Photo by Automatic Button Company 



MAKING PEARL BUTTONS AT MUSCATINE, IOWA 



1 The shells of the river mussels are soaked a few days to 3 In automatic machines the tops are cut and the holes 



toughen them. are made. 



2 Disks called "blanks" are cut by holding the shell in 4 The sorting of the polished buttons precedes sewing 



tongs against a circular saw. them on cards 



