Vintage NOS Genuine Mother of Pearl Blue Dyed Shell Buttons Lady Washington Pearls Original Card 21mm 2 Hole USA Coat Jacket Sweater Dress Sewing Replacement Buttons

Few vintage buttons combine the beauty of genuine mother-of-pearl with the craftsmanship of America's historic shell button industry as successfully as Lady Washington Pearls. Preserved on their original display card, this unused set of three matching buttons was manufactured in Washington, Iowa, where freshwater mussel shells harvested from the Mississippi River basin were transformed into some of the finest shell buttons produced in the United States. After being cut, drilled, shaped, and polished from genuine mother-of-pearl, each button received a professionally applied cobalt blue dye. Because the translucent color rests over naturally iridescent nacre rather than molded plastic, the shell continues to reflect light from beneath the surface, producing the beautiful swirling "moonglow" depth that made dyed shell buttons so desirable.

Each button measures approximately 21 mm (about 13/16 inch) and features a classic two-hole sew-through design suitable for coats, jackets, sweaters, cardigans, dresses, tailored garments, handbags, millinery, and other sewing projects requiring authentic period materials. Still securely mounted to the original Lady Washington Pearls retail card, they offer exceptional appeal for vintage clothing restoration, historical costuming, couture tailoring, heirloom sewing, collectible button cards, haberdashery collections, and American sewing notions. Original carded examples also preserve an increasingly scarce piece of the nation's once-thriving freshwater shell button industry.

The buttons remain unused with their original factory-applied cobalt finish and beautiful underlying mother-of-pearl luster intact. The original display card exhibits expected age-related toning, light edge wear, minor creasing, and gentle handling accumulated during decades of storage while remaining an attractive and highly collectible period presentation. Combining genuine freshwater shell, classic Art Deco-era styling, American manufacture, and original retail packaging, this complete Lady Washington Pearls card represents a wonderful opportunity for collectors, seamstresses, designers, and vintage fashion restorers seeking authentic period materials.