Page 41 - May2008

94 THE NATIONAL 13urrrron BULLETIN May 2008

Bountiful

Balls

Compositior
1916-1918

B ALL BUTTONS-sometimes
very big and often very heavy
ivory -were fashionable in the late
'teens towards the end of the
First World War. The heaviest
ones were presumably used
on coats or winter suits, the
lighter ones on summer suits,
blouses and dresses. The larger
ones were made of composi
tion, wood, horn, celluloid,
casein and vegetable ivory.
There are even a few china
examples, which are pretty,
but very heavy and, one
would have thought, rather
impractical. There are smaller
balls made of these materials,
but the daintier versions for
blouses or dresses were usually
made of glass or china and

Sepia tone photograph inscribed
"Mother, Summer of 1918"