Page 34 - January1948

a, NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN

buttons. After gatheling all the matet'ial for the museum and while
waiting for the steamer, this alcheologist went back to the ruins and
gathered these buttons for his private Indian Relic collectlon which he
lecently sold to my dealet' triend.
In the second tray ate some otllet' types of so-called buttons where the
two holes are bored at angles to meet each othet'but do not show on the face
being similar to the self shank buttons of the present time. These buttons
ale also of the Tariona cultute of South Amet'ica. Every other button is
reversed to show the rear and frollt of the ltuttons. These tiny holes were
bored or drilied by using a fine flit and a stlav'or a reed.
In the centel of the second tlay are nine figurines of stone with pl'imi-
tive, carved, ol cut faces having two holes driiled to meet each other in the
back, and are of similaf <rharacter. to the oliental Netsukes of this age.
These wele excavated in some of the Milta Ruins about eighty miles from
N{exico city, and ar.e of the zapotic crrltule. Their similality to the modern
Netsukes seems to strengthen the theoly that the Arnerican Indian or the
Pre-Literate NIan of Amer.ica might have o|iginated from ol'iental Ancestry.
Arro.w heads. stoue axes, und othel' stone age implements similar to oul
Indian t.elics have lteen fountl upon all large islands and the val'ious con-
tinents'
contributed bv HERMAN o. zANDllR

THE FORUM (PART II)
LOOKING BACK-WARD
By BLANCHE C. PENDLETON

with the passing of time there has been a tendetlcy on the pal't of col-
lectors to le 1ot nerely "button-consciotls" but button'bnck conscious as well'
We of the button *'orld have beeu richly infolmed concerning the early
wood and bone backs; we have read and learned lnuch about thread backs,
.u"uu" rru"r.a, tin backs, and screen backs; and we have been rnade aware ot
ihe pate't dates, mauuf acturers' llallles, attd so on-data to be f ound on
the backs of certain other types of buttons'
In this brief article we a|e calling attention to a still different type of
Uact<Inamely, the foil back, which is characteristic of a variety of small
glass buttons.
Although I have no facts t0 Dl'ove this statement I am rather of the
opinio"- inaf these foil backs are colrparatively unfamiliar to the maiority
oi collectols. Incouspicuotts in appearance, they are often overlooked when
tri iil .otupuny of the nore colorful and showy glass buttons. But they
are most interesting, nonetheless.
The construction of this button is very sirnple. on the uuderside of
i,u ordiriu.y clear glass button with molded surface design is pasted a small
iriece oi nretal foil. This foil varies slightly in color and markings. The
iesult, as seen on the face of the button, is a somewhat mottled effect iu tones
iatherjdull altd indistinct. The vivid coloring of the kaleidoscope is lacking.
and even the Dainted-back glass buttons are colol'ful by compal'ison,
Obviously, this foil back was added purely for the sake of variety. Or'
perhaps, it was a device oD the part of the mauufactuler to tlse up old, Ieft-
irver stock that had become a drug on the market. In those illstances iD
whi<:h the glass button has a molded design on the back, the foil quite
r:lear.ly shows this patterD, indicating that it had been subjected to pressure
of some sort upon it.
The maiority of foil backs have the wire loop shank. A few of the two-
h<-rle, sew-tht'ough type howcver are to be had. In the case of these the foil
has a backing of heavier white paper.