anyone know about these? Old button SOLVED

[postalgriff]

hello everyone, first timer here, love the site. Just returned from a trip to PA, only spending a day metal detecting, but was wondering if someone could help identify a couple of items for me. Went to a place on the Allegheny river where the foundation of an old stone house where it was rumored George Washington had stayed. Found the button, not sure if its a button, near the foundation. Has the initial G with some other writing ( I can make out the word london under it). Also the other picture is of some sort of buttons or stamps the have numbers, some with letters. Anyone know?

 

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[warsawdaddy]

Re: anyone know about these?

No idea.What size? Almost look like weights (ballast) disc or sacrificial zincs(absorb the corrosion instaed of the metal corroding)??

 

[postalgriff]

Re: anyone know about these?

sorry, yeah, they are all about the size of a penny. could the initial "G" actully be the shank of the button?

 

[DCMatt]

Re: anyone know about these?

Top pic is a bunch of lead seals. You can still see the wire on some of them.

Bottom pic is a late 18th/early 19th century button.

DCMatt

 

[postalgriff]

Re: anyone know about these?

yeah some of them do have a bit of wire on the back, thanks for the tip. what would the lead seals be used to seal, if you know?

 

[DCMatt]

Re: anyone know about these?

yeah some of them do have a bit of wire on the back, thanks for the tip. what would the lead seals be used to seal, if you know?

Often called bale seals - a small, labelled metal plate that was attached by wire to a bale. Because it had to be cut to reopen the bale, thefts during shipment were reduced.

Used on everything from grain/seed bags to money bags. Still used today in some capacities - like to seal your electric meter on your house to keep you from messing with it.

DCMatt

 

[blurr]

Re: anyone know about these?

yeah some of them do have a bit of wire on the back, thanks for the tip. what would the lead seals be used to seal, if you know?

We used to use lead seals similar to those to seal rail cars loaded with grain. The numbers would correspond to the elevators records.

John

 

[postalgriff]

Re: anyone know about these?

thanks for the info guys

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: anyone know about these? SOLVED

Welcome to TreasureNet. The button looks very old. Is it brass? It appears to say WILL______A____LONDON. Can you make out the rest?

Someone here should be able to help with the ID.

I think the "G" shape is the shank. Can you show a pic of the front?

 

[postalgriff]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

ok thanks, so I actually took off the photo of the lead seals and added a couple of more pics of the button. I can;t tell if the front has a design or not, and any tips on what I can do to clean it better, I think it is brass.

 

[Angelo]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

Found a MILLS and Co. London Pewter Buttons. Not much info.

Tony

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

PBK, we need help.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

I agree with others that the "G" on your button is in fact the shank. I've found many that were distorted/broken like that, and it took me a little while to realize what they were. But that's what it is.

Please take a look at my thread on cleaning buttons in order to be able to read the backmarks on them... If you can read that maker's name, we might be able to date it more accurately.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,165857.0.html

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

WILLIAM WALLIS made buttons from 1800-1828 in Britain.

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

That is a old 1 piece button.Can you clean it better may have something on the front side.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

WILLIAM WALLIS made buttons from 1800-1828 in Britain.

FREEEEEEDOM!

 

[CRUSADER]

Re: anyone know about these? Old button

WILLIAM WALLIS made buttons from 1800-1828 in Britain.

Seems most likely.

It was a plain button which would have had a gold gilt.