Greist Rotary Buttonholer Set with Original Box c. 1940s-1950s
Viridian Eclection
The Set
A Greist Rotary Buttonholer, a sewing machine attachment in glossy black painted metal, with its original green maker's badge and a molded knob, housed in its original labeled cardboard box.
The mechanism is compact and entirely mechanical. A set of interchangeable templates accompanies it, which is how the buttonhole size is adjusted, and the assorted components are present as shown.
The form is purposeful rather than decorative, which is what gives it its character. Everything on the housing is there because it does something.
History & Provenance
Greist Products of the United States made attachments that extended what a standard home sewing machine could do, and the company became widely known for them in the middle of the twentieth century, when specialized sewing accessories were necessary equipment rather than nostalgia.
The rotary buttonholer was made to give home sewers consistent, professional looking buttonholes from an ordinary machine, and the interchangeable templates made the attachment adaptable to different sizes. It reflects the period's interest in efficiency and mechanical problem solving at domestic scale.
The badge, the finish and the box design place it in the mid twentieth century, likely the 1940s to 1950s.
Product Details
| Maker | Greist Products |
| Model | Rotary Buttonholer |
| Era | Mid twentieth century, likely circa 1940s to 1950s |
| Origin | United States |
| Form | Sewing machine buttonholer attachment with templates |
| Materials | Painted metal, metal components, molded knob, cardboard box |
| Color | Black with a green maker's badge |
| Includes | Rotary buttonholer, original box, and assorted interchangeable templates and components as shown |
| Dimensions | To be confirmed |
| Condition | Vintage condition with visible wear from age and storage, including scuffs, dust residue, finish wear, box edge wear and discoloration. Untested |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
Complete with its box and templates, this is a piece of American household design history rather than a loose part, and the original packaging is a large share of why.
The glossy black metal and the green badge read well on a shelf, in a sewing studio, or in a workroom vignette, where the mechanical form gives a hard, graphic counterpoint to cloth and wood.
It suits a collector of sewing tools, or anyone assembling vintage haberdashery ephemera with real character. Note that the attachment is untested and is offered on its form, its completeness and its history.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Visit the Eclection on Tuesdays, 10 am to 4 pm.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
