Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

  In an attempt to earn a Farmgirl Badge ( Mary Jane's Farmgirl Sisterhood Badges) I began a study on the history of buttons. First of all, let me tell you how CRAZY I am about buttons. I LOVE buttons.  I have some buttons that belonged to my great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother. I never throw away a piece of clothing without first removing the buttons. I pick them up off the ground when someone has lost a button. They are like finding pennies on the ground. I am not a true collector in the sense that I will pay alot of money for them. I don't buy at yard sales or thrift sales generally, because most sellers believe they have a gold mine in Grandma's buttons. I have been known to pick them up at estate auctions now and then, but only if I am not bidding against a collector. Some people refer to me as a collector. I might say I am a collector of sorts. But I really knew nothing about buttons. They fascinate me. I like, pretty, plain, fancy, ornamental, unusual, simple, common . I like different materials. I like wood, metal, glass, plastic, fabric, bone, seashell.
   I now know that around 2000 BCE buttons were born! They were made of bone, wood and sea shells. Primarly used as ornaments. as the buttonhole didn't make it's appearance until 1200 AD. 1250 AD - The Button Makers Guild was created to produce beautiful buttons for the wealthy. 1500's included buttons made from gold and cloth covered buttons. 1600's buttons were made from silk, ceramic and silver.
In the 1700's steel and  embroidered buttons were introduced. 1800's brought us metal, glass and mother of pearl buttons. They continued popularity through the Victorian era and are collectors favorites. Modern Day buttons are made from plastic as well.  A seamstress can easily make matching buttons for garments using quick and easy button cover kits.
   Okay, now I admit, all of this doesn't mean a hill of beans to me. I don't really care about the history of the button, because I am not a TRUE collector. What I do care about is the beautiful jars and jars with different colored, different types of material buttons that sit in my sewing room. Any project that I have, I have a button that I can use! I have buttons made by my uncle from deer antlers. The buttons are in no real order. I have to dump out a jar to search, but that is half of the fun.
     Buttons are used for games, for craft projects, and for entertaining little grandchildren. My granddaughters will sit and go through the jars of buttons and seem just as fascinated as I am. My son once said to me "When you die Mom, can I have your buttons?" Funny, who would have ever thought that my son, of all people would ask for my buttons. Will I be remembered for my buttons? My guess is, one day my grandchildren will believe that they have a gold mine in Grandma's buttons.