Button, Albania, 1850-1870

These buttons were described as Albanian when they were acquired by the Museum in 1872. They are characteristic of buttons worn in Epirus, which was in Albania at the time, but is now part of Greece. They are quite different from the men’s small waistcoat buttons, which were worn throughout the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. As well as being larger, they are also much heavier, as they are made from two cast halves, which are soldered together vertically. This is a type of construction which is not found elsewhere in Europe. They may have been worn by men on a heavy outer garment, or by women. They are similar in design to the buttons worn by women more recently in the village of Pogoni where they were worn as decoration on the formal outer coat.

They were bought for £2 2s. (for twelve) at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. Four heavy cast silver buttons. Each is oval with geometric decoration all over the body and a pyramid-shaped knop at the tip.