Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820s Riflemans Militia Button!)

Elad

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Apr 23, 2008
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Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

What can I say... my new field is really exceeding my expectations. The trash to keeper ratio is about 25 to 1 but as you can see it's really worth the work! :hello2:

It wasn't as hot today and I got a lot of smug looks from the groundhogs. It won't be long before I start digging my own home out there! :occasion14:

I can only imagine what went on in this field so long ago... and I have only scratched the surface! :thumbsup:

...and I have also scratched my arm. I have no idea but I have poison ivy and the only place I was, was digging in the field.

Notice the 2 CENT PIECE. My first. There is something VERY strange about it... Neil and fir69 seem to think it might be some kind of plaster from an attempt to counterfeit. On the original coins surface, there is remnants of some kind of plaster. You can make out the coins high points through it. Note, this coin was found in fine sand and like everything else found in this field, is well preserved. This leads me to believe that the coin was lost in this condition. Anyone have any ideas?

Also notice the early Marines button. It's a 2 piece that is missing it's backpiece, and it's damaged.

More to come for sure... HH!

BUTTON ORIGIN: William Wood & Company, ca 1830 from Philadelphia, not British if same one (most likely) b/m Wm. WOOD & CO [Address : Wood Wm. & co. Dry Good Merch’s, 65 High St, Philadelphia, PA]

It is a RF25, Wood was probably a clothier/retailer who had his name put on the back of the button, which was a common practice then. Button most likely made by Armitage around 1826 or his successor William Pinchin.

Thanks to Don for the Information!

CW-Field-First-Hunt.jpg

Riflemans-Button-Back-large.jpg

April-Finds-Group-Shot-2.jpg

CW-Field-First-Hunt.jpg

Below are finds from the same field, the day before. A button is a Horstmann.
Riflemans-Button-Back.jpg
 

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Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

That is a great button for sure. I would love to see it up on the top. You got my vote. :thumbsup:
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

mainer said:
That is a great button for sure. I would love to see it up on the top. You got my vote. :thumbsup:

Thanks Mainer. I love your finds! Did you know that right now I am close by in Massachusetts? Is it raining up there too? Stupid rain...
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Don in SJ said:
William Wood & Company, ca 1830 from Philadelphia, not British if same one (most likely) b/m Wm. WOOD & CO

It is a RF25, Wood was probably a clothier/retailer who had his name put on the back of the button, which was a common practice then. Button most likely made by Armitage around 1826 or his successor William Pinchin.

Thanks Don, I trust your word on the matter and that makes sense. As it was, I'd never heard of that person being a retailer for Armitage. :icon_thumleft:
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

{Sentinel} said:
Don in SJ said:
William Wood & Company, ca 1830 from Philadelphia, not British if same one (most likely) b/m Wm. WOOD & CO

It is a RF25, Wood was probably a clothier/retailer who had his name put on the back of the button, which was a common practice then. Button most likely made by Armitage around 1826 or his successor William Pinchin.

Thanks Don, I trust your word on the matter and that makes sense. As it was, I'd never heard of that person being a retailer for Armitage. :icon_thumleft:

I just now looked up William Wood in the 1825 Philadelphia City Directory: "Wood Wm. & co. Dry Good merch’s 65 High St"
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

:thumbsup:
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Love that button!!!!!!!!!! I have a similar rifleman's button and its one of my favorites :icon_thumleft: HH
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

sscindercoop said:
Love that button!!!!!!!!!! I have a similar rifleman's button and its one of my favorites :icon_thumleft: HH

Thanks. Got any pictures of yours? I am curious about it.
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Elad . . . you've definitely a great site there . . . great buttons too. The aluminum jelly really does the trick. I'll have to try it on some of my buttons. The current location you show for the merchant maybe wrong . . . Old Philadelphia's High street is now Market street. Here's two links explaining the change in names and a high res Philadelphia map from 1796. Again great finds. http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/RittSqMap1796.jpg http://www.brynmawr.edu/cities/courses/05306/proj1/abcm/surrounding_city.html
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Spectacular!
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Ok, Westerner here. Haven't had much need for button cleaning information, although I have used the toothpick and hot peroxide system. Don't like the color it leaves pennies so much. But how about some information on the aluminum jelly process. My son found a Pullman's button (See La Junta button) and I am sure it will clean up well. Sorry, it is only 1890's, but pretty much the best we can do around here. Thanks in advance.
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

I'M WITH "WESTERNER", I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ALUMINUM JELLY.
THAT STUFF REALLY CLEANED UP YOUR GREAT FIND.... INTO AN AWESOME FIND.
MIGHT MAKE SOME OF MY JUNK START LOOKIN' LIKE STUFF.

PROSPECTORMIKEL
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

High Plains Digger said:
Ok, Westerner here. Haven't had much need for button cleaning information, although I have used the toothpick and hot peroxide system. Don't like the color it leaves pennies so much. But how about some information on the aluminum jelly process. My son found a Pullman's button (See La Junta button) and I am sure it will clean up well. Sorry, it is only 1890's, but pretty much the best we can do around here. Thanks in advance.
PROSPECTORMIKEL said:
I'M WITH "WESTERNER", I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ALUMINUM JELLY.
THAT STUFF REALLY CLEANED UP YOUR GREAT FIND.... INTO AN AWESOME FIND.
MIGHT MAKE SOME OF MY JUNK START LOOKIN' LIKE STUFF.

PROSPECTORMIKEL

It's really simple actually. I use Duro Aluminum Jelly. (Not to be confused with any type of Naval Jelly!) I think I ordered mine from amazon.

Before you try this... PLEASE use at own risk... it's easy to make mistakes doing stuff like this, especially for those inexperienced. I had the pleasure of cleaning dozens of buttons and even some coins using this stuff, and learned some lessons the hard way...

Anyways, you get something to apply the jelly with (I use qtips). Let it sit on the surface of your object for a minute or 2, then start to gently twirl your qtip until the qtip tip turns brown. Get a new qtip, apply a light coating over it each time, and twirl some more until that is one brown too. Over time you will slowly start to see what lies beneath the crust. Work gently and do not apply too much pressure. With this particular button, I went through about 8 qtips and 15 minutes of twirling to get both sides done. I tend to not use the other side of the qtip because you do NOT want this stuff on your skin!

Take some soft paper towels or napkins, moisten them with water and gently dab what remaining jelly you can away, and immediately and carefully rinse the rest of the chemical off. I like to use distilled water for all artifact cleaning. If you leave the jelly on too long it can make certain metals look white. The reason being:

Aluminum jelly uses Phosphoric Acid, and actually dissolves away the rust/crust/dirt. It takes a much longer time for this stuff to dissolve gold or silver, but bare metal made of other stuff has a tendency to be chemically altered faster. This is why it is important to remove the jelly as soon as you are done cleaning. Seriously, you don't want to mess up something valuable! PLEASE use this at your own risk...
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

jc2 said:
Elad . . . you've definitely a great site there . . . great buttons too. The aluminum jelly really does the trick. I'll have to try it on some of my buttons. The current location you show for the merchant maybe wrong . . . Old Philadelphia's High street is now Market street. Here's two links explaining the change in names and a high res Philadelphia map from 1796. Again great finds. http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/RittSqMap1796.jpg http://www.brynmawr.edu/cities/courses/05306/proj1/abcm/surrounding_city.html

Really nice map. I see what you mean about High Street. I wish I could travel back in time and check out what it was like.

Thanks for the compliment and info.
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

I have one of those, I think I got 3 replies when I posted it. The border is oval on mine, thinner at the top & bottom, shank is there also
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

ELAD,
THANKS FOR THE INFO ON THE ALUMINUM JELLY.
I HAVE NOT SEEN OR HEARD OF IT UNTIL TODAY. MAYBE I CAN CLEAN UP SOME OF MY
STUFF AND POST A CLEAN FIND.

I AM SO GLAD THAT I FOUND YOUR POST TODAY.

HH
PROSPECTORMIKEL
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

Thanks from Westerner, also. Will post b/a pics when my son gets the job done. He's a rocket scientist, so I will probably have to help him. Too much education. I wonder what LOX can do????

High Plains Digger
 

Re: Went back to my new field today (BEAUTIFUL 1820's Rifleman's Militia Button!)

High Plains Digger said:
Thanks from Westerner, also. Will post b/a pics when my son gets the job done. He's a rocket scientist, so I will probably have to help him. Too much education. I wonder what LOX can do????

High Plains Digger

Liquid Oxygen? Seriously? What do you plan to do with that??
 

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