Page 36 - September1951

306 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN September', 1951

\['HAT HAS BIr-CO]IE OF OIrD STREE1I RAIITMY BUITONS? (Continued)
the starting point-all on the original 5-cent fare. When these privileges
were withdrawn by the roads, in hope of greater revenue, the public became
highly incensed and demanded an "investigation" of the seeming "robbery."
There was nothing "panty-waist" about our recent ancestors they
fought for their RIGHTS, right or wrongl
The author apologizes for these many random allusions and the result-
ing lack of continuity. The original purpose of our story had to do with
the scarcity of raihvay buttons, but that subject seems to have been diverted
by a parade of memories probably of more personal than general interest'
Even trivial details of past living, however, sometimes bear close relation
to associated button subjects and cause us to intensify our search for the
many examples that must still exist-somewhere. Since many rare uniform
buttons of other classifications occasionally make their appearance, 1ilhy are
railroad buttons, once equally as plentiful, now in many cases so completely
buried in obscurity?
The accompanying illustration is offered merely as a supplementary
sidelight to the painstaking and comprehensive series of railroad articles
contributed by Donald Van Court. Fig. F may be the elusive button of the
first city-operated lines in New York (Independent System CNY). Fis. G
(Gripman, Broadway Cable Road) is closely allied to Mr. Van Court's Fig.
311. And Fig. H is a button of the 6th Avenue RR Co., also mentioned by
him. The assorted Metropolitan RR buttons (Figs. J, K, L) are shown
only to confirm Mr. Van Court's assertion that it is almost impossible to
directly identify items with such general inscriptions. The last button
(Fig. M), with the imprint of "W. B. Co./Waterbury" in raised letters,
shows an allegorical female figure believed to symbolize the old City of
Brooklyn and long knowu familiarly as "Miss Brooklyn." This pattern is
also found on a similar button with slightly different die details and bearing
the raised imprint of "Scovills & Co./Waterbury," a mark dating not later
than 1850. The specific use of these buttons has not been exactly determined
and authentic information will be welcome.
Note: We have checked with Mr. Van Court, our railroads specialist,
and he says that the following of Mr. Van Buren's buttons deserve being
numbered with the Rapid Tra,nsit in Nerv York State. See NBS BULLETIN,
November, 1950 pp. 349-356.
A-No. 345 D-No. 346 F. No. 347 G-No. 348 H-No. 349

oPAQUE GLASS BUTTONS SHOW ELABORATE ART WORK
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Stevens, of New Jersey, are the owners of these
elaborately decorated glass buttons which show a variety of attractive de-
signs. They have three trays of buttons in two or three sizes. The group-
ings consist of duplicate designs made up in a variety of finishes, and even
though the design repeats itself the manner in which each button is orna-
mented makes each individual specimen seem different somehow.
Rows 1 and 2 in the illustration have black bodies each ornamented in
a variety of colored metallic lustres. In Row 1, the buttons present a lacy
appearance with specimens 2 and 3 resembling cathedral windows in their
colorful splendor. Rov/ 2 presents, flrst, an appearance of metallic sheen in
gold or silver, then color harmony. These buttons are not unlike enamels
in appearance. Ro'$' 3 has unusual specimens in colored opaque glass,
blues, brown, and rose. The sedond button in this row has a turquoise body
trimmed in black and from the face ornamentation it could easily be taken
for an ornamented black glass button. Button No. 3 has a black body.