Auction closes to new bids (extended bidding after 9 pm CT on high activity lots):
#1 Of Snails, a Gnome, and Pearls
An enchanting work by artist Nancy Dubois, who transformed a lily of the valley stem into a stalk of pearl treasure for this little gnome traipsing across a stepping stone path of snails. Pigmented and engraved pinna shell with pearl embellishment. Signed, numbered and dated on the reverse. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $280
Next minimum bid: $305
#2 Triad Paisley Border Lacy
#3 Lacquered Bird in a Flowering Bush
#4 Emerald Paste and Marcasite Jewel
#5 Gold Duo
#6 Two Pretty Ladies
#7 Jewel of Beads
#8 Motiwala Greenaway Enamel
#9 Big Couture Wood
#10 Tingue Duo
#11 Woman Playing a Mandolin
#12 Large Edwardian Enamel
#13 XLG Chrysanthemum on Wood
#14 Openwork Enamel Floral
#15 Triple Bow Bordered Red Enamel
#16 Swan Micromosaic Jewel
#17 Screech Owl on Wood
#18 King Crow
Shhh! Don’t tell King Crow the jewel he’s carrying is fool’s gold! From the creative hand of artist Janet White of California, this moveable enamel (crown is hinged) is embellished with silver and pyrite. Artist’s decorated card included. Signature stamp on the reverse. Est. selling price is $60-100.
Current bid: $145
Next minimum bid: $155
#19 Silvered Shell
#20 Enamel with Gold Foil Bird
#21 Pentagon in Fabric
#22 Poppy and Pearls
#23 Jeweled Art Nouveau Head
#24 Objects on Pearl
#25 Green Colt Rouge
A medium two-part amino resin button made as a novelty for a short time in the 1940’s by the Colt Firearm Company. The green screw-top is decorated with a molded, cameo-style head and fitted on a black base. Green lid numbered 194 on inner side. Inner black compartment shows PAT. PENDING COLT and the number 41. Self shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
Current bid: $135
Next minimum bid: $145
#26 Couple in the Garden Porcelain
#27 Pin-Shanked Porcelain
#28 Biern Basket
#29 Bow & Garland Victorian Milk Glass
#30 Realistic Porcelain Rose
#31 Realistic Arita Tiger Head
#32 French White Cat
#33 Burwood Borzoi Hound
#34 Arita Afghan Hound Head
#35 Purple Enamel Cat Head
#36 Verbal Lion’s Head Bimini Glass
#37 Molded Horn Cat
#38 Ivoroid Putti & Lion
#39 Glass-Eyed Cat
#40 Balinese Cat
#41 Cat and the Blues
#42 Porcelain Fable Duo
#43 Bakelite Dog Head
#44 Aluminum Couture Fish
Gilded aluminum fish, crafted in France in the late 1940s, by Font Guillot for the fashion industry from unused war machinery. See examples of this in Loic Allio’s book, “A Button Odyssey.” This type of fish is often found as a classic spouter fountain. Cast self shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $117
Next minimum bid: $127
#45 Dog Head Milk Glass
#46 Shell Horseshoe
#47 Bangeman Shell Bison
#48 Gilt Embellished Shell
#49 Dog Duo
#50 French Boar Sporting
#51 Sporting Dogs Duo
#52 Horseshoe Handkerchief Corners
#53 18th-C Copper Hunter
#54 18th-C Battersea Enamel
A superb transfer printed enamel in soft brown, probably Battersea, 1753-1756. Finely set in a gilt mounting. The unusual shank of two crossed gilded copper wires imitates the catgut shanks of wood or bone back buttons of the early-mid 18th century. Reference BBB PL 12, #13-16. Est. selling price is $600-1500.
Current bid: $6900
Next minimum bid: $7000
#55 Polar Bear Sporting
#56 Gilded Jeweled Sunflowers
#57 Amber Gay 90s
#58 Stag Handkerchief Corners
#59 18th-C Star Engraved Copper
#60 Gutta Percha Floral
#61 Early 5-Hole Bone
#62 Paisley Lacy
#63 Huguenin Poultry
A rooster stands sentinel over his hen as a hawk flies overhead on this large white metal from the Huguenin Medailleurs of Switzerland. The button is signed HUGUENIN along the lower front edge. Huguenin buttons were imported from Switzerland in the 1960s, made from old medal die engravings from the watch-case maker and medallieur enterprise of brothers Fritz and Albert Huguenin in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $276
Next minimum bid: $301
#64 Petoskey Thistle
#65 Ladybug on Wood
#66 Arita Birds
#67 Feeding the Birds Watch Crystal
A rare and large pictorial watch crystal button from the late 19th century featuring a printed paper cutout under the crystal depicting a woman feeding the birds. Similar buttons are shown BBB PL 38 #1, and #3 on the opposite page. Another watch crystal from this set is in Lot #237. Lacquered metal reverse with wire loop shank. Est. selling price is $60-100.
Current bid: $105
Next minimum bid: $115
#68 Bird and Mt. Fuji Satsuma
#69 18th-C Featherwork
#70 Arita Bird Duo
#71 Realistic Ceramic Turkey
#72 Chrysanthemums and Bamboo
#73 Celluloid Background Satin Jewel
This complex and wonderful button features a bezel mounted satin glass cabochon on an intricate design of arched wire fronds over a green celluloid background. Gilded reverse with wire loop shank. I can almost see a glowing firefly in the design. Can you? Est. selling price is $200-400.
Current bid: $120
Next minimum bid: $130
#74 Gin Bari Enamel
#75 Painted Turkeys in Bidri
#76 Small Lacy Glass Group
A scarce Div. I clear lacy glass in the realistic shape of a leaf. Lovely iridescent luster finish. One wee chip on a leaf tip. AND four small Div. I lacy glass, three with gold and amber colors and one with a triple paisley design and blue back color. Brass shanks. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $165
Next minimum bid: $175
#77 Square of Wood Beads and Steels
#78 18th-C Monogrammed Silver
#79 Pearl Thistle
#80 Small Steel Insect
#81 Repoussé Silver & Enamel Peony
#82 18th-C Three Material
#83 Plique A Jour Lily
#84 18th-C Copper Mourning
#85 Enamel Trio
#86 18th-C Gilt Repoussé
#87 Marcasite Jewel
#88 Basketful of French Knot Flowers
#89 Peacock Eye Jewel with Pastes
#90 Arts & Crafts Silver
#91 Shamrock and Crown Livery
#92 Royal Couple Glove Button
#93 18th-C King & Constitution
#94 Queen Victoria Scarce Stud Backtype
Portrait of Queen Victoria on celluloid, from her official Diamond Jubilee portrait of 1897, is rimmed and mounted on brass with a spring-loaded stud attachment. Reverse backmark includes a signature and rising sun face, along with patent numbers on the stud. Est. selling price is $60-100.
Current bid: $75
Next minimum bid: $85
#95 Victoria Glove
#96 Cowrie Shell Cameo
#97 Rare Goodyear Inlay
#98 18th-C Allegory of Honor
#99 18th-C Agate
#100 Small Rampant Lion Turned Corners
#101 Glass Head Waistcoat Trio
#102 Glass Minerva on Metal
#103 Rare Henry Clay Political
A profile bust and HENRY CLAY 1845 in raised letters against a fine undulating lined background on a two-piece gilt political with floral garland border design. Albert’s PC 206A. Another version shown BBB PL 296 #13. Clay was the unsuccessful Whig presidential candidate in the election campaign of 1844 against Polk. Backmarked SCOVILLS & CO, SUPERFINE in raised lettering in a recessed ring. Loop shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $251
Next minimum bid: $276
#104 Washington Silhouette Ceramic
#105 Nut Tree Boy Enamel Duo
#106 Pelican in Wood
#107 Brass Sail & Anchor Scene
#108 Paste and Steel Star
#109 Musical Lyre Passementerie
#110 Enameled Liberty Silver Ship
#111 Delft Porcelain Sailing Ship
#112 Vitrolite Glass Sailboat
Extra large glass sailboat with racing numbers by Lionel Nichols. See reference in the new “Clear and Colored Glass” book, by Howells and Chrowl, pg. 44. This type of button was made from 1946-1966 from a type of glass called vitrolite, which has the appearance of ceramic. Each piece was worked separately. Applied brass plate shank. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $187
Next minimum bid: $197
#113 Scrimshaw Sailing Ship
#114 Military Tribute
#115 Enamel Swordfish on Copper
#116 Working Compasses Duo
#117 Caravel
#118 The Big Wave Habitat
A fabulous collaboration from the creative studios of Janet White and Elizabeth Mott. An enamel wave is mounted on maple with a glass-covered habitat well filled with Japanese star sand, cotton hand knotted net, starfish, and apatite beads. Artist decorated card included. Limited edition #8/10. Est. selling price is $100-200.
Current bid: $120
Next minimum bid: $130
#119 Ouch! A Boy and a Crab
#120 M/D Cameo Carved Ships
#121 Floral Lacy Glass
#122 Carved Pearl Peacock
#123 French Couture Penguin
#124 Peacock Eye Jewel over Velvet
#125 Tunbridge Turnery
#126 Silver Overlay Caramel Glass
#127 Deluxe Enamel
#128 Motiwala Golden Peacock in Glass
#129 Neoclassical Jasperware
#130 Russian Enamel
#131 Zeus and the Eagle Wedgwood
#132 Featherwork Egret
#133 Plique a Jour with Pastes
#134 Shell Grapes Bunch Inlay
#135 Dimi Group
#136 Dimi Peacock Eye
#137 French White Rooster with Pastes
#138 Lavender Jewel
A lavender glass jewel centers this large silvered brass design with multiple borders including stylized flowers and an outer border of tiny acanthus leaves. Tinned steel reverse. Original shank was reinforced with a hefty dose of solder at one point in its history. Est. selling price is $10-30.
Current bid: $70
Next minimum bid: $80