specific types

How to engage the slide show:

click on the first image on the left of the gallery below, then select the arrow at the bottom left of the enlarged image. Or you can manually go to the next slide by hovering your cursor on the middle right side then clicking the arrow that appears. Hover your cursor on the middle left side then click the arrow that appears to go backwards. Close the slide show or manual show by clicking the X button on the lower right of the image. (The image of each button is followed by an image of that button's back or reverse side.)

Acknowledgments, References and information for this category are at the bottom of this page.

Button Country

An Educational Resource for Button Collectors - originally created by Paul Rice

Section 23-3 : Back Types Assorted

Click this link to download and print the Polymers Back Type Chart.

Some descriptions of these buttons may be cut off. Full descriptions can be seen in the slide show mode.

4-way self-shank - (Meissen) Dresden (#18)

4-way self-shank - Hollow back Porcelain (#24)

Applied shank - Porcelain (#4)

Inserted self shank (bird cage ) - china (#5, #26)

Pin shank - porcelain (#35)

Pin shank - Norwalk pottery (#35)

Plate and Loop shank - china Gaiter bulls' eye (#29, #37)

Self-shank - Satsuma - older style (#42)

Self-shank - Satsuma - newer style (#42)

Self-shank Arita - Back mark (#42)

Mechanically applied shank and back -Arita God of Fortune (#37)

Staple shank Antiquarian back type (#3, #46)

Applied shank - 2-piece mirror (#4)

2-way Box shank - black glass (#6)

4-way Box shank (with thread groove) - black glass (#6, #21)

Bridge shank - black glass (#8)

Claw shank (Four petals) - black glass (#13)

Claw shank (five petals) - black glass (#13)

Double shanks - Screen embedded in black glass (#17)

Claw, Hollow - black glass (#13, #24)

Hollow Small plate - Black Glass (#24)

Hollow Large plate - Black Glass (#24)

Hump shank - Victorian Glass (#25)

Hump also claw shank - 2 piece mirror (#13, #25)

Hump shank - black glass with gold luster (#25)

Hump 2-way Claw shank - Black Glass (#13, #25)

Key shank - "Popper" yellow glass (#28, #38)

Key shank - "Popper" black glass (#28, #38)

Loop Screen back - intermixed glass (#29)

Pig tail shank - glass paperweight (#34)

Pin-shank - black glass with Paste OME (#35)

Plate and loop shank - black glass (#37)

Plate and Loop - Elongated - Waistcoat (#37)

Plate and Loop - black glass (#37)

Plate and Loop (plate hidden by black pitch) - Watch Crystal (#37)

Metal with loop shank - red glass Bimini

Metal with loop shank - black glass with Brass escutcheon

Self shank - Blown glass (#42)

Self shank (Cone shape) - blue glass (#42)

Self shank (Wedge Shape) Black Glass with gold luster (#42)

Self Shank (with thread grooves) Black Glass Nailsea (#42)

Swirlback - black glass with clear glass OME (#49)

Thread Shank - black glass with beaded fabric OME (#50)

Tunnel shank - black glass tile (#53)

Wire shank - black glass (#57)

Wire shank - 2-piece molded black glass (#57)

A-type shank - brass with cut-steel OME (#1)

Loop shank - brass openwork with paste OME (#29)

Metal Bird Cage shank - metal - French Uniform (#5)

Metal Bird Cage shank - brass - Paris back mark (#5)

Brazed shank - Shell set in metal - movable (#7)

Cast or Integral shank - 17th c. "lost wax" cast metal (#10, #27)

Cast or Integral shank - 17th c. 2-piece metal, mold method (#10, #27)

Cast shank - Battersea pewter with head shank (#10)

Cat gut shank 18th c. Repoussè woodback (#12)

Self Shank - Lithograph (#42)

Self Shank - Design under glass (#42)

Self Shank - French Tight Paris back (#42)

Double shank (Split-like design) - glass in metal (#17)

Double shank - glass in metal (#17)

Glove shank (shank bar under back plate) - brass (#23)

Hollow - Brass - Back mark (#24)

Loop or Brazed loop shank - shell set in metal (#7, #29)

Loop shank - enamel with paste OME (#2, #29, #57)

Loop shank - brass - Paris back mark (#29)

Loop shank (Elongated - also called Eye Shank) - brass (#19, #29)

Loop shank (closing) can use 1/2 in competition if shank in the middle (#29)

Loop shank - Hard white metal with pewter-like cone (#29)

Loop or wire shank - Screenback (#29, #57)

Omega shank - brass - Jacksonian (#31)

Expanded Omega shank - plastic with glass OME (#31)

Self shank (Wedge Shape) - white metal with cut-steels (#42)

Slip shank (designed to be loose) - brass Div. II (#44)

Split (Circumflex) shank - glass in metal (#45)

Wedge shank - 18th c. Cast Bronze-drilled hole (#10, #55)

Wobble shank - brass Overall button (#59)

Applied shank - fabric Realistic (#4)

Cased back - fabric (#11)

Self shank - fabric (#42)

Darned back - 18th c. metal openwork (#16)

Gathered back - late 18th c. to early 19th c. fabric, metal & glass (#22)

Loop Shank made of cord & beads (#29)

Plastic Back with applied shank (#4, #36)

Ring (Hand sewn ring may have been added) - beaded fabric (#39)

Staple shank - fabric ball shape (#46)

Dorset Ring (Worked) - fabric (#60)

Worked Threads -18th c. Passementerie - enamel & glass OME (#61)

Worked Threads -18th c. Passementerie - metal & steel OME (#61)

Worked - fabric silk threads (#60)

Wound - fabric gimp threads (#2)

Applied "U" Type shank - Celluloid (#4)

Bird cage shank - Horn (#5)

Bridge shank - vegetable ivory (#8)

4 way Box shank - swaged in shell (#6)

4 way Box shank - Wood (#6)

Metal loop shank - "GAP" BM (#29)

Self shank - Celluloid tight top (#42)

Hump shank - Leather (#25)

Loop shank - Buffalo horn Veneer (#29)

Loop leather shank - Leather "knot" (#29)

Pin shank - Shell Colonial type (#35)

Pin shank - Shell with Brass Escutcheon (#35)

Pin shank - Birmingham Trade, vegetable ivory, brass & paste (#35)

Mechanically threaded Loop shank - Shell with OME (#29)

Plate and Loop shank - Leather (#29, #37)

Self shank - vegetable ivory with movable door knocker (#42)

Self shank (Turret Shape) - Wood (#42)

Split and Swaged shank - Shell with enamel plaque (#45, #48)

Staple shank - Wood in wood (#46)

Swaged shank - Shell with goldstone OME (#48)

Tunnel shank - Vegetable Ivory (#53)

Turret shank (4-way Metal cylinder) - VI (#21, #54)

Clutchette - Shown in 1995 NBB as a back type - this is not a button

Self Shank - Clear Glass with metal rim (#42)

Solder Shank - Shell - Solder fills hole made for swaged plate

Back to Specific Types Assorted

These pages illustrate visual examples of back types including shanks and other means of attachment that do not have a unique number in the back types class. Each example represents one of the back types listed in the glossary table you can download.

View and download the glossary table for more information.

These examples are grouped into other categories of ceramic and china; black and clear and colored glass; metal and glass mounted in metal; fabric; other materials,; synthetic polymers, and back types not specifically defined. To avoid excessive duplication, all possible back types are not shown for each material section. The numbers in parenthesis, IE: (#1), identify the specific glossary definition being illustrated.