The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1919-01-02
Button, Button. Who Makes
the Button?


CONTINUED from page il
small pieces of colored glass between a pair
of pliers provided with dies in which the
design is cut.
Buttons are sometimes made from a thin
glass, the inside of which is coated with a
mixture of liquid ammonia and the white
matter from scales of certain fishes. After
the inside has been coated in this manner it
is only the expert who can detect the imita-
ton pearl button from the real article, es-
pecially when the interior of the glass is
slightly roughened to remove its CLASSY
appearance.
Another kind of so-caIled pearl button is
made from the fresh-water mussel. The
favorite mussel possesses thick shell, some
what resembling the cookie, its interior be-
ing dazzling white, while its exterior is very
dark brown.
The use of the mussel depends upon the
fact that most she'll bearing molluscs Sc
| crete substance with which to provide a
smooth surface to the hard shell. which
otherwise would inAicr injury upon the ten
der bodies of the animal. 1t is due to this
substance being placed in thin layers that it
is iridescenr, the beautiful substance being
known as nacre.
Pearls simply consist of this substance
which the oyster deposits in successive lay
ers over some irritating substance which
has found its way into the she'll. Actually
| the nacre consists merely of common car
| Donate of lime. the beauty of the pearl be-
| ing due to the extreme tenuity of the layers.
When gathered the mussels are taken to
rude boilers, where they are boiled for a
sufficient time. The cooked feshy portion
is generally utilized as manure, though
the flesh forms good food for poultry and
for pigs.
The shells next pass into the factory,
where they are sawn into the rough shape
of buttons, being first turned into blanks.
After this process is completed, 1t is nee
essary to remove the outer portions of the
shell; occasionally this is done by simply
splitting, generally the black skin is re-
moved by means of emery wheels.
When this process is complete it is nec-
essary to turn the button into its prope;
shape and to impart a concave surface to
the front. The shell disc is next drilled
with holes so that it may be sewn on, or in
some cases In such a way that metal shank
can be fitted.
The completing process, in the case OF
simple button, is that of polishing, which
is occasionally done with rotten stone and
soap. In the majority of cases the buttons
are simply thrown into revolving cylinde
containing chemicals. Being thrown to-
gether in the midst of this liquid the shell
receives high polish which imparts the
we'll known lustre of pearl buttons.
| The other processes simply consist in
drying, sorting, sewing into cards, and
packing, though in many cases metal
shanks are fitted. The buttons with ina
perfect surfaces, those containing marks OF
| flaws which impair them, are "smoked'
| by means of various chemicals.
The true mother-of-pearl buttons are
made fromthe shell of the large pearl-oy-
| ster, which sometimes measures nearly a
foot across. In making buttons from this
| shell, plugs are cut out by means of a tub
ular saw. The plugs are then split into
| disks of a suitable size, which are then
shaped in much the same manner as that
mentioned, with the exception that they are
polished by means of ground charcoal and
approximately.