looking for help IDing a button

[MetalFerret]

I found this button last summer in a little town of Eminence, KY. Until I took the photos of the front to submit to you, I had thought it had a blank front, but the photo would seem to indicate that the is actually a face on the front (my wife asked me who the picture was of when she first saw it across the room). Until this most recent discovery I had been concentrating on the backmark: Wm Wallace ? Extra Rich. I have found information about a William Wallis, but nothing about Wm Wallace (as a backmark anyway). Asking my cohorts at the local MD club has produced nothing. I now submit it to you for your evaluation. Any help would be appreciated.

 

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[CC Hunter]

The button appears to be a plain flat button of 1820's-1830's era.

Any image impression could be the effects of the eyes playing tricks with the various inconsistencies in the surface of the button.

CC

 

[Montana Jim]

The William Wallace button back mark is from 1800-1829, according to one source.

You have a nice one piece flat button... looks like a plain face?

The "Extra Rich" remark meant it had a nice gold gilt (at one time), and is meant as a quality mark.

 

[Montana Jim]

Once again, welcome to TreasureNet!

You asked for more information and a source, so here is what I can help with. I am certain others here know more, but this should be helpful.

See this site for Common Button Back Marks: http://pw1.netcom.com/~jimyce/bm.html
(Your William Wallace back mark is near the bottom)

Also, see another example of your back mark at this site (scroll to button # rd034 NA62E about halfway down): http://www.civilwarbuttons.com/dragoons.htm

I read an un-sourced comment that the Wallace back marks are NOT common… so maybe someone else here can tell you more about that.

Terms like "treble", "plated", "gilt", "warranted", "best quality" or "standard colour" on the back are considered quality marks. They were used from the late 1790s and for the next 100 years. The quality marks such as "treble gilt", "superior quality", and "orange colour" along with many other variations were designed to give some indication to the buyer that the buttons were of the highest standard, triple gilt plated, and/or of superior quality.

This quote from Luscomb (1967) backs my assertion: “Quality Mark : A term used for certain words found on the backs of buttons made after 1800. It is believed the purpose of the words was mainly to promote sales, as the differences in quality can seldom be noted. Most of the marks appeared between 1800 and 1850. Examples are "Rich Gold", "Gilt", and "Rich Orange" (Luscomb 1967:163).

Also, if you think there is a face/object on the front, you may have a British "livery" button.

 

[MetalFerret]

Thank you for the attempt, but I was looking for more info on the "Wm Wallace" backmark, and the one you showed was for "Wallis", a BM I have seen quite a bit of in my research. Alas, I am not the only one to think this is a wrong lead.

(from Mark Parker of Weststern & Eastern Treasures Magazine:
There are a number of c. 1820's-30's "Wallace" backmarks to which it might be related: Wallace & Company, Wallace & Son, and Wallace, Andrews & Muckenbeck, all of London. Another possibility is that this may have been a successor firm to C. J. Wallace, also of London.


There was another button manufacturer named William Wallace— a pearl button maker in Birmingham, England in the 1860's— but I feel certain that he is unrelated to your find. )

Does anyone out there know anything about a *Wm Wallace* backmark?

 

[nitnelyons]

You might find it on Greybird Relics website. Nice find, can see letters on back pretty good.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

This may or may not be right but I think if i can recall from research on a button I found that had "William Wallis extra rich" on the back of it that when Wallis company made buttons for military like the Navy Federal Button that is got "William Wallis Extra Rich" on it or a high quality button like that they would put "William Wallis" on it instead of "WM Wallace".. When they put "WM Wallace" for the backmark it was for civilian clothing and not military.

Photo 2 is of a Navy Federal Button ca 1820's to 1830 with "William Wallis extra rich" This would be the style of button they would mark with "William instead of WM"

Photo 1 is of a civilian WM Wallis Button similar to yours and is not a military button

In other words it would be good too research a few of William Wallis buttons and see what they put WM & William on.

 

[MetalFerret]

Thank you for the heads up. Someone from my local MD club was quite convinced it was from a company in business from 1790-1840, but I didn't get a chance to look into it any farther.