Help i.d. buttons champleve w/ weird back?

[getluckyvintage]

Hi. The textile board suggested Icome here. I would appreciate it if you all could help me i.d. and date this button. I researched a bit and Ithink this is called champleve? I have not found a term for the back. It is a set of 8. Also PLEASE, is there a website that is "Buttons For Dummies"? Somewhere that gives the basic language for differant construction of buttons?

[svengali]

These are lovely items but they aren't clothing buttons. I don't know what they are, but my guess is that they were part of jewelry somehow. The front certainly does resemble enameled buttons we see but not the back. This type of enameling is called "painted enamel" or emaux peints, in French as they are often referred to. The way the metal is stamped around the border is a champleve technique but the center is emaux peints technique. Champleve basically means "faux cloisonne" where the brass is stamped into partitions which then contain the enameling much the way the applied wire "cloisonns" do on a cloisonne enamel. You can usually see the way the metal is stamped on the back of a champleve enamel button. In this case, just the border of your button is champleve. -Carol-

[getluckyvintage]

Thank you for the information on the enamel/painting. I have posted about this in 4 other button places. So far it seems these are hooks, possibly sewn into the edge of a garment, where the other side would have loops. Probably French. Dating them is next. Gilt/gold , unsigned. These are all "educated guesses - so far no examples of them in a book anywhere, though.) I do not see how these could have ever functioned as jewelry, at least not in the traditional sense. How do you see them as jewelry? I appreciate your responding to my questions, thanks so much!

[svengali]

I was just guessing about your pieces possibly being from jewelry. I have no clue what those were for.

[jj*misty*mountain]

does anyone have a list of reference books for identifying buttons. I would like to search ebay for a good book but want to know the names of the best for identifying! I am sure this is not against the rules! BJoy

[svengali]

Bjoy it is not necessary to post the same question in every topic. Stick to the topics please or start a new one. I have answered your question under the appropriate thread you first posted it to. -Carol-