Missouri State Button Society Annual Show & Buttons!

The last full weekend of April is the annual Spring show for the
Missouri State Button Society.

This year's show theme was Luck 'N' Love Buttons.

It was a full day greeting longtime friends, drooling over trays of competition buttons as well as some of the most AMAZING buttons to be offered by some of the BEST national button dealers.
 

One of my favorite events of the show are the Button Poke Boxes.  What is button poke box?  Many button dealers will have available at their vendor table a box (container) filled with common buttons or slightly imperfect buttons for a really good price... my motto is NEVER, NEVER, pass up a poke box.
I have found some wonderful buttons in them!


One particular dealer sets a specific time when he will share his poke box.  He offers better quality buttons for really good prices.  Over the years this event has become the highlight for many button collectors.  When the designated time arrives, he dumps his poke box buttons directly on the table for the anxiously
awaiting button collectors to shop.


When his buttons hit the table top, the shoppers with lighting speed grab buttons that pique their interest.  After a few minutes everyone shuffles the unselected buttons around shifting them to share with the opposite end of the table.

Over the years I have shared many friendship conversations
over poke boxes. 

The backdrop shown in the above photo are button competition trays.  Button competition trays are entered by their owner based on a specifically written award.  These awards are based on the National Button Society Official Classification System.  More than one collector is encouraged to enter an award.  Like any competition, a button collector must prepare for the competition if they hope to win.  The button competition trays are judged by a button expert.  Button competition trays are one way to help a button collector study their buttons.   

This button competition tray is not from the above show; however, I want to share it to give you an idea of what a button competition tray might look like  

I won Best of Show for this tray of Assorted Celluloid buttons in 2009 at the Kansas State Button Society Show.  

 Back to button poke boxes - here are a few of the buttons I purchased this past weekend from poke boxes

 1860-1880 - made from horn

 1930s - Burwood button - known as the Queen Mary or The Grey Ghost (historical)

 late 1800s - stud button, brass with Celluloid Ivoroid center of boy & sailboat

 1930-1940s - metal REBUS (probably advertising) stud button

 Modern 1980s - yellow metal button

 late 1800s - 2 pc. brass button (need to study & figure the symbols shown on this button)

 Early 1900s - Green Snail Pearl, Ocean Pearl & Smokey Pearl buttons

 Love this one!  1890s - fabric button known as a Fancy Top Gone with the Wind button (very fragile)

 late 1800s - 2 pc. brass & silvered brass bird with nest button

 late 1800s - engraved brass with cut steel embellishments button

 late 1800s - brass ball with cut steel star embellishment button

 Late 1800s - brass cat head button

 late 1800s - brass deer button

late 1800s - brass, flying bird button

late 1800s - 2 pc. brass bird on nest button with white metal rim

late 1800s - Purple-dyed Pearl button with riveted cut steel embellishments

late 1800s - 'drum' button, pearl background with red foil cross under glass shield, brass rim

Modern plastic - Realistic bird

late 18th Century/early 19th Century  - Georgian Steel button with 8 pt. star design

late 1800s - brass, high-relief women's head button

late 1800s - brass women's head button with screen background (possibly Automne)

late 1800s - brass & silvered brass, Victorian belt design with cut steel embellishments button

late 1800s - Hunting sport button, Wild Boar 

late 1800s - Enamel on metal bird & flower button

late 1800s - Hunting sport button, tinted brass  

 Do you have a favorite button?