Button Dictionary, Page 5

Q

R

REALISTICS ...

A button in the actual shape of an item, such as an apple, a rabbit, or a wedge of cheese. It can be just the outline, or the surface can make it a real 3-dimensional realistic. A realistic can be made of any material, can be of any age, and can be a studio button OR mass produced.

REBUS ...

RIVETED STEELS ...

See CUT STEELS.

ROSARIAN ...

Glass buttons made with a hole through the center where the brass wire shank went; now called a PINSHANK.

ROSETTE SHANK ...

RUBBER ...

S

SATSUMA ...

Satsuma is a Japanese porcelain typically with a soft shiny cream crackled glaze. Gold decoration in the form of outlines, borders, and finely dotted shading and backgrounds set off the designs. Older buttons often have more gold and are much more detailed than are recent buttons. Matte black and cobalt blue backgrounds are also found. Generally the back shows the typical cream crackled glaze, but the cobalt glaze is found covering the back of the button, as well as the front. Some are found set in metal. Subjects include people, animals, plant life, signs of the zodiac, and mythology. Buttons could be special ordered, so many unusual designs exist.

SCRIMSHAW ...

Bone or ivory products decorated with incised (engraved) designs highlighted with dark agents (such as India Ink or Lampblack) rubbed into the incised lines. Some scrimshaw is polychromed (colored) with inks or berry stains. Scrimshaw is the art of the whalers, carried on in the long days of waiting for the appearance of a whale. It is the only Folk Art indigenous to America other than that of the American Indian.

SELF SHANK ...

Examples of old and modern self shanks.

SNAP-TOGETHERS ...

Modern buttons molded in two or more differently colored pieces designed to be put together (snapped) in the manufacturing process. According to the proposed classification published in the NBS Bulletin in October 1997 (which broadens the definition from what some had considered to be snap-togethers), they do not have to be all plastic, and the snap part can be as small as a little bow snapped onto a hat. Most come apart, but that is not a requirement, nor do they have to be only the little realistics that are so popular. A complex one is a 4-piece button that has a pearlized center, a gold (metallized plastic) ring, a ring of molded pearlized balls, and a black base.

STRASS ...

See PASTE.

T

THREAD GROOVE ...

TINGUE ...

TORTOISESHELL ...

Tortoiseshell was used for making a number of personal items, including fans, eyeglass cases, jewelry, and of course, buttons. It is from tortoises, though imitation tortoiseshell is far more common, which can be either glass or plastic, or sometimes horn.

TURRET SHANK ...

TWINKLES ...

If you've got a button definition to add or modify, or you have a picture that we can use, please e-mail us!