I found this flat button last weekend. I don't find many flat buttons with makers marks on them so any info on this would be great. The front is blank, nothing on it i can see. The back says BEST LONDON and NO 5
Thanks!
The "London" in the backmark means it was made in Britain, of course. Indented lettering in a British-made but dug-in-USA brass 1-piece flatbutton's backmark dates it from approximately 1810 through the 1830s. The phrase "Best Quality" is one of ratings in the British-originated button "quality rating system," which referred to the quality and thickness of the gold or silver plating applied to the button.