Release the Hounds Bracelet - Once Upon a Button Limited Edition
Regular price $225.00This bracelet celebrates a century of dog lovers.
It showcases four Victorian-era canine picture buttons including a running dog with an Aesthetic Movement background, an Asian man with a dog, pearl button with brass escutcheon depicting St. Hubert’s Hound, and a hunt button with a greyhound. St. Hubert’s Hounds was taken from a legend about the patron saint of Belgium.
Dogs were the most common pet in Victorian-era England. Queen Victoria adored her dogs, especially her Pekinese. Victorians thought dogs shared cherished human values of being steadfast, loyal, and courageous.
They appear on Victorian-era picture buttons more than any other animal, wild or domestic. Dog buttons adorned ladies' gowns and gentlemen's hunting outfits.
Read more: Depictions of Pets on Victorian-era Buttons, Buttonology Blog.
Our studio is home to a button museum in an old bank vault. The first thing people notice when they enter is a quote by Charles Dickens stenciled on the wall saying, "There is surely something charming in seeing the smallest thing done so thoroughly." Dickens was speaking of a men's hunt button, like the one in this bracelet.
Enhancing the Asian inspiration in this bracelet is a small floral Satsuma button. Satsuma pottery buttons were made in Japan between 1850 and 1950.
In this piece, from the chain end:
- Tiny stamped brass button at chain end, circa 1890
- Stamped brass picture button depicting a running dog, circa 1880-1890
- Small Japanese Satsuma pottery button, circa 1930-1950
- Medium brass button depicting Asian man with dog, circa 1880-1890
- Small dyed pearl button with brass escutcheon depicting St. Hubert’s Hounds, circa 1880-1890
- Brass hunt picture button depicting greyhound, circa 1870-1890
- Nine brass filigree stampings made today in the USA in vintage dies
- Antiqued brass chain
- Length is 7 ¼” to 8 ¼”
Shop the collection: Limited Editions
