✅ SOLVED New Orleans Backmark Flat Button

[Spats]

My daughter gave me a set of Andre's Pencils for cleaning brass buttons and copper coins for Father's Day. Good Daughter. I tried them out this morning on some old flat buttons with lots of crud. This is the first one I cleaned. It is just under 19mm and has raised lettering with some gilt. I can make out: RS O OMB & Co NEW ORLEANS. Inside this is a pattern of dots and stippled squares. I was hoping someone could identify the maker or company name on this button. Thanks.

 

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[Spats]

I can't seem to take a decent picture of this button. Here's one more crack at it.

 

[A2coins]

That was a nice gift hope you get an Id Happy fathers day. Tommy

 

[creskol]

Could it say C. Rouyer?

 

[Spats]

Thanks creskol. I tried to make it say C. Rouyer, Godchaux, or Hyde and Goodrich. Couldn't seem to make any of those work.

 

[Reanm8er]

Lice job Spats, Good Luck!

 

[Jason in Enid]

I cant help with an ID, but for a picture, get some overhead shading and then lay a flashlight to the side of the button. You can play with the flashlight angle a little bit and it will make a huge difference in the amount of detail. Also, if you are using a phone to take these pics, try touching the screen to force it to hold a focus on something.

 

[DCMatt]

I looked at this for a while but couldn't make anything out of it. Maybe if we could get a couple more letters from the back mark...

Part of the problem is that back marks in the era of this button weren't always the button maker. Importers and dry goods merchants would sometimes emboss merchandise with the firm name. I searched through a number of early 19th C city directories using combinations of the letters provided but came up empty.

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Nice!!

 

[Silver Worm]

I can't seem to take a decent picture of this button. Here's one more crack at it.

You might want to get your daughter to take a pic of it with her smart phone.

 

[filmiracl]

I feel like if I had it in my hand, I could read it... This isn's the greatest help, but could help... It looks like it starts with a B (or maybe R) and ends in "& Co."

 

[Underwonder]

When I use my iphone 6s I can triple click the home key to get a close-up lens to get a more detailed photo. I am having trouble reading the letters in the photo but found vintage button makers in New Orleans:
H E baldwin
Charles Bellenot
John Delarue
Hyde & Goodrich

maybe rubbing foil on it to get an impression?

 

[Spats]

Thanks everybody for your help. I didn't give you much to work with. I tried to take more pictures and all were just as bad as the originals. Also, the missing letters were completely smooth so I decided to work with what I had: "RS O OMB & Co NEW ORLEANS". I played with names with "O OMB" and came up with SLOCOMB. Googled Slocomb New Orleans and came up with these guys:

1. Rogers, Sil & Slocomb Co. Hardware at 11 Chartres in 1822
2. Samuel Slocomb, merchant at 139 St. Charles in 1832
3. Rogers, Slocomb & Co at 11 Canal St. in 1832
4. S. B. Slocomb & Co. in 1833
5. Richards, Slocomb, & Co. from 1854 to 1858

Based on the raised lettering, and the fact that the first letter is definitely "R" and the second is probably "S", I think it was #1 or #3 above. And I guess hardware stores either sold buttons or maybe work clothes? Interesting reading on the net. One of the sons of the hardware Slocomb worked at the store and became an officer in the Washington Artillery.

I love flat buttons!!!!

 

[nagant]

sorry if you seen this all ready, lots of mergers but no idea what they made. https://books.google.com/books?id=Y...Slocomb, & Co 11 chartres new orleans&f=false

 

[A2coins]

Great Id and button