15L Set of Three 1890-1910 Art Nouveau Pierced Brass Buttons, 3/8"

Set of three small hexagonal buttons with pierced metal openwork design, hollow construction, and a black japanned interior. The button fronts are solid brass, while the backs and shanks are gilt steel, which is magnetic. They have self shank backs. While the term filigree is often used descriptively for their intricate, lacy appearance, the decoration is created by stamped and cut metal rather than true wire filigree.

Measure approximately 15 lignes, 9.5 mm, or 3/8".

The button fronts are solid brass, while the backs and shanks are gilt steel, which is magnetic. They have self shank backs. The openwork allows the interior to show through, creating contrast and depth, which is further enhanced by the blackened interior. This darker backing creates a subdued, elegant effect and emphasizes the pierced design, especially on finer garments.

These metal buttons with decorative openings were produced in the late 19th to early 20th century. Geometric lattice patterns like this are characteristic of the Art Nouveau period, roughly 1890–1910.

These buttons were made in continental Europe and are most likely of German manufacture, probably from the Pforzheim region, which was a major center for brass buttons and small metal goods at the turn of the century. Many comparable examples from German and nearby European factories are documented in National Button Society references and collector guides.

They were everyday civilian fashion buttons, not military or uniform issues, and were typically used on waistcoats, vests, cuffs, doll clothes, dresses, blouses, or for restoration and decorative sewing projects.

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