Button
1790-1810 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
A wide range of decorative buttons were used on men's clothing in the 18th century. Precious metal buttons set with jewels were the most exclusive, but there were other materials, such as glass paste, that were used to achieve the effect of real gems at a more reasonable price. Cut steel was a substitute for paste that became a fashionable medium for jewellery in its own right.
Ownership & Use
The 18th-century man's coat sported numerous buttons down the front as well as on the sleeve cuffs and almost as many on the waistcoat worn underneath. By the 1780s, very large buttons had become fashionable, offering an expanded surface for decoration.
Materials & Making
From the 1750s, jewellers used highly polished steel, mounted with facetted studs, for buttons and buckles. Initially developed in England in centres such as Birmingham, Woodstock and Wolverhampton, the fashion for cut steel soon spread to France. It remained a popular medium for jewellery well into the 19th century.
A wide range of decorative buttons were used on men's clothing in the 18th century. Precious metal buttons set with jewels were the most exclusive, but there were other materials, such as glass paste, that were used to achieve the effect of real gems at a more reasonable price. Cut steel was a substitute for paste that became a fashionable medium for jewellery in its own right.
Ownership & Use
The 18th-century man's coat sported numerous buttons down the front as well as on the sleeve cuffs and almost as many on the waistcoat worn underneath. By the 1780s, very large buttons had become fashionable, offering an expanded surface for decoration.
Materials & Making
From the 1750s, jewellers used highly polished steel, mounted with facetted studs, for buttons and buckles. Initially developed in England in centres such as Birmingham, Woodstock and Wolverhampton, the fashion for cut steel soon spread to France. It remained a popular medium for jewellery well into the 19th century.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 12 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Cut steel |
| Brief description | Set of twelve cut steel buttons, made in England, 1790-1810 |
| Physical description | Set of twelve cut steel buttons from a man's dress suit. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
The visual effect of cut steel relied on the use of facetted steel beads set against a polished steel background. The beads imitated paste jewels or marcasites and were used on buttons and buckles. On these buttons the beads are screwed into the back plate, and can be removed for cleaning.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Jean Smith |
| Object history | Registered File number 1985/785. |
| Summary | Object Type A wide range of decorative buttons were used on men's clothing in the 18th century. Precious metal buttons set with jewels were the most exclusive, but there were other materials, such as glass paste, that were used to achieve the effect of real gems at a more reasonable price. Cut steel was a substitute for paste that became a fashionable medium for jewellery in its own right. Ownership & Use The 18th-century man's coat sported numerous buttons down the front as well as on the sleeve cuffs and almost as many on the waistcoat worn underneath. By the 1780s, very large buttons had become fashionable, offering an expanded surface for decoration. Materials & Making From the 1750s, jewellers used highly polished steel, mounted with facetted studs, for buttons and buckles. Initially developed in England in centres such as Birmingham, Woodstock and Wolverhampton, the fashion for cut steel soon spread to France. It remained a popular medium for jewellery well into the 19th century. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.389 to K-1985 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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