Brown Glass Button Ring

Historical Information

Type: Brown Glass Button (Sew-Through)
Fabric: Press-moulded glass with four sewing holes
Date: 19th – Early 20th Century
Find Location: Essex, UK
Extra Information:
This button is made of brown press-moulded glass with four sewing holes for direct attachment to fabric. Unlike shank buttons, sew-through types were easy to produce and widely used on everyday garments. The glass was moulded and sometimes polished to imitate semi-precious stones, making these buttons both affordable and decorative. Brown tones were fashionable for utilitarian clothing, as the colour blended well with woollens, workwear, and outdoor garments.

Buttons have been used as clothing fasteners since the medieval period, but the 19th century saw a huge expansion in materials and styles thanks to industrial production. Glass buttons were especially popular during the Victorian era, when factories in Bohemia, France, and Britain exported them worldwide. They provided sparkle, colour, and variety to garments, offering an inexpensive alternative to jet, horn, or gemstone.