Navy Eagle Button age?

[m.langlois]

Would anyone have an age estimate on this eagle button?
The back is rusted out with no writing on it. I found it in an area that has produced military items back to WWI.

Thank you for any information.

 

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[duggap]

There is a naval button like that but I believe what you have is a fashion, or blazer button. Not too many military button with the iron back. Usually we try and use the backmark to help date, but with yours it isn't much help. Regards.

 

[m.langlois]

Thank you for the reply - I was guessing it wasn't too old, but I was hoping. Just out of curiosity, where can I find more info on buttons... (Please don't say google...lol)

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The answer to your question depends on whether or not you are willing to spend money on reference-books about Historical buttons.

Here are the three best button-books, with their authors and price:
"Record of American Uniform And Historical Buttons - Bicentennial Edition" by Alphaeus H. Albert. Shows Military, "Organization", School, and Political Campaign buttons from 1776 to 1976. List Price: $45
"Uniform Buttons Of The United States - 1776-1865" by Warren K. Tice. Published 20 years after the Albert book, contains many specimens not shown in Albert, and has much more Backmark info, but stops after 1865, and doesn't have the Political Campaign and "Organization" (Red Cross, Coastal Survey, Veterans, etc) buttons. List Price: $59.95
"American Military Button Makers And Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates" by William F. mcGuinn and Bruce S. Bazelon. Contains very detailed "dating" info for thousands of backmarks, and photos of the main button-making companies' backmarks (because their backmarks have variations over time which affect the button's date). List price $29.95

If you are just wanting for free info on the internet, Harry Ridgeways online Civil War Relic Archive's section on button-backmarks and Military buttons is where you should go. However, the Ridgeway archive does not show every variation. (In fairness, it would be unreasonable to expect Mr. Ridgeway to try to do that much work.) Be sure to scroll down to the very bottom of the homepage for the Backmarks info. It is extensive, but again it does not have everything that is in the button-books. Ridgeway Civil War reference archive

Also, you can learn a lot of information (some of which isn't in any book) by searching back through the What-Is-It forum's button-question posts here at TreasureNet. For example, none of the books listed above show Civilian-clothing buttons, such as "Fashion" buttons, "flower" buttons, "Dandy" buttons, and the civilian-clothing imitations of Military buttons.

 

[baspinall]

Great button site.

The Treasure Depot Button Project

Brian

 

[fyrffytr1]

I also use this site along with the three references mentioned above.
Waterbury Button - Uniform Buttons, Fashion Buttons, Metal Buttons, Brass Buttons. Collectibles - Civil War Buttons, Titanic, Blazer Button Sets. - Waterbury Button

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Speaking of the various categories at the waterburybutton.com website's sales-catalog... the "Career Uniform" button section is especially useful for diggers who are seeking an ID-matchup for a uniform button they've dug that isn't a Military button.

Please note, ALL of the buttons shown at the waterburybutton.com website are in that company's sales-catalog ...meaning, they are for-sale modern-made buttons. Waterbury manufactures most of the Reproductions for civil war battle re-enactors, and also supplies the majority of the US Military's uniform-buttons, Railroad Company buttons, School-uniform buttons, etc.