4 Antique Turned Wooden Button Molds 1 Hole Craft Blanks Curated 1.5\" For Sale

Item Information• Material: 100% natural antique hardwood, likely beech, maple, or birch. Non-magnetic and unfinished.
• Measurements: Approximately 38 mm (1½ inches) in diameter.
• Quantity: Four matching button molds.
• Attachment: A cleanly drilled, approximately 2 mm center hole.
• Design: Flat, disc-like profile with a subtle natural grain swirl and lightly beveled edges.
• Condition: Excellent antique condition. The wood is solid, rigid, and dry, with age-softened coloration and minor surface carbon or ink marks on the faces, consistent with historical tool storage.Historical BackgroundThese hardwood discs are 18th- to 19th-century button molds, once used in the cottage industries of the pre-industrial and colonial eras. Before molded plastics and inexpensive stamped metal buttons, turned wooden discs formed the basis of garment buttons. Sewers stretched silk, linen, or fine leather over the molds, or covered them with decorative threadwork, including “death\'s head\" and basketweave patterns.The center hole relates to how the molds were made. Craftspeople used a brace and bit or spring-pole lathe, with a central pilot pin to guide the cutting blades as they shaped discs from flat planks. Once covered, the hole could help secure the finished button to heavy wool coats, waistcoats, or upholstery.Today, these examples appeal to historical reenactors, textile historians, and heritage crafters.