Buttons?

[Woodturner]

I found these two buttons (?) within one foot of each other. The larger one appears to have some sort of grid pattern. It is about 13/16". The smaller one is a hair over 5/8". They both are very thin.

 

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[CRUSADER]

Top one is a medium Dandy button cica 1790s

Bottom looks cica 1800s

 

[Woodturner]

Crusader, do you have any good sites that show these old buttons. I did a Google and didn't get much. I did notice that on the back of the larger button there is a circle and something in the circle but I can't tell what. If no sites how about a book? Thanks for the great information.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Nice ID, Crusader.

Woodturner,

These all fall under the general heading of "flat buttons." If the one on the bottom is gun-metal-gray after you clean it with a toothbrush, then it is a tombac button. Several of my tombacs from Virginia had such a thick patina on them that I didn't even know what they were. Chip a little bit of the patina off with your fingernail on the edge of the button to find out. If it is still dark-colored, then they are both brass.

In terms of websites and books, there aren't many options for flat buttons. Most simply had "quality marks" on the back, rather than a manufacturer's name. By quality marks, I mean things like "extra fine" "extra rich" "gold gilt" "treble gilt" "standard color" etc.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[Woodturner]

I scrubbed them both with a soft brush and a little soap. The color that shows up on my monitor is pretty true of the actual buttons. Thanks so much for the help.

 

[CRUSADER]

Buttons & Fasteners 500 BC-AD 1840 by Gordon Bailey - This book written by a friend of mine is very good but its mainly British & ends in 1840.

PBK will know the best book, he keeps referring to a very comprehensive one but I can't remember the name. If you Private Message PBK he will be happy to help.

 

[CRUSADER]

I thinks is Alberts or something fimilar.

I have PMed PBK for you, help is on its way!

 

[PBK]

Albert's— Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons by Alphaeus H. Albert— as mentioned by Crusader is the standard reference for uniform buttons, but not very helpful for civilian ones.

A good choice for early civilian dress buttons is The Big Book of Buttons by Hughes & Lester. Unfortunately, it is now out of print, and copies sell for hundreds of dollars apiece. However, there is a very good chance that your local library can obtain a copy via interlibrary loan.

Also useful, especially if there are backmarks, is Dating Buttons by Warren K. Tice. You should be able to find a copy of this one for around $50-60.

 

[Woodturner]

Thanks so much everyone. I will check the library resource for the Big Book of Buttons and try to locate the other two.

 

[CRUSADER]

Just looked again, I happy with the first one being 1790s Dandy (would have been guilded at one stage)

The second I can now make out to be a plain pewter (or tombac) of cica 1800 (little before or after). Common over here, I get about 6 a day.