BUTTONS - IDENTIFYING AND TESTING FOR MATERIALS

This article has been adapted from the article "Identifying and Testing For Materials" which can be see in full via the following link;

http://www.buttonimages.com/collector_info/identify.htm

Many times one can tell by looking at a button what material it is, but there are times when seeing is not enough. We can touch a glass button to our face or tongue and tell the material just by the coolness. We can tap a button against our teeth and hear the hard, high-pitched ring or a soft, flat sound. Some people can rub a button in their hands and produce enough heat to tell what smell is being produced and thus identify the button. There are times when none of these tests work. In those cases one can do a hot needle test and rely on the sense of smell. For the hot needle test use a candle in a candle holder and a straight pin that has a larger plastic head on it that you can hold onto. One could also hold the needle with a pliers or use a piece of cork on the head end of the needle to hold onto. (If you use a pin with a metal head you are apt to burn your fingers.) Hold the needle point into the candle flame until the tip of the needle is red hot. Choose a spot on the back of the button, near the shank, in a very inconspicuous spot, and poke with the hot needle. Hold the button close to your nose and smell. Please refer to the article below for smells that might be producedto determine what the material might be. There are other methods that have been suggested for various kinds of buttons. I will attempt to describe some of these other methods as well. Tools that will be helpful in identifying buttons are a very good source of natural light, a magnet, and a magnifying glass.

Black Glass

You Cannot use the hot needle test on glass

• Hold to the tongue or cheek and the glass will feel colder than buttons of other materials.
• Tap the button on your teeth and you will get a hard or high-pitched ring, you will often find a mould mark on the back.
• Black Glass Silver Lustre verses steel.
• Same tests as black glass.
• Will not be attracted to a magnet.

Bone

No odour with the hot needle test.

• Use a magnifying glass to see tiny black flex from the blood vessels in the bone, called "splinters".
• Grain lines go in one direction, colours can be white to deep cream.
• With a sharp knife one can scrape off a very fine powder. Usually not self-shank. Can be dyed.
• Coarser or porous look.
• Cannot be softened enough to mould .
• May yellow with age.

China

You Cannot use the hot needle test on china. The back may have a more granular surface as though laid on a sandy surface

• Very few will have metal shanks, with the exception of gatier and pin shank.

Composition

With the hot needle test will smell of burning lacquer or sealing wax because of the component used to hold it together.

• Most composition buttons have some sparkle in them.

Glass

You Cannot use the hot needle test on glass. Hold the button to the tongue or cheek and the glass will feel colder than buttons of other materials, but warmer than many gemstones.

• Heavier than plastics.
• Tap on your teeth and you will a hard or high-pitched ring.
• Often find a mould mark on the back or edges .
• Often will have a smooth back surface.
• May have a few hair like marks on the back surface.
• A drop of water on the button will spread out

Gutta Percha

• Will look a lot like rubber.
• Will not give off the sulphur smell as rubber does.
• Is harder than rubber.

Hard Rubber

Horn or Hoof

Burning feathers, burning hair or a meat smell with the hot needle test.

The black pressed horn may have a pick-mark on the back. The pick-mark is a mark made by a needle type object that was used to pick or help remove the button from the mould

May have a waxy or greasy feel. May also feel smooth.

• If there are natural patterns they will be irregular.
• Will be light weight.
• Hold natural horn to a strong light, can usually see light through the edges.

Ivory

No odour with hot needle test. Hard to penetrate. May leave a brown residue in the immediate burned area.

• Very fine grain, almost tooth-like.
• Colour can be white to deep cream.
• Takes a very high polish, usually very fine workmanship, almost like a waxy lustre.
• With a sharp knife one can NOT scrape off a fine powder as on bone.
• Very old ivory buttons may need a curved needle to be sewed on.
• Can NOT be softened enough to mould.
• Cracking may be caused by heat and humidity.
• Will look white under a black light. Works best if done in a dark area. (Black light is UV light. Avoid shining into your eyes.)
• If placed in water it will float, or sink very slowly.

Pewter

• Contains lead and will leave a pencil-like mark when drawn across a piece of paper.

Tortoise shell

Decaying fish, seaweed, burning hair or the smell of the sea with the hot needle test.

Natural pattern is irregular

• No mold marks

Wood

No hot needle test

• Can usually see the grains of the wood, not to be confused with the grain lines in bone.

Some have suggested that rather than using the hot needle test one can produce the same smell by dipping the button into very hot water. This is NOT recommended. There are some buttons that will be destroyed by dipping them into hot water. If it is a two piece button the water can get in between the layers and destroy the button. Or the water may even melt or destroy the shape of the button.

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