Button
1860-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Silver buttons were an important element of traditional dress in Spain. Unlike in most other European countries, women were just as likely to wear them as men. Both sexes wore them in extravagant quantities, along the seams of jackets and trousers and in bunches at the wrist, as well as to fasten clothes.
They were rarely sewn directly on to the clothing. In some places people fastened them to their costume with a strip of leather, which ran through the button loops inside the garment. More commonly they used T-shaped toggles permanently attached to the button.
The design of this button, with a sheet metal back with scalloped edge, and open filigree front, is typical of those worn by the men of Salamanca. Salamanca is so associated with filigree buttons that they have become the unofficial emblem of the town. It was bought for two shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
They were rarely sewn directly on to the clothing. In some places people fastened them to their costume with a strip of leather, which ran through the button loops inside the garment. More commonly they used T-shaped toggles permanently attached to the button.
The design of this button, with a sheet metal back with scalloped edge, and open filigree front, is typical of those worn by the men of Salamanca. Salamanca is so associated with filigree buttons that they have become the unofficial emblem of the town. It was bought for two shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Sheet silver and silver filigree |
| Brief description | Silver filigree button with sheet silver back, Salamanca (Spain), 1860-1870. |
| Physical description | Silver button, with a slightly convex sheet metal back with scalloped edge, and open filigree front decorated with applied granules and two concentric circles of twisted wire. Ring shank of circular section wire. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production | Mainly worn by men |
| Summary | Silver buttons were an important element of traditional dress in Spain. Unlike in most other European countries, women were just as likely to wear them as men. Both sexes wore them in extravagant quantities, along the seams of jackets and trousers and in bunches at the wrist, as well as to fasten clothes. They were rarely sewn directly on to the clothing. In some places people fastened them to their costume with a strip of leather, which ran through the button loops inside the garment. More commonly they used T-shaped toggles permanently attached to the button. The design of this button, with a sheet metal back with scalloped edge, and open filigree front, is typical of those worn by the men of Salamanca. Salamanca is so associated with filigree buttons that they have become the unofficial emblem of the town. It was bought for two shillings at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1133-1873 |
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| Record created | January 25, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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