The purpose of this section is to provide examples of china buttons
as defined in the NBS Classification Guide1 including one
or more examples of each type in the listings and an example that covers
each term in the definitions. No attempt is made to illustrate
the wide variety of possibilities in the class/subclass categories.
More detailed information on china
buttons terminology and definitions may be found in the NBS Guidelines
for Collecting China Buttons2.
Those who wish to focus on collecting china buttons, better
understand the NBS Guidelines, and see many more variations
of the class/subclass types, should visit Janet White's important
china button resource on her Baubles and Buttons website. Additional
resources for identifying calico button patterns can be found in Sandra Brown's Calico Pattern Guide
and George and Gretchen Gauthier's Calico Buttons Identification paper. The latter
three resources can be accessed in a new window or tab with the links immediately below.
Close the new window or tab to return to this page. A Section 3 china
buttons worksheet has been provided and can be downloaded or printed by
clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
| Hover your mouse over the button images below to see the back of the button | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-1 Back Types Assorted (asterisk identifies complex construction) | |||
 3-1 Molded Self Shank |
 3-1 Molded Self Shank |
 3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank* Two-way - Two piece |
 3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank* Bird Cage - Two piece |
 3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank* Bird Cage - Three piece |
 3-1.2 Metal Shank* Inserted Metal Shank - Shoe |
 3-1.2 Metal Shank* Inserted Metal - Smock |
 3-1.2 Metal Shank* Plate and Loop - Gaiter Bulls' eye |
 3-1.2 Metal Shank* 3 Color-Hobnail-Gaiter Bulls' eye |
 3-1.2 Metal Shank* Plate and Loop - Aspirin - Calico |
 3-1.3 Sew-through Three-hole - Pie Crust |
 3-1.3.1 Sew-through Four-hole - Calico |
 3-1.3.2 Sew-through Two-hole - Fish eye |
 3-1.3.2 Sew-through Two-hole - Panty waist |
 3-1.3.2 Sew-through* Two-hole - Igloo |
 3-1.3.2 Sew-through* Two-hole - Igloo |
 3-1.3.3 Sew-through Whistle* Type A2 - 2-piece |
 3-1.3.3 Sew-through* Two-hole Whistle - Type B2 - 2-piece |
 3-1.3.3 Sew-through* Two-hole - Whistle - Type C2 - 2-piece |
 3-1.3.3 Sew-through* Two-hole - Whistle - Type D2 - 1-piece |
| 3-2 Body Styles Assorted | |||
 3-2 Body Style Hobnail - Regular |
 3-2 Body Style Hobnail - Inverted |
 3-2 Body Style - Radiating Line Rim Pie Crust |
 3-2 Body Style - Radiating Line Rim Saw Tooth |
 3-2 Body Style - Radiating Line Rim Bias Saw-tooth |
 3-2 Body Style - Radiating Line Rim Czech spoke wheel |
 3-2 Body Style - Pattern eye Two-hole sew through |
 3-2 Body Style Tire |
 3-2 Body Style Saucer |
 3-2 Body Style Deepwell |
 3-2.1 Body Style - Hollow Eye Mottled |
 3-2.2 Body Style - Oval Eye Rounded ends |
 3-2.2 Body Style - Oval Eye Boxed ends |
 3-2.2 Body Style - Oval Eye Mound |
 3-2.3 Body Style - Smooth Beveled Rim Dish |
 3-2.3 Body Style - Smooth Beveled Rim Ink well style |
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Acknowledgments: Thanks to Lou Yeargain, Janet White, Barbara Barrans, George and Gretchen Gautier, Mary Whitson, and Sandy Brown, the principle collaborators in the development of this educational resource. Their contributions included reviews, comments, and other support such as providing images or other resources for this resource. References (1) National Button Society Blue Book - Official NBS Classification and Competition Guidelines (2) Guidelines for Collecting China Buttons - Ruth Lamm, Beatrice and Lester Lorah, and Helen Schuler, NBS, 1970 (3) Calico Pattern Guide - Sandra Brown, 2010 (4) Calico Patterns - Identification of the most commonly confused pairs - George and Gretchen Gauthier - August 5, 2010 (5) China Buttons 101, Janet White, Baubles and Buttons website, http://baublesandbuttons.com/. (6) A Fresh Look at China Buttons - Barbara Barrans and Pat Fields - National Button Bulletin, May 2007 (7) The China Exchange, http://www.angelfire.com/tx5/chinaexchange/index.html, an educational website for china button collectors Notes (1) The body/base color convention for china buttons is different than for other buttons. Specifically, the Blue Book glossary (page 65) states that the color of a button is determined by the color visible at the shank or back of the button. Further, the glossary and clear and colored glass definitions (7-3) state that the application of decorative finish, overlay, metal back or OME does not affect the base color. China is an exception. Blue Book definition 3-3.1 states that "a plain white bodied china is white; a white bodied china with applied marigold luster is considered orange". In other words, the front surface color of the button is the body/base color for a china button. |
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