Page 32 - January1960

30 NATIONAL BUTTON BT'LLETIN January, 1960
ACCOUNT OF THE BUTTON MAKER,S OF DUBLIN
AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT
William L. Calver (1859-1940) was s member of the American Buttonists
Society organized at the turn of the century. He was aJso a charter member of
the National Button Society and a friend and correspondent of scores of button
collectors thruout the world. He with Reginald P. Bolton co-authored the articles
reprinted in "History Wrltten with.Pick and Shovel."
After Mr. Calver's death in 1940, his extensive button collection together with
his manuscripts, correspondence and voluminous notes were given to his lifelong
collector-friend Oscar T. Barck. A variety of items frorn Mr. Barck's files, as well
as articles by Mr. Calver, have been published in the Bulletin in years past.
The Calver-Barck collection of buttons, papers and books was purchased
from the Barck estate to become a part of the Albert Historical Collection. Among
its unique offerings is a small brown notebook written entirely in Mr. Calver's
hand. It contains an account of Dublin button makers, chronologically listed
from 1698 to 1919.
Mr. Calver credits two Dublin correspondents, Alexander MacWilliam and
Dudley Westropp, with supplying him much of the information. We wish to
acknowledge our gratitude to them as we open the notebook to all readers by
printing it in serial form.
_L.S.A.

THE BUTTtrN-MAKERS OF DUBLIN
By ALEXANDEFT MacWILLIAM
"Notes from old Dublin newspapers and Directories and other sources, re-
garding button-makers, with mention of some examples of buttons in the com-
pilers' collection, also, some mention of Dublin medalists and die-sinkers.
"Old buttons were thought by many persons to be too trifling to merit serious
consideration, but this is a mistake, as when they bear heraldic, emblematic,
political or sentimental desigrs, they are found to be of real interest and of an
historical value. Their value is somewhat akin to that of medals, and this is
especially the case when something is known of their makers, and of the place
and period of their manufacture.
"Many persons collect old military buttons which have an attractive and
historical value peculiar to themselves. In forming such a collection, some years
ago numbers of buttons non-military of good workmanship, attractive design and
bearing the names of Dublin button-makers were also acquired. These evoked
a desire for some knowledge of the trade and of those in it in Dublin, which led
to inquiries and some little research. Some of the information Uhus ascertained
was found interesting, and it is thought to be worth preserving: and in the hope
that they may be of interest to others, the following notes have been compiled.
"I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Dudley Westropp for permission to
make use of his list of Dublin button-makers, and acknowledge this courtesy,
without which these notes could not have been completed. My thanks are also
due Mr. William Strickland for allowing me to use the information upon Dublin
medalists in his Dictionary of lrish Artists, and to Dr. T. Percy C. I3rkpatrick,
Dr. H. C. Drury and Mr. Robert Arctrer for kindly help.
"It has been thought well to give particula^rs of the Dublin medalists because
it is probable that they started by cutting dies for purposes other than medals-
seals and buttons for instance; and it is known that sorne of them actually made
buttons, e.g. John Floche, William Mossop, John Woodhouse and William Parkes.