Gaiters, Bull's-Eyes, and Bird Cage Buttons
Gaiters
by their metal loop shank set into a metal plate.
After that common feature, though, gaiters exist in a variety of shapes, colors,
and some even have lovely luster finishes.
These last four gaiters are hobnail gaiters and shown above
are the four different patterns of these lovely buttons.
Bull's-Eyes
Bull's-eyes are a class of gaiters
(with the metal shank and plate on the back)
decorated with one or more bands of color.
There are fifteen distinct patterns of bands catalogued...
I've shown fourteen patterns here.
Bird Cages
China "bird cage" buttons?
Well actually these unusual buttons have what is officially called
an "inserted four-way self shank."
The shank is made from china and applied to the back of the button body.
Early collectors dubbed them "bird cages"
because of how the shanks look when viewed from the underside.
Although many have the bull's-eye pattern,
a bird cage button is considered more unusual than the gaiter button.
Two-way Self Shank
Similar to the bird cage shank is the inserted two-way self shank.
This "mouthful of a term" means that the shank
is a separate piece of china that is inserted
into a molded well in the back of the button.
Many of these have lovely geometric designs
molded into the top of the botton.
