Helmi\u00e4isnapit leikataan simpukoiden kuorista, joten niiden muoto noudattelee simpukankuoren muotoa. Mit\u00e4 suurempi nappi, sit\u00e4 selke\u00e4mmin simpukankuoren koveruus erottuu ja napit voivat olla eri suuntiin vinkuroita. Pienist\u00e4 paidannapeista sit\u00e4 ei v\u00e4ltt\u00e4m\u00e4tt\u00e4 juurikaan erota. Muovinapit taas ovat aina symmetrisen tasaisia. Ne on voitu muotoilla koveriksi tai pinnaltaan kaareviksi, mutta ne ovat aina siit\u00e4 huolimatta jollain tavalla symmetrisi\u00e4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
V\u00e4ri<\/strong> Pinta ja paksuus<\/strong> Huolto<\/strong> Millaisia helmi\u00e4isesineit\u00e4 sinulta l\u00f6ytyy?<\/p>\n\n\n Someone asked me, how to tell the difference of real mother-of-pearl buttons and plastic imitation. So I decided to make “how-to”-guide about it. Mother-of-pearl comes from molluscs, most often from oysters, freshwater mussels and abalone. All though, almost all molluscs produce atleast little bit of it. If you have ever found seashell on the beach, you probably have noticed that the insides of it is shiny and pearly. So mother-of-pearl comes from animals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mother of pearl has been used for hundreds of years as decoration and raw material for small items because it has really beautiful shimmer, but also because it’s very durable. It’s been used to decorate cutlery, sewing kits, beauty items like brushes and powder cases, boxes, instruments and furniture. It’s been made into buttons and jewelry. Mother-of-pearl is the same substance than actual pearls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mother-of-pearl is not just durable, but also flexible, and therefor doesn’t break very easily. This must be one of the reasons why it became very popular material for buttons. And the demure shine gives the luxury feeling for such a mundane objects as buttons. Mother-of-pearl can get damaged by heat, strong washing powders, chlorine, vinegar, lemon acid and other strong acids. For that reason some secondhand vintage buttons can look quite dull. They might have also started cracking and flaking due to boil wash and strong washing chemicals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometime around 1940’s all sort of plastic imitations started to supersede real mother-of-pearl. Plastic buttons are cheaper to make and for very little effort can be made masses of identical buttons. Mother-of-pearl buttons on the other hand are always unique due to the nature of the material. With these tips you can identify the real mother-of-pearl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shape<\/strong> Colour<\/strong> Surface and thickness<\/strong> Care<\/strong> What kind of mother-of-pearl items do you have?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Minulta kysyttiin taannoin miten erottaa helmi\u00e4isnapit muovisista j\u00e4ljitelmist\u00e4. Joten p\u00e4\u00e4tin tehd\u00e4 sitten postauksen aiheesta. Helmi\u00e4ist\u00e4 saadaan nilvi\u00e4isten kuorista, yleisimmin helmisimpukoista, makeanveden helmisimpukoista ja abaloneista, joskin ilmeisesti l\u00e4hes kaikki nilvi\u00e4iset tuottavat sit\u00e4 jonkin verran. Jos olet joskus l\u00f6yt\u00e4nyt rantavedest\u00e4 n\u00e4kinkeng\u00e4n kuoren, olet ehk\u00e4 huomannut sen hohtavan valkoisen sis\u00e4pinnan. Helmi\u00e4inen on siis el\u00e4inper\u00e4inen materiaali. Helmi\u00e4ist\u00e4 on k\u00e4ytetty… <\/p>\n
Helmi\u00e4isten v\u00e4ri vaihtelee luonnonvalkoisesta, punertavaan, siniharmaaseen, erilaisiin ruskean s\u00e4vyihin ja l\u00e4hes mustaan. Se voi hohtaa kuten aidot helmet, tai siin\u00e4 voi olla kaikki sateenkaaren v\u00e4rit. Helmi\u00e4inen ei kuitenkaan ole l\u00e4pikuultavaa eik\u00e4 t\u00e4ysin tasaisen vitivalkoista. Helmi\u00e4ist\u00e4 voidaan my\u00f6s v\u00e4rj\u00e4t\u00e4 tai pinnoittaa jolloin v\u00e4rej\u00e4 voi olla rajattomasti. Siin\u00e4 voi olla tasainen hohde, tai siin\u00e4 voi olla helmi\u00e4iselle tyypillisi\u00e4 aaltoilevia revontulimaisia kuvioita. Helmi\u00e4isnappien takapuoli on usein kirjava tai tumma, vaikka etupuoli olisi vaalea yksiv\u00e4rinen. Muoviset helmi\u00e4isj\u00e4ljitelm\u00e4t voivat olla l\u00e4pikuultavia, mit\u00e4 hyv\u00e4ns\u00e4 valkoisen ja kerman s\u00e4vyj\u00e4 tai v\u00e4rillisi\u00e4. Niiss\u00e4 voi olla my\u00f6s aidon helmi\u00e4isen kuviointia j\u00e4ljittelev\u00e4\u00e4 kuviointia, mutta se n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 keinotekoiselta. Hohde n\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 muovimassan sis\u00e4ll\u00e4 ik\u00e4\u00e4nkuin j\u00e4nn\u00e4n jauhemaiselle tai nestem\u00e4isen aaltoilevalle, toisin kuin aidossa helmi\u00e4isess\u00e4. J\u00e4ljitelmiss\u00e4 voi olla my\u00f6s tummaksi tai kirjavaksi v\u00e4rj\u00e4tty tausta, mutta useimmin ne ovat kuitenkin yksiv\u00e4risi\u00e4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Helmi\u00e4isnapit leikataan simpukan kuoresta, jonka j\u00e4lkeen ne hiotaan. Mit\u00e4 huolellisemmin hiottu ja kiillotettu, sit\u00e4 laadukkaampi nappi. Kiillotuksesta huolimatta helmi\u00e4isnappien nurja puoli on aina rosoisempi. Siin\u00e4 voi olla kolosia, halkeamia ja rypyli\u00e4isyytt\u00e4 sill\u00e4 simpukka muodostaa ohuenohuet helmi\u00e4iskerrokset ep\u00e4tasaisesti. Samasta syyst\u00e4 nappi voi olla paksumpi toiselta reunalta. Nappien reunoissakin voi olla rosoisuutta. Muovij\u00e4ljitelm\u00e4t ovat aina kauttaaltaan sileit\u00e4 ja symmetrisi\u00e4. Niiss\u00e4kin voi olla valmistuksesta j\u00e4\u00e4neit\u00e4 muottisaumojen j\u00e4lki\u00e4 tai pieni\u00e4 purseita nurjalla, mutta aidon helmi\u00e4isen rosoinen pinta niist\u00e4 puuttuu. Lis\u00e4ksi pinta voi olla eritt\u00e4in korkeakiiltoinen. Muovij\u00e4ljitelm\u00e4t ovat lis\u00e4ksi l\u00e4hes aina symmetrisi\u00e4 paksuuden suhteen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Helmi\u00e4isnappeja huolletaan melko samoin kuin helmikorujakin. Vaate pest\u00e4\u00e4n viile\u00e4hk\u00f6ss\u00e4 vedess\u00e4 miedolla pyykinpesuaineella ja kuivataan huoneenl\u00e4mm\u00f6ss\u00e4. Voimakkaita pesuaineita, kemikaaleja, tahranpoistoaineita ja hankausta tulee v\u00e4ltt\u00e4\u00e4. Helmi\u00e4isnappien l\u00e4hell\u00e4 ei tulisi k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 kovia hankaavia materiaaleja kuten roikkuvia koruja. Pitk\u00e4 s\u00e4ilytys ilmatiiviisti tai kosteutta imev\u00e4n materiaalin kanssa kuivattaa ja himment\u00e4\u00e4 helmi\u00e4ist\u00e4. Kuten helmikoruillekin, paras tapa pit\u00e4\u00e4 helmi\u00e4isnapit kunnossa on k\u00e4ytt\u00e4\u00e4 niit\u00e4. Helmi\u00e4isnapit joutuvat kuitenkin jokatapauksessa kovemmalle rasitukselle kuin helmikorut, joten aikojen kuluessa niihin saattaa hyv\u00e4st\u00e4 hoidostakin huolimatta tulla vaurioita. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/inenglish.gif?resize=214%2C100\")
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Mother-of-pearl buttons are cut from the mollusc shells, so the shape is always following the shape of the actual shell. The larger the button and the smaller the shell, the more clear you can see that button is not flat, but curved and twisted. This might not be so visible on small shirt buttons. Plastic buttons are always symmetrical and flat. They might have curved surface, but always symmetrical, and never twisted or distorted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colour of the mother-of-pearl varies from natural white, to red, bluish gray, all shades of brown and almost to black. It can have shimmer like real pearls, or it can have all the colours of the rainbow. Mother-of-pearl never is seethrough or completely pure white. Mother-of-pearl can be dyed or laminated, which can create almost infinite amount of colours. It can has even shine, or it can have wavy or rippling patterns. Backside of mother-of-pear buttons can be multicoloured or dark in colour, even though the front is pale solid colour. Plastic imitations are usually solid colours or with shiny floaty shimmer in them. Colour is most often white or cream shades, but can be what ever colour. Sometimes they might even have multicoloured imitation, but they always look more artificial than real ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After buttons have been cut from the shell, they are sanded and refined. The more it’s been refined and polished, the smoother the surface is. However the backside of real mother-of-pearl buttons always has imperfections and small cracks on it. These are formed by the very thin layers of the mother-of-pearl molluscs produces layer after another. Layers can be also uneven so the shell can be thicker on one area and thinner on another. For this reason mother-of-pearl buttons can also be uneven in thickness. Also the edges of them can be irregular in smoothness. Plastic imitation is always very smooth and symmetrical, but can have markings from the molds, like visible seams and ridges. Plastic can also be very polished and shiny. Plastic buttons are also always even on thickness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mother-of-pearl buttons can be cared pretty much the same way than pearl jewelry. Always wash the garment in lukewarm water with mild detergent and dry it in room temperature. Avoid strong detergents, chemicals, stain removers and abrasion. Also avoid using hard abrasive materials, like dangly jewelry, near them. Long-term storing airtight or with moisture absorbing materials can dull or dry mother-of-pearl. Just like to pearl jewelry, best way to maintain mother-of-pearl buttons is to use them. However, even with gentle care, mother-of-pearl buttons will eventually wear off, because they get much more strain on the use than jewelry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl1.jpg?resize=800%2C870\")
Authentic mother-of-pearl on the left, imitation plastic on the right.<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl2.jpg?resize=726%2C1024\")
Real mother-of-pearl is often multicoloured and uneven on the backside. High-quality buttons have quite smooth backside, unlike cheaper ones, but you can still see some small irregularities and cracks. <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl3.jpg?resize=768%2C1024\")
Plastic imitations are trying to copy the irregular shimmer of mother-of-pearl and sometimes even the multicoloured back. However, the colouring and patterns always look like liquid colours mixing together and they never have the irregularities and small imperfections on the surface. <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl4.jpg?resize=800%2C1013\")
Against the light you can clearly see the uneven surface of real mother-of-pearl, compared to the perfectly smooth surface of the imitation on the right. <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl5.jpg?resize=768%2C1024\")
Most mother-of-pearl buttons are pain ones with holes in the middle, but some of them have the shanks. Shanks are usually made of another material and glued to the mother-of-pearl. Real on the left, faux on the right. <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/powder3.jpg?resize=800%2C625\")
Compact powder case decorated with real mother-of-pearl on the right side. <\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.evildressmaker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/motherofpearl6.jpg?resize=800%2C558\")