Mudlarked Bone Ring Earrings

Type: Bone Ring

Fabric: Animal Bone

Date: 19" Century

Find Location: Colchester UK

Extra information:

Fabtic-covered bone ring buttons-often referred to as bone button cores have a rich history as essential components of 18th- and 19th-century garments. Before the advent of modern plastics, tailor-made buttons were constructed by using small, lathe-cut bone rings as a rigid skeleton over which linen, cotton, or silk was stretched, folded, and stitched tight. This technique gained popularity with cottage needlework industries, most notably through traditional Dorset buttons, where craftspeople wrapped thread intricately over ring foundations to form durable, wheel-like designs, Because solid metal buttons rusted during harsh laundry washings and tore lightweight clothing, these fabric-and-bone hybrids were the perfect rust-proof, lightweight solution for everyday washables like men’s shirts, nightwear, corsets, and petticoats.