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For a Corking Good Time, Hunt for Cork Buttons: by Chris Kettler

Of all the unusual materials used to make buttons, one of the strangest has got to be cork. Cork buttons, though relatively uncommon, are generally inexpensive, and worth taking a look at.

Picture courtesy of Nikki Deal.

Cork comes from the bark of the cork oak tree, indigenous to the countries on the western border of the Mediterranean Sea. Portugal and Spain account for most of the cork harvested. The trees, which can grow to 60 feet tall, are first harvested when the tree is about 20 years old. The tree is striped in the late spring/early summer when the sap is flowing, and the cork bark separates easily from the tree.

The stripping is done by making circular cuts at the base of the tree, just below the lowest branches. Vertical cuts are made, and the cork is peeled from the tree. The cork is then stacked and leave to season. No sap flows through the dead cork, as the cells of the bark are dead and are resistant to water.

After the cork is cured for a few weeks, it is boiled, using heavy weights to keep the bark submerged. The corks is then dried, cut and graded.

The finest grade of cork is used for the manufacture of bottle stoppers, and wine bottles. All the scraps left over from the bigger pieces are then ground to small granules, and mixed with an adhesive, which is called "composition" cork. Composition cork is used to make bulletin boards, champagne bottle stoppers (which must be molded to get the right shape) and even buttons.

Cork has an air-filled cell structure, and has the following characteristics:

Compressibility
Impervious to liquids
Lightweight
Insulating
Sound and vibration absorbent

The buttons made from cork are varied, though somewhat hard to find. They can be sew-throughs, or on shanks. There are some make with cork sandwiched between two layers of bakelite, mounted in metal, or with escutcheons similar to those found on mother of pearl. Most of these buttons were made in the 1950s, usually for use on sweaters or jackets such as those used by sailing enthusiasts, because of their lightweight and water resistant qualities. They are washable, and can be cleaned with an eraser. Costs of these buttons ranges from about 25 cents to as much as $5.

Happy Hunting!

Many thanks to Chris (a member of the Martha Washington button club of Virginia) for her help! -- ed.

URL: http://www.tias.com/articles/buttons