If you read old posts you will see references to Kate and her business “Buttonmania”.  She sold the business last year;  it now is located in Highett.  Here is an old entry from the business’s blog that makes me a little sad … that this buckle is not mine!

 A friend of Kate’s,  and a new contributor, Deborah Zinn,  has shared this photo of some interesting plastic Myer Emporium branded buttons.  It is possible (from the narrow carding) that they date from the 1960’s.

If you have perused the page of Beauclaire advertising you will be aware that they had a cross-promotion with Twinprufe knitting yarns in the 1950’s.  From a vintage Twinprufe knitting booklet here is an advert for Beauclaire buttons.

I wish I could go on holiday’s with Carol;  she found all these button cards for 50 cents each (sob).

At the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney they have in their collection buttons and jewellery designed by Gordon Andrews (the gentleman who designed out decimal banknotes).  He designed the buttons during the 1940’s,  and they became popular and profitable in the Sydney fashion world.

Latest finds:

Leda buttons from the 1950-60’s.  The metal ‘pumpkins’ are quite heavy metal buttons.

Beauclaire, Woolworths Spares, Woolworths Sew’n’Save leather buttons, Grandway.

Below is a beautiful vintage advertising postcard from the Singer Sewing Machine Company.

I’d like to encourage all those hoarders out there to share pic’s of their treasures with us,  especially if it helps fill in gaps in this blog.   I’d love  examples (or more examples) of the smaller/obscure/older makers that I’ve only been able to touch on so far.

Back in 1935 the Australian Women’s Weekly ran this article a couple of times promoting the new plastic button industry in Australia.  Here is an illustration from the article below.  (The whole article can be seen of the post-federation page.)

I’ve a couple of vintage plastic Macrobertson/Hoadley chocolate boxes  (and I’d like more but they are getting pricey)  that I keep some of my buttons in.  Here is a nice advert from 1959 showing one…

Carol F,  a regular contributor sent me an email with some new finds,  but complained she wasn’t having much luck finding them in Canberra where she’s holidaying.  I think she’s being greedy and should leave some for the rest of us!

Borrowing from old issues of the Victorian Button Collector’s Club, I’m going to share a little more history with you originally shared by Joyce Cheong.

Speaking of history,  I unearthed some more information relating to Thomas Stokes and his link to the first private mint in Australia and another early military button producer.  Intrigued? Check out the Thomas Stokes page for the update.

I’m feeling pleased with myself.   I’ve just added to my Kookaburra collection AND some hatpin heads made from coins AND some lovely buckles and buckles that I had to bid fiercely for at Button Club last night!

A pair of 1942 and 1943 coins curved and with mounts welded on the reverse so they can ?be mounted on  hat pins or ?used for cuff-links.

Gorgeous Beauclaire buckles and a partial card of black Beauclaire roses.  I’m not sure if the buckles below are also Beauclaire,  but are clearly of the same era.

The blue Cygnet buttons are further evidence that Cygnet was incorporated into Roger Berry as this design I also have on a Roger Berry card.

I have here a Beutron sales folder from post  June 1996 (from the telephone number).  Interesting to see several designs from the 1950’s still in use,  including an old Beauclaire Tiny Tot elephant!

For this post I have a couple of uniform buttons;  one colonial,  one new.

This button was unearthed by  metal detector in Heathcote,  Victoria.  It is backmarked ‘Stokes and Martin  Melb’ (I’ve deliberately photographed the back without the flash as it shows up the faded backmark) which dates it from 1867-1892.  It is an artillery button,  but without the usual crown over the gun.  From other (although more recent)  examples online,  this may mean it was from the Royal Artillery Uniformed Staff Association.

The button below was reflecting the light like crazy … I did the best I could.  It is a post 1953 West Australian Police force button made by Sheridan’s in Perth (my first Sheridan!).

And now my latest cards;  an Astor from 1966 and an 70’s Maxart buckle.

Ah, Holly Hobby!  So popular in the 1970’s to 1980’s.

The dark brown buttons are from Beauclaire.  The Boilproof Buttons are from Woolies.

More tailor’s buttons from Helen!

In 1897 in Newcastle Mr B. Phillips “The Record Tailor” started his tailoring business.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’,  10th July 1897.

In 1906 he moved to Sydney to take over the business of Hagan brothers in Pitt Street.  He would advertise as “the House of Phillips” at “Pitt Street only”,  hence the legend on the buttons.

In 1918 the business was merged with another tailoring business to become Verey-Phillips.