The views expressed are guidance for members of The Buttonhook Society on what constitutes an item which might not be an original authentic vintage example.
The Buttonhook Society has been aware for some considerable time of buttonhooks listed on internet auction sites which are not authentic vintage examples. Some sellers are openly listing quite obviously modern conversions but others could be claiming vintage origin although the item has been made partly or totally from modern components. Other sellers could quite innocently list an item without the knowledge that it is not an original authentic item. There has been much discussion on the Message Board about this subject which can best be encapsulated as follows:
Some food for thought
Buttonhooks were objects manufactured for a specific purpose i.e. doing up buttons. In addition they have now become collectable. The manufacture of buttonhooks (with a handful of exceptions) ceased in the first half of the twentieth century, therefore the buttonhooks collected are vintage or antique.
Some collectables are designed and manufactured purely as collectables and the collectors are fully aware of this.
So, is a buttonhook manufactured in the late twentieth or early twenty first century still a collectable?
In the case of the two TBS buttonhooks produced for society members, then yes, it was sold as a collectable of modern production.
The buttonhooks from some sellers are described as collectable, by definition collectable in terms of buttonhooks implies an age of vintage or greater. Other sellers claim vintage or Victorian origin when they are obviously not!
Are the online auction sites right in claiming the sellers are doing nothing wrong?
Our view
However, having closely consulted various experts on buttonhooks we have come to the conclusions below.
These doubts can only be expressed as opinions, for the guidance of members.
The collective experience of the membership is the best defence against a costly mistake. Bring a doubtful piece to a meeting or raise it in the journal.