The oldest and largest button-making firm in the United States turn out about 65 millions of iron-backs per annum, consuming for the purpose about 500 to 700 boxes of taggers iron, each weighing 112 to 120 lb. The iron is of the very best quality, such as has only recently been produced in America. The various coverings—lasting, brocade, twist, iSce., and the canvas for forming the shanks, are all imported from England, France, and Germany.
Another method of making covered buttons is as follows. The disc for the shell is left flat, and the back piece or collet consists of a smaller circular disc, with a round hole in the centre and having its edge cut into eight sharp points, which are so bent as to form nearly a right angle with the disc, but inclining slightly inwards. To complete the button, three pieces of paper and two pieces of cloth are required, and are arranged in the following way. On the cloth forming the outer covering, is laid a. piece of paper of the same size, upon which is placed the iron disc forming the shell; this is overlaid by another piece of paper the same size as the shell, and this again by a small piece of paper to help form the shank ; next comes a piece of coarse cloth, and finally the metallic collet. In putting on the back, the covering is gathered up over all the materials, and the points which are already inclined inwards are passed down into the covering, forming eight little hooks, which hold the button together in a neat and effectual manner. The paper stuffing forces the cloth to protrude through the hole in the collet, forming the shank for attaching the buttons.
Pearl Buttons.—The manufacture of buttons from mother-of-pearl is an important branch of industry, and is distinguished by the fact that no elaborate machinery, and not more than a few shillings of capital, are required. The whole work is done by means of a lathe and skilled hand labour, consequently any efficient workman can carry on the manufacture alone, and as a con sequence, this particular kind of buttoo-making is carried on by a large number of persons, each engaged in a very small way. There are several varieties of pearl, all composed of the nacreous gam secreted by several species of mollusc. The finest and purest specimens are obtained from the white-edged Macassar ahella, imported from the East Indian seas, and worth in this country about 140/. to 160/. a ton. The yellow-edged Manilla shells are similar ; but the yellow tinge on the border reduces their value, and they are at the same time more brittle. This variety is principally used ia Sheffield for delicate knife handles, and fetches 1001. to 1201. a ton. A smaller and less deli cate variety is found in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea; they are known as Bombay and Alexandria shells. Their quality is very various, and prices range from 30/. to 70/. or 80/. a ton. The islands of the Pacific Ocean yield a ro-called black shell, which, when poliahed, throws out a dark shade full of rainbow tints ; portions also, when properly turned, give a white button, nearly aa good as that from the best Malacca shells. The last and lowest variety, also from the Pacific, is the Panama shell, worth 20/. to 30/. a ton. The mother-of-pearl is cut ont of the shell by a small cylindrical saw ; the disc is tamed in a lathe, and, if thick enough, split to make two. A " dove-tail "
hole is drilled in each button to receive the shank, which is fixed. by a slight blow with a hammer, thus expanding the lower part into the dove-tail so as to prevent its being easily withdrawn. The waste from pearl-cntting has been utilized for button-making, by grinding it to a fine powder, and mixing it with gum, to form a paste, which, on heating, may be pressed in monlds. The beauty and iridescent brilliancy of mother-of-pearl are owing to thin plates overlapping each other nuevenly, and dispersing the light as they reflect it. Ornamental flutings and corrugations are formed in the lathe by rneane of an eccentric chuck and slide rest. (See Pearl and Coral.) Porcelain Buttons.—The process of manufacturing porcelain buttons resembles that of making small ornamental articles of earthenware. The moistened clay is pressed into plaster of Paris moulds, carefully placed on boards to dry, and then taken to the " biscnit-oven," where it undergoes the first firing or baking. The baked clay is now called " biscuit," and is ready for the painter or printer. A great number are made uncoloured ; but many also, both with holes and shanks, are partly or wholly painted, some with simple, othera with complicated designs. The painting is effected either by hand or by transfer printing : in either case, the colours are " fixed" by the articles being baked in a muffle furnace or enamel kiln. In transfer printing, the design required ia printed from copper plate, by means of a peculiarly prepared ink, on thin tissue paper, which is then placed, while the impression is still moist, upon the biscuit ware and allowed to dry, aft,er which it la removed, the design having become tranaferred from the paper to the biscuit ware. The design is then burnt into the article in a muffle furnace. This baking effectnally removes the oil used in preparing the colour, and leaves the button ready for the glazing process. Eaeh muffle furnace is furnished with a little tramway, which traverses the interior of the furnace and projects fbrwarde into the bakehouse. This tramway is provided with small, flat, movable iron platforma, on which the " frames" containiug the buttorus are carefully piled and then wheele,d into the oven, around which a steady fire is kept constantly circulating. When the baking has been completed, the button is subjected, if required, to the glazing process, which is the aame as that used for common porcelain, after which the shanks are added. (See Pottery.) Glass Buttons are moulded by pinching the material, while io a half soft condition, in a pair of hot pinchers, which are furnished with a die if it is desired to impress a design on the buttons. (See Glass Mannfuetnre.) Shirt Buttons.—Common white shirt buttons are made in the following way. Finely powdered steatite is saturated with soluble glass, the mixture is dried and repulverized, and the powder thus obtained is pressed into moulds by suitable machinery. It is then fired or baked in fur naces, again dipped in soluble glass, and a second time submitted to the furnace. When cool, the buttons are polished by being put into a rotating barrel with water, then dried, and again polished by rotation in a similar barrel with soapstone powder.