I have collected a lot of things over the years, but it is time to start thinning the herd. I have quite a few vintage & antique buttons. I strung a lot of the bakelite buttons together on elastic and wore them as bracelets. I also have quite a few bone and shell buttons. But --- I don't really know much at all about them. I would like to start selling them, and don't want to just give them away at crazy low prices if any of them are valuable. Should I post some pictures here, or is that asking too much? Thanks.
People are crazy for buttons and they are cheap to ship. Just list them for auction the buyers will set the price.
General categorizing on buttons is by material, so search sold prices by material to see what your buttons are going for. Size isn't always an indicator of value, as tiny czech buttons from the 1920s can sell for a lot more than large buttons.
Next we look at condition, wearing them on a bracelet, having them rattle around in a jar for year can scratch up plastic buttons.
Be careful turning buttons into jewelry, you can destroy the value of a button by modifying it for jewelry making. There are many books on the values of buttons that are available used on Amazon but if you really want to learn current values spend some time looking at the stores that sell buttons on Etsy and join some of the button groups on Facebook.
The best source of information on buttons is https://www.nationalbuttonsociety.org. They also have local chapters but just the website alone is a good place t learn about button materials, size groups, and more.
The value of Bakelite buttons depends on color, size, condition, rarity, and intricacy of design. A plain Applejiuce ½ " button might be 25 cents while a large carved coat button with inlaid design might sell for $80.
evry1nositswindy • seller since 2013
