My interest in buttons has recently be re-awakened after finding a box of vintage buttons I acquired many years ago. I also found my button jewelry books and have spent some pleasant moments this week leafing through them again.
I always intended to try out a few of the design ideas but never found the time. I'd like to think that I will do that now, but I'm afraid to make committments that I may not be able to keep. *smile* It may end up being another one of my retirement projects.
Several button manufacturing plants were opened up in the 1800's in Berlin, ON (now Kitchener). There were so many of them that the town became known as 'Buttonville' by the early 20th century. By 1964, most of those plants had closed their doors though; gone out of business due to the emergence of new raw materials & technologies, along with greater competition from foreign manufacturers.
Just for fun, I've embarked on an online quest to see what I can find about some of those long gone companies. Information seems quite sparse so the thrill of the hunt has me intrigued now. I'd sure like to know where & when some of my vintage/antique carded buttons were made. Aside from 'Made in Canada', many have no other identifying information on them.
I've sent in my membership request to the Pioneer Button Club, based out of Oshawa. I won't be able to attend their meetings because they take place in the morning during the week but I'm hoping that I will be able to connect with other button enthusiasts to assist my research. There's a Google Group called Buttonbytes that I've joined also.
There are more vintage buttons lurking around this house, I know there is. I clearly remember a bin or a box of them I packed away a few years back. More incentive to continue my de-cluttering project, I'd say. Wouldn't you?
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