1803 - 1812 US Militia Button

[xlt nh]

Hi All! I've been working a new Colonial Cellar Hole for the past week...and went back last night with my 5.3" Coil to hit the thicker areas around the foundation...

I've already dug 23 buttons on this site...which is a new record at one area for me...and last night dug #24..an a DOOOOZiE!

It's a US Militia Button, and according to Alberts (if I am reading it correctly) it was made in London between 1798-1802. The Eagle is facing right with 17 Stars surrounding it.

The reverse reads 'Best Quality' and has a perfect shank

This is my first Militia Button dating to that time period...Yahoooooo!

HH, Hank 8)

 

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[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Ohh... Dats a nice !

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[tymcmurray]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

DEFINITELY a white glove button. Nice!!!

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Beautiful button Hank, that one is in great condition. I would say it is a War of 1812 era button and not the earlier time period. Albert's book is confusing but I have seen these listed as War of 1812 buttons in the past. Ohio was the 17th state( March 1803) and was not admitted to the Union until 1803 and we stayed at 17 states till April 30th 1812.

Don

 

[MonkeyBoy]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

WOW!!! Outstanding find!!!!

MonkeyBoy

 

[romeo-1]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Nice...that's a show stopper!!!!

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Congratulations!

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Nice!!! Many places I hunt turn up a lot of plain buttons but it keeps me going because I know before too long something will show. If the next time it's one of those I'll gladly take it!

 

[hogge]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

SSHHWWWEEEET!

 

[xlt nh]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Thanks everyone! It's definitely one that took me 20+yrs to find!

Thanks for the time-period information Don...the book is very confusing in that section with the Regiment buttons mixed in..

HH, Hank 8)

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Beautiful button Hank, that one is in great condition. I would say it is a War of 1812 era button and not the earlier time period. Albert's book is confusing but I have seen these listed as War of 1812 buttons in the past. Ohio was the 17th state( March 1803) and was not admitted to the Union until 1803 and we stayed at 17 states till April 30th 1812.

Don

Don, lots of earlier buttons are considered war of 1812 because those patterns were worn during the War. Since the conflicts weren't all that many years apart a lot of times post Rev buttons will be War of 1812. Remember the makers mark dates the betton, not the service. Sometimes the books give the service, other times it's up to us to figure it out. In any event it's one nice looking old military button!

PS.. A good example of button date vs service is many British Royal Navy buttons used in 1812 were made in the 1790s.

 

[Digginman]

Outstanding!!!

Banner!!!

DM

 

[CRUSADER]

Outstanding!!!

Banner!!!

DM

I must agreed, even coming from the UK I can well appreciate the history & excellent condition of that button. I have always said that I only need 1 good button to make my day. People who don't detect will never understand that one. 'A button' they think! We know better

BANNER gets my vote

 

[Trond]

Interesting find, and in good condition.

 

[Colonial Zoyboy]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Beautiful button Hank, that one is in great condition. I would say it is a War of 1812 era button and not the earlier time period. Albert's book is confusing but I have seen these listed as War of 1812 buttons in the past. Ohio was the 17th state( March 1803) and was not admitted to the Union until 1803 and we stayed at 17 states till April 30th 1812.

Don

Don, lots of earlier buttons are considered war of 1812 because those patterns were worn during the War. Since the conflicts weren't all that many years apart a lot of times post Rev buttons will be War of 1812. Remember the makers mark dates the betton, not the service. Sometimes the books give the service, other times it's up to us to figure it out. In any event it's one nice looking old military button!

PS.. A good example of button date vs service is many British Royal Navy buttons used in 1812 were made in the 1790s.

IP, you're a walking reference book!!!!

Hank, I loooooove that military button. PACO found a silver-plated War of 1812 eagle button last October. From our rasearch, we know who lost it.

Kyle

 

[myelo1023]

that is so AWESOME!! Doesn't it make you just want to think back and imagine about the person that was wearing it....whether they lived or died....what they were thinking....so cool!

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

I'd be D*** proud of that beauty, Hank!! Congratulations!!!

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 1798 - 1802 US Militia Button

Beautiful button Hank, that one is in great condition. I would say it is a War of 1812 era button and not the earlier time period. Albert's book is confusing but I have seen these listed as War of 1812 buttons in the past. Ohio was the 17th state( March 1803) and was not admitted to the Union until 1803 and we stayed at 17 states till April 30th 1812.

Don

Don, lots of earlier buttons are considered war of 1812 because those patterns were worn during the War. Since the conflicts weren't all that many years apart a lot of times post Rev buttons will be War of 1812. Remember the makers mark dates the betton, not the service. Sometimes the books give the service, other times it's up to us to figure it out. In any event it's one nice looking old military button!

PS.. A good example of button date vs service is many British Royal Navy buttons used in 1812 were made in the 1790s.

IP, you're a walking reference book!!!!

Hank, I loooooove that military button. PACO found a silver-plated War of 1812 eagle button last October. From our rasearch, we know who lost it.

Kyle

I don't think I'd say that Kyle, I just give my opinion and make it sound like I have a clue what I'm talking about. Many British buttons date that way so I just assume plenty of US '1812 buttons' can predate the war by many years.

Finding an early military item and knowing who's it was is a great thing! I hunt with two other guys and all the buttons we've found over the years there is just one who we can connect to the wearer. Someday we may try and match more of them up.

 

[Don in SJ]

The only thing I eliminated was that the button was definetly not a 1798-1802 Military button as first posted! Simple reason there were not 17 states until 1803, thus the button could be from 1803 and later but not before. But in most likelyhood, by that backmark ,which is a Quality Mark seen on 1810-1820 era buttons and it is listed amongst War of 1812 buttons in Alberts book and on a few websites selling that button. Also, I have not found any buttons prior to the War of 1812 that have 17 stars. There might be some, but I did not find any listed. If that button had 16 stars, than it might have been possible to be an older button.

I am not 100% sure but that line on the back side appears not to be a cast mark but perhaps a mark from being struck in a split anvil to impress the front side of the button with the design and not destroy the shank. This was done by American manufacturers in the 1810-1820 period. They would buy high quality buttons from England, since American companies still did not have the ability to put good shanks on their buttons, so they would import English buttons and than put their design on the front side, using the split anvil technique.

Don

 

[Natman]

Man that's nice. WTG on that AWESOME find.

Nat