Late Victorian - Edwardian Ebony Handled Button Hook plus Ebony Glove Stretchers

This is a good, honest, plain buttonhook with a black ebony handle and bright shiny steel.  It comes with  matching glove stretchers in ebony, another useful accessory from the past. Victorian and Edwardian society preferred ladies to wear gloves and a small hand was greatly favoured.  The kid gloves of the time could be opened a little to allow the lady to squeeze her fingers into the smallest size possible!   Both of these dressing room tools measure approximately 8 inches in length and are in excellent condition.  The handle of the buttonhook is marked with the words 'Real Ebony' to show it is the favoured hardwood and not just 'ebonised' a painted lesser quality wood.  For any bride  planning to wear a vintage or antique ensemble with buttoned frock and a pair of kid gloves this could be just the thing!

A Testimonial from Mrs. Jemma Traynor -

'Thank you for the buttonhook, it was the most useful thing for helping with the small buttons on the back of my silk wedding dress.  My bridesmaid found it so easy to use.  We both think that it saved her manicured nails from any damage too!  I also have a pretty antique as a keepsake and feel sure that it may come in handy again.'

More information for collectors -

There is a strong  interest in buttons and buttonhooks of all kinds not just in the UK but across Continental Europe and the USA too.   A recommended publication is the Shire Book 'Buttonhooks and Shoehorns'  ISBN 0-85263-696-2 which traces the origins of these collectables. With lots of photos, it explains the various types of hook :-glove hooks, boot buttonhooks, combination hooks with a shoehorn etc.,  the many materials used to make them:-real gold and silver, to steels with other handles - mother of pearl, horn, ivory, bone, early plastics, bakelite, celluloid and other metals. There is information about how they were used for early advertising and  the methods of manufacture in the 19th Century and early 20th Century and the reasons why they became popular and, as fashions changed, fell out of favour.