All Buttons Great and Small

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       October 22, 2023

 

Author  Lucy Godoroja

Distributor:      Exile Books
ISBN:                 9781925820836
Publisher:         Exile Books
Release Date:   October 2023  

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All Buttons Great and Small would make a great coffee table book. It is attractive and appealing to the eye. There are two types of responses when you speak to people about buttons. One group say,” Oh Buttons!” with delight and nostalgia, the other group say “Buttons, really?” with a tone of disbelief.

The foreword by Lucy Godoroja adds to the fascination of this book. She maintains that buttons have a way of sparking memories of the past. She was introduced to buttons as a child of five who accompanied her mother to the haberdashery store. While her mother searched out fabrics, Lucy marvelled at the buttons. After several changes of jobs, Lucy found herself working with a friend in Amsterdam. Her friend ran a button shop.

The author decided when she returned to Australia that she would like to have her own button shop and it was here that she began to discover the wonder of these tiny fasteners. She also began to travel and was lucky enough in Milan to be offered some very old buttons for sale. Glass buttons, and diamantes from the 19century were some of her purchases as well as some original ceramic buttons from Prague. There is an element of “The hunt,” when people sort through buttons to find a match.

Following chapters explain about fasteners which have been found in Egypt, Iran and Greece. Dating from 6000 BC, toggle buttons were first made from bone. The following pages show buttons through time and the craftsmanship which have made so many beautiful designs, are to be admired.

There are many patterns, and bases for the artwork shown here. The photography is beautiful, and the backgrounds shows the varied collection at its best. This is such an entertaining and well written book one cannot help but turn the pages.