BUT FIRST - A PICTORIAL REMINDER OF OUR ANNUAL DISPLAY AND SALES DAY, 'BUTTONFEST'.

(See all details at the bottom of the Events page)

People often comment on “button collecting” as a hobby, generally because they think of buttons as practical and ordinary.  If you think about the history of costume through the ages and what was worn by both rich and poor, the clothing had to have a means of keeping it together.  Fasteners varied in many different ways, and ranged from functional, to fabulous, expensive, and initially really a form of display at the higher end of society.  Buttons also reflect designs in fashion from each era. Below are pictures which give a very limited indication of variety.  The first photo shows an example of 18^th Century buttons from an archaeological dig in Spain.  These are followed by other 18^th Century buttons, 19^th and 20^th Century buttons.  If you are able to come along to our October Buttonfest you will see a large variety of “collectable” buttons and maybe understand why we collect buttons!