The Old Button Box

Mom's old button box

This is my mother’s old button box.  The lid has a raised design–
a pheasant? partridge? peacock?   When I was growing up the sides
of the box had the same raised design all around the circumference
of the box.  But I guess the material became loosened and was
discarded.  I don’t like to think about that, so I just concentrate on
looking at the wonderful old cover.

When I was little I spent hours and hours going through that button box.
One of my favorites was the little dark blue button that had molded
bowling pins. (My mother was in a bowling league and I suppose she
had made a blouse or something and had a couple of buttons left over to
put in the box.)  Another was a white button with red lines—reminded me of our red and white kitchen table.  And there was a button that had
a knot tied on top –of real leather.

One of my earliest memories is going “downstreet” with my Grandmother to visit her friend.  The friend lived upstairs over a
garage, and while Grandma and her friend gabbed away, I was allowed
to look through the friend’s button box and play with them.  I was about
four years old at the time I think.   I wonder how many four year olds today would be content to look through a button box long enough for the
grownups to have a good chat?

I have only recently been reunited with Mom’s button box.  When my
mother’s things were divided, my sister ended up with it.  And when I
recently asked about it, she agreed to send it to me.  I don’t know how
many, if any, of the old buttons will still be in it—it’s been a long time.

I plan to look through it leisurely, and in the meantime share some of my
other buttons that I have with you.