Speaker Schedule
March 13-15, 2026
All programs are free to NBS Members. Log on to the NBS website to join Spring Fest. Click on the Events at the top of the home page and then click on Calendar. Choose “Watch” for the event occurring soonest or scroll down the calendar page to see times for later events.
Friday, March 13
6:00 pm Eastern,
3:00 pm Pacific
Opening by NBS President Vicki Condie MacTavish, Sue Dickout, and Tammy Jones, Welcome and Introduction of our Studio Artists
The Studio Artist Button reveal will take place in the NBS Store at 10:00 pm Eastern/7:00 pm Pacific on Monday, March 9th.
At this program on March 13th, Vicki will introduce our artists and give everyone a chance to see their creations.
8:00 pm Eastern,
5:00 pm Pacific
Identifying Calico Buttons, Inga Ladd
Calico buttons come in a wide variety of patterns and colors. Inga Ladd will lead a presentation on how to identify calico patterns and will offer suggestions on how
to organize calico buttons. She will share the history of how the calicoes were originally cataloged and provide insight
into the current state of research into the intricacies of the patterns. Calico collectors
are encouraged to email photos of calicoes that they would like help identifying to chinabuttonlady@gmail.com.
A portion of the presentation will be dedicated to a live tutorial on calico pattern
identification. Questions will be welcomed!
Inga Ladd, Identifying Calico
Buttons Inga has been actively collecting buttons for over a decade. She has led workshops for the Midwest Regional Button Association, the
Missouri Button Society, the
Michigan Button Society, and the National Button Society. Inga is co-moderator of the China Button Collectors Study Group on Facebook. When she is not actively tracking down and researching rare China buttons, she works as an attorney at a small law firm in
southeast Missouri.
Saturday, March 14
2:00 pm Eastern,
11:00 am Pacific
First Annual Spring Fest Collectors’ Quiz, Matthew Brown
This year, learn more about the amazing world of shell buttons, get a sneak peek at the new shell book and play for a chance at some fabulous prizes!
Matthew has been teaching English in France for nearly thirty years, working as a “language coach” for the employees of a large pharmaceutical company and teaching classes at one of the suburban campuses in the University of Paris system. His focus there is teaching translation, including specialized courses for students hoping to adapt films and television programs. One of his proudest contributions to the button community is his English translation of Loïc Allio’s Button Odyssey. In his twenty years as an NBS member, Matthew has been a regular contributor to the Bulletin, a regular presenter at conventions and other NBS events, and a dealer at national conventions since 2014. He is currently the vice-president of the NBS and has also served on the classification committee since 2020. Pearl buttons were one of his first loves as a collector, and that enthusiasm has only grown over the years.
5:00 pm Eastern,
2:00 pm Pacific
Getting there is Half the Fun: Transportation Uniform Buttons, Joanne Irons
For the traveler, getting there should be half the fun. Journey by sea, land, or air to your destination. Travel in style while someone else does the “driving”. Meet the employees, the crews and the laborers working to make the experience comfortable, unforgettable and safe. And for the button collector we can relive and explore journeys of the past through the uniform buttons of those working crews. Our voyage today will explore the transportation uniform buttons of the travel industry.
Joanne Irons hails from Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Ottawa Valley Button Club and a Life member of NBS. Her button collection covers many eclectic subjects but admits that Division II Uniform buttons fill up several cabinets in her button room. She is pleased to enthuse about the uniform buttons of the travel industry, whether it is by Air, Land or Water. So stand by for take-off as Transportation buttons are coming your way!
7:30:00 pm Eastern,
4:30 pm Pacific
A Journey from the Unusual to the Bizarre, William Hentges
A long time ago people started moving and they haven’t stopped since. Traveling over land, across water and up into the air. Utilizing every type of device and mode imaginable. Transportation, that is: the movement of people and goods, has become an indispensable everyday occurrence. It is not surprising that images of this activity have found their way onto buttons. We often find buttons depicting common types of transportation: cars, boats or airplanes. However, the truly unusual, strange and bizarre transportation appears much less frequently on buttons. Add to that seldom seen scarce and rare examples and it is a fun trip. This then will be an expedition; one exploring the unusual, the seldom seen, the almost never seen. This program will bring to light some of the more interesting examples of both human and a few strangely improbable transportation. Additionally, some identities will be revealed and historical backstories investigated. So… Welcome, get comfortable and fasten your seatbelt. This should prove to be an interesting ride. Your tour guide, William
Not surprising, William’s fascination with transportation, started at an early age. His interest in transportation related buttons occurred the moment he walked into his first National Show in Toledo OH in 1993. It was indeed the proverbial rabbit hole. His interest in early transport and antique buttons meshed perfectly. The variety of transportation depicted in different materials with accuracy was amazing. However, the best part was historical; where they came from, how they were worn and by whom. Many are now scarce and seldom seen. In some cases few examples survive. This program will highlight rare, unusual, odd and the bizarre. William had several careers designing and innovating transportation. His interest now with buttons is aesthetics and historical.
Sunday, March 15
2:00 pm Eastern,
11:00 am Pacific
Whimsical Buttons Beyond Belief, Juniors
From Jules Verne’s train to the moon to roosters on penny farthings, this collection of whimsical buttons celebrates the delightfully improbable—where cherubs ride butterfly-drawn chariots, Tom Thumb commands his winged mount, and even frogs hail rickshaws. A reminder that the best journeys begin when we abandon what’s possible for what’s imaginable. Following their first Fest presentation in 2025, our juniors are back with another fun and informative program. Please join three of our Juniors, Miles Mendenhall, Baylan Jones, and Eson Jones for this look at whimsical buttons.
Miles Mendenhall: I’m sixteen years old. I have been enjoying buttons for more than four years. I like buttons made out of different materials, especially Bakelite and metal. In my free time I also enjoy making creative projects, such as drawing and building models. Baylan Jones: I’m sixteen years old. I have been collecting buttons for about 8 years now. My favorite types of buttons are black glass, satsuma, and 18th century copper. In my free time I also collect coins and have a big collection now thanks to my great grandfather. Eson Jones: I’m thirteen years old. I have been collecting buttons for about five years. I like buttons made out of Jasperware, colored glass, and red panda buttons (that I have yet to find). In my free time I like to work on my karate and play ping pong and read.
6:00 pm Eastern,
3:00 pm Pacific
A Guided Look at Button Country, Lisa Miller
Get ready for a bit of history about Button Country, including where we are today with the updated version of our beloved reference, Button Country!
Lisa is the current NBS IT Committee Chair, focusing her volunteer effort on the NBS Website and encouraging members to assist in achieving a strong tool for fellow button enthusiasts. Her education includes a BS in Geography and Planning, and an MS in Management of Technology. She belongs to Florida State Button Society, Bay Area Button Club, The Button Loupe and the Punta Gorda Button Group.
7:00 pm Eastern,
4:00 pm Pacific
Travels with Yessy, Yessy Byl
Yessy loves to travel (her ancestors were seafarers….) and she loves buttons so it was only natural that her travels often centered around buttons! From France to Czech Republic to England to Belgium to the Netherlands to Italy, there were wonderful people and places and buttons to be discovered. Yessy will share some of those experiences and hopefully inspire people to go in search of those great international button experiences!
Yessy is descended from sea and river-faring people which might explain her love of travel! Of course the fact that her father, a bush pilot, had a bad case of wanderlust just reinforced those genes. For Yessy, the most wonderful thing about the button collecting hobby is that she has formed friendships in many different parts of the world and that, of course, just encourages more travels. Needless to say, fascinating buttons have been found on these travels and Yessy would like to share her experiences and buttons in this program.