Page 31 - May1964

May, 1964 NATIONAL BUTTON BI'LLETIN 125

Metal Trim (5). This class is provided for buttons that employ metal for decora-
tion rather than for practical purposes.
Embedded metal (5a) is anchored in the glass, having been laid down when the
button was molded. Altho the general appearanoe resembles certain inlay, the pro-
cess is not precisely the same and collectors, for at least twenty-five years, have
preferred to make a distinction. They may, howevex, be used to represent glass on
cards requiring inlay in assorted materials. The two chief kinds axe:
Bracelek (5a1). Open-centered ornaments made either of twisted wire or stamp-
ed from sheet metal. T'lxe latter are as delicate as embossed paper.
Pictorials (5a2). Ornaments stamped from thin metal in realistic shapes and em-
bedded at the top center, one per button. Variety is limited - anchor, flower, gar-
land, insect, fox mask are the ones observed on old charm strings. For an excel-
lent study of "Embedded Yellow Metal Trim", by H. Campbell Scarlett, see the
Bulletin for September 1960, pp f98-210.
Escutchmrl (5b) defined as a button term, is a striking metal o,rnament which is
superimposed as a separate piece on a button top by some means other than inlay
or embedded. fn the ca^se of clear and colored glass, it is mo6t often superimposed
by means of a pin-shank. Such an escutcheon is an essential functional part
of the shank, its head. But, unlike the smallish pin-head, it, is also an essential
part of button's design if not the whole thing. It may lie free or rest in a cavity
molded in the glass. In a few instances, escutcheons are attached to glass as they
often are to pearl with prongs that pass thru the button body and fold down.
Paperbacks (6) are exactly like kaJeidoscopes except in one imporiant way - no
me,tal. A loop shank is sunk into the glass without any shank plate at aJl. A thin
sheet of paper, with pattern against the glass, lies completely exposed. The shell-
shape is usuaJly found with paperback. (Those who have regarded t'he pa,perback
as one type of kaleidoscope on the basis on the May, 1951 BuUetin, wiu find this
note of interest. When the proposed classification was presented at the 1951 Show,
those present voted to make paperbacks a separate class. Hence, they wero taken
out of kaleidoscopes almost as soon as they got there ! )
VI SHAPE
(Illustration on following page)
Shape is one of the most striking features of clear and colored glass buttons. The
complexity and variety is so great that (as in the case of color) no cla,ssification
can do it justice. It is being looked at from two angles (1) a^s a solid figure and
(2) as a flat flgure which is to say (1) whole body, (2) around the edge only. Listed
are those shapes most popular with collectors today.
Fancy contours a.re those of some elaborateness, such as:
Berry/Multi-tippetl (1a). Includes shapes closely resembling the tip of a black-
berry and also thme like pointed "rods" massed together.
Fluted (1b) includes all bodies that are segmented (like an orange) with inden-
tations that run from top-center to the edge.
Bailiant-like shapes (1c) are identical with those of true radia.nts. The difference
between the two distinct classes is that these mere shapes lack tho contrasting
glass fused on the back of true radiants. Dew-drop and glory shapes are not dif-
ficult to recognize. FLsflector shapes take careful matching of button with button.
Especiauy adva.nced collectors seaJch for pairs of true radiant a,nd radiant-like
shape.
Gieometric contour (2) refers to bodies with shapes based upon one of the simple
geometric solids.