Page 26 - May2013

80 THE NATIONAL 'BuTTon BULLETIN May 20 13

of Buttons. 13 All the buttons scattered across plates
8, 13 & 16 show Wedgwood centers with beautifully
crafted mermaids and mermen mounted on various
metals with cut steel borders. Mrs. Ertell believed the
buttons were made by Matthew Boulton, who we
know was associated with Josiah Wedgwood. The Big
Book of Buttons 14 also has a scattering of mermaid
buttons, most of which can be found on plate177 A.
Both Skovronsky's and Squire l6 have documented
mermaid livery buttons, most holding a mirror and
This button depicting Melusine
fish tails in various states of curl. Only plate 35 in appeared on the cover of Just Buttons,
Skovronsky's book shows Triton on a livery. Feb. 1965. Like most "real" mermaids,
Clearly, finding mermaid buttons is a lifetime it is a particularly illusive button, as we
have not been able to locate one.
of searching. Occasionally, the search pays off.
This sweet little button (right)
is part of "The Storybook
Reverse carved Set" created in honor of
and painted lucite Hans Christian Andersen's
studio button by "TheLittleMermaid. "
Cheryl Empson. She is painted brass.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid 10 Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwiki/
Encyclopedia Mythica: http://www.pantheon.orgi Triton_ %28mythology%29
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwiki/The_Little_ II Just Buttons. "Fabulous Creatures," Vol XVIII, No I I.
Mermaid_%28statue%29 August 1960.
4 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 12 Just Buttons. "The Tale of the Mermaids;' Vol XXIII,
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mermaids.html No. 5. February 1965.
5 Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwikiiOannes#As_ 13 Ertell, V.B. (1973) "The Colorful World of Buttons;'
Oannes pp 8, 13, 16. The Pyne Press, Princeton.
6 Mermaids and Ikons: A Greek Summer (1 978) page 14 Hughes, E. & M. Lester. (2010) "The Big Book of
73 by Gwendolyn MacEwen Buttons", St. John's Press, Haworth, NJ. ISBN: 978- 1-
878282-38-5
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwiki/Siren
15 Skovronsky, T. (2008) "Livery Buttons;' Gloriosky!
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwiki/Lorelei
Art Stuff, Port Angeles, WA. ISBN: 0-9639588-2-8
9 Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.orgiwiki/Melusine
16 Squire, G. (1976) "Livery Buttons, the Cobb Collec-
tion;' Leghorn, Co., Pulborough, Sussex.