Displaying your buttonhook collection.

During the Victorian era interest in collecting grew rapidly as the standard of living rose along with mass production and improved transportation. It became easier to travel and this meant that a small souvenir might be brought back from a trip. Expositions of new products became popular and there was a constant hunt for new and improved items, and a demand for a full range of choices. The Victorians not only enjoyed collecting, but they proudly displayed their purchases - we all are familiar with the "what not" shelf and its many knick knacks. The studious displayed scientific collections - rocks, fossils, butterflies. The wealthy collected souvenirs from ancient cultures. And many boasted a collection of picture postcards, stereoviews, and prints - all brought out to impress the visitor.

Display was crucial, since an important component of collecting for the Victorians was to be able to impress others with their taste and learning. Objects acquired a social significance of their own as rigid Victorian social codes were extended to the realm of collecting and display. Housekeeping manuals of the time gave specific instructions for the proper display of a wide variety of items. In 1882, Oscar Wilde went on an American lecture tour to advise on home decoration down to the smallest detail, including the correct height for hanging pictures. In his famous work The Picture of Dorian Grey (1890) the main character was a collector whose every mood is played against his luxurious surroundings. In one scene, he studies the large bill for his antique silver toilet set, and comments that "...we live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." In the end, when the contents of his Art Nouveau style home were auctioned off, Wilde sat in jail and wrote that combined with the death of his mother and the betrayal of his friend, the loss of his carefully collected books and china was a terrible moment.

Displaying Collectibles

Today, one thing to consider from an aesthetic point of view is that it can be overwhelming for someone who does not share your passion for a collection to see a display of hundreds (or even thousands) of items assembled together in one room. Keeping this in mind, you may want to highlight selected items or themes from your collection and store the balance. Group your collections in clearly defined areas to retain their impact within the interior decor. If you have tall bookshelves, use one or two of the shelves to display a small collection. Circa 1915 book cabinets with glass doors provide excellent display opportunities. Old store displays can often be found at antique shows, and these can create effective displays.

Museum Displays

The Buttonhook Society mounts yearly exhibitions of buttonhooks. In the case of an implement such as the buttonhook it is important to provide clear explanations as to the buttonhook's origins and use since most visitors will not recall using or seeing the tool in their lifetime. Most showcase displays will include a vintage buttoned boot, a lady's glove with many buttons, some early advertising pieces such as shoe store trade cards, and other related items.

Such a display also functions well when there are several levels. This effect may be created by fashioning special fabric covered boxes (everything in the same colour) so one might raise some of the items. Any type of box may be utilized - seek out a variety of shapes. The box may be "gift-wrapped" utilizing a glue gun. Suitable fabrics include velvet or moire satin, in solid colours.

Finally - in some cases the descriptions could be specially mounted on foam core so that they may be raised and clearly visible to someone looking into the showcase through glass. Matting longer descriptions will lend a professional look. Also, some of the original postcards and early advertising pieces might be very small when viewed through glass and at a distance. These might be enlarged on a colour copier and mounted on foam core and placed at the back of your display.

The Shadow Box

Items of modest proportions and weight can be displayed and protected in a shadow box. This display unit is something like a picture frame, but with a deep space behind the glass. Shadow boxes can be custom made at framing shops or purchased in standard sizes at craft stores. Since collections are generally growing, a permanent method of attaching items to a display can create problems when you acquire a new addition. Instead, select a few spectacular examples or a specific theme for your permanent shadow box display.

Materials Required

Shadow Box
Glue gun and glue sticks
Foam core (available at art supply shops).
Sharp pencil
Scissors
Exacto Knife
Cutting Board
Fabric
Velcro
Clear nylon thread (strong)

1. If the interior of the shadow box needs lining, take exact measurements of all the surfaces inside the box. There will be 5 surfaces - 4 side panels and 1 background. Measure each side carefully and jot down the measurements. Subtract about 1/8th of an inch as the thickness of the fabric will use up this space.
2. Cut foam core in these shapes and cover with a complimentary solid-coloured fabric or fine quality paper. For a vintage look, use unbleached cotton or linen. Scraps may be purchased at flea markets - one source is vintage flour bags. Choose a solid colour - a pattern is too distracting. Place the finished rectangle of foam core on the fabric and cut a slightly larger piece of cloth so that you may wrap the cloth right around the edges. Do not put glue on the front of the piece as the glue will show through the cloth. Instead, put glue around the edges of the back of the foam core and lift the overhanging cloth edges up and around, pasting them to the back. The back will be glued into the box and will not be seen. Note: You may substitute thick board or cardboard if you cannot get foam core but the cardboard will not have the foam core to accept pins if this is how you plan to affix your objects. Thin cardboard will line a box nicely if you will be using velcro to mount your objects. Corrugated cardboard will be too difficult to cut with straight sharp edges and is not recommended.
3. Your goal is to create a seamless appearance when you assemble the pieces inside the box. Once all your pieces are assembled, you are ready to line your shadow box. Don't hurry. Before you place each piece, make a test run to ensure the piece fits. Then apply the hot glue to the back and press in. Apply the rectangular side panels first, and the back panel as the last piece.
4. You may choose to have your items permanently mounted. This is not always the best choice as you may want to change your display. If you decide to go this way because of the stability wiring provides, sew or wire your items to the backing board before the interior is assembled. Use clear nylon thread. If you decide to hot glue down the assembled backing panel - please remember that it will be difficult to change. Another option is to apply liberal strips of velcro so that you can at least pull out your panel and make a change in the future.
5. If you decide to put in your backing and apply the items later, options for mounting your items include (1) Velcro, (2) Mounting tape, (3) Pins. Since the foam core is not that deep, pins will only work with the lightest items. Only small buttonhooks respond well to Velcro - those under 3.5 inches. Anything larger will generally be too heavy and fall down. Velcro is a good option as it only leaves a light residue if removed. Mounting tape works for a while, but the buttonhook will eventually fall off.
6. Play with the layout of your items until you are ready. The layout is important. Leave space around the items and don't try to pack too many together in a small space. Neat rows work well.Consider adding an original paper advertisement or some written information to explain the origin of your collection. Although the 'Victorian' theme (composed of snippets of photos, lace, and greeting cards) is currently popular, it is difficult to pull off with style and can appear tacky and cluttered. Try to keep it simple - use the Victorian era mounting and displaying of butterflies in neat rows with labels as your inspiration. You can type up very tiny description labels on your computer using Times Roman (font) size 8. Cut these out into neat rectangles with your exacto knife. You can dip them in tea if you would like an aged look. These descriptions can be applied inside the shadow box. One option is to glue your label onto a piece of foam core so the label would be slightly raised.
7. As a final note, proper identification is an important component when you are dealing with historical items. Once you have completed your shadow box, prepare a paper label to affix to the back of the frame, including your personal identification along with a history of the items. This could include where the items were found, the names of previous owners, and any other information you were able to acquire. Providing the background of a collection makes an important historical contribution. It is a common sentiment among collectors to wish that someone had left behind information on the origin of their new acquisition, rather than condemn it to anonymity.

Other Alternatives

Converting an Old Picture Frame into a Shadow Box (top two illustrations)

Although framing shops will offer to make a custom shadow box for you - these custom boxes are often costly. One alternative is to take an old picture frame and convert it into a shadow box. Hunt through flea markets and antique shops for old frames. Never spray paint a Victorian gold frame to fix the chips - it will look terrible! Ensure the sides are square and that the frame is not pulling apart. The sides of the frame should be wide enough to maintain the backing - avoid frames thinner than 3/4 inch for this purpose. The items required for this project are the same as those for the project above.

1. Clean up your old frame using a damp cloth with Murphy's Wood Oil soap or mild dishwashing soap. If necessary, use your vacuum cleaner's nozzle attachment to remove any old dust and residue. Clean thoroughly as once assembled your frame will be difficult to clean in the future. Clean the glass at least twice. Place your frame facing down on a terry cloth. Soak and sand any old paper backing off the back of the frame. Remove old paper filling - it is acidic. If your frame was very dirty and you have had to do a very thorough cleaning, make sure your frame is completely dry you continue with the project.
2. Measure the sides of the back of the frame and cut 8 rectangular strips from foam core. These strips are slightly narrower than the thickness of the frame. Your goal will be to add this foam core to the back of the frame to thicken and build up some depth on the sides to make a box. First you will firmly glue (using hot glue) the first layer of 4 strips. Then you can glue the second layer of strips. Two layers are usually enough to make a deep enough box.
3. Cut your backing board out of foam core to extend to the very ends of your double foam core strip layers.
4. Prepare the cloth lining for your box in the same method as described in the project above. Finally, wrap the cloth all the way around the backing board. You may want to spray glue the front (not too thick as it will leak through) so the weight of the objects don't pull the cloth forward.
5. Assemble your display items as described in the first project.
6. Once you've finished wiring or sewing on your items, neatly glue a thick nice piece of coloured or wrapping paper to the back of this backing board to mask the loose threads or wires on the messy back side. You may either nail or glue down your backing board, but I prefer to place velcro all the way around, so that I may remove the backing for reassembling the display or for cleaning. (Another option is to velcro on your items if they are small. Use velcro in a similar colour to the background so it is not noticeable).
7. Affix a hanging wire across the completed box so that you may hang your picture frame shadow box.

Recent Trends

Whimsical shadow boxes as art are a current trend in the modern art world. This has its origins in the 1960s when collage like displays were made with a variety of items. The boxes are usually open shallow wooden boxes with subdivisions, similar to a wall mounted old printing box (the type that held the letters). There is no glass and all items are firmly glued in. Some consist of a variety of old items such as keys, small glass tubes, glass tubes filled with different coloured beads, letters, old photos, and postage stamps. They differ from the tacky popular type shadow box as there is no attempt to "prettify" with lace, glitter, glass jewels, feathers, etc. The display also has a theme - usually the artist has written lines of poetry, and then affixed these among the items. The contents of the box are not entirely vintage - in many cases the artist has assembled or reproduced vintage items - staining letters, and making labels for little glass tubes. The finished boxes are mounted on the wall as art. A recent Toronto art gallery display showed these shadow boxes at a price range of $500 and up. Although the idea of permanently gluing items down is not acceptable for a buttonhook collection, these boxes deserve some attention as some of their techniques might be incorporated into a buttonhook display.