Old Antique Buttons,1 Metal Japanese/Chinese #2 Old Button

Storage find.Two old antique buttons.#1 has Japanese or Chinese letter(s) metal,I'm not sure not what kind of metal,doesn't stick to magnet.#2 button look like bone applied metal top cerved flower on top.Trying to find out age of both buttons and what is the letter on the Japanese/Chinese button.

 

The character is Chun, shortened of Fai chun, a good luck symbol and representative of New Year

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fai_chun

Can't help with the dating though.

 

@DragonflyWink may know the approximate dates.

 

Thanks!

 

All my button books are packed away, but both buttons would date to right around the 1890s, and both are brass, the first silvered, the second gilt - no size given, but generally larger is worth more.

Suspect the first, though with a Chinese character motif, is of American or European manufacture - Asian designs were quite popular.

The second most likely has a celluloid background rather than bone, the gilding is worn and it has a bit of the 'greenies', but nice in that it has a brass back rather than the more common japanned steel, which can rust. Here is a sold button from eBay that appears to have a similar back, it's a decent size, in very good condition with a nice design - seller says it's French, and certainly a good possibility, given it depicts mistletoe, a very popular French design motif:

https://tinyurl.com/y32cf87r






~Cheryl

 

Wow! Dragonfly great information! the first one the chinese measure 1". the second on is right at 1" 1/2". I found a box of old buttons in a storage I bought.I've had them about 4 years,just looking at buttons and throught maybe they are worth something.I found some of them but these 2 I didn't have anything. I can't even find the Chinese button at all.Thank you so much! I love this site!!