Here are some Leda coat buttons, including 2 rather large ones.
These are buckles from various manufacturers. The round swirls (white and pearlised) are a Beauclaire style, the rectangle is a Woolworths, and the transparent round one a Beutron.
……and I’m sharing these just because they are so cute!
It’s so frustrating! Who was “David Kennedy, Melbourne”, who made Kencrest buttons? I’ve checked every archive I know. I’ve googled. I’ve checked Trove. I did find a reference to a David Kennedy, merchant of Melbourne, but nothing more. No hits on Kencrest. Please, does anyone know?
I have received a new batch of Kencrest cards. Interestingly, colour is spelt ‘color’, but that could be a printing mistake, or the cards were printed overseas.
These span the from the 1950’s to ?1980’s. The 3 metallic ‘Originals’ shown at the bottom can be seen in vintage advertising from the 1950’s: see below.
Searching through my collection of carded buttons, I recognised a couple of loose buttons I’ve received recently.
Okay, now why is Cathy putting up a cover of an American button company’s 1957 catalogue, you ask? The 1950’s was a time obsessed with all things atomic and futuristic. This extended to advertising, as evident above. It also extended to button design!
The swirl on the button is reminiscent of the electron whizzing around the nucleus. See also the examples below.
Hold the presses! Some rabbits just arrived in the mail! And not just any rabbits, but the Beauclaire-type rabbits I’ve been hunting for ever since I started this blog. Whilst not the original (i.e. there is no painted detail as there was in the 1950’s), I’m glad to finally have my own.
Detail from a card from the “Crazyhaberdasher” collection.
To wear with your anti-shrink dress you need some “Kant-Run” hosiery by Beau Monde ….
From Woman magazine 1952. Ah, the beautifully plucked brows, the glossy red lipstick, the hairdo, and the elegant cigarette holder. This is one classy dame.
On a more serious note ….
How does he fit an egg in that test-tube?
Coming up in October is the Victorian Button Collectors annual exhibition. See you there!
Whilst I’m awaiting for my next delivery from Leah, I’ll share with you an interesting bunch of partial cards I received today. I think someone was selling vintage stuff in a shop or stall, as they’ve sewn 20 buttons onto a long strip of cardboard and written $18 on the back. They are worn and the cardboard comes from a packing box! Certainly not worth $18.
Another card of these swirly Beauclaires. Cygnet is a brand I suspect to be Australian (see more on the “Mysteries” page.)
All these Beutron and Embassy examples are new to the collection.
Lots of lovely Woolworths. The bottom right hand card is a Leda one.
And now to make you smile, from 1952. Shower in your dress! It won’t shrink!!
“These button trimmed models by ‘Barbara Lee’ reflect the Mexican influence in the cutest way, and are definitely ‘must haves’ for the holidays – as well as for the whole Season. Included are open Crowns, Bretons, Droops, Halo Bonnets – all very charming, very new. 3 coupons apiece in Myer’s Millinery Salon, and 35/-. ” The Argus 23rd march 1945.
So very cute!
Today I received in the mail an old tin of buttons I’d purchased. It’s fun to sort through, looking for goodies. Here are some Aussie treasures I found.