Our new topic this week is, again, something ancient.
Buttons date back at least 5,000 years. Back then, they were mainly ornamental. The use of buttons to fasten garments came much later.
They were miniature works of art, like this Byzantine example from the Metropolitan Museum:
Byzantine Spherical Pendant or Button, 900-950, probably made in Bulgaria, Metropolitan Museum
It wasn’t until the late Middle Ages that buttons become popular as fasteners.
The first button holes appeared in Germany in the 13th century, and they became so popular that in the 16th century actual button maker guilds popped up, to regulate production and use.
Brilliant invention, right? But not for everyone: with buttons came phobia.
Koumponophobia, or fear of buttons, affects 1 in 75.000 people on average. It ranges from mild (a strong distaste for buttons) to severe - panic attacks whenever a button’s in sight.
If you’re one of those people do not despair: you are actually in great company.
In 2007, Steve Jobs told the Wall Street journal that he suffered from koumponophobia. Hence the turtlenecks and the buttonless elevators at Apple HQ.
This loathing of buttons was a big factor in the design of Apple products - including the iPhone or iPad you might be using to read this on today.
Despite Steve’s efforts however, buttons still abound. We use them to fasten our clothes, to switch things on and off, to get things moving - even to launch spacecraft.
Today, simply stick to observing. What buttons do you see and use during your day?
Capture them, and share your finds using the hashtag #kramerseye on Instagram or Twitter - and do follow @kramerseye for daily updates.