140 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 176 



Buttons: 



Bone. — No. 1073 : Lathe-turned, having 4 holes, diameter li/4 inches (pi. 27, fc) . 

 Nos. 29, 1082 : Five similar specimens, diameter % of an inch ; the proportion 

 of rim to center and the spacing of the holes vary. Nos. 29, 33 : Two similar 

 specimens, diameter % of an inch, also varying in proportions. One (No. 1086), 

 apparently bone dyed black, has a wide rim and 4 holes ; diameter % of an inch. 



Shell. — No. 1083 : Turned specimen, having a wide rim ; "mother of pearl" 

 (probably fresh-water shell) diameter % of an inch, with 4 holes (pi. 27, I). 

 No. 28 : A similar specimen, diameter %6 of an inch, has a narrower rim. No. 

 1083 : Another, diameter y^ of an inch, lacking a separate rim, has a small hole 

 for a metal loop (lacking). No. 1084: Another similar button, of the same 

 size, has a small hole on the under surface for the loop, which was apparently 

 cemented to the shell face. Nos. 27, 1083 : Three similar specimens, having 4 

 boles, diameter % of an inch. Nos. 27, 182 : Four specimens of this size are 

 similar, but have a simple engraved "floral" design on the face. No. 182 : 

 Another plain specimen, diameter %6 of an inch. Buttons of fresh-water shell 

 ("pearl" or "mother of pearl") were apparently first manufactured in the United 

 States as recently as 1891. 



Metal. — No. 1063 : Fancy brass button, with shank, the face decorated with 

 a die-stamped star and fillet; diameter 14 of an inch (pi. 27, n). No. 1063: 

 Another specimen having a brass base has the face decorated with enamellike 

 material, in the form of a cross; diameter % of an inch (pi. 27, m). No. 1068: 

 A flat brass button, of a style long made (and sometimes covered with fabric), 

 diameter % of an inch, originally had a brass shank (lacking), and carries the 

 die-stamped legend : "London/Imperial." No. 712 : Spherical brass button 

 with loop, diameter 20 mm. (pi. 27, 0). No. 1062 ; A hollow metal button, having 

 two faces (fire damaged), diameter 1% inches, shank lacking, was probably 

 originally cloth covered, traces of fabric being visible on the upper face. No. 

 596: A similar damaged specimen, diameter IVt inches. No. 186: A similar 

 specimen, diameter %6 of an inch, also has traces of fabric adhering. No. 132 : 

 Another flat button-base, of zinclike metal, with two holes, is crudely cut, 

 diameter ca. 1% inches, and probably also lacks its original cloth covering. 



Nos. 104, 129, 183, 184, 185, 476, 507, 816, 1064, 1066, 1067 : Twenty-one com- 

 mon metal buttons (iron, white metal, brass, and other metals), diameters 

 ^4 to 1 inch, of various styles (flat, hollow, with and without shank, with 2 

 and with 4 holes, and the like), some fire damaged, some of the varieties used 

 with "overall" work clothing. 



Milk glass.— ^os. 30, 31, 32, 181, 504, 815, 1085, 1087, 1088, 1191 : Seventy-nine 

 specimens of milk-glass buttons, largely white, having 4 holes, diameters % of 

 an inch to ^M^e of an inch. Three of these (Nos. 504, 1088) have a molded dec- 

 oration (dots near the rim) ; three (Nos. 31, 1085, 1088) have a simple transfer 

 decoration (a blue or red "fabric" pattern). Three other similar plain speci- 

 mens (Nos. 31, 32, 1087) are of a blue milk glass; one (No. 31) is a plain buff 

 color. Milk glass is an opaque variety of ordinary glass that became very 

 popular early in the 19th century ; many garment buttons are today still made 

 of glass, despite the introduction of newer substances such as plastics. 



Hard ruiher. — No. 128: Fancy button having a hard rubber base, with a 

 molded shank (missing) and an inset ceramic face, in green, gold, and white; 

 diameter %6 of an inch (pi. 27, p). Trobably manufactured under hard- rubber 

 processing patents, first issued in the 1840's to Charles Goodyear. 



Shoes: 



No. 213 : Heel only of a child's leather shoe, with metal pegs ; width ca. 2 

 inches. No. 1233: Heel only of an adult's (woman's?) shoe, with metal pegs; 

 width ca. 2^^ inches. 



