The Buttonman at Stundars

THE BUTTON-MAN AT STUNDARS · · ·
Levi Ludén is an active pensioner. During the summer-period he makes buttons at Stundars open-air museum outside Vasa in Finland. The museum has reopened the old workshops with retired skilled "old-fashioned" craftsmen. At one place a chip basket maker. Another place a hand-shoemaker - a weaver - a baker - a general store - etc. Plus a button-maker.
	One Danish button in good company with some Finnish.
	He imitates old Finnish buttons and suggests them to be used in folkdance costumes. At least he is a old folkdancer himself. The buttons are made out of brass-plate. First a circular piece. Then the patterns are carved. Then beating to make the vault. And soldering of an eye. The last thing is to polish until the button looks as made out of pure gold... but it isn't - the price is 5 mark a piece (1 US$). "But", we exclaimed - "It looks af if you are making a Danish button". "Well, you think so", he answered using his easy understandable Finnish-Sweedish language, - "but the buttons are made after an old button from not far away: Vörå. It's an old one, but we do think, it is imported from west." Then we feel sure: The button-maker at Stundars uses as his working-model a button that originates from Denmark.
	In a corner, the button-maker had an antique wooden-leg. When he noticed the broken arm with plaster he at once - and with a big smile - became "a bad walker".