Need ID Help.

digordie

Sr. Member
Aug 18, 2012
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125
Found both of these a foot apart. The button is silver, the other is lead with copper holes inside and I believe its a hem wieght but im not sure of age. Any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!!
 

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Button is a navy button. Dates anywhere from the mid 1800s up to the 1960s. If you provided a picture of the back mark we could possibly narrow it down.

images-2.jpeg
 

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Thanks you so much. I dont have it right now but I remember there is no writing on back at all and the loop to tye it on is missing. Would that hem wieght found next to it be connected in some way to date it?
 

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I honestly don't know. I've never seen a hem weight like that. Maybe someone else can help
 

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I honestly don't know. I've never seen a hem weight like that. Maybe someone else can help

Oh okay.. I found two of the weights near the button , and one other weight exactly the same at another location. Thanks for your help.
 

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Sorry, but it's not an actual US Navy button, nor from any other navy. Your button is not shown in any of the books on American military buttons, because it is a civilian-usage "Fashion" button which loosely imitates the actual US Navy's emblem. You can buy one exactly like yours today at sewing-supplies stores like JoAnn's Fabrics & Crafts.

No actual US Navy buttons were/are silver, and on actual ones the "rope border" encircling the emblem passes through the loop on the anchor's top. Compare yours with the actual US Navy button in the photo below.
 

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Sorry, but it's not an actual US Navy button, nor from any other navy. Your button is not shown in any of the books on American military buttons, because it is a civilian-usage "Fashion" button which loosely imitates the actual US Navy's emblem. You can buy one exactly like yours today at sewing-supplies stores like JoAnn's Fabrics & Crafts.

No actual US Navy buttons were/are silver, and on actual ones the "rope border" encircling the emblem passes through the loop on the anchor's top. Compare yours with the actual US Navy button in the photo below.

So are you saying the pic AT pro5 posted is an imatation as well?
 

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Thanks tcg. You learn something everyday! Seeing how his button has a blank back, a fashion button would make sense.
 

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Digordie wrote:
> So are you saying the pic AT pro5 posted is an imatation as well?

Yes, like yours, his is also an imitation manufactured for the "Fashion" clothing-industry's use on civilian pea-coats and jackets. The only difference between his and yours is that the eagle's head is turned in opposite directions. His version and yours have been posted here in the What-Is-It forum many-many times, and the (correct) ID-answers are always the same... it's a "Fashion" button, not an actual military button. That is why neither his button nor your button is shown in ANY of the collectors'-reference books on actual military buttons (such the Tice book and the Albert book).
If you are unfamiliar with those reference-books:
"Record of American Uniform Buttons" by Alpheaus H. Albert
"Uniform Buttons Of The United States 1776-1866" by Warren K. Tice
 

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Digordie wrote:
> So are you saying the pic AT pro5 posted is an imatation as well?

Yes, like yours, his is also an imitation manufactured for the "Fashion" clothing-industry's use on civilian pea-coats and jackets. The only difference between his and yours is that the eagle's head is turned in opposite directions. His version and yours have been posted here in the What-Is-It forum many-many times, and the (correct) ID-answers are always the same... it's a "Fashion" button, not an actual military button. That is why neither his button nor your button is shown in ANY of the collectors'-reference books on actual military buttons (such the Tice book and the Albert book).
If you are unfamiliar with those reference-books:
"Record of American Uniform Buttons" by Alpheaus H. Albert
"Uniform Buttons Of The United States 1776-1866" by Warren K. Tice

Oh bummer.. thank you for all the info though. Do you know what the lead weight that I found next to it is?
 

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ATpro5 wrote:
> Thanks tcg. You learn something everyday! Seeing how his button has a blank back, a fashion button would make sense.

Atpro5, I felt I should reply to the thanks you posted, about the imitation navy button info. You're welcome. :) I believe oldtimer diggers like me (a 40-year digger) should share the knowledge accumulated from decades in this hobby.... especially when the info is in relic-ID books which some people do not own. I was given a LOT of free relic-ID help when I was a nobody newcomer to this hobby. That is why I post as an ID-helper in the What-Is-It forum.
 

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I believe that the 'hem weight' is the weight that was placed on the corners of handmade draperies. About 45 years ago, my mother was a seamstress and hand made draperies for a couple of places here where I live, and I recall seeing weights that looked like that in my mothers old sewing items that have long been lost. Of course, I could be wrong, but the weight was hand sewn into the corner, then the fabric was carefully folded over it, and it made the corners hang without flapping in the breeze.
 

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