A Great Realistic Button By Brad Elfrink
SPRING button Auction
April 10, 2024 | 10AM ET
Featuring more of the collections of the late Shirley Case and Nikki Deal.
Delve into a delightful array of vintage and antique buttons, each telling a unique story. Explore styles ranging from the elegant designs of the 18th & 19th Century to the intricate craftsmanship of Under Glass, Shibayama, and Satsuma buttons.
Transport yourself to the charm of the Gay 90s era or admire the beauty of Jade, Pictorial, Handkerchief, Shakudo, and Metal Works buttons. Discover the allure of buttons crafted from Natural Materials, Jeweled pieces, Enamels, Crest/Livery designs, Presidential buttons and more.
Uncover treasures in large bags filled with assorted buttons and beyond, each waiting to add a touch of history and personality to your collection.
This auction features the collections of two Missouri collectors. Both Nikki Deal, and the late Shirley Case were avid button collectors for many years. Lion and Unicorn Auctions is proud to be presenting many of their choice buttons in this, and future auctions.
Shirley Case was born in 1935 in Bowling Missouri. She was a teacher and school administrator from 1968 to 2001. She was a very involved member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In the late 1970s Shirley discovered the joy of collecting antique buttons. Her passion continued until the time of her passing in December 2020.
She was a very involved member of the Missouri State Button Society and a mentor to many collectors over the years. Shirley served the National Button Society as chairman of judges for several years.
Along with her husband Harry they amassed a beautiful collection. Shirley‘s number one favorites were shell and pearl, in fact, she wrote the NBS pearl classification booklet many years ago that many of us use as a great reference material. Her other favorites included picture buttons, including a large collection of children and children stories, handkerchief corner buttons, along with an incredible collection of livery, specialized to crest buttons.
Her husband Harry found himself eventually collecting buttons along with her and specialized to what many of us call “copper colonials”. Over the years Harry amassed what by many is considered the finest collection of them in the button hobby. In fact, in this auction, one of the rarest, George Washington inaugural Buttons is featured from his collection (one like it sold for over $17000 in 2002 at the Cobb auction).
Harry is still alive, but without Shirley his passion for collecting was curtailed. Although Shirley and Harry have two adult children (Julie and Jason), and three granddaughters, none of them, like many children of collectors, are not interested in collecting buttons. This auction features many of the fabulous Buttons from Shirley and Harry’s collection and more will come in future auctions as well. We wish Harry only the best.
Nikki Deal became fascinated with these little fasteners back in the 1980’s. Although she did not become an immediate member of the button society. She found buttons because as a result of her love of fabric and sewing. Eventually, Nikki became very involved in the Missouri State Button society, and the National Button Society.
She is a past board member of the NBS and the previous assistant editor for the NBS magazine, of which she held that position from 2006 until 2020. Nikki also helped author the synthetic polymers handbook for the NBS along with Jocelyn Howells and Joan McFarlane, hence the many types and techniques represented in Nikki’s collection. Nikki will tell you she was quite the “rebel,” in her younger years and even was an avid motorcycle rider with all the leather accoutrements.
Nikki has decided to let go of her collection at the age of 93 years so that she can move to Seattle Washington where she and her husband Bob can live out their final years near their children and grandchildren. Nikki’s collection, amassed over 40 years is one of the most eclectic collections we have ever seen.
Her collection includes just about every kind of material and technique you might think of, including many unusual examples in every category.
You will notice many of Nikki’s choice buttons in this auction; but stay tuned because we will be selling Nikki‘s buttons in several other auctions in the future. We wish Nikki and Bob a safe and peaceful move.
An 18Th Century Engraved Silvered Crest Button
A Lovely Large 18Th Century Copper With Cobalt Blue Glass Enamel Center
A Large Studio Dragonfly By Sarah Atlee
A Large Arita Peacock
A Large Arita Bird In Flight
A Beautiful Hand Painted Under Glass 18Th Century Button
A Beautifiul Large 18Th Century Pearl With Eglomese Glass Center
This Large Pearl And Brass Cat Is One Of The Many Cat Buttons In The Auction
The Rarest Button In The Auction Is This Dated 1688 Engraved Copper Depicting William Of Orange
One Of The Many Wonderful Pearl Buttons In The Auction
One Of Several Nice Art Nouveau Examples, This One With Marcasite Ome
A Wonderful Engraved Pin Shell And Coral Dragonfly By Nancy Dubois
A Very Rare Large Goodyear Rubber With A Car Escutceheon
A Very Rare 18Th Century Tommbac Coaching Scene
A Very Rare Brass Snake With Peacock Eye Glass Center
A Scarce Motiwal Onyx And 24Kt Gold Overlay Filigree Button
A Scarce Large English Bimini Bow
A Scarce Large Colorful Arita Butterfly Full Frontal View
A Scarce Large Brass Detailed Head Of Teddy Roosevelt
A Scarce Extra Large Japanese Satsuma
A Scarce Button Of A Kate Greenaway Design
A Rare Large Signed Rene Lalique Glass With Pearls
A Rare Extra Large Pierced Pictorial Of Punchinello And Harlequin
A Rare 18Th Century Painting Under Glass In 2 Color Copper