294 GOODYEAR ON GUm'- ELASTIC. 



which is connected with fashionable display. It is curious to 

 observe of what variety of materials buttons are already made, 

 viz., wood, bone, horn, ivory, shell, pearl, tin, iron, steel, brass, 

 britannia, gold and silver plate, and sometimes of gold, silver, 

 and precious stones, together with combinations of the above 

 materials and silk, linen, woolen, and cotton threads and stuffs. 

 Added to all these, caoutchouc is deserving of notice for buttons. 

 Its water-proof quality resisting the effects of boiling water, also 

 the economy and facility with which this material is worked, 

 recommend it for this use, particularly for the dead eye and 

 cheaper kinds ; and also for the more expensive kinds, which are 

 cheaply made from this material in imitation of bronze, metal, 

 figured or plain lasting, silks, and other stuffs. 



SUSPENDERS, OR BRACES. 



This is an article, the sale of which is divided among a great 

 variety of kinds. 



Vulcanized gum-elastic thread has recently been applied to 

 numerous kinds of suspenders, which have heretofore been made 

 of the native gum thread ; as well as to other kinds that have 

 recently been invented, such as the shirred suspender, and those 

 made of vulcanized gum-elastic fabrics, felt, and other webs with 

 elastic ends. This is one of those articles with which fashion 

 has much to do, and the choice among the different kinds de- 

 pends so much upon the fancy of the wearer, as well as upon the 

 realutility of the article, that it may be considered presumptuous 

 in any one to assert absolutely what kind is best. Among them 

 all, the writer thinks the kinds most deserving particular notice, 

 are those represented in plate xviii., figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Figs. 1 

 2 and 3 may be considered most complete and unobjectionable, 

 among the most expensive kinds. The webs of these are firm 

 and unyielding, which may be the most fanciful and expensive, 

 or plain and substantial ; in either case the most complete 

 elasticity of the suspender is in a simple and cheap manner 



