Antique Mother of Pearl Button Set
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Mother-Of-Pearl - Mother-of-pearl, technical name "nacre", is the inner layer of a sea shell. The iridescent colours and strength of this material were widely used in the nineteenth century as an inlay in jewellery, furniture, (especially papier mache furniture) and musical instruments.
In the early 1900s it was used to make pearl buttons. Mother-of-pearl is a soft material that is easily cut or engraved.
Nowadays it is a by-product of the oyster, freshwater pearl mussel and abalone industries. - Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
This item has been included into following indexes:
-
buttons
- boxed 73
- mother of pearl 20
- silver/silver plated 73
Visually similar items
A vintage Parker pen set, comprising a pencil and a fountain pen with gold nib, in original box.
Cased set six late Victorian gilt metal & enamel buttons with rose decorated centres on a black and white ground, with fittings, the green case stamped, Albert Barker, new Bond St, London.
Australian sterling silver letter opener by David Clayton, in presentation box, with twist handle and tapered blade, total weight 55gms, length 16 cm
A pair of silver and mother of pearl handle spoons, with scroll silver detail to handle. Hallmarked: Sheffield 1907. Maker: Charles Boyton & Son. Fitted box.