Page 45 - October1997

up in the center. It has been discovered in amber, in transparent red, and in transparent dark green
(shown), all without added trim.
C-4. This curious shape has perpendicular sides with a bordering ridge around the base, and the
circlet set down in large recessed area ofthe top. Presumably, all ofthese buttons were originally fin-
ished with an added tip or globule ofcontrasting color set in the opening ofthe circlet. One out-of-
this-world specimen, black with a white tip, has been discovered intact. Anothcr example, of trans-
parent dark green glass, lacks the tip.
C-5. The button, with its four pronounced lobes, may have been inspired by a four leafclover,
and lucky the collector who finds one! The one example reported is ofopaque dark blue.
C-6. This high convex button is divided into four equal segments by channels which run from
the crown down to the base, and each segment is creased at the top by the beginning of another chan-
nel which disappears halfway down the button's side. The particular button pictured, ancl the onlv
specimen known to this tabulator, is something to dream of, being a sheath overla)' ofclear mint green
over a white core.
C-7. This is as scarce as C-6 but, by conhast, about as insignificant as they come. It is in essence
A-1 1-a with a circlet replacing the plain tip. The one example discovered is oftransparent dark purple
glass unrelieved by any touch ofoverlay trim.
C-8. This shape is reminiscent ofA- I 7, although it has five, rather than six twisted radiating ribs
which are sharper and curved on a longer are. It is known to this tabulator only as a plain black but-
ton.
C-9. On this high convex button six angular ribs radiate straight from the center to form a star at
the base ofthe button. It is an unusual and highly desirable button, which has been discovered in light
blue opaque glass, in opaque brown, and in black, each decorated with a band ofwhite overlay trim.
C-10. Here by all odds was the best seller of the yellow-metal-embedded group. This small flut-
ed button may be found in virtually every known shade ofcharm string glass, both transparent and
opaque, with a band of white overlay trim, and also in white with considerable variety of colors used
for the band of overlay trim. The inexplicable name of "cookies" has at some times and in some local-
ities been attached to these buttons, but the term has never been dignified by any official recognition.
In size, most buttons are very close neighbors to the average 7116 of an inch in diameter, but an occa-
sional example is lound to be almost as small as 3/8 of an inch, and one specimen of l7132 has tumed
up, looking like a veritable monster. A considerable majority ofthe buttons have ten ribs, while a few
nine-ribbed specimens are to be lound. For those wishing to make the distinction, the nine-ribbed but-
tons may be designated C-10-a, and the ten-ribbed, C-10-b. Among the rarities noted in this popular
form are: a bright opaoue yellow button with the standard white band, but an extra row ofbeading in
the metal circlet; a transparent amethyst button with no band of trim; a transparent purple sheath over-
lay, with no band of trim, on a white core; a paperweight with a clear cap over a white and grev swirled
set-up; and a paperweight with a clear cap over a swirled selup of light green and dark pink on white.
C-11. This pattem differs fiom C- I 0 in that it is a somewhat flattened button (as opposed to the
pronounced convexity usual on C-10), the ribs are often indistinct and poorly defined, and the num-
ber of ribs is always thirteen or fourteen. Overlay trim typically, (invariably in so far as has been
checked) takes the form of irregular swirls. Purple, blue and black swirls on white are more or less
familiar, while white swirls have been found on purple, cobalt, dark transparent green and transpar-
ent red.
C-12. This scarce button resembles C-10 except forthe fact that it has fourteen or sixteen nar-
row but well defined ribs. It has been discovered in cobalt and in dark transparent green, both with the
standard band of white overlay trim. Shown here in white, one with green, one with orange.
C-13. Here is one ofthe most unusual shapes discovered. The circlet is set on a lightly ribbed
dome (The ribs are too small and too many to be counted this time!) with a heaw beaded border
around the base.
C-14. The designers let themselves go with this one, ending up with a composition to baffle both
illustrator and commentator. A ring ofsmall raised beads surrounds the circlet on the flattish top, and
is itselfbounded by a ring ofwhite overlay trim. The most unusual feature is found in the five disk-
shaped moldings on the more or less oerpendicular sides ofthe button. The button is known ln trans-
parent red, opaque brown, and light and dark shades of opaque blue (shown).