Monday, April 29, 2013

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? 

  
 
 

15 comments:

  1. oh i have a lots...so hard to choose but i am not as versed on the types ...i need your wisdom oh wise one...
    hugs

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tabitha, It is hard to choose button favorites when they all just all so wonderful. Hope you have a great vacation! Hugs, Tami

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  2. I rarely get my hands on a bag of buttons (not many appear in charity shops around here. I think the family button tin is one of the things people keep when clearing out a relative's home) but when I do there's nothing like emptying it out onto a table and seeing what goodies are there. You must have the same feeling opening a poke box. You've found a lovely collection this time. My favourites are the purple dyed pearl button and the collection of pearl buttons.
    Happy button hunting.

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    Replies
    1. Yes Louise it is that same type of feeling... button tins, button pokes. The joy of those special treasures that sometimes find their way home with us! That purple-dyed button is probably one of the purplish purples I have seen on a button, so pretty.

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  3. Fun to see what goes on a real button show. I'd never heard of a poke box. Your Best in Show tray is wonderful.

    Favorite buttons- hard to pick- but I've always loved the carved MOP, so your collection had me gasping, but I like the cameo/profile type and the hunting with horns because it has dogs.

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    1. Hi Beth! I love my Best of Show tray too... Celluloid buttons were the first buttons I started collecting around 1996. They have remained one of my favorites. There are some incredible dog buttons. Maybe someday I'll post some dog buttons. Not sure if I have ever seen an antique/vintage Yorkie button. I think I have seen a new button of a Yorkie.

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  4. Oh it's impossible to choose just one -- but my favorites from those you've shown today are the purple shell with the steel cuts, the rebus, the gone with the wind button (LOVE THOSE!) and that Queen Mary -- I've never seen that one! Those are some fabulous poke box finds!

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    1. HI Laurie, really aren't they 'all' our favorites, how can one choose when they are all so wonderful? The Queen Mary - Grey Ghost is an interesting story. I'll try and post it to BF sometime. Hugs, Tami

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  5. Replies
    1. Hello Idell, so glad you enjoyed this button post! Tami

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  6. Sounds like fun. Each button is so unique, it's hard to choose just one.. I like all the bird buttons. And the piggy, too, of course.

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    1. Hello Gayle, The bird buttons are some of my favorite ones too. It is so hard to choose which buttons to collect, other than the restraints imposed by the wallet. Hugs, Tami

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  7. Thank you all for your great comments! It is always nice to see posted comments - it reassures me that my blog postings are interesting and appreciated by others.
    Hugs, Tami

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  8. Io avrei comperato questi tre bottoni:
    late 1800s - Purple-dyed Pearl button with riveted cut steel embellishments
    late 1800s - brass women's head button with screen background (possibly Automne)
    late 1800s - 2 pc. brass button (need to study & figure the symbols shown on this button)
    Anche noi il 14-04-2013 abbiamo fatto l' incontro dei collezionisti al Museo del Bottone dalle 10 alle 18. E' stato bellissimo
    Grazie Tami e spero di vederti al Museo.
    Giorgio

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  9. I like your button with the buckle on it and the rhinestones and I wanna go to the next show , I am so sorry I didn't know about the Missouri show sooner

    Janice

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