Page 13 - January1960

January, 1960 NATIONAL BUTTON BI'I,LETTN
col,oRs
-whatever. deficiency there may be in gaiter button patterns is more than
made up for in color variety. Ttre number of tints and siades is almost unbe-
lievable! At the risk of being too statistical, we print the cataioeuJ of colors
compiled from the examination of hundreds upon hundreds of exariples.
Domes having solid-eolor fronts are of two entirely different kinds. one kind
is a white china button with painted top; the natural white usually shows on the
-the
back. Ttre other kind has its color in body material its€u. A blue one for
instance, is made of blue china-blue thru and ihru.

Domes have been seen in all of these solid body-colors: black; blue, 11 shades;
!-yo: 12 shades;_sr?y, g shades;. green, S shadesi lavender-gray, Siiiades; pinf,
4 shades; white. rt is worthnoting that the many offerenf shaaes treie cannot
be att_rilruted-to fading or wear-the colors are all-in their originai-staG. rn all
probability, the great variety resulted from loose requirementirather than from
a desire to obtain precise shades.
brown,
Solid

shape 4 (with convex center and rolled rim) has these solid colors: black;
brown, 4.shades; green; gray; tan; white. When patterned, the shape dictates
the coloring in this way: center white with rim of : black; bhie, 2 shadbs; lrown;
orange; green; pink. Center white perle luster with rim of: biue; black. Centei
orang€ luster with rim of: black; blue; brown; green; orange; pink.
The three remaining sha,pes have been found in solid color only. Those re-
ported for balls (5) are: blue; red; white; white perle luster. shape ti (the aspirin
tablet) has a good variety of-colors: black; brown,4 shades; blue,-6 shades; green,
2 shades; lavender-gray, 2 shades; pink; tan; white.
Shapes 7 and 8 have been seen in white only.
As for which are the rare and which the plentiful colors litue can be said
except that is by far the most abundant and black also common. A word
"rhite
about the color which we have called. "orange luster" may be helpful, The shade
varies from a light color that is like a deep cream, i;hru tans to a strong orange.
The following persons have made their collections of gaiter buttons available
to ttre authors-I{elen Martin, Anna Mary Falck, John Andfews, Dorothy Lloyd,
Margaret Eby, Mary Szmolko, Eveline Leahy, and Beatrice Lorah.
CHRIST AND MOTHER MAR,Y PICTUR,ED
These two very unusual Bibiical buttons. while
not an exact match, make a pleasing pair. Their
style and the inscriptions as well as the subjects
themselves suggest that they may have been worn
as saints' m€dals, to invoke protection.
Tlee one with the Christ head carries the Latin
motto, "Salvatore Mundi Salva Nos,', (Saviow of the World, Save Us). The other
reads, "Mater Salvatoris O.P" (Mother of the Saviour, Supremely Goo<l).
Both are one-piece metal with die-struck designs.
-A&A