A young woman in 18th-century clothing is featured on a painting on ivory under glass and surrounded by a paste border. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#2 Bow & Horseshoe Steel Cup
A horseshoe composed of cut steels is intertwined in a bow of triple corded wire on this interesting steel cup. Steel wire U shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#3 Little Foxes
Rare and special brass pictorial of three little foxes peeking out between some logs. Shown BBB PL 105-9. Japanned steel reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#4 Burwood Elephant
Hard to find burwood elephant with jungle background and twisted rope border. Two-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#5 Greenaway Johnny and Vine
This Kate Greenaway design from her book “Under the Window” is called Johnny and Vine. Shown BBB PL 197-4. Note the detail of his iconic Victorian short breeches outfit with sailor collar and boatman hat. Five cut steels embellish this wonderful button. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#6 Hunting Set on Shell
Six small highly iridescent green snail buttons, each mounted with a different sporting brass animal. Includes three different dogs, a grouse, a rabbit, and a boar. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#7 Romantic Insect
A medium and scarce copper colored metal depicting a cricket or grasshopper on his way to a date with his bouquet and love letter. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#8 Persian Enamel
Two deer in a field are depicted on this handpainted enamel set in silver of middle eastern origin. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#9 Victorian Giraffe
A large and scarce brass showing a giraffe in a hilly setting with palm trees against a dark tinted matte ground. Shown BBB PL 108-12. Note the interesting Victorian perspective of the giraffe’s proportions. Metal loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#10 Native American Silver Duo
Two slightly convex silver buttons of Native American origin with deeply etched and blackened pictorial designs of a fish and a deer. Copper loop shanks. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#11 Snake with Jeweled Eyes
This white metal realistic snake features green painted accents and green glass jewel eyes. Cast key shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#12 “The Beatles” Aluminum
Cast gilt aluminum tribute to “The Beatles” with shape and details of a beetle with musical notes on a staff. Cast slab shank on the gilt reverse. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#13 Carved Pearl Wasp
Exceptional carved flying wasp or other insect in dyed pearl. Carved ferns decorated the surface on either side of the insect. Two-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#14 Bakelite Ladybug
This medium dark green bakelite is carved in the cute design of a ladybug. Twisted wire inserts form it’s legs. However, the designer of this bug was not an entomologist, or even much of a nature observer, since the bug has only the four legs, and not six! Loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#15 Glass Star Radiant
A scarce radiant glass features a center dome and smooth surface on the face of the glass. The reverse shows a bubble pattern in between the molded star spokes, each overlaid with a stripe of black glass. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#16 Amber Tingue
A scarce amber tingue with a square shape (when viewed from the front). Self shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#17 Silver Serenading Couple
A gentleman plays a lute for the lady seated in the garden setting on this silver with rococo border. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#18 Silhouette Couple in Silver
A silhouette couple in colorful 18th century dress decorates the porcelain disk mounted in a silver rim and back. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#19 Love’s Service
Always a favorite interior scene, this brass button features a woman handing a man his pipe, while guests can be seen at a table in the detailed background. Titled “Love’s Service,” and shown in the BBB PL 205-5. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#20 Basket of Garlic
Several garlic bulbs fresh from the garden fill the basket for this clever celluloid button. Applied celluloid shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#21 Landscape with Buildings Enamel
A pastoral landscape with lovely sky, cottages, trees, and lake in emaux peints enamel fills a diamond shape finished with a gilt rococo border. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#22 Victorian Portrait with Hat
A polychrome lithograph mounted under glass features a portrait of a woman with ruffled bonnet rim and red ribbon adornment. The portrait is set in a silvered rim decorated with faceted paste jewels. The silvered reverse shows a loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#23 Ivoroid Vienna Karlskirche
A scarce Victorian ivoroid in sepia tint depicts the Karlskirche, a baroque church located in Vienna, Austria. Shown BBB PL 260-14. Japanned steel reverse with brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#24 Dancing Muse
A beaded oval border frames a female in loose flowing dress twirling a ribbon as she dances against a leafy background on this large brass button with stippled texturing. Copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#25 Gate’s Victorian Lady
This T.J. Gates watch crystal button features a cut paper lithograph of a woman’s head adorned with a flowery hat. Signed “T.J.G. ‘66” on his typical pitch reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#26 Design Under Glass
A faux pave jeweled border in red and clear coloring borders a swirled agate-like design under glass. Brass reverse with self shank. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#27 Yin Yang Bimini-Type
A high-relief yin yang design is the focus of this clear Bimini-type glass with gold lustered reverse. Applied back brass plate backmarked MADE IN ENGLAND, FAMOX DESIGN. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#28 Fortuna
Here is Fortuna, goddess of fortune and chance with her cornucopia and wheel of fortune. Openwork brass, shown BBB PL 207-13. Brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#29 Jewel with Filigree on Bakelite
A robin’s egg blue center cabochon with agate marbling is mounted in a petaled filigree brass design mounted on rootbeer colored bakelite with carved border. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#30 Gibson Girl
This early 20th century silvered metal features the head of a Gibson Girl with a freeform border design encompassing several floral blooms and her large brimmed hat. Backmarked SILVERINE with loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#31 Gaumond Realistic Cat Head
This small glass button depicts a cartoonish face of a black cat. By glass artist Mary Gaumond. Signature cane on the reverse with 2011 date. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#32 Moonface Pearl in Metal
A medium and scarce button of a full moon face engraved on a purple dyed smoky pearl disc which is cemented into a stamped brass crescent shape frame. Shown BBB PL 164-15. It has a silvered brass reverse with a brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#33 Moon and Star Bethlehem Pearl Inlay
This large button from Bethlehem features a crescent moon and star ablalone inlay in the mother-of-pearl surface with openwork carved border. Inset loop and plate shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#34 Needle and Thread Moveable Trim
A fun moveable trim piece in white metal depicting a large-eyed needle and spool of thread. Four holes for attachment. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#35 Moonglow Penguin Jelly Belly
A fun “jelly belly” in the shape of a penguin with blue moonglow glass jewel and blue glass eye. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#36 Weeber Candle Realistic
This multi-part celluloid realistic in the shape of a burning candle in a candle holder is the work of the renowned designer Marion Weeber. Applied celluloid shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#37 London Flower Seller
An extra-large tinted white metal pictorial of a London Flower Seller. This lovely scene features the seller, in her shawl and hat, nestled amongst large baskets of blooms. Shown BBB PL 207-2. Cast key shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#38 Deluxe Handpainted Portrait
A lovely portrait handpainted on ivory and mounted under glass is framed by an elaborate Rococo styled border. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#39 Jeweled Ivoroid
This unusual Victorian ivoroid is engraved with a floral design embellished with green, pink, and clear colored pastes. Brass reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#40 Birds and Birdhouse brown Glass
Old medium brown glass with an embossed wheel polished scene featuring birds, a birdhouse, and a perch. Shown BBB PL 33-11. Brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#41 Realistic Bethlehem Pearl Doves
A nice counter for a bird tray is this large realistically carved pearl from Bethlehem featuring two doves and a banner reading “Jerusalem”. Inset brass loop and plate shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#42 Dove of Peace Velvetback
Here is a large Dove of Peace on a brown velvetback Victorian perfume button. Shown BBB L 29-16. This button would be a lovely choice to gift and surprise a new collector. It has a brass back with a raised brass hump shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#43 Swallow with Letter Steel Cup
A swallow delivering a love letter is shown as she flies above a fence on this great steel cup pictorial. Steel wire U shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#44 Sam Biern Floral Jewel
A double layer of shaped petals are centered with a green glass jewel on this Sam Biern design. Reverse shows double Sam Biern nameplates and the copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#45 Aluminum Penguin
This large penguin by studio artist Shirley Burgess is fashioned from aluminum and mounted on the coated steel reverse. Signed on the reverse. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#46 Baseball Club V.I.
A rare Vegetable Ivory with the stitching design of a baseball and the words R.B.Co., B.B. CLUB. Self shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#47 Diamond Bar Scene
Molded plastic with surrealistic bar scene by the Diamond plastic company, ca. late 1940-50s. A man’s hand lights a cigarette held in a woman’s lips. This button is shown in Osborne’s “About Buttons,” p. 232. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#48 Etched Snail Shell with Steels
Carved snail shell with exquisite coloring features an engraved central radiating design embellished with cut steels. Swaged-in brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#49 Three Material Steel Cup
This three-material steel cup features a central pearl disc bordered by openwork brass scallops and cut steel jewel embellishment. Steel wire U shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#50 Beaver Livery
This silvered livery features a beaver within a belted motto border. Backmarked FIRMIN & SONS LONDON with a loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#51 Realistic Hand Holding Cigar
This pewter realistic depicts a man’s hand holding a cigar. Cast key shank. Backmarked STUBBS. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#52 Sporting Lithograph
A rare early sporting button featuring a lithograph picturing a hunter and his two dogs as one of the dogs brings the retrieved game. Thick lacquered reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#53 Early Figural Embroidery on Velvet
Fine early passementerie on black velvet fabric that was acquired through a French museum deaccession. This early 19th century (or older) work is in mint condition. A fashionably dressed gentleman walks across a field with a tree in the background. Metallic threads were utilized in his hat and jacket, and to depict the ground. A seed bead border frames the scene. Est. selling price is $600-1500.
#54 18th C. Reverse Painting on Glass
This exquisite large 18th century reverse painting on glass in sepia tones depicts a fisherman on a bridge as another figure watches, while a man pulls a fishing net from the water on the nearby bank. The background is paper. The mount is gilded copper. Similar buttons are shown in Epstein and Safro’s “Buttons,” pg. 34. Heavy copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $600-1500.
#55 18th C. Repousse with Star
An intricate snowflake-like star design decorates the center of this 18th century silvered copper metal repousse. Linen pad reverse. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#56 18th C. Sun King Repousse
This small French gilt metal repousse over bone was worn by the French National Guard, ca. 1790. The image is of the “Sun King,” Louis XIV. Shown BBB PL 311-6. The bone reverse still retains the catgut shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#57 Thistles Over Pearl
Mother of pearl set in a decorative gilt brass border features a gilded brass escutcheon of five thistles. Backmark EXTER TREBLE STANDARD. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#58 S.S. Maine & Panama Canal
Two great commemorative buttons: a small S.S. Maine commemorating the U.S. Navy ship that sank in Havana Harbor in 1898, and a medium Panama Canal, commemorating the opening of the canal in 1914. Both have loop shanks. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#59 Early Dated Copper
A rare 18th century copper engraved with a central radiating design and the year 1737. Copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#60 1939 Americas Set
Two molded transparent plastic souvenir buttons from the 1939 World’s Fair in NYC. Buttons depict the maps of North and South America. This set is referenced in Osborne’s “About Buttons,” p. 185. Self shanks. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#61 Grapevine Shell Overlay
Beautiful iridescent pierced carved pearl overlay with grapevine and grapes embellished with two cut steels. The steels attach the overlay to a dark abalone back. Two-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#62 Brooks Butterfly and Flower Duo
Two handpainted casein buttons by mid-century clothing designers and artists Alan and Edith Brooks, whose buttons were sold in British shops. Includes a pink and white daisy painted over a metallic background on blue casein, and a colorful butterfly painted on tan casein. Self shanks. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#63 Lacy Glass with Daisy Border
A pretty Div. I lacy glass from the late 19th century with an attractive daisy border design surrounding a beaded center. Two-way brass shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#64 Hanging Basket Over Wood
A brass hanging basket of ferns and blooms is mounted against a wood background on this Victorian era button. A double border with inner tinted steel and tinned outer border frames the basket. Japanned reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#65 Realistic Silver Taxco Grapes
A realistic bunch of grapes with stem and leaves in Sterling silver from Mexico. Backmark STERLING TAXCO, UXMAL. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#66 Floral Horn Sew-Thru
A large molded natural horn features a floral design. Four-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#67 Cameo Pearl Portrait
This large oval pearl features a detailed and beautiful cameo carved portrait of a woman with headpiece and ringlet tresses. Applied brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#68 Deluxe Glass Minerva in Metal
A fabulous extra-large deluxe button features a square molded brown glass with the head of Minerva prong mounted in an elaborate open-work border with outer twisted rope border. Brass U shank on long brass support bar. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#69 Oberon and Titania
A large pierced brass picture of Oberon and Titania from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, shown BBB PL 160-11. The picture and rim are mounted against a slightly concave dark tinted steel back. Small pierced openings in the border reveal a mirror steel underliner. Japanned reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#70 Porcelain Transfer Portrait
A transfer on porcelain with handpainted details features a young woman in a mop cap. The porcelain is prong mounted in an openwork setting with paste jewel border. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#71 Watch Crystal and Painted Glass
Two Div. I black glass buttons from the late 19th century include a watch crystal with floral stem design and a rectangular glass with chemical painted sphinx and palm trees scene. The watch crystal has a pitch reverse with loop shank. The sphinx has a brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#72 Openwork Clover with Steels
A lacy brass openwork four-leaf clover design is framed by a border of individually riveted cut steel jewels. This is a lovely example of Renaissance Revival Art Style of the mid 1800s. Other examples can be found in Osborne’s “About Buttons,” p. 270. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#73 Openwork Enamel Clover
A teal green champleve enamel shamrock in a openwork setting with twisted brass border. Each shamrock lobe is decorated with tiny blue pierreries. Wire U shank on the gilt reverse. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#74 Mexican Copper Fish
A copper fish with glass eye in the shape of a fountain ornament is featured on a gilded metal oval back. This button can also be found with the fish facing the opposite direction. Backmark of artist MAYA above MEXICO. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#75 Flocked Ceramic M/D Duo
A medium and a large ceramic featuring a raised floral design in teal and yellow colors, and an added flocked texture to the background and reverse. Wire loop shanks. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#76 Chemical Paint Cupid BG
A Div. I black glass rectangular button with a chemical painted depiction of a winged cupid holding a blooming rose stem. Brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#77 Cupid Under an Umbrella
This brass pictorial features Cupid with his bow, holding an umbrella, as he sits atop a grapevine. Similar to BBB PL 186-4. Steel reverse with brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#78 Wood Background Blacksmith Cupid
A large button titled “Cupid Forging the Links of Matrimony”, shown BBB 188-14. The stamped brass design is mounted over a wood background with a pierced inner border over a steel underliner and a fancy scrolled outer border design. The reverse is lacquered steel with a metal loop shank. Est. selling price is $10-30.
#79 Gnome Watering Toadstools
This medium and scarce brass pictorial depicts a gnome watering toadstools. Shown BBB PL 186-9, this version has a shiny steel back. Japanned reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#80 Small Gnome Pictorials Quintet
Eight small and scarce 19th century mostly gnome pictorials including gnome on ice skate, gnome watering mushrooms, gnome and water sprite, miner with headlamp, gnomes and lily of the valley, tinned cupid atop horn he is blowing, gnomes with globe, and gnome with mushroom umbrella. Loop shanks. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#81 Medium 18th C. Passementerie
This 18th century fabric passementerie button is covered with a metallic woven fabric decorated with twisted metallic thread embroidery and sequins. Threaded linen pad back. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#82 Foil Enamel with Pierreries
Silver crescent paillons and gold paillons with turquoise and cream pierreries decorate the surface of this clear enamel over green foil. Gilt reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#83 18th C. Floral Engraved Pearl
This gorgeous machine and hand-engraved pearl button from the 18th century has a luscious iridescence. The center floral stem engraving is surrounded by a border of mirrored pastes. Swaged-in loop shank. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#84 18th C. Carved Figural Scene
This oval 18th century features a delicately carved ivory scene mounted against a black background under the oval glass. The scene depicts a seated figure with a hat in a leafy setting near a large urn monument. Iron reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $400-600.
#85 Medium Cupid Horn
This medium black horn features the full figure of Cupid with quiver on his back readying his bow and arrow. The finely lined background includes two botanical garlands on either side of the figure. Shown BBB PL 189-6. Metal loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#86 Easter Parade
Large and scarce brass pictorial of a gnome pulling an eggshell cart. Shown BBB PL 209. Steel reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#87 18th C. Botanical Engraved Gilt Alloy
This 18th century medium copper alloy with gilt finish is decorated with finely engraved botanical stems. Reverse shows an alpha shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#88 Gay 90s with Steels
This late 19th century jewel button features a pale yellow striated cabochon with goldstone accent. The brass openwork mount is embellished with two different shapes of cut steel jewels. Elongated brass wire U shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#89 Art Nouveau Enamel with Steels
This attractive quality champleve enamel features a slightly domed center with triploid design surrounded by cut steel jewels. The outer border consists of triple laurel leaf garland motifs. Gilt reverse with heavy U shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#90 Hallmark Silver Cupids
This medium hallmark silver features two cupids, perhaps involved in a game of blind man’s bluff, as one cupid appears to be adjusting a cloth band around the other’s forehead. The hallmarks on the front include London city marks, date mark of 1903, and an import mark. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#91 Jacksonian Ship and One-Piece Eagle
Two small Jacksonian era buttons, including a Jacksonian ship, and a one-piece gilt featuring an eagle under the E Pluribus Unum motto banner. The ship has backmark SUPERIOR with five stars. The eagle has backmark RICH ORANGE. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#92 Sailors with Ship’s Wheel
This large and scarce brass pictorial features a great design with two French sailors on either side of a ship’s wheel and each with a foot atop a large anchor. The rope holding the anchor forms the button’s border, while the ship’s wheel is embellished with cut steel jewels. Shown BBB PL 200-5. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#93 Engraved Skating Scene
This extra-large polished bone disc features an engraved and tinted replica scene of the button known as “Skating in Central Park”. Artist signed on the reverse with WJE and a larger W. Self shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#94 Sam Biern Brass Horserace
This large brass Sam Biern features a horse race scene on a drum sided button. Reverse is backmarked SAM BIERN, N.Y.C. with a loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#95 Birmingham Trade with Paste
This Birmingham trade button has a faceted center clear paste mounted in a brass rim and set within a vegetable ivory disk rimmed in brass. Brass loop and plate shank holds the center paste (pinshank). Est. selling price is $60-100.
#96 Religious Continental Silver
A medium one-piece continental silver button showing the apostle Peter walking upon the water. Shown BBB PL 248-20. “The disciples who were on a ship standing off shore were afraid they would be drowned in a sudden storm. Christ appeared to them walking on the water and Peter attempted to join him to prove that it was really his master and not a vision they could see.” (BBB) Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#97 Porcelain Fishing Boat
A fishing boat with butterfly-like sails makes its way thru early-morning waters on this large oval button of hand-painted porcelain mounted in silver. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#98 Balloon Race Watercolor Scene
This extra-large under glass button features a handpainted watercolor and ink drawing by artist Ted Miller of the 1906 James Gordon Bennet Balloon Race. The artwork is signed under the center balloon “TM’89”. On the reverse is the signature “GONZO 1989” (the silversmith). Silver U shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#99 Rare BG Tobogganing
A very scarce Div. I black glass pictorial featuring two figures enjoying a winter toboggan ride. Smoky torchlights line the hill. Other details include two rows of buttons decorating the coat of the front figure, and the full beard of the second figure blown by the breeze. Decorated rim has a few tiny nicks. Shown BBB PL 240-8. Brass loop and U shank. 1880 patent mark. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#100 Bimini Glass Horse Pictorial
A medium molded glass Bimini featuring a silver lustered rearing horse. Brass backplate backmarked MADE IN ENGLAND with potted plant logo. Brass key shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#101 Red Ryder Rivet Button
The Red Ryder radio show premiered in 1942 and went off the air in 1951. This scarce rivet button was a merchandise go-with from the show’s era. White metal front with original red paint, brass back and rivet shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#102 Burwood Manor and Carriage
An extra-large openwork burwood depicts a large manor house with a horseless carriage traveling the tree-lined road in front of the house. Two-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#103 Steamboat Handkerchief Corners
This very large, beautifully made brass handkerchief-corners button by the late Faith Strobel depicts a sidewheel steamboat making its way thru the waves. Signed “F.S.” on the back. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#104 Tandem Bicyclists Under Glass
A medium reverse painted design under glass featuring a man and a woman riding a tandem bicycle. The rectangular button is mounted in a brass rim and back. Cut-out self shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#105 Santa in Sleigh Jasperware
Here is Old St. Nick riding across the snow in his one-reindeer sleigh on this studio ceramic jasperware. Signed “Shirley ‘76” with a self shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#106 Oval Kaleidoscope
This small candy striped green kaleidoscope button is a scarce oval shape. Loop shank on the metal backplate. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#107 Arita Realistic Pansy
This gorgeous and delicate medium realistic pansy bloom is Arita porcelain. Backmarked with self shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#108 Porcelain Rose in silver
A lovely rose in porcelain in high relief against the blue glazed background is in a silver mount with twisted rope border. Signed on the reverse “B.D. Cπ 6.96 1/30.” Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#109 Openwork Brass Flower with Steels
This openwork brass features a single flower bloom within the border design consisting of double leaf motifs accented with cut steel jewels. A total of fifteen steel jewels embellish the button. Elongated brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#110 Wafer Glass with Brass Bird
A Div. I translucent milk glass wafer features a brass swallow escutcheon. Brass plate and loop shank hold the escutcheon. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#111 Bird Inlay Horn
This translucent horn button features a silver inlay of a bird atop a brass wire branch inlay with colorful pearl and mica chips creating more inlay beauty. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#112 Embellished Pinna Shell
This large and amazing Pinna Shell with carved front is embellished with brass studs and silvered black glass jewels creating the center design. Textured copper studs dot the outer border. (One of these studs is missing and has been replaced with a faux stud.) Brass plate and loop shank. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#113 18th C. Painting
A painting on ivory under glass depicts a woman in a classic pensive pose. The bright blue central reserve behind her is surrounded by a delicate wreath of roses on a black border. Tinned sheet-iron back, copper rim and copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $400-600.
#114 18th C. Blue Lady on Silk
A printed and hand-painted silk scene under glass depicts a young woman in a swirling blue gown bearing gifts for a white-clad gentleman. Tinned sheet-iron back and copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $400-600.
#115 Pearl with Paste Border
Lustrous carved ocean pearl with paste center and claw-set paste border. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#116 Oval Sew-Thru Cameo
A large oval cameo-carved shell button depicts a woman about to cross a bridge. Two-hole sew-thru. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#117 Nouveau Jewel
Nouveau style flowing leaves design with claw-set turquoise and clear paste jewels on this openwork button from the late 19th century. Elongated brass shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#118 18th C. Copper
Vertical columns of raised beads fill the center of this exceptional copper button. A stamped border creates the effect of pie-crust crimping. Drilled shank. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#119 Deluxe Enamel Couple in Silver
This large enamel features a young woman reading a book at a stone table and bench, her beau seated behind her. Mounted in signed and quality marked silver. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#120 18th C. Repousse Over Wood
Fancy pinwheel design of repousse gilt metal over a wood mold. The twisted rope shank is not the typical cat-gut cord. There is enough variation in the coloring that one wonders if it might even be hair? Est. selling price is $60-100.
#121 Mexican Silver with Abalone
Abalone shell set in Mexican silver with pretty openwork border. Backmark AHS 925 and Made in Mexico markings. Silver loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#122 Cupid, Lion, Snake Screenback
A large brass pictorial titled “Cupid in Danger” features a pierced scene of Cupid on the back of a lion with a snake rearing its head. The scene is mounted over a mirrored screenback. Shown BBB PL 189-3. Japanned reverse with loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#123 Elephant and Tiger
This brass pictorial depicts an elephant rearing up as a tiger runs by. Shown BBB PL 109-14. Bamboo motif border. Steel reverse with wire loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#124 Rhino on Abalone
A brass rhinoceros escutcheon decorates a large, pin-shanked abalone button. Signed “MMF 99” for Mud, Metal & Fire. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#125 Alaskan Carvings and Scrimshaw
Four buttons carved and rendered by the same native Alaskan artist including a realistic walrus head, a realistic walrus, a scrimshaw fish depiction on a modified rectangle, and a scrimshaw polar bear. The artist’s signature can be seen on the front of the scrimshaw buttons and the reverse of the walrus head. The walrus is unsigned. Self and brass shanks. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#126 Penguins in V.I.
This charming button in carved vegetable ivory features a parent and child penguin in high relief. The penguins’ dark coloring comes from the tagua nut bark. The artist has also retained the bark for the border of the button. Glued, pigtail wire shank. Signed by the artist “Ray Showman, Nov. 1985.” Est. selling price is $30-60.
#127 Gaumond Owl Paperweight
A wide-eyed little owl perched on its branch and wrapped by the crescent moon is the canework subject of this paperweight button by glass artist Mary Gaumond. Signed and dated 2012. Copper loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#128 One Grand Frog
This extra-large button features a jewel-embellished yellow-metal frog with black glass eyes sitting on a brass lily pad. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#129 Burwood Flamingo
This two-hole, sew-thru Burwood/Syroco button depicts a flamingo standing on one leg. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#130 Portuguese Water Dog & Duck
An emaux peints enamel button depicts a fine old hunting breed that developed in medieval Portugal. The dog carries a duck brought down by its master. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#131 Elephants in Bidri
A younger and older elephant are depicted at a savanna watering hole on this painting framed by the Bidri mount. Marked “Veg Ivory” on back. Large, heavy loop shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#132 Rat Trapped by Cat Head Border
A French white metal button showing a terrified rat against a textured background. His fear is justified with the terrific multi-cat head border encircling the rat. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
#133 Large Arita Turkey
A fabulous large size realistic turkey in teal green coloring in Arita porcelain. Backmarked TK JAPAN with self shank. Est. selling price is $200-400.
#134 Xlarge Jeweled Elephant
An extra-large Div. III two-piece copper openwork design featuring the head of an elephant embellished with a multitude of glittering paste jewels. Copper wire loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#135 V.I. Rat
A little rat clutches its tail between its front feet on this highly dimensional carved V.I. button embellished with inlaid eyes. Inserted bone shank. Est. selling price is $30-60.
#136 Six Scarce Small Pictorials
Six small and scarce brass pictorials include the Angel of Peace, the Cat and the Mirror, a TURNAROUND Sol and Luna, the Fire Fairy, Shakespeare’s MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, and the Jester and Pantalon. Loop shanks. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#137 Creeping Baby
A large and very scarce brass pictorial titled “Creeping Baby.” Shown BBB PL 197-1. The baby is creeping across the table top that was set with fancy dishes and tablecloth. The reverse is steel with a metal loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#138 Cupid Triumphant
This extra-large brass with lined radiating background pattern sports a high relief brass figure of “Cupid Triumphant” as he displays an arrow and bow in his upraised hands. A similar button is shown BBB PL 185-3. Brass loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
#139 18th C. Dieppe Ivory with Paste Border
This stunning medium button features carved ivory from Dieppe, France, depicting Cupid bringing an offering bowl to a flaming altar. The ivory is mounted over pink foil, set under glass, and mounted in silver with a border of beautiful brilliants. A similar button can be seen in Epstein and Safro’s book, “Buttons,” p. 27. Also, a companion button sold in our Winter 2019 auction. Silver wire loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
