Have I found a Light Artillery 1st Regiment Button?

[Elad]

I posted this also on the button forum, but I figured I would also try here.

I dug this button earlier this year and noticed there was some kind of design on the front.

Could it be the same one (or similar) in the alternate photo?

What do you guys think?

 

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[Iron Patch]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Light Artillery 1st Regiment Button, circa 1808-1821

I think this is it. Nice one!

 

[IronSpike]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Good eye IP Looks like 1st Regiment, Awesome button

Would an early pewter this condition be one for a 'quick clean' and the seal/preserve?

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Good eye IP Looks like 1st Regiment, Awesome button

Would an early pewter this condition be one for a 'quick clean' and the seal/preserve?

From the picture I don't think it's pewter, and that would be a good thing. (much better chance of it cleaning up) The back would tell the story.

 

[IronSpike]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Good eye IP Looks like 1st Regiment, Awesome button

Would an early pewter this condition be one for a 'quick clean' and the seal/preserve?

From the picture I don't think it's pewter, and that would be a good thing. (much better chance of it cleaning up) The back would tell the story.

You're right looks more like brass not pewter Must have been the caked crust that made me think flaked pewter. One awesome button Elad

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Good eye IP Looks like 1st Regiment, Awesome button

Would an early pewter this condition be one for a 'quick clean' and the seal/preserve?

From the picture I don't think it's pewter, and that would be a good thing. (much better chance of it cleaning up) The back would tell the story.

You're right looks more like brass not pewter Must have been the caked crust that made me think flaked pewter. One awesome button Elad

I'be be interested to see it after a couple hours in the peroxide and a little brushing along the way. The crust is thick so there might be some pretty good detail under there.

 

[Elad]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Thanks for the quick ID Iron Patch, and thanks for all the other comments too. I knew I could count on you guys to help.

I am extremely hesitant to clean this button... I fear that the entire face will flake away and I will be left with no detail.

I have never gave a button a peroxide bath. Do you think it will help?

Once I work up the nerve, perhaps I will attempt a cleaning.

A light brushing you say... with a brass brush, or soft toothbrush?

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Thanks for the quick ID Iron Patch, and thanks for all the other comments too. I knew I could count on you guys to help.

I am extremely hesitant to clean this button... I fear that the entire face will flake away and I will be left with no detail.

I have never gave a button a peroxide bath. Do you think it will help?

Once I work up the nerve, perhaps I will attempt a cleaning.

A light brushing you say... with a brass brush, or soft toothbrush?

On something like that peroxide is quite safe because it will work very slow and you can stop the process at any time. So for that particular button the possible benefit would far out weigh the risk. In fact, if that stuff on there is very hard (difficult to tell from the pic) the hp might not even have an effect. If the process is working it will gradually start to clear the crud and reveal more of the design. If you decide to that's definitely safer than attacking it with anything else. Buckleboy has a point if about using a toothpick if it will remove material without being too aggressive. I rarely use a toothpick, or feel I have too, but that's just a matter of different methods and opinions.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Thanks for the quick ID Iron Patch, and thanks for all the other comments too. I knew I could count on you guys to help.

I am extremely hesitant to clean this button... I fear that the entire face will flake away and I will be left with no detail.

I have never gave a button a peroxide bath. Do you think it will help?

Once I work up the nerve, perhaps I will attempt a cleaning.

A light brushing you say... with a brass brush, or soft toothbrush?

On something like that peroxide is quite safe because it will work very slow and you can stop the process at any time. So for that particular button the possible benefit would far out weigh the risk. In fact, if that stuff on there is very hard (difficult to tell from the pic) the hp might not even have an effect. If the process is working it will gradually start to clear the crud and reveal more of the design. If you decide to that's definitely safer than attacting it with anything else. Buckleboy has a point if about using a toothpick if it will remove material without being too aggressive. I rarely use a toothpick, or feel I have too, but that's just a matter of different methods and opinions.

The primary reason I toothpick is to create a contrast between the background fields and the raised or stamped-in design. I do not use it to remove crust.

That said, it is usually the case that a brass button's design is intact below the crust. Copper coins are another story, but I have found brass to be generally fine. The button in question has a design that is not very high relief, so any detail or contrast lost is too much. If it were a one-piece eagle button that crusty, I'd toothpick away. But I am hesitant to give advice on this one.

When I toothpick, I either leave the patina in the fields and remove the crust from the design, or I remove it all together with dry brushing, then bring out the design with oil from the fingertips (which is always the final step--since I have found that any oil seems to bind with the crust/dirt and makes it almost impossible to remove at a later date).


-Buck

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

Thanks for the quick ID Iron Patch, and thanks for all the other comments too. I knew I could count on you guys to help.

I am extremely hesitant to clean this button... I fear that the entire face will flake away and I will be left with no detail.

I have never gave a button a peroxide bath. Do you think it will help?

Once I work up the nerve, perhaps I will attempt a cleaning.

A light brushing you say... with a brass brush, or soft toothbrush?

On something like that peroxide is quite safe because it will work very slow and you can stop the process at any time. So for that particular button the possible benefit would far out weigh the risk. In fact, if that stuff on there is very hard (difficult to tell from the pic) the hp might not even have an effect. If the process is working it will gradually start to clear the crud and reveal more of the design. If you decide to that's definitely safer than attacting it with anything else. Buckleboy has a point if about using a toothpick if it will remove material without being too aggressive. I rarely use a toothpick, or feel I have too, but that's just a matter of different methods and opinions.

The primary reason I toothpick is to create a contrast between the background fields and the raised or stamped-in design. I do not use it to remove crust.

That said, it is usually the case that a brass button's design is intact below the crust. Copper coins are another story, but I have found brass to be generally fine. The button in question has a design that is not very high relief, so any detail or contrast lost is too much. If it were a one-piece eagle button that crusty, I'd toothpick away. But I am hesitant to give advice on this one.

When I toothpick, I either leave the patina in the fields and remove the crust from the design, or I remove it all together with dry brushing, then bring out the design with oil from the fingertips (which is always the final step--since I have found that any oil seems to bind with the crust/dirt and makes it almost impossible to remove at a later date).


-Buck

I actually use a tootpick for that purpose for small spots, but not too often because as long as you don't expose an item to water after an hp soak the green color will come back when it dries. It's trading corrosion for patina if done right removing the dirt in the process.

For the button above it looks more like tough crust than dirt so I don't think he could pick at it.

 

[Elad]

Re: Is this a civil war button?

I will finally have some free time to clean this button this weekend. I will definitely post my results. I really hope that there is a decent looking button beneath the crust. Wish me luck!