Mother of Pearl Mudlarked Button Ring

Historical Information

Type: Mother-of-Pearl Button Cap
Fabric: Carved Shell (Nacre)
Date: 19th – Early 20th Century
Find Location: Essex, UK
Extra Information:
This fragment is a mother-of-pearl button cap, carved from the inner nacreous layer of a seashell. Unlike sew-through buttons with holes, button caps were designed to be set onto a backing (often metal or bone) and fastened with a shank.

The shimmering iridescence of mother-of-pearl made it a highly desirable material for both everyday and decorative clothing, prized for its durability and natural beauty. The use of shell in buttons dates back centuries, but it was in the 19th century that large-scale production flourished, particularly in Britain, France, and later the United States.

Factories cut blanks from imported shells such as pearl oyster and river mussel, polishing them into luminous discs that caught the light. Mother-of-pearl buttons were used on everything from underwear and shirts to luxury garments, becoming one of the most common and recognisable button types of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. This cap fragment reflects both the artistry and the global trade networks that brought exotic shell materials into everyday fashion.