✅ SOLVED Modern button or not?

[WHADIFIND]

The back on this either rusted off or shattered and went away over time.

The front appears to be brass and I'm not sure if that's gilt remnants or yellow paint.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

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[HutSiteDigger]

I'd say the brass civilian button is got some age, late victorian period perhaps, probably like 1870s-earlyy 1900s..

 

[WHADIFIND]

I'd say the brass civilian button is got some age, late victorian period perhaps, probably like 1870s-earlyy 1900s..

Hmmmm, I am a bit surprised. I really thought this was just some kid's coat button. The place is a not too old school house but it was farmland before that so it's possible.

Thanks!

 

[WHADIFIND]

With no more offers, I figure this is solved.

Thanks!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The emblem on your ironbacked "Fashion" button seems to be a well-detailed lion head. I think the key for at least "roughly" dating its time-period is whether or not it actually has gold gilt on it. Fashion buttons from the 20th-Century tend to be cheaply made, in order to be cheaply priced... and thus, tend not to have actual Gold plating, but instead, a false "golden finish" (which is SOMETIMES covered with clear varnish to keep the brass from tarnishing).

Since your button has little dollar-value either way, I'd clean its front with ammonia or peroxide or lemon juice, to see whether it has actual Gold plating, yellow paint, or imitation "golden finish." What you see after thorough cleaning will at least "suggest" whether your button was made in the 1800s or the 1900s.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Welp, I sure don't know C.B.G.

Here's the best I can do.

Hope it helps.

 

[HutSiteDigger]

Wow - she sure did clean up pretty, figured you cleaned her up already.... Well guess it's looking more 20th c. now.. oh well - i was hoping for a Victorian button for yah, at least i can still hope, CBG will surely be able to give you a date im sure... Neat button tho i like it and still could date to the late late Victorian period!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Thank for for making and posting photos of the button after thorough cleaning. The new photos confirm it has actual gold plating ("gilt"), not a modernday "golden finish," nor paint. Also, the animal's head on it now looks more like a Bobcat than a lion (which has round-topped ears, unlike your big-cat's ears). That, and the gilt, and the well-detailed fancy background on your button make me think it is a mid-1800s to late-1800s "Sportsman's button." At that time, the term Sportsman tended to mean a hunter, rather than a Sports player. Sportsman's buttons from that era typically show a hunter's-quarry animal (regardless of whether it was hunted for food or just to be a trophy), or hunting-dogs, related scenes, etc.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Thank you C.B.G. , for your very kind and very thorough explanation.

 

[mangum]

That button came out really nice!