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Up for sale is a beautiful, curated card of eight (8) authentic antique picture buttons dating from the late 19th to the early 20th century. This collection features a wonderful variety of highly sought-after collector themes, including fable, comic, celestial, opera, and maritime motifs. Each button features incredible depth, stamped relief details, and a gorgeous aged patina.
Included in This Lot:
• Buster Brown & Tige: A highly collectible early comic character button (circa 1902–1910) featuring Buster Brown putting his arm around his faithful dog, Tige, complete with a beaded border.
• Aesop’s Fable - The Fox and the Grapes:
A beautiful narrative button showing the classic running fox looking up toward trailing foliage, with a detailed windmill visible on a distant hill.
• The Man in the Moon & Stars: A classic late-Victorian celestial favorite featuring an anthropomorphic crescent moon profile with a highly detailed human face set against a starry night sky.
• Maritime Coast Scene: A gorgeous nautical scene depicting a sailor in a gaff-rigged sailboat navigating choppy waves past a tall coastal stone lighthouse/tower.
• Pierrot and Pierrette: A charming French theatrical/opera button showcasing the famous pantomime stock characters in costume, framed by a delicate beaded border.
• Art Nouveau Lady Profile: An elegant, romantic portrait button depicting a woman with a classic swept-up Gibson Girl hairstyle and a flower detail.
• Sporting Pointer / Hunting Hound:
A beautifully detailed hunting (vénerie) button featuring a classic pointer dog mid-stride in a field, surrounded by a stylized
leaf border.
• Wild Boar: A muscular wild boar charging through a landscape.
Condition & Craftsmanship:
Construction: Mostly two-piece stamped brass/bronze with attached metal shanks.
Finish: Exquisite original contrast, featuring warm gold-toned highlights on the raised relief details balanced against dark, natural oxidized patinas in the recesses.
Condition: Excellent antique condition with honest age-appropriate wear. Light surface marks and beautiful, gentle verdigris accents in the deeper recesses that guarantee their true age. Shanks are intact and secure. (Please review photos for exact cosmetic details).
This lot is perfect for serious button collectors (filumenists), historic garment restorers, or jewelry designers specializing in repurposed vintage/antique hardware.
