Blowhole Buttons Only.....

[Kirk PA]

My goal today was to find a Blowhole button in my collection. Out of the hundreds of buttons I have recovered over the last 3 years, I knew I had excavated one of these. As of 10 a.m., I officially did not have a recollection of digging one, but I was determined to scour my collection to prove myself wrong. After about 10 minutes, I finally found what I was looking for. There was still dirt in the blowholes, so that is why I had missed it earlier. I was thrilled nonetheless. I had to add it to my "18th Century Display." I also found a few more Colonial buttons that I added to the display and a pair of octagonal cufflinks. This is what makes the winter months totally worth it.

Post your Blowhole buttons on this thread!

Kirk

 

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[Iron Patch]

I know I've found a few but don't think they're in my cases.

 

[johnnyblaze]

What exactly is a blowhole button
I see yours and understand,but did they have a specific purpose?
John

 

[CC Hunter]

The two-piece "vent hole" buttons are very early! These buttons predate the more common "flat buttons" prevalent on later 18th to mid-19th century sites. The two holes allowed the gas and heat to escape, while the face of the button was soldered around the rim, fastening the two pieces together. The vent hole buttons will date from the 1750's, and into the earlier 1700's.

Where vent hole buttons are found, Spanish cobs, coppers from William and George I & II, small cast shoe buckles, and other early finds often follow!

I've found them on early sites that never produced one single flat button.

CC Hunter

 

[Iron Patch]

The two-piece "vent hole" buttons are very early! These buttons predate the more common "flat buttons" prevalent on later 18th to mid-19th century sites. The two holes allowed the gas and heat to escape, while the face of the button was soldered around the rim, fastening the two pieces together. The vent hole buttons will date from the 1750's, and into the earlier 1700's.

Where vent hole buttons are found, Spanish cobs, coppers from William and George I & II, small cast shoe buckles, and other early finds often follow!

I've found them on early sites that never produced one single flat button.

CC Hunter

That's what I told Kirk through private message. Any place we've found them we didn't pay too much attention because there was much better stuff coming out. The only sites I recall finding them is at our early French ones, the same sites all my cobs came from. Blowhole buttons are a great sign you could be close to a great find.

 

[Steve in PA]

THAR SHE BLOWS!! I thought I had a picture of some blow hole buttons but I can't find it. I usually find them on 1750s French & Indian War sites. I think some of the provincial uniforms were outfitted with them.

 

[romeo-1]

I know I have a bunch but I never paid much attention to them. Found this one in October.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Awesome i did have 1 from my favorite site of 2010..I thought this was more modern than all my other buttons...
I found this 1 the last time i went there..
Ya learn something new every day...
John

 

[Iron Patch]

Ya learn something new every day...

When you listen.

 

[johnnyblaze]

I cant stop looking at this button now

 

[Kirk PA]

Awesome i did have 1 from my favorite site of 2010..I thought this was more modern than all my other buttons...
I found this 1 the last time i went there..
Ya learn something new every day...
John

That is a nice one, Blaze. I was wondering if you had found one at that site.

Kirk

 

[CC Hunter]

The early 18th century two-piece solder seam buttons, are also found without the vent holes. As I recall, the vent hole buttons are nearly always found with a plain face. However, I have found the very early two piece buttons with geometric type designs, with the solder seam edge, and no vent holes. Apparently, the solder work on these did not provide a very secure seam, as this style is usually found with the front face separated from the button back. The vent hole design may possibly be an improvement over this style, so as to provide a better solder seam.

The very early solder seam buttons without vent holes, are rarely recognized as being some of the earliest Colonial button styles found in North America. The separated domed face portions, separated backs with wire shanks, as well as complete examples, are often thought to be later Victorian pieces. This is far from the fact, as these buttons are actually 150 years earlier.

Whenever I have been fortunate to find and identify these pieces of history, coins from the late 1600's were often close by!

CC Hunter

 

[johnnyblaze]

The early 18th century two-piece solder seam buttons, are also found without the vent holes. As I recall, the vent hole buttons are nearly always found with a plain face. However, I have found the very early two piece buttons with geometric type designs, with the solder seam edge, and no vent holes. Apparently, the solder work on these did not provide a very secure seam, as this style is usually found with the front face separated from the button back. The vent hole design may possibly be an improvement over this style, so as to provide a better solder seam.

The very early solder seam buttons without vent holes, are rarely recognized as being some of the earliest Colonial button styles found in North America. The separated domed face portions, separated backs with wire shanks, as well as complete examples, are often thought to be later Victorian pieces. This is far from the fact, as these buttons are actually 150 years earlier.

Whenever I have been fortunate to find and identify these pieces of history, coins from the late 1600's were often close by!

CC Hunter

Hey thanks CC Hunter...You seem like a pretty smart fella...With only 40 something posts since 04 we would like to hear your thoughts more often on colonial items
Blaze...

 

[Tony (NC)]

I found this one at a plantation in VA that was active as far back as 1759. The owner died in 1783. I also found a 1780 reale not far from this button. I think that puts it in the right time frame. The face is plain. I was SURE I had a big ol' Confederate button when I saw this in the hole....

 

[johnnyblaze]

Now that im looking at my finds.I do have just some front face parts of these buttons that cc hunter
was talking about...Its pretty hard to identify finds from the 1600's..Or even find them..Or maybe i have i just dont know it..Are all flat buttons from the 18th century

John

 

[Iron Patch]

Now that im looking at my finds.I do have just some front face parts of these buttons that cc hunter
was talking about...Its pretty hard to identify finds from the 1600's..Or even find them..Or maybe i have i just dont know it..Are all flat buttons from the 18th century

John

Hunting 1600s sites would find you some very old coins! I have found quite a few 1600s coins at my early to mid. 1700s sites, so a true 1600s site would obviously give you 1600s coins, and a chance at 1500s coins. (depending on what part of the century the site dated to) If your oldest coins are George coppers then your sites date into the 1700s. The one thing about this website is that many Europeans throw around the 1500s and 1600s for IDs like it's nothing, and to them that era is pretty common.... but not here! If you're digging 1600s finds off a 1600s site you're doing pretty darn good.

PS... I have never hunted a site here that I believe dated to the 1600s.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Yes but here in New England there must be some sites from the 1600's...
This is where most of it all began...
Im not sure where Dirtyville is
I think its important for members to show where they are from...It gives us a hint on the type of hunting you do..Ex; Civil war ,Rev war,War of 1812...
So where are you really fron Iron Patch?
John

 

[Iron Patch]

Yes but here in New England there must be some sites from the 1600's...
This is where most of it all began...
Im not sure where Dirtyville is
I think its important for members to show where they are from...It gives us a hint on the type of hunting you do..Ex; Civil war ,Rev war,War of 1812...
So where are you really fron Iron Patch?
John

I agree, you should have 1600s sites there but they certainly won't be the majority. But the good news is there's probably a lot from the 1700s, and to be honest your chance at the killer stuff is up around the Revolution. I'd much rather pop Rev War stuff than 1600s relics and coins.

I'm way up North! My oldest sites are French (Acadians) dating from about 1720. Then the next range is Loyalist and early British (1760s -1790 or so) which is my favorite era because this seems to be the zone with the greatest number of keepers. After that, and what we typically find and hunt, is early 1800s British but no later than maybe 1830 if we can help it. Anyway, that's how I would break down my hunting but I have found great finds from all three of those periods so any day I'm digging an old site is a good one.

 

[Steve in PA]

The early 18th century two-piece solder seam buttons, are also found without the vent holes. As I recall, the vent hole buttons are nearly always found with a plain face. However, I have found the very early two piece buttons with geometric type designs, with the solder seam edge, and no vent holes. Apparently, the solder work on these did not provide a very secure seam, as this style is usually found with the front face separated from the button back. The vent hole design may possibly be an improvement over this style, so as to provide a better solder seam.

The very early solder seam buttons without vent holes, are rarely recognized as being some of the earliest Colonial button styles found in North America. The separated domed face portions, separated backs with wire shanks, as well as complete examples, are often thought to be later Victorian pieces. This is far from the fact, as these buttons are actually 150 years earlier.

Whenever I have been fortunate to find and identify these pieces of history, coins from the late 1600's were often close by!

CC Hunter

Here is an example of the type of button CC Hunter is talking about. See the middle button in the bottom row. This would have had a plain domed front soldered on. It has an inserted wire shank. The third one from the left in the top row is another example except it has a drilled eye shank. For some reason I find lots of backs for these buttons, but very few of the fronts.

 

[Don in SJ]

I personally think the vast majority of blowhole (vent back) buttons we find are more like early to mid 1700s, yes they first appeared past 1675 or so but based on the ones I have found over the years, most of my sites at the earliest would be 1730 or so, with most being Rev War era and later. Not to say one could have had the buttons/clothing for many years before settling here, but in general I think they are of that era.

I went through my button boxes, where I did not have that type seperated and this is all I could find, some with just the back shell, I know I have others but heavens knows what nock or cranny I have them stored at.

This photo is from a very isolated site that shows a good representation of what was found along with the blowhole button, I estimate the site to have been occupied only for a short time (less than a generation) and most likely from 1730 till perhaps 1760s. I believe this sawmill was abandoned about then and bigger one built on a nearby stream, thus closing this one down.


Don