The Barry Double-Automatic The vastness of the freshwater mussel supply and explosive demand for freshwater pearl buttons to a global market led to the mechanization of the industry. Seated in the heart of the country, the Barry family were Irish tradesmen skilled in iron works and as blacksmiths. The Barry's used their craftsmen skills and became entrepreneurs designing the Barry Double Automatic. The machine like so many others in the industrial revolution transformed the freshwater pearl button industry. The Barry Double-Automatic was designed specifically to process mother of pearl shell material for the mass production of pearl buttons. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
2020.004.006 [Machine, Pressing]
Legal Status
Ownership of this resource is held by the National Pearl Button Museum and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney.