Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-18
MILLIONS IN BUTTONS
CATCHES MADE OF COSTLY DIAMONDS
IN THE DAYS OF LOUIS XIV.

Recently at the Hotel Druuot there
wae . sale Of curious and Interesting
collection Of ancient buttons, the proper
ty Of Baron Perignan Of Paris This col
lection, which was exhibited in 1889 at
the expedition Of decorative arts, might
xival any one Of those belonging to the
most enthusiastic 'buttonists in the
world Clapisson. the musician, col
1ected 1850 different specimens. In
1s49 . collector in Client exhibited
more than 80. 900, and N. Maignien,
the librarian Of the Grenoble library,
gained . certain reputation in this
branch Of curiosities through his collec-
ton Of buttons Of Everies and Of uni
forms.
The buttons Of the eighteenth century
bring high prices in the market at the
present time. There are some Of them
that Fragonard, we are told, decorated
with his marvellous pencil In his time
IL was fashionable to make presents Of
buttons a. big az q crown piece, on
which allegories and various subjects
were carved.
Bachaumont writes in his "Secret
Memoirs, Nov. 10, 1885: "The mania
Sor buttons is today extremely ridicu-
lcuA. They are not only Of enormous
size; some Of them as big as six pound
crowns, but miniatures and pictures are
made upon them, and this ornamental
ton is extremely costly. Some Of them
represent the medals Of the IL Caesars,
others antique statues and still others
the Metamorphoses Of Ovid"
Isabey, in his biographical notes,
says that when be came to Paris he
worked for q living BY making copies
Of vanloos and Bouchers on the lids Of
mu1fboxes, and that for these medal
lions he was paid from 6 to francs
each. "As it was still the fashion" he
said, "to wear buttons as big as 8
franc piece, upon which Cupids, flowers
and landscapes were cut in cameo, I
went into that business. got 12 sous
for EACH"
Two years after this period in the
life Of Bachaumont buttons abandoned
erudition to take up edileship. All the
fine monuments Of Paris were carved
ON them. Then came the patriotic but
TONS representing the taking Of the Bas-
tile, the emblem Of the three orders,
the Phrygian cap, the portraits Of Louis
XVI, Of Mirabeau.
Shortly afterward these ornaments
were laid aside. The reign Of the ar
tistic button was over, and the mother
Of pearl button became general.
The Oldest buttons at present in the
museums and among the collections are
the gold buttons discovered at MycenB,
at the time Of the excavations undertak-
en- by DR.. Sch1iemann, and also those
found in the tomb Of Childeric /. The
latter were exhibited at the Louvre in
the Musee des Sonverains. They are
made Of gold and Of colored glass, imi-
tating garnet. Buttons detached from
copes ard religious garments Of the
middle. ages and Of the renaissance
have also been discovered.
But the richest things Of the kind, be-
yond doubt, are those that were worn
by Louis XIV. NJ. Maze-Seucier, in the
Register Of Diamonds and Presents to
the King" at present preserved in the
ministry Of foreign affairs, gives an off,
cial account Of the buttons of that pomp-
Gus sovereign. It is. az follows:
"Feb. 8. l6s5.-Montarcy presented
to the king 80 diamond buttons, valued
at $50, $50 livrea
MAY z, 16S6-Made and delivered
by Sieur Bose, 8 diamond buttons, go
600 livres.
"July 90, 16s5.-Hmded over by
Montarcy to the Marquis de Seignelay
for the king IS diamond buttons, $780,
703 livres.
"Aug. l, I6s5.-Two diamond but
tons, 81, 500 livres
Aug. 16, 16S5.-Three diamond but
tons, SO, $50 livres.
dec. 20, 18s5.-Four diamond but
tons, SO, rs livres.
Another item in the same year:
July 26, 16S5.-Furnished by Mon
tarcy for the kings vest: Forty -eight
gold buttons, each set with diamond,
and % clasps, 4S Of which were COM
posed Of five diamonds each and AZ Of
one diamond each, 1856, 1873 livres.
"Also 8s4 clasps for the doublet Of
the king. 162 Of which were formed Of
five diamonds each and 162 Of one dia-
mond each, 1,006, 345 livrea
In addition there were seven oEna-
mental clasps Of three diamonds each,
2O1, $40 ivrea
"Sundry presents, 50 ornamented
clasps, 674, $3.50 livres.
That foots up total Of about 5000,
600 livres for the buttons Of the ''Gteat
King" for the single year Of 1885. The
preceding year Louis XIV received q lot
Of buttons that were valued at I, OF, 900
livres. In these enumerations there is
NO mention Of the diamonds for the
shoes, the garters, the cuffs and the
hats Of the monarch.
We are obliged to admit with our
coats and overooats garnished with mis-
cradle little cloth and bone affairs. we
cut . poor figure in the fancy button
business compared to the dudes Of the
days Of Louis Hv.-Paris Figaro.
Tine 20 Change.
Il was as . table d'hote dinner at .
hill station IN india that \ vovv vons,<y