Page 38 - May2008

May 2008 THE NATIONAL BUTTOn BULLETIN 91

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MATTHEW BOULTON'S
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M atlhew Boulton (1728-1809) was the son of a toymaker of the same
name. In the 18th century "toy" was a term used to describe a maker of small
metal trinkets and utility objects. The younger Matthew, while still in his teens,
produced buckles and buttons that he exported to France. Unlike his father,
Matthew was not trained as a craftsman, but his entrepreneurial tendencies
showed at an early age. Eventually the son was made manager of his father's suc-
cessful business. He is best known among button collectors for his very collectible
highly burnished steel buttons with dazzling faceted cut steels.
Ironically, of all the "toys" the original factory produced, only the buttons
were making money. The demand for buttons and buckles from Europe was in-
satiable. Salesmen would leave Birmingham in armed with the company's sample
cards, taking horse-drawn coaches, then by boat, to sell the buttons all over
Europe. They would be away from home for around a year. It was the practice
then in England to give retailers six months' credit. In Europe retailers were given
one year to eighteen months-and many manufactories were never paid.
Following his father's death, Boulton, in partnership with John Fothergill,
bought a 16-acre site and in 1762 built the impressive Soho Manufactory near
Birmingham and the Jewellery Quarter. There they made Sheffield plate and silver-
ware, as well as jewelry, buttons and buckles, employing the finest craftsmen and
paying them well.
Boulton approached his great friend Josiah Wedgwood with a proposal of
collaboration that resulted in Boulton providing the surrounds for Wedgwood's
18th-century jasperware buttons-to the delight of future button collecto'rs.
John Taylor was the main commercial rival of Matthew Boulton. Taylor, who
later became a founding partner in Lloyds Bank, made his fortune manufacturing
buttons and japanned goods. His factory employed a mere 600 workers. Matthew
Boulton had over 800 workers and aggressively courted publicity. Boulton became
the first man to set up factory tours and a shop where visitors could bl.lY buttons
and other toys. He even added tea rooms on the site. The attractions were disas-
trously successful. The factory became famous worldwide. He had so many
visitors they slowed production down, and he had to stop the tours.