John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

[ivan salis]

John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Here is the button. --- my research ( via census records) tells me that john rugheimer came from bavaria (german type area) and was a "tailor" AS HIS "NORMAL" PROFESSION--- during the war he was a blockade runner running to england for supplies --- (england was a major suppliers of buttons to the south during the war) --- this button was one of two matching ones that was made into french style cuff links by a very wealthly man in the 1950's era when making buttons into cuff links was "popular"--- I have the one intact "cuff link " plus this one one who's "cuff link" stem broke off where it was joined to the button --- along with these buttons are some others --- a large C & J Weldon "livery" type button with the two headed german eagle type crest ( * note the german background of Rugheimer) made into a cuff link (only one) and a CSN navy button also cuff linked (only one)--- this CSN button is NOT not a "copy" but original --- the back mark is FIRMIN & SONS 153 STRAND LONDON (WITH A SMALL DOT) --THIS BACKMARK IS PRE 1875 WHEN FIRMIN BECAME LIMITED -- after 1875 the back mark had a "LD" OR "LTD" ADDED TO THE BACK MARK --- the family of john rugheimer built one of the very best homes in charleston, S.C. after the war -- its listed as a B & B there and can be seen if you look online under john rugheimer ---*** I found these in a coin shop --when a well dressed youngman sold off his grandfathers coin collection to the coin dealer--- they were part of the collection but the dealer told the kid he didn't want them ---after he sold the coins as he left the dealer "reminded" the kid to take the buttons --the kid said --you keep em and walked out -- I walked over , took a look at em and got them from the coin dealer and took them home and researched them --- Ivan

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal

Anything else? A story, maybe? I'd love to hear more.

 

[Digginman]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal

Where did that come from It's unbelievable!!!!! Awesome!!!!! Best I have ever seen.

DM

 

[weasel606]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal

great looking button

 

[masalis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Cool photos and a neat story!!! Go Ivan!!!

 

[Digginman]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Great story. Thanks for posting.

I'd love to have one like it in my collection.

DM

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

thanks to my wife for help in "posting" the scans of this -- kisses -- Ivan

 

[weasel606]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

awesome story you guys did some great research on that thing excellent button !

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

the scans and posting of them are her part to help me ( I stink at photo stuff ) ---- the research however was my work. --- Ivan

 

[{Sentinel}]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

It is absolutely a beautiful piece of Confederate History, Southern History, and South Carolina History!!! Good Job Man!!!

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

thank you --- I think so too ---

 

[tsgman]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Nice buttons, are the dug or non dug?

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

non dug see the story ** above

 

[hikeinmts]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Great story. Thanks for posting.

I'd love to have one like it in my collection.

DM

Digginman, I am here in S. Korea. Every now and then I find a button.....I keep them, but if you would like the next one I find, let me know. It will be a dug button, and it will be old....might be a coin turned into a button, or a handmade job.....don't know, but if you desire you get the next one. (I have so many collections of "things" that my wife will be glad that I am donating one of them to someone.)
You've got it, if you want it......let me know. hikeinmts in Korea

 

[beetle662]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

--- the back mark is FIRMIN & SONS 153 STRAND LONDON (WITH A SMALL DOT) --THIS BACKMARK IS PRE 1875 WHEN FIRMIN BECAME LIMITED -- after 1875 the back mark had a "LD" OR "LTD" ADDED TO THE BACK MARK ---

Okay, I'm confused. That's certainly not what the backmark shows in the picture you posted. Is the pic a stock photo? Or if its the one you took then where does it say the above on it? Just trying to find out some info on it.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

no the CSN button (differant button) was back marked that -- the "rugheimer" S C state seal button is the one whos photo is showed .

 

[B|lker]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Awesome OLD button anyway you research it or find it
Keep em coming Ivan.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

swr --do you have any "real" proof that this is indeed a post war "S C state seal" button made for the citadel uniform ? === photo's , button book notes (title and page) , websites ? if so I'd love to see it , since it would assist in id ing them properly.

while I do not doubt youfor one secondthat (the famous blockade runner ) john rugheimer and sons might have made buttons for the citadel uniforms ( proof helps)-- in fact what you say is very believible ( the citadels cadets and their history in the civil war is well known -- and the fact that rugheimer was also badly hurt during the war running the blockade --makes this seem to be a pairing of good " southern" loyalist partners) -- after the war the citadel was concidered by many southerner's to be a educational bastion of the "old south" --and many southerner 's sent their sons there to be educated * --the school uniform in 1842 was modeled after the west point uniform ( which happens to be confederate grey in color) and like west point they call it the "long grey line" ( but most likely meaning southern soldiers ) and things for cadets set up in a military type manner.-- the honor code is is used --it's quite simple yet hard -- cadets do not lie , cheat or steal and will not tolerate others who do so. --period.

 

[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

swr that site is about civil war buttons * read the top of the page -- and the statement on the cadet button * even says --that the button the button shown was from a uniform from the citadels measum (this means civil war uniform)

ah ok --thats more like it -- so could be from later on (1939) -- now when did they start making them for the citadel humm thats the next big question ?

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

John Rugheimer, most likely was not a maker of buttons, especially at the time frame you are stating, . Here is a quote from Warren Tice's book " Manufacturers often produced button backs inscribed with the names of tailors or other retail merchants."
I think that would be the case in his marked buttons, perhaps made by a major button company for him.

Now, since he only established his business in 1864 as a Tailor, and I am sure it would take time to get the order thru to a manufacturer with his name on the backmark, that diminishes the odds of this button being done before the end of the Civil War. But, what makes me think it is most likely way past the Civil War is the fact it says John Rugheimer Sons. Well, John Rugheimer, the blockade runner who opened a tailor business in 1864 was only 26 years old in 1864. His son John, and usually back then first son born had father's name, was only born in 1862. So I seriously doubt the company would be using the name John Rugheimer, Sons in 1864/1865 period while his son was in diapers. Most likely the button is from a later time frame when his son/s were in the tailoring business with him.

Since the company existed till 1972, the exact date of the button most likely will remain unknown, but to be a Confederate era button. I would say not likely.

Added: since the name is SONS, that indicates plural, more than one and since John P Rugheimer (died in 1936 btw) was most likely the first son a second son would have been even later. I could not find the name of any additional children for the original John, and John P married and his possible first child was born in 1894, (Nan Aline Rugheimer) I could not find any data on the other children, but there appears one as born before Nan, but no name or gender listed. Also, the button pictured in this post does not match exactly the Horstmann button on the CW website. I will stand by my that it is not CW period button, nothing really indicates it was, but much more indicates it was of a later date.
Don