Sheet Celluloid
Celluloid or cellulose nitrate is considered by some to be the first plastic ever invented. Celluloid is not a true plastic because it is formed of a mixture of both synthetic and organic materials. It was used as a substitute for tusk ivory and wood. Buttons constructed with celluloid parts appeared in the 1897 Sears & Roebuck catalog.
Extruded Celluloid
Celluloid buttons come in three forms: sheets, wafers (thick sheets) and specific forms such as extruded strands or solid balls. These forms were often decorated with inlays and onlays. Celluloid cannot be molded to incorporate a shank, so most celluloid shanks are U shaped or bubble shaped applied shanks.
Celluloid Wafer
