A Brief History of Czech Glass Buttons

Glass began to be used for buttons in the late 1700’s, first as pressed or worked glass pieces set into metal bases. Pressed glass buttons were developed in the Jablonec region of northern Bohemia, where glassmaking skills and local materials supported a major button industry. By the early 19th century, makers were moving toward fully pressed glass buttons that no longer required metal settings.

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These buttons were made by pressing heated glass into molds. By the mid-19th century, pressed glass button making had become a major trade in the Jizera Mountains, with many pressing plants operating in villages across the region.

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As the industry expanded, production became more specialized. Button mold engravers and skilled painters and finishers helped create a wide variety of pressed glass buttons, from simple everyday pieces to more decorative luxury styles.

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In the later 19th century, improved technology led to the creation of thousands of different pressed glass button designs. During the interwar years, pressed glass button production reached a high point, supported by centralized manufacturing, specialized molds, and strong exports, especially to the United States.

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In the early 20th century, foreign competition and changing tastes put pressure on the glass button trade. Manufacturers responded with new colors and styles, but war and market instability weakened the industry.

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Today, skilled craftsmen are keeping the button making trade alive, using the same skills, tools and methods employed by their forefathers.