The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-08
HISTORY OF
Gigantic Catches, Once Set i'm Dfa-
mOnds, Now Rags and Bones.
Paris Figaro,

Paris Figaro.
Recently at the Hotel Drouet there was
a sale of a curious and interesting collec-
ton Of ancient buttons, the property OF
ton, which was exhibited in 1889 at the
exposition of decorative art, might rival
enthusiastic buttonists in the world. Cia-
pisson, the musician, collected 1850 differ
ent specimens. In 1S49 a collector in Client
exhibited more than thirty thousand, and
N. Maignien, the librarian of Grenoble
library, gained a certain reputation in this
branch of curiosities through his collection
of buttons and of uniforms.
The buttons Of the eighteenth century
bring high prices in the market at the
F~ragonard. we are told, decorated with
his marvellous pencil. In his time it was
fashionable to make presents of buttons
gories and various subjects were carved.
Bachaumont writes in his Secret Me-
moirs," Nov. Is. 1886: The mania for but
are not only of enormous size, some of
them as big as six-pound crowns, but
them, and this ornamentation is extremely
costly. Some of them represent the medals
of the twelve Caesars, others antique stat
ues, and still others the MetamorDhoses of
Isabey. in his biographical notes, says
that wheI he came to Paris he worked for
a living by making copies of Vanloos and
Boucher on the lids of snuffboxes, and
that for these medallions he was paid from
y AphS [pSAr ~ - "oo DNAA tNC
fashion" he said. "to wear buttons as Big
as a five-franc piece, upon which Cupids,
flowers and landscapes were cut In cameo,
| went into that business. l got u soils
for each"
Two years after this period in the life of
Bachaumont buttons abandoned erudition
to take up edileship. All the fine monu-
mentS of Paris were carved on them. Then
came the patriotic buttons, representing
the three orders, the Phrygian cap, the
portraits of Louis XVI, of Mirabeau.
Shortly afterwarL these ornaments were
laid aside. The reign of the artistic but
ton was over, and the mother OF pearl but
ton became general.
The oldest buttons at present IN the
museums and among the collections are
the gold buttons discovered at Mycenae; at
the time OF the excavations undertaken
in the tomb of Chiledric /. The latter were
exhibited at the Louvre in the Musee des
Souverains. They are made of gold and or
colored glass. initiating garnet. Buttons
detached from copes and religious gar
ments Of the middle ages and OF the Re-
nafssance have also been discovered.
But the richest things of the kind, be-
yond a doubt, are those that We're, worn
by Louis XVI. M. M~aze-Sencier, in the
"Register of Diamonds and Presents to the
King" at present preserved in the min
istry of foreign affairs. gives an official ac-
count of the buttons of that pompous SOW
ereign. 1t is as follows:
"Fseb. S. 16S5-Montarcy presented to the
King eighty diamond buttons, valued at
May T. l6s5-Made and delivered by sieur
Bose. six diamond buttons, @.UD nVreS.
July 26, 16s5-Handed over by Montarcy
to the Marquis de Seignelay for the King.
seventy-hVe diamond buttons, $50. 703 livres.
Aug. !, 16S5-Two diamond buttons, 67.Se6
Aug. 1s. 1sS5-Three diamond buttons.
pee. 20, 16s5-Four diamond buttons, So
us livres.''
Another item in the same year:
July 26. 16S5-Furnished by Montarcy for
the Kings vest: Forty-eight gold buttons.
each set with Il diamond. and ninety-six
clasps, forty-eight of which were composed
of FIVE diamonds each, and forty-eight OF
one diamond each, 1S5. 1913 livres.
Also 34 clasps for the doublet OF the
King. 162 of which were formed or nve
diamonds each. and 162 of one diamond
each. LOG. 345.
IN addition there were seven ornament
ed clasps OF three diamonds each, 2Ol.zO
livres.
"Sundry presents. thirty-three
ed clasps. 574, Sos livres."
That foots up a total of about three mlii-
ions for the buttons Of the Great king,
for the single year of 1888. The preceding
years Louis XIV received 4 lot or buttons
that were valued at 1.0Tl, coo hvres. 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 10 admit, with our coats
and overcoats garnished with miserable
little cloth and bone affairs, we cut a poor
fgure in the fancy button business COM
pared TO the dudes OF the days OF Louis
XIV.