Hudson's Bay Company coat-of-arms, marks, medals, seals, etc.

[Muddyhandz]

This will be a fast attempt at creating a thread all about the Hudson's Bay Company coat-of-arms, marks, medals, seals, etc.
The pictures provided are taken from old Beaver Magazines (from my collection) that were published by the HBC here in my home city of Winnipeg.
When it comes to the fur trade, anything related to the HBC is highly sought after but is the MOST FAKED out there!
Especially the "HB" mark, which is rarely found at all, except maybe on a few items marked and distributed within company posts.
Anything official will most likely be a variation of the company's coat-of-arms.
This post will be some examples of the coat-of-arms in which you will find official HBC emblems like the fox, two stags, St. George's Cross, etc.
You will find these emblems on HBC uniform buttons, seals, medals, and on various trade goods.
It seems that my log-in gets timed out fast here, so apologies if this post seems rushed.



















A lot more to come!

 

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[Muddyhandz]

Here's some marks, medals, and seals......


















continued....

 

[Muddyhandz]

Some miscellaneous photos.....

















That's it for the Beaver Magazine articles. Now on to my other reference material but that will be another day!
Stay tuned and thanks for checking it out.
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[smokeythecat]

Nice research. When I was up in Montreal in 2017 they offered me a credit card! I have the form with HBC logo on it still. I have a HBC button from the early to mid 19th century and two early brass pots with their marks. Also a bottle (whiskey) I think with the seal.

 

[Jason Crozier]

Thanks for the info Dave. Being from northern Mb, the HBC relics have always interested me.
You ever been to york factory?

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

Thanks for posting all this info, MH! Very interesting! I know it took you a lot of time to put it all together.
Now I need to get busy & do the same with the Northwest Trade Co.!
Did get out yesterday & found a nice little tinkler & an unusual silver triangle...........

Iowa Dale

 

[Muddyhandz]

Glad to hear you've been out Dale. Still a little frozen over here. Does the silver triangle appear to be cut from something larger?
Any informational posts you may do would be very welcomed!
Jason, I walk around fearless in one of Canada's roughest cities but would be a little nervous in polar bear country!
York Factory is on the visit list but my dream would be to canoe up the entire Hayes River from thaw-out to freeze-up.
Smokey, I actually came here to post a few buttons and am glad to hear you have one. Did you find it out there?
I'm only posting three different types today. Is it one of these or something different?

Here's three different HBC uniform buttons. The designs of the first two are taken from the coat-of-arms.
The first (and the oldest so far) is the St.George's Cross with four beavers.
It appears in an article from the Beaver magazine (Spring 1984) and also in an article from the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly (Vol.41, Number 4) on HBC buttons.



Here's one of mine.....



I wanted to show that along with every variety of coat button, I've found the cuff examples as well. This type has a wedge-back shank with no back mark.

Next, we have what I refer to as the "scroll" variety. I put one of my brass coat examples on the Museum of the Fur Trade's article....



So, you have the fox on top of the cap of maintenance with the belt motif and HBC motto.



A lot of times the gold gilt is gone but sometimes it remains. I have a rare silver washed variety and am up to 4 different back marks for both the coat and cuff and that's not including the white metal variety.
The article says pewter but I don't quite agree. It's a unique white metal composition.

This next variety is not from the coat-of-arms.....



Very problematic indeed! I understand the author's skepticism as the HB mark is the most faked but the rarest occurring mark/design.
Most of the "HB" items out there on e-bay have the two letters almost together with a straight lettered font.



If you look at my button, you'll see spaced letters with a fancy font. Totally different than the usual HB mark you see out there.



I've found two coat and two cuff examples at four different sites but know of others found by fur trade hunter's in three different provinces and one state.
Up to three different back marks between us all.
Outside of this button, I have only found an H B (spaced) mark on a late 18th century scalping knife, otherwise, no HB on anything else....Ever!
That's all for today!

 

[smokeythecat]

My button is (I think) the second one shown. It WAS an expensive button. I have it stuck away but will try to retrieve it. (I purchased it.)

 

[glass half fool]

You have put together a wealth of knowledge. It helps others to learn about the history of the fur trade in the early years of American history . That is fantastic Thanks

 

[RobJ]

Glad to hear you've been out Dale. Still a little frozen over here. Does the silver triangle appear to be cut from something larger?
Any informational posts you may do would be very welcomed!
Jason, I walk around fearless in one of Canada's roughest cities but would be a little nervous in polar bear country!
York Factory is on the visit list but my dream would be to canoe up the entire Hayes River from thaw-out to freeze-up.
Smokey, I actually came here to post a few buttons and am glad to hear you have one. Did you find it out there?
I'm only posting three different types today. Is it one of these or something different?

Here's three different HBC uniform buttons. The designs of the first two are taken from the coat-of-arms.
The first (and the oldest so far) is the St.George's Cross with four beavers.
It appears in an article from the Beaver magazine (Spring 1984) and also in an article from the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly (Vol.41, Number 4) on HBC buttons.

View attachment 1701556

Here's one of mine.....

View attachment 1701557 View attachment 1701558

I wanted to show that along with every variety of coat button, I've found the cuff examples as well. This type has a wedge-back shank with no back mark.

Next, we have what I refer to as the "scroll" variety. I put one of my brass coat examples on the Museum of the Fur Trade's article....

View attachment 1701559

So, you have the fox on top of the cap of maintenance with the belt motif and HBC motto.

View attachment 1701560

A lot of times the gold gilt is gone but sometimes it remains. I have a rare silver washed variety and am up to 4 different back marks for both the coat and cuff and that's not including the white metal variety.
The article says pewter but I don't quite agree. It's a unique white metal composition.

This next variety is not from the coat-of-arms.....

View attachment 1701561

Very problematic indeed! I understand the author's skepticism as the HB mark is the most faked but the rarest occurring mark/design.
Most of the "HB" items out there on e-bay have the two letters almost together with a straight lettered font.

View attachment 1701562

If you look at my button, you'll see spaced letters with a fancy font. Totally different than the usual HB mark you see out there.

View attachment 1701563

I've found two coat and two cuff examples at four different sites but know of others found by fur trade hunter's in three different provinces and one state.
Up to three different back marks between us all.
Outside of this button, I have only found an H B (spaced) mark on a late 18th century scalping knife, otherwise, no HB on anything else....Ever!
That's all for today!

I found one of the buttons in this article but would like to know the approximate age. Any info?

Also my buddy found a cross trying to find any info on them. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[DizzyDigger]

Rob...awesome finds..

Can't help with any info, unfortunately. I think you're best bet would be starting a separate thread for your button and the cross, then some of the more experienced collectors can chime in.

 

[pepperj]

I found one of the buttons in this article but would like to know the approximate age. Any info? View attachment 2112564 View attachment 2112565 Also my buddy found a cross trying to find any info on them. Any help would be appreciated. View attachment 2112569

Muddy hasn't been on the forum since the middle of 2022.
Doesn't mean he isn't lurking though.
Time I got around in sending him an email.
I'll link this recovery of yours over to him.
That or I'll get the information on what you requested.