Page 21 - December2001

December 2001 275

CH INA ENTH U S IA5T5

Meet in Denver

5 U BM ITTE D BY JAN ET V/H ITE AN D J U DYE 5TEV/ART

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ideas and to exchange duplicate buttons. The advent of the internet, however,
has made it possible for this kind of interaction to reach a far wider audience.
Such was the case at the NBS National in Denver, as over seventy-five
china enthusiasts tnet fbr the China Fanciers' gathering on Wednesday evening.
Many of the collectors "kneu," one another from corresponding over the inter-
net, but r,r,'ere pleased to hal'e the opportunity to meet face to face. Among these
avid china collectors \\'ere the el'ent organizers, Janet White and Judye Stewart,
w'ho had met online. With the assistance of Jody Behrbaum and Lindy Miller,
and some quick scheduling by show coordinator Barbara Reiter, they planned
the evening meeting as a way of sharing china information on a larger scale.

A ( nutticipants signed in, the first fifty received a special memento of the
I \ J meeting. two china stencil face buttons mounted on a colorful calico
card and eight feet of Kynar wire for mounting buttons. The Kynar wrapping
wire is becoming a favorite among china collectors fbr rnounting whistle but-
totts, igloos, and all of the serv-throughs. It is a \rery fine gauge plastic-coated
wire available at Radio Shack and other electronic supply stores.
For the first item on the program, Jody and Lindy distributed a China Quiz
(complete with answers) that they had compiled and presented a display board
outlining their ongoing research into the history of china buttons. Their display
featured a tirneline of china manufacturers, as well as patterns of calico buttons
that they hal'e been able to date through archaeological methods, including doc-
umented shipr,r,recks along the Missouri River. Additional photos of actual peri-
od garments using calico buttons drew great interest.
The next order of business was to share information about buttons that
appear to be chinas, but are not listed in the Guiclelines Jb, Collecting China
Buttons. Denver Elliott, a long-time china collector and a special guest, pre-
sented for the group's enjoyment a card of "beyond the book" buttons which he