5 buttons on red card, 1930s

Historical information

Sally Hearn (1932–2018) was a dedicated button collector and a prominent member of the Victoria Button Collectors Club. Her button collection was featured as a primary display in the 'The Melbourne Story' exhibition at the Melbourne Museum, which opened in mid-2008.

Significance

The Hearn Collection of locally made and international buttons is historically and aesthetically significant as it illustrates the textile and manufacturing history of button making.

Physical description

This item consists of 5 buttons on red card, each shaped and painted to resemble a bundle of flowers. With a white base, each buttons contains faded colours of green, pink, yellow and blue.

Inscriptions & markings

Official Catalogue Entry:
"Nancye wrote a note with them “These are again Hicks Atkinson’s on a plain button thru’ dress (I seem to have lost some) then Mum wanted to put them on a floral dress which I hated – I don’t like floral on floral. They are about 1935-40’. Mum always recycled buttons” Nancye was a noted thimble collector and avid volunteer for Legacy. Her mother Eveline Gainey was a milliner and tailoress at Maloney in Flinders Lane. Her father, a teacher, returned injured from WWI and went on to be M.P. for Elsternwick in Bolte’s Government and started the State Relief when at Abbotsford State School."

Other parts of this item

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