Traveling through time via the treasure trove that is Trove, (the National Library of Australia’s digital resource), I noticed that general interest stories about buttons were fairly common. There were historical stories, stories about collections and collectors, fashion musings as well as craft ideas and games. I guess that button nuts have always been interested to read about their obsession! I’ve selected some for your edification and entertainment.
1839

Launceston Advertiser, 14th February 1839. Exert from an article about culture in France before the revolution.
1840

The South Australian Colonist and Settlers’ Weekly Record of British, Foreign and Colonial Intelligence (London), 11th August 1840. A wrong prediction!
1851
The Perth Gazette and Independant Journal of Politics and News, 31st October 1851. At this stage Australian pearl has not impacted the market.
1854
1860
1885
Published in The Queenslander, 14th February 1885.
1891
Quite a detailed history published in The Sydney Morning Herald, 15th December 1891.
1898
Published 18th June 1898 in the Liverpool Herald (NSW).
1899
1900

Published in The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate (NSW) on 19th May 1900. This writer is disapproving of the vulgar habit of excess button use.
1903
1905
1906
1907
1908
This article was in the ‘Children’s Corner’ of The Queenslander, published 28th March 1908. It doesn’t seem well written for kids, though.
1909
A differing theory on Ladies versus men’s buttoning: published 4th September 1909.
Published 6th November 1909 in the Evening Journal (Adelaide).
1910
1911
Published in The Australasian (Melbourne), 18th February 1911.
1912
1913

“Generous use of Buttons”
Apparently “buttons are to be employed in un-stinted quantities. Blouses, dresses, Jabots, coats and skirts are trimmed with them in every conceivable styles. The small buttons in curious shapes and very bright colours will be the most popular. Ball and semi-ball shapes are still popular, but what is called the floral crystal button, is the newest. A clear cup-shaped crystal button, with white porcelain centre, is a novelty. Pear shaped, coloured crystals and round crystals, small shaped, with a rose design in centre, are also new styles. Bulgarian effects still continue among the fads of the hour. These are to be seen in crystal and crochet. Another result of the Bulgarian craze is the revival of flat metal buttons decorated in conventional Bulgarian designs. These were very popular some years ago.”
Published in The Prahran Telegraph (Vic) 16th August 1913. 1914
1916

Earlier versions of the ‘hook-less fastener’ had been developed decades earlier, but this was the first commercially successful version of the zip. Published in The Globe and Sunday Times War Pictorial on 17th June 1916.
1917
1918

Thank goodness! I was having such trouble polishing my buttons.
Published in The Mirror (Sydney), 9th August 1918.
1919
Published in the Bunbury Herald and Blackwood Express (WA), 25th October 1919.
1926
Published in The Queenslander, 9th January 1926.
1929
A little over a month later the following story was published. (I’m copying the transcript as the original newsprint is very faded.) It could be that the factory was not approved in Northcote, so they applied in nearby Footscray. Of interest, it is stated that there was no button manufacturing in Australia at this time, but perhaps this meant ‘no bone buttons’ as Herrman Co was operating.
1930
1931
The Mall (Adelaide), 3rd October 1931.

I do love the ‘fashionable magpie effect’. Published in The Sydney Morning Herald on 12th November 1931.
1932
1934
1935
The Daily News (Perth), 16th March 1935.
1936

Published in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, 27th October 1936. “Queensland nut” was another name for the Macadamia.
Published in the Sydney Morning Herald, 24th November 1936.
1937

Novelty buttons become popular in the mid-late 1930s. Published 6th October 1937 in the News (Adelaide).
Here is a copy of the award as published in the Victorian Government Gazette, November 1937:
1938
1939
1940
1941

An article about modern button manufacturing, and also button collecting.
Published in The Evening News (Rockhampton,Qld), 29th March 1941.
1942
Chronicle (Adelaide) 30th July 1942.
1943
Published in the Wodonga and Towong Sentinel (Vic), 12th February 1943. Have you heard of this theory of why ladies’ and men’s button differently?
1944
1945
1946
1947
1949

No wonder there was such fuss about “tub” buttons. What a bother! Published in the Daily Mercury (Qld), 19th Jan 1949.
1950
1960
And now for several articles rather heavy on gender stereotyping. The opinions expressed in these articles are not necessarily those of the blogger, and I take no responsibility for them!
Published in the Northern Argus (Clare, SA), 11th November 1879.
Published 30th March 1913 in the Beverley Times (WA).