The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
BUTTONS.
Used In Enormous Numbers Tor Rsnnufae turing
PurposeA as Wei az for Wear.

AS shirts are made nowadays pretty much
every man wears one or more collar buttons.
Diamond collar buttons are not so much worn
as they were, though some are still sold; they
cost from $s and.$1o each up to $40 or $50. The
fine collar button now:most generally wornsis of
plain yellow gold, and sells at from $3.50 to $50.
A great number of silver collar buttons are sold,
and with the fall In the value of silver these are
now cheaper than ever.
Tho number of plated collar buttons sold In
enormous. They are made In great yarie-
ty. There uro plain. plated buttons and
plated buttons with celluloid backs, and
buttons with pearl backs ana plated tops,
and buttons with plated backs and pearl
tops. There are lewoiry factories devoted soleiv
to the manufacture OF plated collar buttons and
cum buttons. The annual production In this
at from D cents to 20 cents each, Is about o
million gross. or two for each person in the
Among the liner kinds of cheap collar buttons
Austria. or bono collar buttons and OF agate
collar buttons, which come from France and
Germany and arc far cheaper, thcre are im-
ported annually great numbers, many millions.
numbers Of collar buttons of ueliuioid. There
arc collar buttons made OF u compositions; collar
buttons OF wood. lacluered, ana buttons OF iron.
Enormous, as tho consumption OF collar but
tGns Is, Tor inc purpose Indicated by their name.
consumption for manufacturing purposes.
In such uses the cheaper collar buttons are
COHstlhcu ny uuhureu5 Oh IlllllOnB annually,
All shirt manufacturers and manufacturers Of
wolncn's waists use thom In tho manutacutured
garments. a Ellrt band ia not pinned II Is fas-
toned with a collar button, and n collar button
is commonly put IN each wristband. II the shirt
opens front anu back two collar buttons are pub
in the neck, so that three Or four collar buttons
nro used in every shirt. Many laundries send
back laundorcd shirts with tho collar NOT
pinned, but secured by a collar button: "A Gus.
toner would got in this manner from the laun.
dry, IN the course OF IA year, as many collar but
ons as he sont shirts; more Ii he wore shirts that
opened back and front.
MOST or the collar buttonssu sod for these pur.
poses are very cheap; many OF them marvellous
~ cheap, Under tho head come the IN
klhds OF Done buttons, the agate collar buttOnA,
tons ure all made in this country. We can't COM
let with The, cheaper LABOR of the European
couhtrles in the pToIut ton OF tho pearl, bone,
anu agate collar buttons, nor can they compete
WIN ,s IN tho production OF the various kinda OF
metal buttons. There Hro various grades and
buIl0hs with gilt tops, tho heap metal buttons
are some OF them git finished and some silyered.
ana sOIhu stoel i!nishcd. he cheap collar Dut-
IONS arc, sold By the great gross. Great mum.
pors o. lhohl foreign and domestic, are sold nj
such prices that Lhuir cost is n cent a dozen, or
considerably Ices, but oven at such prices their
cost lb a considerable item of expense to the
large manufacturers. There arc manufacturers
OF shIits ana MulstE who use millions OF these
collar buttons annually.
some collar buttons used on hieh.nricad
hhlrl waists arc articles OF Iewelry manufAc.
luit' made With glass settings In Imitation OF
ewes; such buttons are sold, In sets al about
VI a dozen sets.
Inc Total consumption OF collar buttons In
ms country i0T, all purposes probably excesda
q lhouaahd lnilllOn annually, and the amount
expended Tor them probably ID not very IA -
low SlO.oOO.OOO.