by Seth Miller

There is something intriguing about an antique – a long-ago far away feeling – that is almost enigmatic. A sort of mystery surrounds an antique object. Who were the people who first used it; what all has the object witnessed? History lives on through antiques.

Buttons are perhaps the most popular antique collectible. Buttons date back to ancient Egypt and China. But most antique buttons are from Europe and are not more than 200 years old. In fact, the period from 1830 to 1850 has been labeled as the Golden Age of buttons. Victorian buttons are an antique collector’s delight. The black ‘jet’ buttons worn by the Queen while she was mourning the death of her husband are extremely rare and valuable.

Antique buttons with pictures engraved or painted on them are the best storytellers. They have truly captured the essence of the bygone times. Another kind of antique buttons is the ‘realistic’ buttons that are shaped like real objects. ‘Habitat’ buttons take the idea of realism a step further; they have dried plants or insects nicely sealed under glass domes.

Often made of precious material like gold, mother of pearl and ivory, and handcrafted by artists, antique buttons are priced very high. The older and more rare the buttons, the more valuable they are. An antique button can cost up to a few thousand dollars. Enthusiasts around the world collect antique buttons. Collectors’ clubs organize competitions and exhibitions for its members. Antique buttons are increasingly being exhibited on the Internet.

Antique buttons came to be preserved because they were too beautiful to be thrown away. And in present times antique buttons hold a legacy that is too precious to be thrown away.