Vintage Bone Buttons

May 14th, 2010 · No Comments

I’ve listed quite a few bone buttons lately and think they deserve some additional attention. Bone buttons were carved from animal bones for their durability and the material was easily available. Bone buttons will vary slightly in size because they are handmade.

Most of the bone buttons that I find are plain and simple, 2 or 4 hole sew thru buttons. They were used on mostly utilitarian garments like shirts,underwear and work wear. They were used during the civil war and are sought after by civil war reenactors for their costumes.

It is difficult to determine the type of bone used in a vintage or antique button, and thus most have to be listed as “unknown source”. This will sometimes trigger the monitors on online auction sites and the listing will not be allowed.

Bone buttons are often used in craft projects for the patina that they have and their ability to set off beautiful designs and handwork.