Pearl Button Shells

A few weeks ago while looking around an antique shop Mr. Wild noticed a pile of shells that were cut out and used for making mother of pearl buttons. He suggested that they might be interesting to show on my blog.

I bought 3 shells, they were only $1 each and since I'm such a mother or pearl button hoarder I thought they would be fun to have.

The 'right side' and the 'back side' of mother of pearl buttons

I searched online and was surprised to find a few good links to mother of pearl button making along the Mississippi River.

Years ago (late 1800's and into the 1950's) there were several pearl button factories in Muscatine Iowa nicknamed The Pearl City  and Pearl Button Capital of the World. Lacrosse Wisconsin was another button producer taking 6600 tons of clams from the Mississippi River.

I can make a pretty good guess that my shells came from the Mississippi River seeing as I live only a couple of miles from the Mighty Mississippi and not terribly far from Lacrosse.

Here are a few pictures and links to the information.

A button factory in Muscatine

Image courtesy of the Muscatine History and Industry Center

If you are interested in more information about mother of pearl button history, here are a couple of short articles on the subject.

An Etsy Blog Article about mother of pearl button making

Burda Style Mother of Pearl Buttons

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Linking to;

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Jars of Lace....

I'm rearranging my sewing room (sewing corner). My DH put up a couple of long shelves for some of my treasures.

This is only a little more than half of the upper shelf to be continued...once I get everything just right...

I found the large jar at Home Goods last spring for a steal and stuffed it full of old crochet lace along with a few more jars found at the thrift store.

A very large (14") vintage metal clock face that was another steal.

The glass dome was from a cheap plastic clock found at the thrift store...I bought it for the glass dome and kept the clock works.

I was thinking of putting something inside the dome but I don't want to block anymore of the clock face, I'm starting to like it empty the way it is...

I love that old tattered Corticelli box and the old white rose...

And on the left side is my brothers old metal horse, my grandfathers old pocket watch and a very old photograph of my other grandfather...


And his dog tag on the left side from when he was a fireman. He was born in late 1800's and he's quite young here so this had to be taken in very early 1900. He was a fireman in the days of horse drawn firetrucks and I still have his old heavy fireman's hat (number 8) I'll have to post some day!

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Be sure to check out these parties...linking to....

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays

Faith Grace and Crafts for Pearls and Lace Thursday

Common Ground for Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday