🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Need backmark help

[Merf]

Found this 18mm button today but can find no info on this backmark. Tia for any help.

 

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[grasshopper]

Never seen that one either. Can you make out what is says exactly? JAGGAR & RATHBONE NEW YORK?

 

[Merf]

Never seen that one either. Can you make out what is says exactly? JAGGAR & RATHBONE NEW YORK?

Not sure. I think it is rathbone or rathBo-e

 

[Red-Coat]

Interesting button.

I found a reference in “Biographical Sketches of Distinguished Americans Now Living” by John Livingston, published in London in 1853.

It notes that a trader seeking contacts in New York in 1830 was given a letter of introduction to a company of merchants called “Jagger & Rathbone” who had a “dry goods house” (which usually refers to grocery-type commodities) in Maiden Lane, which is now in the Manhattan financial district of New York. The Head Clerk is named as Charles Underhill.

Although the company name is given as “Rathbone & Jagger” with an ‘e’ and your button seems to be “Rathbone & Jaggar” with an ‘a’, I would be pretty sure it’s the same company. These kinds of misspelings are not uncommon in old publications.

My guess would be that they traded in other things too, and probably wool, cotton or other cloths. Companies who traded in those items (especially wool) often also wholesaled things like blankets and coats. I would think the button was from such a coat, but made for them rather than by them. Employee buttons usually have the company name on the front rather than the back.

How long they were in business, I don’t know, but given the shortage of other mentions I would suspect for not very long… at least not as that partnership.

 

[Red-Coat]

Also this, from the publication referenced above:

In order that he [the merchant trader Hiram J. Miner] might get the assortment in so small a quantity as to keep within the limits of his credit, goods would have to be cut and divided, which is not always readily done, nor usually expected to be done, in selling goods at wholesale. Therefore, before he ventured to select and “lay under” an article, he went to the house of Jagger & Rathbone, and said to Charles Underhill that he would commence the purchase with him, provided he would divide or cut each and every article so far as necessary to make up the assortment which he desired the bill to comprise. Mr. Underhill promptly and characteristically replied, “Yes, sir; and I will even divide a row of pins with you, if you wish, to make the assortment complete.” At once Mr. Miner commenced the purchase of him; and the first article of goods bought and “laid under” or “in the pigeon-hole” for the young merchant, was, “1/2 doz. white cotton hose at $4 75 per doz.” He went on selecting, cutting and dividing, until the bill amounted to $353 75.

So, it seems that R&J did indeed operate in the wholesale clothing business from their "dry goods house".

 

[Merf]

Also this, from the publication referenced above:

In order that he [the merchant trader Hiram J. Miner] might get the assortment in so small a quantity as to keep within the limits of his credit, goods would have to be cut and divided, which is not always readily done, nor usually expected to be done, in selling goods at wholesale. Therefore, before he ventured to select and “lay under” an article, he went to the house of Jagger & Rathbone, and said to Charles Underhill that he would commence the purchase with him, provided he would divide or cut each and every article so far as necessary to make up the assortment which he desired the bill to comprise. Mr. Underhill promptly and characteristically replied, “Yes, sir; and I will even divide a row of pins with you, if you wish, to make the assortment complete.” At once Mr. Miner commenced the purchase of him; and the first article of goods bought and “laid under” or “in the pigeon-hole” for the young merchant, was, “1/2 doz. white cotton hose at $4 75 per doz.” He went on selecting, cutting and dividing, until the bill amounted to $353 75.

So, it seems that R&J did indeed operate in the wholesale clothing business from their "dry goods house".

Thank you RedCoat. Great information.

 

[John of Long Island.]

Hello, I found one on December 10th 2022. The area was yielding finds from early 1800’s. This button has fabric on the shank and the gold gilt is shining. But I never saw these before this post. And no information on the web.

 

[duggap]

It wasn't uncommon for a button company to put the name of the tailor company on the button.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Duggap said:
> It wasn't uncommon for a button company to put the name of the tailor company on the button.

Very common, in fact. Duggap is correct. For anybody here who doesn't already know:
When a button maker puts the customer's name as the backmark, it is called a "custom" backmark.
Clothing-makers, tailors, and clothing dealers wanted their name on the button's back as a type of advertising. So, "custom" backmarks were VERY commonly done. In fact, the great majority of the backmark names in the book "American Military Button Makers and Dealers" were NOT button-manufacturers. For example, a lot of people are surprised to hear that even though Horstmann is one of the most common button backmarks you'll see, the Horstmann Company never manufactured a single button. Horstmann made military (and fraternal) uniforms and "regalia" but not the buttons.