Flaking Button

[Diggin Canada]

I found this old button that started to flake when I got home. I am not exactly sure what it is made of. How can I stop the flaking and preserve it?

 

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[BuckleBoy]

If that's green underneath, then it's brass, and the flaking is patina. If you want to keep the patina on there, perhaps a light coating of beeswax? Normally I remove the patina and leave the green underneath. Will be interesting to see what others say about this. It's a unique situation for me, to want to keep the verdigris on top.

 

[Diggin Canada]

If that's green underneath, then it's brass, and the flaking is patina. If you want to keep the patina on there, perhaps a light coating of beeswax? Normally I remove the patina and leave the green underneath. Will be interesting to see what others say about this. It's a unique situation for me, to want to keep the verdigris on top.

If I remove the patina won't I lose detail from the button? In this case would you remove the patina?