My best guess is French made.I only say that because some of the things found at the site & in my area French period (1719-1722). Maybe i'm wrong if crusader finds them a lot -but the English & spanish had different ways of casting buttons in this time....
I personally think the vast majority of blowhole (vent back) buttons we find are more like early to mid 1700s, yes they first appeared past 1675 or so but based on the ones I have found over the years, most of my sites at the earliest would be 1730 or so, with most being Rev War era and later. Not to say one could have had the buttons/clothing for many years before settling here, but in general I think they are of that era.
I went through my button boxes, where I did not have that type seperated and this is all I could find, some with just the back shell, I know I have others but heavens knows what nock or cranny I have them stored at.
This photo is from a very isolated site that shows a good representation of what was found along with the blowhole button, I estimate the site to have been occupied only for a short time (less than a generation) and most likely from 1730 till perhaps 1760s. I believe this sawmill was abandoned about then and bigger one built on a nearby stream, thus closing this one down.
Don
Thank you for the presentation, Don. You do have a lot of these buttons and should be proud to say that you have hunted the earliest sites that SJ can offer. We found three Blowhole buttons last year as a group. I believe Kyle got two from the productive Colonial site in March.
Since I have learned more about them, I could dig these buttons all day long.
Kirk
Originally Posted by RELICDUDE07
My best guess is French made.I only say that because some of the things found at the site & in my area French period (1719-1722). Maybe i'm wrong if crusader finds them a lot -but the English & spanish had different ways of casting buttons in this time....
Thank you for sharing the Blowhole buttons that you excavated in West Florida.
I was not familiar with these buttons. Thanks to CC for bringing these to my attention.
Being an ex-A/C repairman and plumber, I can verify that you cannot solder a pipe without an exit for the expanding gases.
If you dont vent the pipe somewhere, it will blow the solder out of the seam.
Thus the need for blow holes.
I know most shanks are soldered but are modern 2 piece buttons pressed together?
Is it done after the shank is soldered?
I just got one yesterday, there were two in the same hole. I already gave one away. I don't think I've found a complete one before, but haven't checked over all my junk buttons.
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Originally Posted by Don in SJ
