Box of spare buttons from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A jewelry presentation box with spare buttons from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway. The exterior of the box (A2015.273.1.1.5a) is brown with pebble faux leather finish and a brass hinge at the back. The interior has an ivory satin lining and a burgundy velvet tray with four, brown, elastic band holders. Stamped on the on the satin lining is the text [SWANK]. Inside the box are nine buttons and a plastic counter. Five of the button are round, flat pearl buttons (A2015.273.1.1.5b - A2015.273.1.1.5f) with four button holes. Two buttons are round, leather covered, shank buttons (A2015.273.1.1.5g and A2015.273.1.1.5h). There is also a light brown flat button with four button holes (A2015.273.1.1.5i), and a small black button with two button holes (A2015.273.1.1.5j). The plastic counter is tortoise shell (A2015.273.1.1.5k).

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: mid 20th-late 20th century
• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Distributed by: Swank, Inc., American, founded 1897
• Owned by: Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994
• Type: buttons (fasteners)
• Type: boxes (containers)
• Type: gaming counters
• Medium: A2015.273.1.1.5a: plastic with satin , velvet and metal
• Medium: A2015.273.1.1.5b-f: plastic
• Medium: A2015.273.1.1.5g-h: leather and metal
• Medium: A2015.273.1.1.5i-k: plastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D (A2015.273.1.1.5a): 15/16 × 3 1/2 × 2 11/16 in. (2.4 × 8.9 × 6.8 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (A2015.273.1.1.5b): 7/8 × 7/8 × 1/16 in. (2.2 × 2.2 × 0.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (A2015.273.1.1.5c): 7/8 × 7/8 × 1/16 in. (2.2 × 2.2 × 0.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (A2015.273.1.1.5d): 7/8 × 7/8 × 1/16 in. (2.2 × 2.2 × 0.2 cm)
• Place used: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Band (Music)
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Conductors (Musicians)
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: A2015.273.1.1.5a-k
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.