✅ SOLVED 2 antique buttons.. any ideas?

[JRMan]

Framingham MA. hunting in old hunting woods. Came across these 2 brass buttons.

Brass front, brass back with button hole.


Brass front, Iron back, with brass button loop.


Thank you.

 

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[DoranHashemi]

Looks like general service buttons 1870's to early 1900's

 

[nhbenz]

I believe the first one is patriotic, rather than military, based on the attachment method.Please correct me if I'm wrong! Anyone?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

As shown in the photo, the 3-piece button is "about 19mm or 20mm, which is a non-standard size of US Army officer's button. The Albert button-book shows two 20mm varieties, but as Nhbenz noted, the back is non-sandard, being a "self-shank" back. The extra-wide rim on it means it is post-civil-war.

The other button is an 1854-74 US Army "general service" Enlisted-men's (private, corporal, sergeant) button. Those with an iron back are very rare, but do exist. It is not known for certain whether these ironbacked ones are pre-1866, or later. I can testify that they are almost never found at civil war sites. When that happens, they might be from the postwar yankee army Occupation during the "Reconstruction" period. This one, being found at the same Massachusets dig-site as the Definitely-postwar 3-piece Officer's button, is another indication of postwar manufacturing. But we may never know with 100%-certainty about that.

 

[duggap]

Here is the Chattanooga area I have found three iron back eagle buttons from absolute civilwar sites. One was an Ohio camp and the other two were New York camps. So I lean to saying they were made prior to the war.

 

[JRMan]

Thank guys for all the help. The historical knowledge you guys have and are willing to share is amazing!