Beautiful Button with Federal Eagle back mark

[Carolina Relic Hunter]

Spent a long day out in great weather hunting several old homesites and of course did not know until I was home how beautiful this button was. Below is what I was told from a local clubs button guy. 😀

After the Rev War, the British button makers starting putting federal eagles onto the back marks as a way to ingratiate themselves with the colonists and win back some market share. The colonies were very patriotic and protectionist during the first half dozen presidencies. You see this kind of motif used very often during that time. I’d date this to be first quarter of the 1800’s roughly.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Gene Mean]

That button is in great shape, congrats!!

 

[pepperj]

Great save on the button. Congrats

I didn't know what the Eagle on the back really ment, or the history behind that.
Good day when I learn something new.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Great find and thanks for posting the info. on the Button !

 

[Carolina Relic Hunter]

That button is in great shape, congrats!!

Yes, the sandy soil in some areas in South Carolina is so good at preserving relics.

 

[The Rebel]

Love that button!

 

[Red-Coat]

Very nice button in great condition.

Your button guy doesn’t have it quite right. The eagle backmark first began to appear around 1800, but from American companies rather than British ones as a mark of patriotism and particularly after the War of 1812. Almost immediately, but especially after the war, British manufacturers began copying it, replacing previously used marks such as crowns and Prince of Wales plumes.

As a result of various embargos on trade followed by the War of 1812, almost no British buttons were exported to America between 1808 and 1816 (apart from a brief period in 1810). When trade resumed in 1816, buttons were exported to America in huge quantities and dumped on the market with an openly declared intention to wreck the fledgling American button industry. Most manufacturers had removed backmarks that identified their buttons as British to avoid them being rejected by those with lingering anti-British sentiments. The American eagle became a surrogate method of side-stepping boycotts by patriotic Americans and increasing acceptance in the American market. Sometimes this was on the initiative of the British maker, and sometimes at the request of the American importer. This practice continued until at least the 1820s.

But the eagle alone is not a reliable indicator of whether a button is British-made or American-made.

Your button also has a raised back mark. Indented backmarks began to appear around 1810 and raised backmarks were then progressively phased out. They’re rarely seen after about 1840.

 

[lenmac65]

What a great little piece of history, and in terrific shape too! Congrats!

 

[Chilli]

Spent a long day out in great weather hunting several old homesites and of course did not know until I was home how beautiful this button was. Below is what I was told from a local clubs button guy. 😀

After the Rev War, the British button makers starting putting federal eagles onto the back marks as a way to ingratiate themselves with the colonists and win back some market share. The colonies were very patriotic and protectionist during the first half dozen presidencies. You see this kind of motif used very often during that time. I’d date this to be first quarter of the 1800’s roughly.

Fantastic condition 👍