Metal: 9K Gold

Chain: Vintage 14K gold link chain, 16” in length.

Pendant: 2” in length opened & 1” in length closed.

What You Should Know: A beautiful example of functional Victorian jewelry.

Functional jewelry that represents a little piece of history is a personal favorite for us. This buttonhook pendant comes from the Victorian period, when men and women both wore intricate frocks that had many buttons. In addition to having rows upon rows of buttons, garments were tight, making buttons tough to reach.

Enter the buttonhook: a tool used to help button shoes or clothing. This tool was particularly helpful in pulling buttons through holes on stiff leather boots. While there are many designs, this iconic one is the classic hook shape, which is fixed to a handle and has the ability to fold and unfold. Buttonhooks were most popular between the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, though a version of this tool was found in the early 17th century. Sometimes they were given away as promotions with product advertisements on the handle.

Buttonhooks could be made of many materials—plastic or steel, for example. But why on earth would you ever make one in anything but gold? This pendant is all the proof that we need that gold is by far the best option.

Buttonhooks are a collectible and this one, in excellent condition, is affixed to a vintage 16-inch gold chain in 14K gold and waiting for the next collector to take her home.