Welcome

The goal of our Club is to provide opportunities to study buttons that are worth collecting, and share that knowledge as we come to appreciate their beauty and history. Collectable buttons include all buttons - antique and vintage, uniform and military.

Meetings are held at 8 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month (except January) in the Fellowship Room of the Burwood Heights Uniting Church (A-frame) on the corner of Burwood Highway and Blackburn Road, Burwood East.  (Melways Ref. 61 K7)

History

The idea of a button collecting club was conceived in 1995. The Victorian Button Collectors Club became a reality in 1996 when, through word of mouth and personal contacts, we held our first meeting at a private home. As individual button collectors, we had been aware of established button clubs in America and the United Kingdom. In Melbourne at that time, there was very little public information about buttons available, button collecting was not a hobby most people had heard of, and it was difficult to find collectable buttons even in antique shops. The Victorian Button Collectors Club was established to encourage the collecting, preservation and appreciation of buttons, antique and modern, and research into the history relating to their origins and uses. Most of all, the club provides an opportunity to meet like-minded people.  If you are a member you can Find out more . . .

 

Another Button Story

A new button will be posted on the Home page once per month.
Click on the button to enlarge.

 

The topic for our March meeting is ‘Buttons with a History’.  Here is one example.

Tortoiseshell Stud

The tortoiseshell stud is attached by a small piece of thread to a note written with a pen in lovely ‘old style’ script.  I have typed it as written, including the double ‘returning’.  The paper has been folded many times and is slightly yellowed and foxed with age  It was a gift many years ago from a friend in England.  Pt. de Galle (Point de Galle) is now Galle, Sri Lanka.  A Mahomedan Cingalese is a Sri Lankan Muslim.  Highfield is a suburb of Southampton, England.

The note reads:-

“One of a set of six bought from a Mahomedan Cingalese in Pt. de Galle – Ceylon.  The little silver star connecting the 3 pieces is produced from a 2 anna piece (3d) as from lack of native ore they are obliged to batter coin.  The others being brittle in the extreme, broke the 1st time of wearing & this one came home in a waistcoat pocket – went to the ancient reservoirs at Aden – all over Suez – thro’ the canal into the Quarantine Harbour at Malta & home via Gibraltar to Southampton where after changing into a fresh pocket it went to London & Liverpool returning returning thence to Highfield where it finally took up its abode.”

 

MEMBERS ONLY - Information for ordering our special 25th Silver Anniversary button remains under Button Banter (post date 2/10/2021) - plus photos.  Details for purchasing a 25th Anniversary button are also in our November 2021 Journal.  

BUTTON BANTER is now up and running for members only. It has its own heading at the top of the Home page which you can see once you log in.  Click on this heading to view contributions.  If you want to add an item use 'Add Button Banter'  under the Member Menu on the right of that screen or the Home page.  

Button Banter is for you to share your button interests with other Club members, ask advice or give feedback. You can also see other members buttons or Button Challenge Cards or join in and show your own. It is preferable to post your photo in portrait format.

NEXT MEETING - Tuesday March 12th 2024

Topic:   BUTTONS WITH A HISTORY

 (Meetings start at 8.00pm - arrive from 7.30pm)

VISITORS ARE WELCOME AT CLUB MEETINGS