Vintage Buttons – Symbols of Love and Longevity: a blog about the meanings behind buttons throughout history.
History of the Button
Buttons are said to have been created in the 15th century, when tailors took advantage of a new invention – an iron needle used for sewing cloth. The tailors would take the needle, push it through a piece of cloth, then turn it around and sew the other side. This is how buttons were invented; they were simply used for fastening clothes together.
There are many different types of buttons that can be used on clothing. From the very first time buttons were invented to today, there has been an ever-changing variety in shapes and styles. Buttons have gone from being used as simple fasteners to becoming elaborate works of art.
Button Types
Over time, there have been many different types of button designs that can be used for clothing. The earliest type of button was called a flat button (pictured above). These buttons were made by people who lived in America during the Archaic Period (8000-1000 BC). These buttons were made out of stone and shell. People would make them by heating up rocks or shells and flattening them out with two rocks or hammers.
It wasn’t until
If you’re a fan of vintage things, you’ve probably come across buttons from the Art Nouveau period of design. Dating from the late 19th century through the first decade of the 20th century, Art Nouveau was characterized by organic, flowing lines and motifs. The style was most popular in France, Belgium and the British Isles.
UK companies still use Art Nouveau designs today in their packaging and logos. Buttons seem to have been especially popular with designers during the period, being used as decorative elements on clothing, furniture and stained glass windows.
Art Nouveau buttons are also called “beehive” or “flower” buttons because they often feature stylized flowers set within a circle. A beautiful example of this is found on a pair of antique cufflinks from the late Victorian period depicting a floral motif in blue enamel and silver with a blue center stone.
Here at Symbols of Love And Longevity we love buttons. Buttons are symbols of longevity for many cultures throughout history and around the world. In many traditions such as Celtic mythology, it was believed that a long life could be bestowed upon people who kept a button from their garment sewn into their clothes. Even today, Italians believe that keeping an old button brings
I am sure you have seen these buttons on clothing, and wondered what they mean. I have also seen them in an antique store and wondered what they mean. Now I know, so I wanted to share the information with others.
This blog will cover the meanings behind the buttons and their symbolism. This blog is short and to the point, which is why it has a vintage look to it. I hope you enjoy reading this blog and learn something useful from it!
The Art Nouveau movement began in the 1860s, but reached its peak starting in the 1890s. The style is recognized for its organic forms, intricately carved surfaces and decorative qualities. The name comes from a French artistic movement called Le Style Nouveau that began in 1892.
The style was popular for about 20 years and then faded away, but became fashionable again during the 1960s.
During the Victorian era (1837-1901), artisans worked with intricate designs. Buttons were no exception. Women wore large buttons with beautiful flowers and tiny gems to match their other jewelry and clothing.
Tiny tassels were also popular on women’s clothing, including dresses and coats.
Buttons made during the Art Nouveau period were much more elaborate than others before them. They included carved flowers, leaves, vines, acorns, oak leaves and even insects. Designs covered almost every inch of the buttons. Some were completely covered with intricate designs while others were only partially covered or featured designs on one side only.”
The Art Nouveau style of the early 1900s is one of my favorites. I love the organic nature of it, the flowers and vines and little animals like birds and butterflies.
The styles characterize themselves by their use of curves instead of straight lines, and often asymmetrical designs. The overall effect is very gentle, pretty, and feminine.
All those lovely curving lines are created by the use of a tool called a stylus to cut into copperplate etchings. The copperplate is made by removing a thin layer of copper, which leaves the bare paper/cloth below exposed to ink, water, or acid that etches it into patterns.
Unfortunately I’m not good enough at art nouveau etching to create anything spectacular myself using this method, but this style really appeals to me and I wanted to learn more about it. My favorite patterning mediums are watercolor and ink wash.
I’ve seen pictures of other people’s art nouveau style creations and they’re always so beautiful! I want to try my own hand at creating some art nouveau art some day soon.
Art Nouveau Style. Art Nouveau is a French term that translates to “new art.” The style originated in the 1880s, most notably in architecture, but also in decorative objects like jewelry, furniture and textiles. The name of this period comes from the Exposition Internationale d’Art Moderne (International Exhibition of Modern Art), which took place in Paris in 1900.
The simplicity and organic forms of Art Nouveau appealed to designers and artists who were tired of the over-ornamentation and historical revivals used in the 19th century. The trend was particularly popular in western Europe, but it spread worldwide as well. The style was not limited to a particular time or place, but rather was a framework for the artistic expression of individual artists.
Artists inspired by Art Nouveau came together each year at the annual Salons des Artistes Decorateurs (Salons of the Artist-Decorators). They believed that art should be available to everyone and refused to exhibit their work at any other venue. These artists broke away from official academies and salons, forming their own groups instead. They rejected traditional academic standards that dictated what was considered good taste at the time; instead, they focused on bringing an emotional response from
Art Nouveau is a design style that was most popular between 1890 and 1910. The name comes from the French art nouveau, pronounced “ahrt noo-vah”, literally meaning new art.
The name was first used by a group of young Parisian artists in 1892 during an exhibit at the Salle Bailly, to describe their work as seen in the poster for the exhibit. In 1894 the art critic Octave Mirbeau, made it known as a term to describe decorative arts.
In Britain and America, the style was called “Jugendstil”, which remains the name that German speaking countries use for the style. In Italy it was called “Stile Liberty” or “Stile Floreale”. In many non-English speaking countries there were different names for this style; for example in France it was called Style Nouille or Style Art Nouveau and in Spain it was called Modernisme.
