L. Nichols Buttons
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Lionel Nichols (born in London, 1909 - died 1993), was an English glass button maker. From the mid 1940s to mid 1960s, his hand made products were commissioned for the British Haute Couture industry, and eventually for costume jewellery.
Born in London 1909, before the Second World War Nichols was a commercial button importer. Post the war, Nichols set up a workshop in Marylebone hand making buttons from glass, made in a way which Nichols himself invented. He had no industrial experience and so all his work was experimental. He would cut raw sheets of vitrolite glass into squares, melted it in the furnace. Then begun a process of the glass going in and out of the furnace as he worked, painted and shaped each piece.
From the mid 1940s, he was frequently commissioned by couture houses to make buttons for specific pieces, for customers including: Norman Hartnell, Hardy Amies, John Cavanagh, Matita, Jo Mattli and Ronald Paterson. As high fashion became less about buttons, from the late 1960s onwards he went on to make costume jewellery for hippy boutiques on the King's Road and Carnaby Street.
Nichols work has resurfaced as his daughter Dixie has begun to sell his remaining stock on the internet.
[edit] Gallery
 Nichols at work in his workshop in London's Marylebone in 1958 |
 Nichols with his children |
