✅ SOLVED Button ID

[Metalguru]

Hey Cannonballguy , can you work your magic on these? I can see no backmark on either! Thanx

 

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[jamesbibb]

These are civilian use decorative flat buttons. Made of brass. Likely 1830-1850 era without seeing the backs

 

[Metalguru]

Thanx jamesbibb,I knew some one would help!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

James is correct on the basic ID of your two buttons, but off a bit on the time-dating. Your buttons are indeed civilian-usage "decorative" brass flatbuttons... the late-1700s/early-1800s version of what button-collectors call Fashion buttons, made for use on civilian fancy coats and jackets.

You said neither of your decorative brass flatbuttons has a backmark. In time-dating them, it is important to know that backmarks first started appearing on brass 1-piece flatbuttons about 1790. But of course, no-backmark ones continued to be manufactured after that time... thus they can date anytime from approximately the mid-1700s into the 1840s. But your two buttons have two clues which help us narrow down their date-range. The clues are their size (diameter), and the method of applying the design onto the button.

The smaller of your two brass flatbuttons has a machine-pressed ("die-struck") design. That one can date from the 1780s to 1840s. Hand-engraved designs started earlier, but of course continued for a while into the era of machine-pressed designs.

Your button which is larger than 1 inch and has a hand-engraved design is called a "Dandy" button. According to the button-book by Warren Tice, it dates from about 1770-1795. At that time, a "Dandy" was a fashion-conscious gentleman who wore extra-fancy clothing, of course with extra-fancy buttons. The term explains the meaning of the line in the song Yankee Doodle saying "I'm a yankee doodle Dandy."

In an old T-Net discussion of Dandy buttons, at
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/buttons/99812-dandy-button.html
Don in SJ wrote:
"In general the age of a large flat button is, if approx 30mm in diameter and larger, dates to the 1770-1795 period, but were used heavily at least until 1815. Buttons that are called "Transitional" buttons are 18-30mm in diameter are in general 1795-1805 era. Then the smaller gilt buttons took over as the most popular used buttons.
One must remember that buttons, like coins were most likely used for a long period of time after their "minting" or manufacture date It would not be unusual to find buttons of an old age at a much newer site, just like some coins were in circulation for 50 or more years in the early years of our country."