Military Button. What is it?

[Iffy Signals]

Dug this today in Rhode Island. So many pics online with buttons and Anchors.

Thanks

 

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[Rookster]

Not real sure but maybe Revolutionary war navy.

 

[duggap]

Show us a picture of the back please.

 

[Iffy Signals]

 

[fyrffytr1]

Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy no earlier than April 1st 1893. That is when the rank was established. Many variants and backmarks. Without a back it will be hard to narrow down the time frame further.

 

[Iffy Signals]

Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy no earlier than April 1st 1893. That is when the rank was established. Many variants and backmarks. Without a back it will be hard to narrow down the time frame further.

Awesome! Thanks for the help!

 

[CRUSADER]

Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy no earlier than April 1st 1893. That is when the rank was established. Many variants and backmarks. Without a back it will be hard to narrow down the time frame further.

& they had steel backs?

 

[fyrffytr1]

& they had steel backs?

I don't think it is a steel back. If you look at the button back I think you will see that it is not rusted, just broken. I have found several buttons with broken or missing backs. This button is listed in Albert's button book as NA 131(page 104).
Chief Petty Officer
The device, an upright foul anchor, on a lined field
NA 131 Navy; 2-piece with border and rope edging.
A. The device with anchor rope passing to the right and over the stock.
B. Similar device, with the rope passing under the stock. ( There are many variants and backmarks.)
I am not sue which version the OPs button is as I can't tell for sure if the rope passes over or under.

 

[CRUSADER]

I don't think it is a steel back. If you look at the button back I think you will see that it is not rusted, just broken. I have found several buttons with broken or missing backs. This button is listed in Albert's button book as NA 131(page 104).
Chief Petty Officer
The device, an upright foul anchor, on a lined field
NA 131 Navy; 2-piece with border and rope edging.
A. The device with anchor rope passing to the right and over the stock.
B. Similar device, with the rope passing under the stock. ( There are many variants and backmarks.)
I am not sue which version the OPs button is as I can't tell for sure if the rope passes over or under.

ok if your sure, I just thought I could see reddish rust patches on the blown up picture.

 

[fyrffytr1]

I have noticed on a l0t of buttons that the backs are made out of thinner material than the fronts which could explain why they are found with partial or no backs.

 

[duggap]

Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy no earlier than April 1st 1893. That is when the rank was established. Many variants and backmarks. Without a back it will be hard to narrow down the time frame further.

I have looked at both Albert's book (page 104) and Tice's book (page 160) and in both cases the line (there are no ropes on a boat) extend down to the anchor and below. On the one shown about it does not come all the way down to the anchor. My opinion is that it is a fashion button, but so many variants were made by so many different companies that it still may be a good button. The answer, I feel, is with the back. To me it looks steel, but that also is only an opinion. And I may have missed one in one of the books. So please be gentle with this old man.

 

[CRUSADER]

I have looked at both Albert's book (page 104) and Tice's book (page 160) and in both cases the line (there are no ropes on a boat) extend down to the anchor and below. On the one shown about it does not come all the way down to the anchor. My opinion is that it is a fashion button, but so many variants were made by so many different companies that it still may be a good button. The answer, I feel, is with the back. To me it looks steel, but that also is only an opinion. And I may have missed one in one of the books. So please be gentle with this old man.

That's my gut on it. It would be helpful for the OP to confirm what the back is made of.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I've felt since I first looked at it that the back is corroded-out iron. Actual US Military buttons have had to meet a very high quality standard, to withstand "rough service" endemic in Military use. That leaves out iron backs and el-cheapo thin brass backs.

As to what "type" it is: A straight-on view of an a "fouled anchor" surrounded by a rope border was the emblem of the British Navy in the late-1700s into the early-1800s... which means it is found only on ONE-PIECE British Navy buttons. A crown was added above the anchor in 1812. So, in my opinion, this rope-border anchor button with no crown is most likely either a "naval motif" civilian Fashion button, or perhaps a 1900-through-present British Merchant Marine uniform button.

You can view many examples of British Navy buttons and British merchant Marine buttons at the following webpage:
Navy buttons

 

[fyrffytr1]

I have looked at both Albert's book (page 104) and Tice's book (page 160) and in both cases the line (there are no ropes on a boat) extend down to the anchor and below. On the one shown about it does not come all the way down to the anchor. My opinion is that it is a fashion button, but so many variants were made by so many different companies that it still may be a good button. The answer, I feel, is with the back. To me it looks steel, but that also is only an opinion. And I may have missed one in one of the books. So please be gentle with this old man.

If you look again you will see that the line does extend below the bottom of the anchor. It is very faint in the picture but it is there. It may very well be a fashion button, My question on the back is if it is corroded out iron why is half of it still there? I guess the OP could put a magnet on it and that would tell us if it is iron or at least rule out brass.

 

[DCMatt]

(there are no ropes on a boat)

There are no ropes on a modern boat.

https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/8y3i6l/thought_you_guys_might_enjoy_this_naval_history/