Help Please

[GodOfCarrots]

I just bought a button from an antique dealer and I was wondering if anyone here could pinpoint just exactly what it is. It has an eagle in the front with an "I" in it. On the back I believe it says "Superior Quality". Any idea?

 

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[GodOfCarrots]

Re: Just Purchased a Button

I just bought a button from an antique dealer and I was wondering if anyone here could pinpoint just exactly what it is. It has an eagle in the front with an "I" in it. On the back I believe it says "Superior Quality". Any idea?

I looked around online and couldn't find a picture of it. If you need a picture I can bring my camera home and take one today. I paid $20 bucks for the button and the mounting case it came with.

 

[goldencoin]

Well, it's hard to tell, but from the sound of it it looks like a civil war or pre-civil war infantry button, if it is military. $20 bucks is not too bad if it is dug, and a good price if it isn't.

I'm almost positive it is from the civil war era, based on you description, or earlier

HH
-GC

 

[GodOfCarrots]

Well, it's hard to tell, but from the sound of it it looks like a civil war or pre-civil war infantry button, if it is military. $20 bucks is not too bad if it is dug, and a good price if it isn't.

I'm almost positive it is from the civil war era, based on you description, or earlier

HH
-GC

Really? I thought it would have been post civil war. That's awesome! I will try to take a picture of this tonight. Thanks a whole bunch!

 

[DiggerBug]

The button on Montana Jim's avitar looks like what you discribe.


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,101348.0.html

 

[GodOfCarrots]

The button on Montana Jim's avitar looks like what you discribe.


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,101348.0.html

Holy crap that's it....but what is it?

 

[CRUSADER]

The button on Montana Jim's avitar looks like what you discribe.


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,101348.0.html

Holy crap that's it....but what is it?

the I is form Infantry - I think

 

[Montana Jim]

The button on Montana Jim's avitar looks like what you discribe.


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,101348.0.html

Holy crap that's it....but what is it?

Hiya GodOfCarrots...

CRUSADER and goldencoin are correct...

Is it a "dug" button? Just wondering - and either way if it came with a case $20 is a very fair price to ask. I'd feel confident saying it's CW, or at the latest, Indian War era. These buttons were worn until the Army changed to the U.S.Army Great Seal button in 1902 that they still use today.

If your button looks like my avatar, you have a (most likely) civil war era general service Army uniform button... the buttons were made by many companies, to include several overseas, to outfit union troops.

The shield on the button could be plain, have the letter "I" in it (Infantry), the letter "D" (Dragoon), "C" (Calvary), "A" (Artillery)... and a few others. They come in many varieties too - all faces look a little different depending on manufacturer but all are US Army. A good example of eagle button variety is seen in my post: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,77046.0.html

Your "back mark" is key to dating the button as companies each have one or several back marks they used during certain time periods, and some have none. See a pretty good list of American back marks here: http://pw1.netcom.com/~jimyce/bm.html

Now - your button seems to only have a "quality mark", as a back mark - and I have NO idea who made those... examples of quality marks that indicate an extreamly high quality button usually with awesome gold gilt would be; "superior quality", "extra rich", "extra fine" or many variences of the kind. I found a link that the Waterbury Button Company might have used this quality mark buut established no real meaning to it's representation... read the article here (includes a picture to compare your button to)... it's an interesting read confirming it's CW era use at least: http://thettablog.blogspot.com/2005/06/superior-quality-for-buttons-lacks.html

The Waterbury Button Company is still in business today and can be Googled and browsed.

You can also Google "button superior quality" and browse what you find... there should be lots to look at...

PBK... anything to add or correct?