Permit me an indulgent plug, echoing Carol's comments.

Carolyn White and I co-edit the Guides to American Artifacts series  
at Left Coast Press.  We set up the series to do exactly this- gather  
together these types of studies and publish them in an updated form.   
Each volume will provide an overview of the literature about a  
particular type of objects.  We have titles forthcoming or in  
preparation dealing with a number of artifact classes from bricks to  
export porcelain, and we always welcome new proposals, such as book  
on buttons!

The series description is here:
http://www.lcoastpress.com/books_series.php?id=1

The first books in the series are forthcoming, led by Douglas  
McVarish's volume, American Industrial Archaeology, A Field Guide:
http://www.lcoastpress.com/books_series.php?id=1

With best regards,
Tim


On Jan 2, 2008, at 1:05 PM, Carol Serr wrote:

> Wow Gaye...your Cossack study collection sounds wonderful!  You should
> seriously look in to getting the information published...or put online
> (even better?).
>
> I have wanted such a button (and other clothing fixtures) reference  
> for
> western (and specifically S. California) sites...and have been  
> thinking
> of collecting data...and producing something along those lines
> myself...but, never seem to have the spare time.
>
> If Everyone would share their info - and illustrations - just think  
> what
> a wonderful database we would ALL have to use.  How many of us ever  
> get
> info published?  Or ever see the gray literature reports...even in our
> own County??  It would really be helpful if more info was made  
> available
> to everyone.  And, as you HISTARCH folks know, I think having info
> available on the web is the way to go these days.  Saves so much time
> having to track down hard copy references (only to find them of little
> use since they lack good enough descriptions; have no  
> illustrations, or
> dimensions, etc.; or are not from the time period of your  
> collection so
> have nothing comparable...etc.).
>
> But...this all takes TIME...which there seems to be so little of (even
> with the time saved by finding things online).
>
> Carol
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of  
> Gaye
> Nayton
> Sent: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 7:45 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Button Books
>
> David
>
> New Zealand archaeology had a strong interest in typology and  
> dating so
> a
> lot of useful work has come out of there. This includes a hons  
> thesis on
>
> buttons from Chinese mining sites (Cameron) which was included in a  
> Ph.D
>
> thesis on Chinese mining archaeology (Richie).
>
> Fiona R Cameron 1985 An analysis of buttons, clothing hardware and
> textiles
> of the 19th C Chinese goldminers of Central Otago. B.A. dissertation,
> Anthrop Dept. Uni of Otago, Dunedin.
>
>  I don't have a contact for Fiona but the univerisity might, they will
> certainly know how to get hold of Neville Richie.
>
> I also have a lot of buttons from my Cossack Ph.D research, which has
> never
> been published (about 160 types from memory). These have been finely
> dated
> into site layers of average 10 years duration so are potentially very
> useful
> for dating button types.
>
> Regards
>
> Gaye
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Parkhill" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 11:50 AM
> Subject: Button Books
>
>
>> A small group of folks are showing an interest in books that identify
>> BUTTONS. Enough interest may be generated to attempt to develop or
> publish
>> a document (book etc.) for reference.
>>
>> Do any of you HISTARCH folks have books, documents or what have you
> that
>> are all ready in print that could be used as a starter? Are you
> willing to
>> share? Sure, there are piece meal publications out there but where  
>> are
>
>> they?
>>
>> Certainly could use some help, ideas!

Timothy Scarlett
Assistant Professor of Archaeology
Department of Social Sciences/AOB 209
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Ave.
Houghton, MI 49931
[log in to unmask]
(906)487-2359 (office)
(906)487-2468 (fax)
------------------------