OMG! Please tell me this is what I think it is!

[Breezie]

Hey Ya'll,
This afternoon I went back to the area where I found the 1863 Springfield trigger guard(post: What Kind of Gun). It is also the same area where I have found numerous CW buttons, camp relics, and the 17th Century Spectacle buckle. Pleeeeaseeee tell me this is a Civil War button. Any information would be appreciated. The first photo is not very good because I took it with my cell phone (and shaking other hand.) Breezie

 

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[Tony (NC)]

That's a GREAT button!

Yeah...it's post war, but I would be proud to say I dug it! As far as cleaning it......I think I would stop right there. Now....seeing as it's a NC button, if you want to do the "right thing" and send it back where it belongs, I can send you my address Congratulations!

 

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[Breezie]

Re: That's a GREAT button!

Yeah...it's post war, but I would be proud to say I dug it! As far as cleaning it......I think I would stop right there. Now....seeing as it's a NC button, if you want to do the "right thing" and send it back where it belongs, I can send you my address Congratulations!

LOL Tony; look under my avatar pic . . .it's home Thanks for the kudos.

Thanks Bramble; I'll check that out, and thanks for posting the pic too. Breezie

 

[Digger54]

It's still a neat find

Same thing happened to me but with a SC button. Popped it out of the ground and did a dance not knowing that SC civil war buttons were never 3 piece design. Then I wanted to know what it was doing in a civil war site. Oh well.

I did not know NCs had 3 piece also. First one I have ever seen dug, but not a lot of NC buttons down this way.

I still say that is a cool button

 

[fyrffytr1]

Hey Gang,
Oh, my, I'm honored by all the nice replies on this button, and honestly, I'm still shaking. After 30+ yrs. of MD, this is my first NC button. After reading everyone's post, and realizing it is post CW, I have a few questions: #1 Can anyone put a date on it? #2 Why would you have an Officer's Staff Button after the war? #3 Did the button companies continue to make military buttons after the war or at least change the backmarks. I'm feel sure when Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865, all the manufacturering companies didn't abruptly stop making their goods.

I'm not trying to make it something that it is not, but am curious on what uniform or what person would have been wearing it during what time frame.
Breezie

Here is an Illinois State seal button I found at a Spanish-American war camp site. It's a three piece as well. The backmark dates it to the 1870s if I remember correctly.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It's amazing how much one drops in price just cause it's not dealing in Civil war era.

So true. I once sold an old ratty plumb bob on ebay and was surprised I got well over a hundred bucks. The reason being it had an 1863 patent date making it possibly CW era lol. http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...d=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

I agree post CW button but a terrific find indeed Breezie.

 

[cwdigger]

Awesome button

According to this link it's post CW:

http://www.relicman.com/buttons/zBackmarkReed.htm

Jacob Reed operated Philadelphia from 1820's to 20th century. All buttons bearing their name were produced after the Civil War.

Thats not completey correct I think this backmark was used during the CW on the Virginia school buttons known as the Bethel Military Academy, but the backmarks were on Virginia general staff State Seals, this is not to say that this was not a repair in the field. But I to believe that the button is itself is post war. Just wanted to let yall know about the back mark

 

[Chug And Red]

Looks Like a BANNER FIND TO ME!!! vote is in I would say HH but It looks like it has been from this Post Chug!!!!

 

[Chug And Red]

Looks Like a BANNER FIND TO ME!!! vote is in I would say HH but It looks like it has been from this Post Chug!!!!

I agree with Chug, BANNER FIND!!!!! That is a gorgeous button, and look forward to seeing it cleaned up, WTG girl, you did awesome!!!!!!! Red
P.s. I'd be shaking too if I found that little gem, so would Chug too come to think of it, among other things!!!! LOL

 

[umrgolf]

Hey Gang,
Oh, my, I'm honored by all the nice replies on this button, and honestly, I'm still shaking. After 30+ yrs. of MD, this is my first NC button. After reading everyone's post, and realizing it is post CW, I have a few questions: #1 Can anyone put a date on it? #2 Why would you have an Officer's Staff Button after the war? #3 Did the button companies continue to make military buttons after the war or at least change the backmarks. I'm feel sure when Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865, all the manufacturering companies didn't abruptly stop making their goods.

I'm not trying to make it something that it is not, but am curious on what uniform or what person would have been wearing it during what time frame.

Oh, Pete, no problem what so ever. It's still an exciting find for me. So you think Lemon juice is the best cleaner for it?

Again, thank you all for the kudos, and a huge thank you for those nominating this button for the banner; I've never made banner. Breezie

Many of them did slightly change their styles after the Civil War, and for an exact date one site had it listed at 1880.. Staff buttons were still produced after the war because there were still state militias/national guards.. Last fall I found a PA staff I was sure had to be CW ( given that I found it in a CW camp ) turned out to be Indian Wars.. and YES, lemon juice is the best (how I cleaned this button) I use 1/2 lemon juice- 1/2 water and brush it with a very soft toothbrush and rinse..

​

 

[calisdad]

Very Sweet. Nice find.

I like the patina and wouldn't clean it very much if it were mine. Hope you find the rest of them.

 

[Breezie]

Okay Gang, here is a pic after the first cleaning. I soaked it in lemon juice for about a minute. It probably could have stayed longer, but I was somewhat hesitant to leave it too long. Again, thank you for all the nice post. Breezie

 

[umrgolf]

Okay Gang, here is a pic after the first cleaning. I soaked it in lemon juice for about a minute. It probably could have stayed longer, but I was somewhat hesitant to leave it too long. Again, thank you for all the nice post. Breezie

looks great

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Umrgolf posted answers to Breezie's questions while I was still typing my reply. So this is what's left of my reply-post after removing the parts which he answered "fully."

Breezie wrote:
> I have a few questions: #1 Can anyone put a date on it?

First, Breezie, I offer you my congratulations on digging your very first "home" state Military button. (I was born-&-raised in Atlanta, so I very clearly remember the intense thrill of digging my first Georgia State Seal button, in a Confederate camp near Fredericksburg VA.)

The McGuinn-&-Bazelon button-backmark book says "[Jacob Reed] was out of business in July 1877 but reconstituted as Jacob Reeds Sons. All known buttons are postwar with one exception [an 1840s-era eagle A button whose backmark has only Jacob Reed's name - not Sons]."

So, due to the company's name becoming Sons in 1877, your button was made in that year of afterward.

> #2 Why would you have an Officer's Staff Button after the war?

As Umrgolf said, State Militias continued to exist after the war -- even Southern state militias. With the passage of the time, the various state militias became state units of the National Guard.

> #3 Did the button companies continue to make military buttons after the war or at least change the backmarks.

Actually, from 1866 onward, the vast majority of Military buttons were manufactured by just four companies -- all in the North. Buttons with many-many other backmarks exist because those major manufactureres allowed customers to have the customer's business-name as the backmark, as a form of advertizing. For example, famous Southern Military buttons with backmarks like "Hyde & Goodrich New Orleans" and "Kent, Paine & Co. Richmond VA" were actually manufactured by the Scovill button-making comany, in Waterbury CT.

On that note, it is worth mentioning that on-paper evidence (such as orders and receipts) have surfaced which prove beyond any doubt that profit-minded yankee button-makers, including Scovill, supplied Military buttons to Confederate states well-into the war years. (An article showing the authentic original receipts was published in the North/South trader magazine, about 25 years ago.)

> I'm feel sure when Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865, all the manufacturing companies didn't abruptly stop making their goods.

As explained above, the major Northern button-maufacturers continued busuiness, as usual. Apparently, all of the Southern button manufacturers went out of business by the end of the war. Please keep in mind that, with the exception of the wartime Southern-button makers, a "Southern" backmark did not automatically mean the button was made in the South. For example, Casimir Wendlinger was a merchant tailor (but never a buttonmaker) in Richmond VA before, during, and after the war. Buttons with his name as the backmark were manufactured before the war, and after (mostly in the 1880s, when he and his now-adult sons became military-uniform tailors for members of the VA State militia).

 

[Breezie]

Golf & Cannonball thank you for your extensive explanation. I've already done a copy/paste and put the info in my CW notes. CWDigger, I appreciate your info on the button backs. Again, thanks to all. Breezie

 

[Chug And Red]

WOOHOO!!!!!! OMG it's gorgeous, you did great Breezie!!!!!!! Thank you for showing it cleaned up, you did a beautiful job, it's always such a joy to see what you come up with, you find some of the most interesting and beautiful items!!!! You really made my day today!!!!! Red

 

[Tony (NC)]

Re: That's a GREAT button!

Yeah...it's post war, but I would be proud to say I dug it! As far as cleaning it......I think I would stop right there. Now....seeing as it's a NC button, if you want to do the "right thing" and send it back where it belongs, I can send you my address Congratulations!

LOL Tony; look under my avatar pic . . .it's home Thanks for the kudos.

Thanks Bramble; I'll check that out, and thanks for posting the pic too. Breezie

Oooppsss! Guess I should have read the fine print!

 

[traderoftreasures]

I have a book called "The Battlefields Of The Civil War" and your button is shown in there.....

 

[Breezie]

I have a book called "The Battlefields Of The Civil War" and your button is shown in there.....

Mmmm, Trader, that is extremely interesting, and I can tell it is the same button because of the outside flange(3-pc.) What does your book say about the button or is it just a pic? I wonder why this particular button was included in a book called 'The Battlefields of the Civil War, ' if it is supposed to be 1875-1880ish? This opens another chapter. Thank you so much, Breezie

 

[traderoftreasures]

It says confederate General service, naval and state buttons.....#92 N.C. state seal button

 

[Breezie]

Re: It's still a neat find

Same thing happened to me but with a SC button. Popped it out of the ground and did a dance not knowing that SC civil war buttons were never 3 piece design. Then I wanted to know what it was doing in a civil war site. Oh well.

I did not know NCs had 3 piece also. First one I have ever seen dug, but not a lot of NC buttons down this way.

I still say that is a cool button

Digger, I don't know about SC, but here is a page of six NC 3-piece Civil War era and pre era buttons. They're buttons #2 thru #7. I thought this statement about an 'extra quality' button was interesting: Many examples of this North Carolina button with "Extra Quality" show sloppy assemblage, raising the possibility that these were reassembled at the factory, smuggled, or some other explanation.