Military UNFINISHED Button??

[CAllen]

Can you help identify these "Buttons" ?
Are they unfinished Buttons, or some kind of decoration? What branch and era? Brass?

They are very thin and light weight with tabs on them that have been licked together.

These were found in the bottom of a box of early 1900's marbles purchased at an auction.

Some are bright and shine, others are dull.
I have not tried to clean them since I don't know what the metal is.

How can I send a pic?

Thanks for any info provided.

 

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[duggap]

I'll get you started. I have seen those discussed but, with old age, my memory is bad. They were women's belts made, I believe, around the turn of the century. Someone with a little better memory will come along for sure. The design of the button is of those for officers worm during the civilwar.

 

[CAllen]

So are they from the civil war and then at the turn of the century women made decorative "Belts" out of them?? did they remove the back?
It looks as if the tabs were never bent for the back to be mounted.
I have NO idea about this subject. But someone thought they were USMC WWII ? Also had someone else think American Indian war.
BUT still with no backs?? I thought maybe a craft item but upon closer looking the inprint is very precise and detailed.

 

[Breezie]

These fashion ladies belts were made from the dies from U.S. Military buttons, so they are not actual buttons. These belts are circe 1870's to about the turn of the century. Neat find Breezie

 

[CAllen]

Thanks!! That Helps Alot!!

 

[CAllen]

Thanks!! That helps alot!! Was looking through buttons. Does the design of the eagle change amoung these belts? WOW even in that era they were making decorations out of civil war items! I would of never guessed that they weren't as precious to them as they are today. Are they collectable?

 

[Breezie]

Thanks!! That helps alot!! Was looking through buttons. Does the design of the eagle change amoung these belts? WOW even in that era they were making decorations out of civil war items! I would of never guessed that they weren't as precious to them as they are today. Are they collectable?

I think most of these belts were made for wives/sisters/women family members of Union soldiers. I can't recall seeing any made from the button dies from our 'Boys in Gray.'

I've seen photos of belts (or chains) made from various buttons, not just the design you have. I might also add, sometimes these belts were used as decorative chains to wrap around other war items like flags, uniforms, etc.

As far as the value is concerned, it's worth what someone is willing to pay for it. (I don't mean that to sound like a smart arse answer ) Hopefully you can find one similar for sale on ebay or another Internet site and get a general idea of the current going price.

Super neat find, Breezie

 

[CAllen]

Thanks SO much for your help!! I do undertsand the value situation. Funny, I thought it was junk!! WOW I have something from the Civil War!! I live in Kansas so tthese items are much more rare here.
Thanks Again!!

 

[Breezie]

Thanks SO much for your help!! I do undertsand the value situation. Funny, I thought it was junk!! WOW I have something from the Civil War!! I live in Kansas so tthese items are much more rare here.
Thanks Again!!

Yes, you have a really cool find, and I don't want to disappoint you, but the actual belt/chain is 'post' Civil War, BUT was made from the dies of real Civil War buttons. I wanted to clarify that so if you sell it, mark a display or whatever you decide to do with it, the information will be correct. Breezie

 

[CAllen]

I Understand, Thanks!!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

CAllen, here are "probably" the photos Breezie mentioned seeing. I say "probably" because I've previously posted them here in the What-Is-It forum.

Your find is a "Ladies' Patriotic Belt" from the 1880s through the early-1900s. They were popular with the wives and daughters of Union civil war veterans, for wearing to veterans' conventions and reunions. As Breezie mentioned, I've never seen one of these which had Confederate emblems -- nor even southern State Seal emblems.

As Breezie said, the emblems in the belt were made by using the stamping-dies used for manufacturing the FRONT portion of brass buttons. But, none of the pieces in your belt was manufactured during the civil war era. (In other words, none of the eagle-emblems on your belt were removed from a civil war button to make the belt.) This particular form of "Patriotic Belts" is strictly 1880s-and-later.

Here are the photos I've posted previously in the What-Is-It forum, in reply to a guy who found a belt very similar to yours. The backview photos show that the back of the "button" in these belts has no thread-loop, nor hole for a loop. Thus, there is no way they could ever have been used as buttons.

In consolation, let me mention that these belts are still a cool more-than-a-century-old relic, with a connection to Union civil war veterans' organizations. Therefore, they are worth more than just a couple of bucks, as shown by the prices intact ones bring on Ebay. (Unfortunately, yours is missing its Clasp portion.)

 

[Breezie]

I finally found the post where I had seen other pics of these belts. Here is it:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/239088-19th-century-belt-buttons-rr-related.html

 

[CAllen]

Excellent!! Thanks for taking the time to get me to this link!!! I truly Gratefull!!!!!!

 

[CAllen]

You guys are Great!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to educate me on this. Even though it is after civil war it is still a historical item and I am so happy to have it!!