✅ SOLVED Button Guys! Early American eagle flat button backmark?

[mangum]

Hello all. I found this at my colonial site today. I have never seen one of these with an eagle backmark & an American one at that. Mist buttons coming out of this site are from London. Notice the arrows & olive branch. So... Anyone have any insight on the maker or approximate age? Rarity? Thanks in advance for any help!

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

Your 1-piece brass flatbutton with a "raised-marking" backmark showing an American eagle emblem most probably dates from during the War-Of-1812 to about 15 years afterward. That war caused Americans to feel resentment against Britain and British-made products. So, American button-maufacturers added that eagle emblem to show the button was not an import from Britain. Also, for that same reason, some British button-makers who produced buttons for export to the US market put the eagle backmark on their buttons.

 

[mangum]

Your 1-piece brass flatbutton with a "raised-marking" backmark showing an American eagle emblem most probably dates from during the War-Of-1812 to about 15 years afterward. That war caused Americans to feel resentment against Britain and British-made products. So, American button-maufacturers added that eagle emblem to show the button was not an import from Britain. Also, for that same reason, some British button-makers who produced buttons for export to the US market put the eagle backmark on their buttons.

Thanks Pete! Awesome history. BTW - I've got a possible cannonball I need your expertise on. I'll send you a PM tomorrow.

 

[tennessee digger]

Pete is exactly right.....again. Good job.

 

[mangum]

Not trying to discount Pete's ID but thought Id share what a friend had to offer:
This is an interesting button. Eagle motifs were not uncommon after the Rev War. The design of the eagle dates it to between 1792 & 1798, although it could have been produced for some time after that. The eagle was only used for a few years, when it was replaced by the more familiar wings-down eagle. Also, the rolled edge is more typical of a US manufactured button where they were trying to make it look heavier than it was.

 

[tndirtdigger]

Flat button

It appears I may have found a button identical to yours. Does yours have 5 stars above the eagle?

 

[SundaySnoop]

Me too!!

I'm just an hour north of Charlotte and just found one of these. It's my best find to date. I know, I'm a rookie but super exciting!

 

[Tinman]

Me too!!

I'm just an hour north of Charlotte and just found one of these. It's my best find to date. I know, I'm a rookie but super exciting!

Hello all. I found this at my colonial site today. I have never seen one of these with an eagle backmark & an American one at that. Mist buttons coming out of this site are from London. Notice the arrows & olive branch. So... Anyone have any insight on the maker or approximate age? Rarity? Thanks in advance for any help!

I just found one near Charleston yesterday.

 

[Tinman]

Hello all. I found this at my colonial site today. I have never seen one of these with an eagle backmark & an American one at that. Mist buttons coming out of this site are from London. Notice the arrows & olive branch. So... Anyone have any insight on the maker or approximate age? Rarity? Thanks in advance for any help!

I found one of these near Charleston SC yesterday -plain on front from what I can see

 

[devldog]

Great Save of the button. Congrat's.