Paris super fin button back

[Caintuk]

I found this button back in my yard this evening. I am trying to find out if it is military. Internet not very clear. It is a little smaller than a quarter. I will be going back tomorrow and see if I can find the other piece. Thanks for help.

 

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[creskol]

That backmark was very common on picture buttons and sporting buttons.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Although SOME button backmarks saying Superfin (without the English-language E on the end) were indeed made in Paris, such as:
"Superfin/A Paris"
"Superfin C/Paris/C"
ones which say ONLY "Superfin/Paris" (as we see on your button back) were made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company in Waterbury CT during the 1860s. Although Scovill made some for a few Northern states (such as Michigan and Pennsylvania), during the civil war that backmark was mainly used on Scovill buttons made for three Confederate states (Alabama, Kentucky, and Louisiana)… and also, for the Virginia Military Institute. Apparently, Scovill was trying to evade yankee laws against trading with the enemy, by using a false Paris backmark. Historical Scovill Mfg. Co. (and Horstmann Bros. & Allien Co.) sales-invoices have been found which prove those two companies sold military buttons to the South during the war, from 1861 to 1863.

Info source:
"American Military Button Makers and Dealers: Their Backmarks & Dates" by William F. McGuinn & Bruce S. Bazelon.

 

[Caintuk]

Although SOME button backmarks saying Superfin (without the English-language E on the end) were indeed made in Paris, such as:
"Superfin/A Paris"
"Superfin C/Paris/C"
ones which say ONLY "Superfin/Paris" (as we see on your button back) were made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company in Waterbury CT during the 1860s. Although Scovill made some for a few Northern states (such as Michigan and Pennsylvania), during the civil war that backmark was mainly used on Scovill buttons made for three Confederate states (Alabama, Kentucky, and Louisiana)… and also, for the Virginia Military Institute. Apparently, Scovill was trying to evade yankee laws against trading with the enemy, by using a false Paris backmark. Historical Scovill Mfg. Co. (and Horstmann Bros. & Allien Co.) invoices have been found which prove those two companies sold military buttons to the South during the war, from 1861 to 1863.

Info source:
"American Military Button Makers and Dealers: Their Backmarks & Dates" by William F. McGuinn & Bruce S. Bazelon.

Thanks for your response. I live in Ky. And we had a civil war battle here. A cKy. Confederate regiment was also formed in the area. I will be going back and carefully scanning the holes I dug yesterday to find the front piece.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Caintuck wrote:
> Thanks for your response. I live in Ky. And we had a civil war battle here. A Ky. Confederate regiment was also formed in the area. I will be going back and carefully scanning the holes I dug yesterday to find the front piece.

You're welcome. As my previous reply mentioned, the "Superfin/Paris" backmark was used on one version of Kentucky State Seal button. So, there's a better-than-average chance that the Superfin button-back you dug at a Kentucky civil war site was part of a Confederate-used KY Seal button. If you do find the front of whatever button your back piece came from, please return to the What Is It? forum and tell us what the front shows. May you have good fortune.

 

[Worm-Slicer]

Here's one I found in a virgin Kentucky cavalry camp. Also found the iron CS plate in my avatar there. Definitely military and exceedingly rare backmark.