Found a Silver Colonial Shoe Buckle and a Really Cool Flat Button!

[FreeBirdTim]

Went back to the spot where I found part of a really old pewter spoon and it paid off! I only found two relics, but they are both great finds.

The best find was a silver colonial shoe buckle! At least I think it's a shoe buckle. It measures about 2 1/2" high by 3" wide. It's a little bent, but still a cool find. It appears to have a silver applied finish to the front. Very detailed design on it as well. As you can see, the silver cleaned up nicely!

The other find was a flat button with sort of a basket weave design on the front. It's about the size of a nickel. The back has an eagle and a ribbon or banner, as well as the words "best quality" on it. I'm guessing 1770's or so, but any help as to the exact age of the button would be appreciated.

Here's a few pics:

 

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[JerV3]

That buckle is just beautiful congrats

 

[Ahab8]

Tim that is a beautiful buckle ! Congrats. And any early designed button is cool in my book. Found a couple today mysekf

 

[Gaspipe]

Nice finds

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

FreeBirdTim wrote:
> The back [of the brass 1-piece flatbutton] has an eagle and a ribbon or banner,
> as well as the words "best quality" on it. I'm guessing 1770's or so, but any help
> as to the exact age of the button would be appreciated.


Its backmark has raised lettering, which first appears on brass 1-piece flatbuttons about 1790. However, it also has a raised line which divides the back in half. That is called a "split-anvil die" line. When seen on backmarked brass 1-piece buttons found in America, it most often dates the button to 1815 through the mid-1820s. Here's why. The War Of 1812 caused "customer resentment" for about a decade after the war's end among the American public against Britain -- and British-made products. Therefore, American button-sellers who imported British-made buttons during that time period would use a metal-pressing tool called a split-anvil die to obliterate or change the button's original backmark. In your case, the replacement backmark even included an American Eagle emblem to indicate the button was American-made. (That is also why many genuine American-made buttons in that time-period had an American Eagle in their backmark.)

As famous American radio-show host Paul Harvey often said, now you know "the rest of the story."

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Thank you, CannonballGuy! I will remember that explanation the next time I find one of these buttons. Thanks once again for your help!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Tim that is a beautiful buckle ! Congrats. And any early designed button is cool in my book. Found a couple today mysekf

Thanks! Took me almost 13 months to find my second colonial shoe buckle! I was very surprised that it cleaned up so well and that the silver didn't flake off. Must be a good quality buckle.

I've found over 30 flat buttons, but only 4 have a design on the front. Always a thrill to see any design on the front of them. HH!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

That buckle is just beautiful congrats

Thank you! Definitely one of my best finds this year. HH!

 

[g-olden years]

Congrats on a super day! Andi

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you, CannonballGuy! I will remember that explanation the next time I find one of these buttons. Thanks once again for your help!

Yes, you're pretty safe *not* calling a backmarked button 1770s, and often 1780s. From the 1760s and through the Rev War very few military buttons had backmarks so I'm guessing civilian types weren't much different. Then during the later 80s / 1790s and later, things changed a lot with many buttons being produced having a backmark or makers mark. Some British units/ Regiments used the same type of button during both the Rev War and 1812 and collectors separate them by backmark or lack there of.

 

[treblehunter]

Nice finds

 

[RelicMedic]

Wow what an awesome buckle frame!!! The button is really impressive too. Well done!!

 

[park pirate]

Sweet shoe buckle...

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[CRUSADER]

It is an 18th C shoe buckle but these are silvered, not solid, unless you got one outside the norm? Both good finds.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

It is an 18th C shoe buckle but these are silvered, not solid, unless you got one outside the norm? Both good finds.

Yes, it is definitely silvered and not solid. That's what I meant when I stated that it had an applied silver finish to it. Also, there's a crack on the silver and I can see that it is a very thin layer and not solid all the way through.

 

[Davers]

"Shheweet...Finds"

 

[The Rebel]

Awesome find! Look at that shine!

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Awesome find! Look at that shine!

Thanks! I expected the silver finish to peel off when I cleaned it, but it held up very well.

 

[Old Dude]

Nice finds Tim. Good job cleaning them up too.