Who's Got the Button

One of the most seductive qualities of buttons to collectors is the broad array of materials used to create them. Throughout human history, buttons have been shaped from natural materials such as antler, bamboo, and bone; cast out of many metals; and molded from clays and different types of glass; they have been formed out of several generations of synthetic materials such as celluloid, casein, and other plastics, resins, and polymers. Each type of material presents its own challenges, and some materials are intensely incompatible with one another. Fortunately, some simple rules of good artifact conservation can help any collector give these tiny treasures the best possible care.

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