Historical information

Anthony Hordern sen. (1788–1869) came from Staffordshire, as a free immigrant in 1823, and the business was originally established as a drapery store in Pitt Street by his wife Ann. The family moved to Melbourne and remained there but a son Anthony junior purchased land in George Street Sydney in 1842 and set up business with his brother Lebbeus. They broke their partnership in1855 and Anthony took his sons Anthony and Samuel into partnership as they became old enough. Anthony Hordern & Sons was the largest department store in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. with 52 acres (21 hectares) of retail space, and was once the largest department store in the world . It also operated one of the largest mail order businesses in Australia. One of their advertising slogans was that they sold "anything from a needle to an anchor".

Physical description

A strip of blue cardboard with 95 small, white 2 hole buttons . The cardboard folds into 3 for easy storage with each section holding 36 buttons. 7 buttons are missing - used. The buttons are sewn onto the card with a running thread that is covered by backing paper.

Inscriptions & markings

on backing of card a picture of an 'Anchor and Rope , Needle and Thread' / FROM A NEEDLE / TO AN ANCHOR / TRADE MARK / MADE IN ENGLAND.
inside ' MADE IN 14 LINES ENGLAND '