| Hover your mouse over the button images below to see the front of the button | |||
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Back Types for Fabric Buttons | |||
 Applied (4) - Realistic |
 Canvas (9) |
 Cased (11) |
 Cone (15) (42) Self shank |
 Darned (16) Replaces gut/cord on 18th cent. woodbacks |
 Gathered (22) |
 Loop (29) on gathered back - Passementerie |
 Loop (29) Shank made of cord & beads |
 Pad (32) Treat same as canvas |
 Plastic Back (36) (4) with applied shank |
 Plastic Back (36) (43) Sew-through |
 Ring (39) Hand sewn ring may have been added |
 Staple (46) |
 Thread back (51) Stevengraph |
 5-1 Worked (60) Dorset Ring |
 Worked (60) |
 Worked Threads (61) 18th century Passementerie |
 Worked Threads (61) 18th century Passementerie |
 Wound (62) |
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Back Types for Other Materials (except modern synthetic polymers) | |||
 Applied (4) "U" Type - Celluloid |
 Bird cage (5) - Horn |
 Bridge (8) - VI |
 Box (6) 4 way swaged in shell |
 Box (6) 4 way - Wood |
Cone (15)with metal loop shank - "GAP" BM |
 Cone (15) (42) Self shank - Celluloid tight top |
 Hump (25) - Leather |
 Loop (29) Horn Veneer |
 Loop (29) - Leather with leather shank |
 Pad Back (32) - Shell |
 Pad Back (32) - VI |
 Pin (35) - Shell Colonial type |
 Pin (35) - Shell Brass Escutcheon |
 Pin (35) - VI Birmingham Trade |
 Pin (35) - Shell with OME Mechanically threaded Loop |
 Plate and Loop (37) (29) Leather |
 Self - Cone Shape (42) Wood |
 Self - Turret Shape (42) Wood |
 Sew-through - Whistle (43) (56) Processed Horn |
 Sew-through - Whistle (43) (56) Wood |
 Sew-through - 4 hole hidden (43) Vegetable Ivory (VI) |
 Sew-through - 5 hole (43) Bone |
 Sew-through - 6 hole (43) Shell |
 Split and Swaged (45) (48) Shell with enamel plaque |
 Staple (46) Wood |
 Swaged (48) Shell with glass OME |
 Thread back (51) Vegetable Ivory |
 Tunnel (53) Vegetable Ivory |
 Turret (54) (21) VI - Metal cylinder - 4 way |
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Modern Synthetic Polymer Back Types | |||
| Synthetic polymer button shanks fall into the 4 categories of self, applied, inserted and sew-through. The further breakdown of shank shapes is covered in the NBS Synthetic Polymer Handbook with 24 examples. Click on the following link to see the handbook chart of shanks. | |||
Other Back Types Not Specifically Described in Blue Book | |||
 Clutchette Shown in 1995 NBB as a back type Consensus opinion - this is not a button |
 Glass Self Shank Glass in Metal with glass shank |
 Pitch back Might be make-up |
 Solder Shank - Shell Solder fills hole made for swaged plate |