Antique Buttonhook with Mother-of-Pearl Handle

This is a neat little buttonhook dating from the Victorian to Edwardian period - somewhere between 1880's and 1910.  The handle is a shiny, irridescent piece of polished mother of pearl shell which is rounded to the top and tapers down to meet the steel.  The buttonhook measures just about 3.5 inches in length and the steel shows some marks, but is robust and functional.  Overall this is in good antique condition.  The mother of pearl makes this one a very nice and useful bridal gift - its small size means it would fit into a make-up bag, purse or handbag very easily!

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.