in the Exhibition were those of Messrs. Neal
and Tonks; and Messrs. Chatwin's case contained as highly-finished specimens as any
assortment around them. In connexion with Mr. Banks's buttons, we observed some
large and fine specimens of the shells used in the manufacture of pearl-buttons, above
described, which were brought from the Gulf of Persia, and from the Sooloo Isles. A
very small but pretty contribution was made by Mr. Knowles, consisting of gold plated
and enamelled buttons: there were, we think, about a dozen only. Mr. Wells
exhibited some horn buttons of considerable merit. A case contributed by Messrs.
Smith, Kemp, and "Wright, showed us a very brilliant assortment. The sporting
buttons, representing the neck-and-neck end of a race, the hunter clearing a hedge, the
sportsman bringing down his partridge, with other varieties of amusements, were very
cleverly designed. There was a good St. George and the dragon, and indeed a very rich
multiplicity of devices, enamels, crests, buildings, military and naval buttons, a capital
lion, and other designs for ornamental buttons. Messrs. Allen and Moore, among
many choice and beautiful articles in hardware, exhibited metal buttons of fine finish;
and Mr. Ashton, showed velvet buttons, which we marked as very rich in their effect.
We have spoken of the manufacture of pearl buttons, and Messrs. Elliott exhibited some
with metallic rims—an arrangement which conveyed the desirable idea of exceeding care
in the finish. Messrs. Ingram illustrated very fully the horn button in its history and
varieties. Messrs. Heeley also had some metal articles amid their beautiful hardware.
Mr. Nash, a die sinker, showed the dies by which the metal buttons were stamped.
In a case exhibited by Mr. Brissrabb, were specimens of the mother-o'-pearl button, and
among them some of the black pearl.
The general characteristics of the specimens of button manufacture must, of course be,
VOL. II. 2 Y