background

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 7 : Glass, Clear and Colored

* To download and print pdfs of the clear & colored glass worksheets click these links: page 1 , page 2 , page 3, page 4 , page 5.

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

7-1 Back types - Staple Shank "Antiquarian"
7-1 Back types - Staple Shank "Antiquarian"
7-1 Back types - Cone shank
7-1 Back types - Claw shank
7-1 Back types - Key shank
7-1 Back types - loop shank
7-1 Back types - Pig tail shank
7-1 Back types - applied glass shank
7-1 Back types - pin shank
7-1 Back types - plate & loop shank
7-1 Back types - plate & loop shank,
- imitation sew-thru
7-1 Back types - screen back & loop shank
7-1 Back types - thread back
7-1 Back types - tunnel self shank
7-1 Back types - hump shank, Victorian
7-1 Back types - hump shank, Victorian
7-1 Back types - wire shank
7-1.1 Back types - 4-way metal box shank - Linear (Oval) shape
7-1.1 Back types - 4-way metal box shank
7-1.1 Back types - 4-way metal box shank with thread grooves
7-1.2 Back types - rosette shank
7-1.3 Back types - 2-hole sew thru
7-1.3 Back types - 4-hole sew-thru
7-1.4 Back types - swirl back
7-1.4 Back types - swirl back - Star shape - Pattern
7-2 Clear/colorless - Two piece - Paint DF
7-2 Clear/colorless - Glass with Glass
7-2 Clear/colorless - Matte (Paint DF)
7-2 Clear/colorless - Realistic shape
7-2 Clear/colorless - Matte (Paint DF)
7-2 Clear/colorless - Matte - 2-hole sew thru
7-2 Clear/colorless - Metal back
7-2 Clear/colorless - Paint DF
7-2 Clear/colorless - Paint DF
7-2 Clear/colorless - Pearlized
7-2 Clear/colorless - Precision inlay & Purple overlay
7-2 Clear/Colorless - Shiny - 2-hole sew-thru
7-2 Clear/Colorless - Matte/Shiny Combo
7-3.1 Opaque - Paint
7-3.1 Opaque - Paint & luster - Linear Square shape
7-3.1 Opaque -Gold Luster
7-3.1 Opaque - Gold Luster
7-3.1 Opaque - Red Metallic Luster
7-3.1 Opaque
7-3.1 Opaque - Silver Luster
7-3.1 Opaque - Goldstone
7-3.1 Colors - Translucent with gold luster
7-3.1 Colors - Translucent - Matte
7-3.2 Colors - Transparent - Matte/Shiny Combo
7-3.2 Transparent - Acid etched
7-3.2 Transparent - Imitation Tortoise Shell
7-3.2 Transparent
7-3.2 Transparent - Acid etched/frosted
7-3.2 - Transparent - Contour shape
7-3.2 - Transparent - Realistic shape
7-3.2 Transparent (Radiant)
7-3.2 Transparent - Painted back
7-3.3 White (Milk)
7-3.3 White - Triad pattern
7-3.3 White (Opalescent)
7-3.3 White (Clambroth/camphor)
7-3.3 White (Cream)
7-3.3 White (Ivory)
7-3.3 Opalescent - Silver luster - hexagonal shape
7-4 Div III Cased - Opaque (White base)
7-4 Div III Cased - Opaque (White base)
7-4 Construction - Div I Tile
7-4 Construction - Div I Tile (Paint DF on tile)
7-4.1 Construction - Blown
7-4.2 Construction - Coronet (Swirlback)
7-4.2 Construction - Color stratified
7-4.3 Construction - Crackle
7-4.4 Construction - Design in Glass Surface (DIGS)
7-4.4 Construction - Design in Glass Surface (DIGS)
7-4.5 Construction - Flashed
7-4.6 Construction - Foil Embedded with yellow overlay
7-4.6 Construction - Foil Embedded (Popper)
7-4.7 Construction - Fused - Div III Dichroic
7-4.7 Construction - Fused - Div III Dichroic - Kay Fergusen
7-4.7 Construction - Fused
7-4.8 Construction - Impression Inlay Brass (Swirlback)
7-4.9 Construction - Intermixed Opaque - Slag
7-4.9 Construction - Intermixed Translucent - hexagonal shape
7-4.9 Construction - Intermixed Transparent - Blends
7-4.9 Construction - Intermixed Opaque Clear glass top
7-4.9.1 Construction - Intermixed Opaque - Candy Stripe
7-4.10 Construction - Lampwork (Edmondson)
7-4.10 Construction - Lampwork - Realistic shape
7-4.11 Construction - Moonglow
7-4.11 Construction - Moonglow (modern) - Realistic shape
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Venetian
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay -Contour shape
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay Dot (Swirlback)
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Contour Ball Shape
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Spatter
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Tip (Swirlback)
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Encrusted
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Coralene
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Salt (Swirlback)
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Salt Foil Paperweight Swirlback
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Sheath
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Sheath (Ribbon)
7-4.12 Construction - Overlay - Sheet (brass OME)
7-4.13 Construction - Paperweight - Div I (Swirlback)
7-4.13 Construction - Paperweight - Div III (Gooderham)
7-4.13 Construction - Paperweight - Div III (Weinman)
7-4.14 Construction - Radiant
7-4.14 Construction - Radiant - Dewdrop
7-4.14 Construction - Radiant - Reflector
7-4.14 Construction - Radiant - Glory
7-4.15 Construction - Satin
7-4.15 Construction - Satin
7-4.15 Construction - Satin - Heart Shape - Pattern
Shapes - Heart
7-5 Decorative Finish - Metal Silver deposit
7-5.1 Decorative Finish - Acid Etched/Frosted with silver luster
7-5.2 Decorative Finish - Luster - Copper
7-5.2 Decorative Finish - Luster - Crystal
7-5.2 Decorative Finish - Luster - Bronze
7-5.2 Decorative Finish - Luster - Gunmetal
7-5.2 Decorative Finish - Lusters - Gold & Silver
7-5.2.1 Decorative Finish - Luster - Gold - Imitation open work
7-5.2.2 Decorative Finish - Luster Aurora
7-5.2.2 Decorative Finish - Luster Iridescent - Div I
7-5.2.3 Decorative Finish - Luster - Silver
7-5.2.3 Decorative Finish - Luster - Silver
7-5.3 Decorative Finish - Mercury Back
7-5.3 Decorative Finish - Mercury back
7-5.3 Decorative Finish - Metallic Back
7-5.3 Decorative Finish - Metallic Back
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Gold & Silver metalized paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Paint - Realistic shape
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Chemical Paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Enamel with paint
7-5.4 Decorative Finish - Enamel
7-5.4.1 Decorative Finish - Painted Back - smooth back
7-5.4.1 Decorative Finish - Painted Back - molded back, Protective black paint on back
7-5.4.1 Decorative Finish - Painted Back - molded back
7-5.4.2 Decorative Finish - Radiating Painted Holes
7-5.5 Decorative Finish - Pearlized
7-5.5 Decorative Finish - Pearlized
7-5.6 Decorative Finish - Transfer/Decal
7-5.6 Decorative Finish - Transfer/Decal
7-5.6 Decorative Finish - Transfer/Decal
7-6.1 - Mechanical Make-up - Bound with metal (Paste OME)
7-6.1 - Mechanical Make-up - Bound with thread
7-6.2 - Mechanical Make-up - Glass with glass - Tingue
7-6.2 - Mechanical Make-up - Glass with glass
7-6.3 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal back (Riveted)
7-6.3.1 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Bimini
7-6.3.1 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Bimini
7-6.3.2 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Kaleidoscope
7-6.3.2 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Kaleidoscope
7-6.3.2 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Kaleidoscope
7-6.3.3 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Mirror (Div I)
7-6.3.3 - Mechanical Make-up - Metal Back - Mirror (Div III)
7-6.4 - Mechanical Make-up - Paper back (sew-through)
7-6.4 - Mechanical Make-up - Paper back (loop shank)
7-6.4 - Mechanical Make-up - Paper back (pin shank)
7-6.5 - Mechanical Make-up - Precision inlay -Steel
7-6.5 - Mechanical Make-up - Precision inlay -Glass
7-6.5 - Mechanical Make-up - Precision inset
7-6.6 - Mechanical Make-up - Two-piece cemented
7-6.6 - Mechanical Make-up - Two-piece cemented (metallic back)
7-6.7 - Mechanical Make-up - Watch Crystal
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Embossed/Cameo
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Embossed/Cameo
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Embossed/Cameo - silver luster
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Embossed/Cameo - Sepia/Gold luster
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Embossed - Imitation mosaic
7-7.1 Molded/cut surface design - Recessed Cameo Metallic back
7-7.2 Molded/cut surface design - Faceted - (overall)
7-7.2 Molded/cut surface design - Faceted - Wheel ground
7-7.2 Molded/cut surface design - faceted (partial) Gold & silver luster
7-7.2 Molded/cut surface design - faceted - Linear Modified Triangle shape
7-7.3 Molded/cut surface design - Imitation fabric
7-7.3 Molded/cut surface design - Imitation fabric
7-7.3 Molded/cut surface design - Imitation fabric - Victorian
7-7.4 Molded/cut surface design - Impressed - non-flat border
7-7.4 Molded/cut surface design - Impressed - flat border
7-7.5 Molded/cut surface design - Incised
7-7.5 Molded/cut surface design - Incised/outline
7-7.6 Molded/cut surface design - Intaglio (reverse cameo)
7-7.6 Molded/cut surface design - Intaglio (reverse cameo)
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy (Div I) - hump shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy (Div I) - loop shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Red Glass Lacy (Div I) - Hump shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy (Div I) - hump shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy (Div I) - small size - 4-way box shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy-like (Div III) - modern Czech - 4-way box shank
7-7.7 Molded/cut surface design - Lacy-like (Div III) - self shank
7-7.8 Molded/cut surface design - Openwork (Div I) - paste/pinshank
7-7.8 Molded/cut surface design - Openwork (Div III)
7-7.9 Molded/cut surface design - Victorian - Opaque - hump shank
7-7.9 Molded/cut surface design - Victorian - Opaque - loop & plate shank
7-7.9 Molded/cut surface design - Victorian - Opaque- loop & plate shank
7-7.9 Molded/cut surface design - Victorian - Opaque (painted) - cross hump shank
7-7.9 Molded/cut surface design - Victorian - Transparent - cross hump shank
7-8 Other material embellishments - Shell
7-8 Other material embellishments - Tortoise Shell
7-8 Other material embellishments - Black Glass Precision Inlay
7-8 Other material embellishments - Enameled Metal
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Metal Brass Escutcheon on Goldstone
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Steel Precision Inlay
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Metal Brass Precision Inset Escutcheon
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Silvered metal Escutcheon
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Metal Steel Escutcheon
7-8.1 Other material embellishments - Metal Brass Rim and Escutcheon
7-8.2 Other material embellishments - Rhinestones/pastes, Silver luster
7-8.2 Other material embellishments - Rhinestones/pastes, gold luster

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Lou Yeargain, Barbara Barrans, Becky Lyon, Phyllis Paule, June Chapman, Joni Goldbarg, and Yessy Byl who assisted in the development of this educational resource. They provided reviews, comments or other support including images or buttons for the examples shown.  A special thanks to Joan Lindsay & Joy Journeay for their expert editing skills!


References:

(1) National Button Society Blue Book - Official NBS Classification and Competition Guidelines

(2) Clear and Colored Glass Buttons, Jane Ford Adams, Third Revision by Jean Longo - National Button Society, 2002

(3) Hughes, Elizabeth and Marion Lester.  The Big Book of Buttons. St. Johann Press - 2010

(4) Click this link to see and download the clear and colored glass color primer chart.

* Clear and Colored Glass Button Worksheet in  Excel

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