Page 46 - October1997

Twisted Wire.
Yellow metal wire c
twisted of two or more
strands is used to deco-
rate a number of swirl-
backs which, with a 6 (
few notable exceptions,
are moderately low lr3
convex in shape and
without other omamen-
tation. A peculiarity of
this group is that they
appear to have been
made only of opaque
glass. (At least no spec-
imens of transparent 5 Lrt bI
glass turned up in the
course of this study!)
This group shows a o
greater spread of sizes
than any of the others,
ranging from 13132 of
an inch in diameter to D9
23132 of an inch, with
the majority measuring more than half an inch. The wire is embedded in eight patterns shown here, with
only the simplest pattem, the circlet, used on buttons of more than one shape.
D-1. A plain circle of twisted wire is the most familiar design in this group. It is found on many
ofthe typical convex buttons mentioned above in various opaque colors, in black, and in a whitish hue
somewhere between clambroth and tme white. The greatest rarity encountered in this shape and pattem
is one ofnear-clambroth hue with black overlay trim filling the central area within the circle.
D-2. The circle oftwisted wire also appears on one ofonly two ball-shaped buttons found in the
whole class. This is a whitish sphere, 7/16 of an inch in diameter, with a pronounced swirlback.
D-3. On this scarce two-colored button the makers ofthe type employed enough ingenuity to pro-
duce something truly distinctive. The round loop oftwisted wire is used as a sort ofcollar or necklace
to encircle and define a large tip omament ofa shade ofglass contrasting boldly with the body color. On
this specimen, the white tip forms a small, smooth dome rising sharply from the convex black body.
D-4. This is similar to D-3 in shape except for the faceting ofthe tip section. The button depicted
is of opaque yellow with a white tip.
D-5. The circle of twisted wire is elaborated into a quatrefoil on this button of clambroth-white,
5/8 of an inch in diameter.
D-6. Here the basic circular design is further modified into an eight-scalloped loop on a button oth-
erwise identical to D-5.
D-7. These four small touching rings represent the fanciest flight of the wire-trimmer's imagina-
tion. This very scarce button, with a body ofsoftjade green glass, is one ofthe dreamboats ofthe entire
class.
D-8. The oval wire decoration may frequently be found on a small button (7/16 ofan inch in diam-
eter) ofa shade ofred best described as camelian. Other colors are scarcer, but quite a variety ofthem
(white, pale blue, bright blue, rose, lavender, dark brown, and bright green) may be found in a size
roughly 17 132 of an inch in diameter.
D-9. An oval with pinched ends is one of the more unusual forms assumed by the twisted wire
omament. It tums up most often on a 7/16-inch button ofgreyish lavender, opaque ofcourse, and has
been noted less fiequently on buttons ofblack and dark green.
D-10. The square arrangement oftwisted wire, in so far as this study has discovered, appears only
on a black glass swirlback slightly more than a half inch in diameter.
D-I1. The single bar is likewise limited to use on black, it would appear. Close examination of this
button brings to light the curious fact that the decoration is not, in strict fact, twisted wire as are the oth-
ers, but a slender rod molded in minute grooves to suggest the individual strands of wire.