The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-06-29
ALL ABOUT BUTTONS.
INTERESTING FACTS CONCERNING \
VERY USEFUL ARTICLE.
Tho Greeks and Romans Did Not Have
Thcm-Wc Are Indebted to the French
for Their InvcntiOn-Iu tho Glten Times
When the Dudes Wore Daxzlcrs.

Thcm-Wc Are Indebted to the French
for Their Invcntion-In tho Glden Times
When the Dudes Wore Daxzlcrs.
The word button tFrcnch bouton, frcm
bout, an end or extremity, and boutcr, to
push or place., is less correctly applied to an
appendage of dress than to n tiny projection
or collet intended TO be pressed by the ,i:u:no
or finger for specific purpose, of which 'he
aptest Illustration is furnished 10y the ter
milial button of all electric bell. Tho idea Of
utilizing the bcuton for hanging anythin; /,
thereby, or fastening anything thereto, is Of
comparatively modern date, i'll short, neither
the term nor the article WAS known to the
ancients. The dress of the Greeks and no,
mans needed not tho presence q: lnl:tona.
ample substitutes for which wcrc found in
tho clasp. AS evidence of this fact, it NAV
be cited that among all the paintings and
mosaics discovered in the ruins OF rompcii,
no single illustration Of the button has ever
been brought to light. Nor did the simple
costume Of the Anslo-Saxons require those
accessories which nowadays we could ill
afford to dispense with
"BuTToNS ALL OVER 'EM"
Then,
buttons i'll this country wcre altogether un.
known, so that hero we have u distinct proof
of our historical Indebtedness TO tho French
for all innovations OF fashion in the matter
of costume. Tho people OF Normandy must
certainly have been of an inventive turn of
mind, or they would never have conceived
the utility of buttons in relation to dress.
Nothi' in nature could lavc suggested the
.,F
flower known us tho "hacllclor's hultun," b,lt
this is scarcely probable. Rather let us say
tho suggestion camc from the already faniia,
wooden knob or extremity known as the bout
or bouton of their early furniture We know
ourselves how convenient it is to liln. any
article of dress upon door or drawer lan,ll.
OF even on the collct OF Il hc,Iln,st, so there
exists no doubt that in this way it was how
the Nornians hit upon the idea of temporarily
attaching one garment to another. until i'll
course OF time they dispensed, with the an
cient clasp altogether
1 Once introduced, buttons soon came To b,
generally adopted 10y all classes, though nc
| actual reference 10 them is to be traced in
| our literature prior In the early part of Tn,
Fourteenth century. The reign of Edward l.
which ushcrc,l in tight fitting garments, and
| particularly sleeves, afforded scope for az
abundant display of buttons from the wrist
TO the elbow, oi both sexes, set us ,h;chly Il,
possible, as may be seen in iilumina.iuns ans
upon ctiigies of this period Tho writer ri
"lho Romanco of Sir Dcgrevant," for OK
ample, in describing tho costume of an carl.
daughtcr, Observes "ro tell her butcu,l..
WAS toorc, j. u, llarl-to count her bottom
would he difficult. Even the servants of lh'
| time became infected with tho craze Til,
habit of alins, their masters in this pariicu
| lar is thus siltlrizcd by an old author:
| Now tho horse cllwciS, clothed in rril.
They bllsli them in buttons as it were Il bride
During the reign Of Edward Ill tho but
tons wcro set close upon one another dow,
| tho front of the coat har,lie coat III tuilic
of males and tho gown of fcnl;.rS In til.
next century, however, they suffered IL con
siderable decline, in consequence Of the in
PRODUCTION of laces and points, hut, 10y tii
Sixteenth century, they recovered their ~
cendcncy TO such q degree that not only ,li
they appear in greater pruiusion and variet
than before, but tho material of which the
We're composed included gold, silver and eve
! diamond: