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General Plastics Pty Ltd

O.C. Rheubens changed the company’s name to General Plastics Pty Ltd in October 1941. They adopted the brand name Beauclaire late in 1950. Therefore there was a period of 9 years (or longer if considering that O. C. Rheubens existed from 1933-1941, and before that the Herrman Company from 1922) when this firm produced buttons under other brand names. One example is cards marked simply as “plastic buttons’. Some of these had ‘A GP Product’ printed on the card as well.

For other  pre-1950s examples from this firm, see http://www.austbuttonhistory.com/australian-button-history/federation-to-ww2/general-plastics-beauclaire/#Branding_on_cards

When Beauclaire branding was adopted, there were quite varied artworks adopted for the cards. One version stated “Take a button, make a fashion”, and the form of a suited and gloved lady in bright pink carrying a small case sporting travel tickets to Rome, London and Paris. This is part of one of these cards.

For a short time period (around 1957-8) there existed the hybrid branding of Leda Beauclaire, or Leda by Beauclaire. On this card the ‘Leda’ portion is missing. After this period, the name Beauclaire was dropped completely.

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