Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-07-01
BUTTONS THE LATEST FAD.
Large Sums Spent by Louis XIV. for These
Costly Decorations.

Buttons are very popular just at
present School children collect them
and, Judging from the number of spe-
cimens in some of these collections,
large amount of money must be in
vested in the manufacture of these
goods. During the recent Presiden-
tial campaign an enormous number OF
buttons was sold, and the demand for
them, though less than it was, has by
no means died out. In view of this
fact certain leading tailors are Won
dering whether this passion for but
tons may not signify that we are about
to return to the old custom of wearing
costly and curious buttons on our
dress coats.
Eighteenth century buttons, espe-
cially those painted by Fragonard,
fetch great price to-day. Formerly
it was the custom to give these but
tons to friends as presents and to have
certain allegories or other scenes
stamped on them in enamel.
The Oldest buttons in existence are
the gold ones which were discovered
by Schliemann at Mycene and those
which were found in the tomb of
Childeric I. The latter, which were
formerly on exhibition at the Louvre,
are of gold and of glass colored in
imitation of granite. Curious buttons
have also been found on the caps and
religious garments of the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance.
The costliest buttons ever made
were worn by Louis XIV. Here is
list of those purchased during single
year, as recorded in the Register of
the Kings Precious Stones and Pres
ents" by Maze encier:-
February 3, '1GS5-Montarsy sent
to the King twenty four buttons, each
containing diamond; value, 1873, $50
francs.
May 7, 16S5-Six diamond buttons
made and delivered by Sieur Bose;
value, 80, 600 francs.
July 26, 16S5-Given by Montarsy
to the Marquis de Seignelay for the
King seventy-fve diamond buttons;
value, $50, 7O3 francs.
August 1, 1685-Two diamond
buttons; value, 81, 1866 francs.
August 16, 1685-Three diamond
buttons; value, 90, $50 francs.
December 20, 16S5-Four diamond
buttons; value, SS,375 francs.
Furthermore we are told that on
July 26, 1885, Montarsy furnished for
the Kings waistcoat forty-eight gold
buttons, each bearing diamond and
ninety-six boutonnieres, of which
forty-eight were each composed of
five diamonds and the other forty
eight of one diamond, the value of the
whole being 1885, 1913 francs. Three
hundred and twenty -four boutonnieres
were also furnished for the Kings
vest, of which one hundred and sixty
two were composed of five diamonds
and the other one hundred and ninety
two of one diamond, the total value
being 1,OO6, 345 francs. Finally forty
boutonniere ornaments were furnished
to the King of which seven cost 20l,-
go francs, and the remaining thirty
three 5S4, 1866 francs.
Here we see that a sum of about
5000, 900 francs 5000, 000) was spent
on buttons for the "Grand Mon
argue" during single year. During
the preceding year 1854 the cost was
not so great, being only 1,071, 900
francs. The amounts here specified,
however, are solely for the buttons.
and do not include the cost of the dia-
monds and precious stones which dec
grated the hat, shoes, buckles and
other portions of the Kings dress
New York Herald.