You will find over 15,000 buttons made of everything from mother-of-pearl, glass, metal, buffalo horn and rhinestone at Knopf und Schnalle located in Wilmersdorf. Beautifully assorted by material and color, this shop has been selling buttons since 1974 – the year when Monika Schönfelder met her husband-to-be. For the owner, “a button is not just a button, it is an adornment, an accessory.” The “jet buttons” are the perfect example. Made from black faceted glass, they’ve existed since the death of the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria; she used them as mourning buttons. Others include enormous green buttons made from mother-of-pearl, Italian buttons, or special buttons for kids. You may be the lucky finder of some old models, or tuxedo ribbons or denim trims from the seventies. In between horsehair padding and rickracks, you’ll find a surprise: a CD with writings from the deceased actor Friedrich Schoenfelder, mostly known for his character in Edgar Wallace movies. (Photos: Anke Krey)
Knopf und Schnalle, Uhlandstr.56, 10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Mon-Fri 9-18h, Sat 10-14h
Anke Krey has lived in Berlin-Schöneberg since 1992. She is a trained communication designer, and currently works as a tutor and photographer.
