Page 45 - January1948

NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN 43

harder to acquire. Even in these, lve have collectors who have tried to make
setB of one hat, or other item, in all colors. My interpretation of a "set" is
the one originally designed. That is, the designer draws a series of sketches
of objects relating to each other. After the design ig approved, the manu-
facturer decides on the colors to be used. The average is eight colors. In
the fall, if the item is good, it will be silver, gold and bronze plated and
this adds three more colors to our range.
Through correspondence with a collector friend in South Dakota, we
have acquired a set "Schooldays", which is, as far as we knoril, the earliest
of the button sets. They were.manufactured around 1935. The World's
Fair Set and Transportation Set, familiar to collectors, were made for the
World's Fair in 1939. According to information received, the Metal Musi-
riaus were rnanufactured in 1938. The S/hiskey Set is also metal. The rest
of the buttons on card No. 1 are plastic. Many of these are still available
but it does take a little bit of hunting. Most sets are comprised of six dif-
ferent items. A few exceptions are; The Tea Set (about 14 colors), made
in Japan around 1939, sold exclusively in the East, is comprised of four
items. l'he I)isney Set, these have been "re-issued" and are nov/ on the
market. However, in comparing the new with the earlier issue, we have
iloticed the more delicate shades of the older buttons. There may have
been several "re-issues" as we have three different shades of pale yellow
and pale pink. To my knowledge, they were never manufactured with trim.
The Whiskey Set has but five items. Mount Vernon, Schenley, Wilson's,
Seagram's V. O., and White Horse. We have seen them in the silver color
only. The Colorrlal Set has but tu.o buttons. They also come in a variety of
colors with colored trim. The I/enf Set has but five buttons and comes in a
great variety of colors with delicate shadings applied. The Candy Set,
which has twelve buttons, inclirdes bon bons, gumdrops and candy cuts.
One of these is shown on card No. 2. They al'e very lovely and the set came
to me in a candy box with candy papers around them. Another set, of
which we show but one, are the Illate Dlnners, manufactured by B. Blumen-
thal & Co. Inc., in 1939. This set includes Fish, Lamb Chops, Chicken, Egg
& Bacon. Steak and Vegetable Dinners. These buttons were not the .,dime
store" variety and when hunting for them, one of the merchants informed me
he had sold his entire stock one Christmas and the purchaser was going to
use them. minus shanks, as "food" for the table in his childrens'doll houses!
Each of these plates came in a different color with the food ln natural colors.
They did, however, come in three diffelent sizes with the largest being
7s/s". The'Ioy Set has six pieces and comes in a great many colors plus gold,
silver and bronze.
Most glass, china and wooden buttons were made in Czechoslovakia with
the exception of the large skier on card No. 2 who was nanufactured in
Yugoslavia.
Perhaps this will give you the urge to collect these interesting buttons
and rnore information may be b|ought to light. Happy buttonirtg!
Note: Buttons shown are from the collection of Elaine and Helen warin-
sky with the exception of the Toy set, which was borrowed for this Dhoto-
graph trom Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Stevens.

(. A BUTTON tS BORN
Have you ever u'ondered who dreams up the bright ideas for La Mode,s
*
fashion buttons ? rlel'e's one of their f olemost designers, Marion
Weeber who delights in whimsy and young, fun, button rlesisns. La Mode
has just introduced her new spring series of "fashion grown" frult, fresb
eggs and vegetables in their own little crates and bushel baskers
Marion weeber wears three on her short-sleeved shantung frock, has made
her own earrings from buttons to match!
* This article is by courtesy of "La Mode," B. Blumenthal & Co. Inc