Div IV - Section 9

Shoe Button Covers (Page 1)

Background:  Shoe button covers found their way onto the fashion scene in the early 20th century. As Victorian mores faded, the high top shoes with buttons, popular in the mid to late 1800s, started to be replaced by lower cut shoes that actually showed the ankle. They usually had a strap that crossed the instep and fastened on one side with a small utilitarian button. With the approach of the roaring 20s, a growing trend developed to cover the usually plain shoe button with an ornament we call the shoe button cover (see example at right.) This, of course, would serve to call more attention to the footwear and the ankle. More importantly, they would dress up the shoe for evening wear. In this period, many other ornamental devices were manufactured that attached to the tops, sides and even heels of shoes to satisfy fashion demands. Only the shoe button covers are shown here.

It is no surprise that shoe button covers were popular with many button collectors since they were button-like in size and appearance and came in a wide variety of wonderful designs. If it were not for this section devoted to shoe button covers, they would meet all the criteria for costume trimmings. They can usually be identified by the attachment feature or shank on the back which fits over the shoe strap and often has a "U" or "Omega" shaped bar that allows them to slip onto the strap and around the shank of the button. However, some earlier versions had a straight shank, sometimes set to one side of the cover. There are also some with spring type mechanisms that allowed the cover to be applied directly to the button without sliding on the shoe strap. The 1928 US patent¹ on the left shows how the shoe button cover with "U" shank was applied.

Shoe button covers were manufactured in a wide variety of face designs, shapes, and materials with backmarks being common. Materials included metals (all colors), glass, celluloid, and enamel. Construction techniques included cut steels, moveable parts, and openwork designs. Many types of other material embellishment (OME) and decorative finish (DF) can be found. They may be competed as single covers or in pairs, the latter being more difficult to find. The types listed below follow a similar pattern as for Division I, III, and IX buttons except for back types which give the shoe button its distinguishing feature.

Types or Subclass:
9-0 Shoe Button Covers Assorted (20 singles per card or 10 pairs per card)
9-1 Back Types - Includes Omega ("U") type shank, modified Omega shanks, and shanks with lock wire mechanism
    9-1.1 - Straight bar shanks (Centered or offset) and notched - Covers with a centered bar shank need to be of a size that would reasonably cover the shoe button when the bar contacts the button shank.
9-2 Materials - Includes metals (white, yellow, silver, copper, bronze, cut steels, etc.), glass, glass in metal, enamel, celluloid, and fabric
9-3 Other Materials Embellishment (OME) and Decorative Finish (DF) - Includes pastes, jewels, beads, paint, and cold enamel
9-4 Shapes (linear, contour and realistic)
9-5 Back Marks - includes patent dates, patent numbers, country, manufacturer, etc.

9-1 Back Types - Omega type shank   (1")
  Copper Plate - Back mark (BM)

9-1 Back Types - Omega type shank with lock (1-1/8")
  Copper plate - Back mark (BM)

9-1 Back Types - Modified Omega type shank (1-1/8")
  White metal with pastes

9-1 Back Types - Omega type shank (1-1/8")
  White metal - Openwork

9-1 Back Types - Omega type shank  (1-1/8")
White metal - BM "USPat.1419034"

9-1 Back Types - Modified Omega type shank  (1")
White metal with pastes - BM "Pat. Pend"

9-1.1 Straight bar shank in Center  (1-1/8")
White metal with steels - BM "France"

9-1.1 Straight bar shank (notched) in Center  (1")
White metal with pastes

9-1.1 Straight bar shank in center (2 holes) ( 1")
Steels set in brass

9-1.1 Straight bar shank in center (2 side holes) (1-1/8")
White metal with pastes - BM "Fishon"

9-1.1 Straight bar shank offset   (1")
Enamel - BM "Fishon"

9-1.1 Straight brass bar shank (notched)   (1")
White metal with pastes

9-2 Materials - Celluloid  (1 x 3/4")

9-2 Materials - Enamel  (1")
BM "France" 

9-2 Materials - White metal with paint  (1-1/8")

9-2 Materials - White metal with enamel  (1")

9-2 Materials - Brass with enamel  (1")

9-2 Materials - White metal with enamel  (1-1/4")

9-2 Materials - Brass open work  (1-1/4")

9-2 Materials - White metal open work (1 x 7/8")

9-2 Materials -  Glass (Popper)  (1")

9-2 Materials - Riveted Steels   (1")
BM "Made in France" 

9-2 Materials - White Metal  (1")
BM "USPat.1419034"

9-2 Materials - Enamel  (1-1/4")

9-2  Materials - Brass  (1-1/4")
Paint DF - BM "France" 

9-2  Materials - Brass  (1-1/8")
Paint DF - BM "Pat. 1419034" 

9-2  Materials - Copper plate  (1-1/8")
Paint DF - BM "USPat. 1419034" 

Acknowledgements:
Special Thanks to Clare Hatten, Lou Yeargain, Betsy Ciffone, and Karen Farnsworth who made their collections available for the images shown on these pages. Others who contributed reviews, comments and support included Joyce McGrath, Ann Guba, and Pat Fields.

References:
(1) Clare Hatten - Shoe Button Covers - National Button Bulletin, February 2005
(2) National Button Society Blue Book, 2011 - 2012, Official NBS Classification and Competition Guidelines

Current Blue Book Text: 9-1 Shoe button covers, single (20 per card); 9-2 Shoe button covers, pairs (10 pairs per card)