I call this my "Lamp" button

[snaps]

Hello All,
Thought Id share this strange button in hopes that someone else has found one. Kinda looks like a lamp with a big cylindrical shade. Its silver plated, but theres this bizarre golden stain in a perfect square inside the shade. Backmark is'' W&R.S ''wich I think puts it in the early 1800s.

Thanks for looking
Snaps

 

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[Lost Signal]

That is very interesting! Looks like the "lampshade" was engraved later, after the button was made. The floral elements around the edge might be the original design? The lampshade-thing has a folk-art quality. Somebody was trying to represent something, but what it was...

Now, I'm going to be stuck thinking about this all morning.

Cool find!

 

[snaps]

Hey lost, Thanks and join the club! Ive been pondering this one for a while. I like the folk art theory, would be like a carved bullet, personal and one of a kind- cant beat that. Wonder if they added the gold square stain later? To me that represents light emitting from the "Lamp", but I think Ive just looked at it too long....

 

[G.A.P.metal]

It`s a thumb wheel off a oil lamp .

 

[snaps]

G.A.P Thanks! yea there similar in design

 

[G.A.P.metal]

G.A.P Thanks! yea there similar in design

Ya i`v been finding them for years just like yours .
Thanks Gary