Fashionable Buttons from Myers Emporium

I have received a wonderful batch of carded button & buckle combinations. The cards themselves are dated 30/08/1939, although they could of course been used for some time after this. The cards are a little dusty and stained, but the art-deco style buttons and buckles are gorgeous!

Myers used the tag line “For value and Friendly service” in advertising from 1935 right through until at least 1983.

I love the this ad with its camel placed in The Herald (Melbourne) on 30th march 1935 page 11. The oversized buttons and buckles are evident in the illustrations.

Some enlargements below:

In 1936 they were selling “fashionable buttons in all popular colors (sic) and styles and designs, consisting of Erinoid (a type of casein), Catalin (bakelite), Porcelain, and various other styles.” In 1940 they had a special of “card of buttons with buckle to tone … usually sold at 1/11, 2/11” for 7½d.

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Tailors’ Buttons

S.A.Wn. Co, Adelaide.

The South Australia Woollen Company existed from 1883 (although there was a prior business run from 1868-1878) until it was rebranded as the Onkaparinga Woollen Company in 1928. the brand is now owned by William A McNeil & Co Pty Ltd, and still produces quality woollen products.

See https://onkaparinga.com.au/blog/onkaparinga-since-1869-a-history-in-pictures/

https://fabrik.org.au/history-of-the-onkaparinga-woollen-mill/

“On its way to the factory”

The Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA), 30th December 1904 page 6.

Tailors’ Buttons

B. Cornish, Gulgong

Britson Cornish ( 1874 – 1953) was a tailor in Gulgong for over 50 years. He appears to have been a well liked and well read gentleman.

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW), 27th January 1938 page 18.

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW), 8th September 1953 page 10.

Bond St Compy. Adelaide.

This was a company of tailors and shirt makers from around 1884 until the closed in 1890. They were located at Gawler Place until 1890, but that year relocated to King William Street. Therefore, despite the fact that there is a Bond Street in Adelaide, the name must reference the fashionable Bond Street of London, which is described thus in Wikipedia: “During the 19th century, Bond Street became less known for its social atmosphere but increased its reputation as a street for luxury shopping.”

D. Dunsmore & Co. Adelaide

Duncan Dunsmore was a tailor and ladies costumier in Gawler from around 1894 until he retired in 1925. Unfortunately he died suddenly soon after, aged 68 years.

Bunyip (Gawler, SA), 15th March 1907 p 3

The Register (Adelaide), 2nd February 1925 p 2.

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Uniform Buttons

These are the first generic governmental service buttons I have seen by Sheridan. I have similar buttons by Stokes. Other generic type buttons are found with a monarch’s cypher on its own or in a garter, surmounted by a crown.

If you are able to explain which were used by whom, I would be grateful!

Sydney Church of England Grammar School Cadets

Backmark Stokes & Sons Melb

See http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/uniform-buttons-2/school-buttons/#Sydney_Church_of_England_Grammar_School

The Sydney Morning Herald, 22nd August 1931 page 16.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 11th December 1933 page 12.

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New Finds

Unless you have ugly buttons, I don’t see the point. You have to remove them to get undressed. Why not just get nicer buttons? Or a brooch?? If you had 4-6 buttons down the front, it would get heavy and tiresome.

Variety Stores

Please sellers; don’t place price stickers on the front of the cards!!

A 1954 Beauclaire Rabbit on a 1970s Target card!

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New Finds

I have often mentioned that G.J. Coles & Coy. were supplied Embassy (a Coles home brand) cards of buttons by General Plastics, then by G. Herring. these two cards show the difference. The card without a  printed price, and  rounded corners was the last type of card used by General Plastics. The  card with a printed price, squared corners and added thread were supplied by G. Herring. For more versions of Embassy cards, see http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/australian-button-history/g-j-coles-embassy-brand-1929-1994/#Embassy_brand.

Target

Beutron stopped supplying “6 foot of thread” In the late 1960s, after 1967. This early 1970s Target card is an example.

This buckle may date from 1983-6, as the company name was Walkers’ fashion accessories during that time.

Beutron recycling Beauclaire designs.

Both these designs were originally used by General Plastics for their Beauclaire brand of buttons. The card with the rose buttons were sold during/after the 1980s, and do not have a bar code on the back, whereas the other card does, and probably dates between 1990-2001.

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Country Fire Brigades Board

Good things come in pair! Not only do I now have a CFBB button to add to my collection, but  two from two makers. They also came with a cloth badge, and a set of CFA buttons, so they must have belonged to a Watchem resident.

The CFBB was established in 1890, and superceeded by the Country Fire Board (CFA) in 1945. It had responsibility over all fire brigades based more than 10 miles from Melbourne, but  represented urban brigades in cities and larger towns like Ballarat, Geelong and Bendigo for the most part.

Watchem is a town in north-western Victoria. Watchem applied for affiliation with the CFBB in 1915. However, according to their Facebook page, the Watchem CFA had its 100th anniversary in 2020; perhaps, due to its small size, it did not qualify until 1920. This photo from Google Street View in 2008 shows it still has a small station.

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Machine Gun Corps

Backmark Firmin. This is a button of the British Machine Gun Corps, raise in October 1915.

I have been informed that the Australian Machine Gun Corps did not have a specific uniform button (wearing the AIF button), but that some members of this corps used/swapped/scavanged the British buttons. Their badges showed the crossed machine guns, but with the “Rising Sun” surrounding the Crown.

The corps was raised in early 1916 in Egypt before transfer to Europe and the Middle East. They were eventually disbanded in 1919 following the end of Hostilities.

Australian war Memorial. Officers undergoing mschine gun training in England, 1917.

Weekly Times (Melbourne), 18th May 1918 page 26. “An Australian Machine Gun Corps in position.”

From “Journal and Proceedings”, no.5 1919 supplement.

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Leda Buttons

These sample cards possibly all show polyester buttons, which started to be made in Australia around 1957.

Leda-Beauclaire was the hybrid name used as general Plastics Ltd transitioned from the Beauclaire branding to Leda branding, around 1957.

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Beutron Buttons

1949-1959

1960s

Circa 1970-mid 1970s

Cursive script up to July 1970. Block lettering post July 1970.

Late 1970s

Possibly late 1980s

Probably 1990s

For scrapbooking/quilting.