Buttons!

I am knee deep in vintage buttons right now and loving it. Oh my. This weekend I came into a ginormous lot of vintage and antique buttons some dating back to the 1800's! Hand carved, Bakelite, mother of pearl, bone, celluloid, wood, leather, glass, obsidian, and none of which are represented in the photo above I might add. The list goes on and on. Some are so breathtaking you can only hold them in your hand and marvel over them wondering how long ago they were made and what project they were intended for. And each one deserves it's own photo (hence the group shot of the lot above or this post would be a mile long!). All of us are having the best time just trying to sort them. We filled up two huge bowls. It's impossible not to stick your hand in and see what you find each time you pass, then in what seems like minutes you realize an hour has passed. I bought them with the intention of putting them up in the shop but right now I just don't know if I can. I was told by the auctioneer that they came from an estate on LI of a very old woman who was a seamstress and doll maker. It really gets me thinking about stashes, whether they be yarn, fabric, buttons, etc. I mean, how many of us will leave behind our treasured collections? I must already have more yarn than I can knit in my lifetime (at least a lifetime with 3 kids and other ambitions). I have found many button lots on my treasure hunts and all have been passed up. But this one is of such high quality and uniqueness that there wasn't even a moments hesitation. I wonder if someone in the future will feel the same about the supplies I have been amassing? I really hope so. Ok. Back to the buttons!