china

How to engage the slide show:

click on the first image on the left of the gallery below, then select the arrow at the bottom left of the enlarged image. Or you can manually go to the next slide by hovering your cursor on the middle right side then clicking the arrow that appears. Hover your cursor on the middle left side then click the arrow that appears to go backwards. Close the slide show or manual show by clicking the X button on the lower right of the image. (The image of each button is followed by an image of that button's back or reverse side.)

Acknowledgments, References and information for this category are at the bottom of this page.

Button Country

An Educational Resource for Button Collectors - originally created by Paul Rice

Section 3 : China

3-1 Molded Self Shank

3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank - Bird Cage - Two piece

3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank - Two-way - Two piece

3-1.1 Inserted Self Shank - Bird Cage - Three piece

3-1.2 Metal Shank - 3 Color-Hobnail-Gaiter Bulls' eye

3-1.2 Metal Shank - Inserted Metal Shank - Shoe

3-1.2 Metal Shank - Plate and Loop - Aspirin - Calico

3-1.2 Metal Shank - Inserted Metal - Smock

3-1.2 Metal Shank - Plate and Loop - Gaiter Bull's eye

3-1.3 Sew-thru Three-hole - Pie Crust

3-1.3.1 Sew-thru 4-hole - Calico

3-1.3.2 Sew-thru 2-hole - Panty waist

3-1.3.2 Sew-thru 2-hole - Fish eye

3-1.3.2 Sew-thru 2-hole - Igloo

3-1.3.3 Sew-thru Whistle - Type A2 - 2-piece

3-1.3.3 Sew-thru 2-hole Whistle - Type B2 - 2-piece

3-1.3.3 Sew-thru 2-hole - Whistle - Type C2 - 2-piece

3-1.3.3 Sew-thru 2-hole - Whistle - Type D2 - 1-piece

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-thru

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

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Black - Plate and Loop

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Gray - Two hole

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Blue - Four-hole

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Turquoise - Inserted shank

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Brown - Oval eye

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Pink - Fish eye (See Note 1)

3-3.1 Body/base Color - Copper - Whistle (See Note 1)

3-3.2 Surface Decoration Color - Blue - Stencil

3-3.2 Surface Decoration Color - Magenta - Transfer

3-3.2 Surface Decoration Color - Orange - Paint

3-3.2 Surface Decoration Color - Green - Transfer

3-3.2 Surface Decoration Color - Marbled - Birdcage Shank

3-4 Decorative Design/Finishes - Gingham - Knob center2

3-4 Decorative Design/Finishes - Gingham - Knob center

3-4 Decorative Design/Finishes - blue & gold - Whistle - Transfer

3-4.1 Banded - Hollow Eye - Ringer

3-4.1 Banded - Bull's eye*

3-4.1 Banded - Pie Crust

3-4.1 Banded - Mound

3-4.1 Banded - Three-hole

3-4.2 Calico - 2-hole - Colored body

3-4.2 Calico - 2-color stripe

3-4.2 Calico - 2-color

3-4.2 Calico - Basket weave pattern

3-4.2 Calico

3-4.2 Calico - Knob center

3-4.3 Lusters - Iridescent Pearl

3-4.3 Lusters - Partial Pearl Luster

3-4.3 Lusters - Translucent (Marigold & Silver)

3-4.3 Lusters - Iridescent - Opague

3-4.3 Luster - marigold - Whistle -Type B2 - 2-piece

3-4.3 Lusters - Crystal - Tire

3-4.4 Stencil

3-5 Mounted in Metal - China Jewel

3-5 Metal Rimmed

3-5 Mounted in Metal - Drum with china center

3-5 Shapes - Linear - Square

3-5 Shapes - Contour Cone

3-5 Shapes - Contour Ball

3-5 Shapes - Linear Scalloped Edge

3-5 Shapes - "Realistic"

3-5 Unlisted Rare lg. size (1-1/2") From Bapterosses factory disposal area in Briare, France. See reference 8.

Calico button mounting made in 1946

* To download and print a pdf of the china worksheet click this link: page 1.

Some descriptions of these buttons may be cut off. Full descriptions can be seen in the slide show mode.

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Lou Yeargain, Janet White, Barbara Barrans, George and Gretchen Gauthier, 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. A special thanks to Joan Lindsay & Joy Journeay for their expert editing skills!

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

(6) A Fresh Look at China Buttons - Barbara Barrans and Pat Fields - National Button Bulletin, May 2007

(7) The China Exchange, an educational website for china button collectors

(8) Read the story about a group of American button collectors visiting the Bapterrosses museum, factory & dump in Briare France and the unique china buttons they found.

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.

Back to Button Materials

* China Buttons Worksheet in Excel