1798 US Navy Button - treat futher or leave it alone?

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Anyone wish to offer their recommendations please for this button? It’s the first type to be used by the United States Navy back in 1798. Should I treat it further or leave it alone? It has an eagle w/ a shield of a fouled anchor surrounded by 13 stars. Its type in Albert’s book is NA 6-B.1 (H & T GILT on the back of the button). I’ve read a lot about aluminum jelly? Will it give extra sheen to the gold gilt? Will it harm the surface of the button where gilt is missing? I found it last week in a field that’s giving up lots of coppers and button but not any silver yet. I’m very hopeful for some silver coins to come sooner or later. I’ve had the button soaking in mineral oil for the past week to loosen the dirt with a light brushing of a soft-bristle tooth brush, as I do with any worthwhile coppers. The button is still soaking in mineral oil, but I’m opposed to brushing any further to avoid loss of the remaining gilt. Where should I take it from here? Thanks in advance for any replies. Sadly, the shank is gone, but it’s still a nice, old button.

 

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[vpnavy]

Nice find Silver Tree Chaser. I am sure member's will jump in to suggestions.

 

[ATpro5]

No suggestions but beautiful button. its amazing it has that much gilt left.

 

[nsdq]

Leave as is,, looks just fine,,,,, nice find

 

[Erving]

Love the button, and think it looks great as it is. Congrats on a great find.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

I'm a big proponent of aluminum jelly and have used it many times to clean up gilted buttons. It will definitely improve and brighten up the gilt, but it may also change the color of any non-gilted areas (for the worse). I'll usually only put it on for a few seconds, then immediately wash it off, and repeat as necessary. But I've also had a couple times when the jelly dissolved the gilt right off a button. Not sure why that happened, but it's always a possibility. I also apply the jelly with a small syringe so I can put tiny amounts where I want which gives me much better control. But all things considered, since your button is a really nice early specimen I would probably lean toward leaving it as is just to be safe. It also depends if you have any plans to ever sell it. Since I keep and display everything I'm willing to take more chances with mine. Good luck if you attempt to clean it, and please post the results if you do.

 

[pepperj]

Great looking button that's for sure, congrats on the find.

 

[Dug]

First off congratulations on a beautiful early button with so much gilt on it. Wow.

Having used and seen what Aluminum Jelly can do, I would, but just for a second since you have only very minor surface corrosion there. If it was me, I would remove the mineral oil with a mild detergent, let dry, then put a Q Tip in the jelly, rub the surface of the button quickly while standing next to running water then dunk the button under the water while brushing it with a very soft clean toothbrush. (The thing about aluminum jelly is that it will not hurt gilt from my experience, but it will remove any green patina leaving a pink color) After the button is dry I would coat it with Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax polish. (Museums use this stuff; it is pricey but good)

Everyone has their opinions and methods, this is mine through trial and error.

 

[mfc83]

very cool button i would leave it as is myself i found this one and it has the loop still on back it has 13 stars but eagle and sheild are on the other side i think some one told me it was from war of 1812

 

[Iron Patch]

Very nice for a dug button. It's pretty simple... Do you like it as-is, or would you prefer it shine. Just a few minutes in lemon juice and some brushing I think would improve it quite a bit. Seems to be some grime stuck in shield and if it won't brush out, gently using a toothpick to scrape the grove will work well. I personally would not use the jelly because I feel it's more harsh and would not give me the time to work with a button to make it as good as can be. In most cases you will stiff have some green corrosion so exposure time creates a problem when you see a lot gilt or silver flaking. You'll button is so good even just a minute in lemon to start with some brushing should clean it fairly well, and then you can judge whether to keep going, and taking the time to do the shield. Once you're done wax or even a coat of Vaseline will add a little pop and keep it from drying out.

 

[silversweeper]

I would leave it as is if it were mine. A pretty good chance that trying to improve it will do the opposite. Anytime you dig a button with gilt still remaining, extensive cleaning could quite possibly remove some or all of that. Have seen a lot of very nice finds damaged and even ruined when people try to improve upon them. I often have to remind myself that my finds have been in the ground for x number of years, they're usually not going to look like new.....or even close. Good luck though, that is a great find! Happy Hunting.

 

[Bubba65]

AWESOME BUTTON CONGRATS

Bubba65

 

[mirage83]

Personal opinion is that it's in very good condition just as it sits. Given how easy it is to damage the gilt or otherwise make it subjectively less attractive (such as removing the natural patina it's acquired over the last +/- 200 years) I'd leave well-enough alone and settle for just a final brushing and gentle rinsing before finding a good spot in a case to display it.

 

[CRUSADER]

Lemon juice it.

 

[GioTheGreek]

Awesome button!

 

[Wildcat1750]

Beautiful button! I like it as is.

 

[Iron Patch]

Everyone who likes it as is doesn't realize how great it would look if cleaned correctly, not to mention it's just dirt and grime that needs to come off and how does keep that make it better?

 

[Greylock]

Agreed. I've taken the lemon juice advice on a few buttons and they come out beautiful. Don't over do it just a minute or two is all ya need.

 

[Steve in PA]

Great early Navy button. First you will need to get the mineral oil off the button. Then apply some aluminum jelly or lemon juice with a q-tip on the back side and see how it comes out. If you like it, you can do the front. I would be prepared to rinse off within a few seconds of applying aluminum jelly.

 

[Iron Patch]

Great early Navy button. First you will need to get the mineral oil off the button. Then apply some aluminum jelly or lemon juice with a q-tip on the back side and see how it comes out. If you like it, you can do the front. I would be prepared to rinse off within a few seconds of applying aluminum jelly.

yes, definitely a mistake to use oil and then ask whether to clean it or not, but in this case it should be ok because you don't need much of a reaction to clean it. I don't see any real use for oil in general because I've cleaned many buttons over quite a long time and have managed to do without. Actually... the only time I've used it recently was to experiment soaking pewter for long periods of time. It seems to have helped some, but nothing fantastic, so I keep all oil away from buttons.