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Aug 07, 2012, 10:32 PM
#1
Early 1800s London Double Gilt Flat Button
Found a flat button at a 1800s house. It says London Double Gilt on it and it has a wreath around the shank. I have found similar buttons on the Internet from the early 1800s. If anyone has some more info on it please let me know.
Smf399
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Aug 07, 2012 10:32 PM
# ADS
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Aug 07, 2012, 11:04 PM
#2
Educator
It is a civilian-clothing button manufactured in Britain in the early 1800s. Although the American Colonies had achieved Independence at least 20 years before that time, American "industry" was still in its infancy, and was unable to provide the needed quantities of manufactured goods. Therefore, very large quantities still had to be imported from the old "Mother Country."
Your simple "plain-faced" 1-piece brass button was manufactured in vast numbers until the mid-1830s, when machinery was invented which could inexpensively mass-produce much more ornate 2-piece buttons.
The term "Double Gilt" on your button means it had two coatings of gold gilt. Higher-quality buttons had three coats, and thus were marked "Treble Gilt."
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Aug 08, 2012, 10:26 AM
#3

Originally Posted by
TheCannonballGuy
It is a civilian-clothing button manufactured in Britain in the early 1800s. Although the American Colonies had achieved Independence at least 20 years before that time, American "industry" was still in its infancy, and was unable to provide the needed quantities of manufactured goods. Therefore, very large quantities still had to be imported from the old "Mother Country."
Your simple "plain-faced" 1-piece brass button was manufactured in vast numbers until the mid-1830s, when machinery was invented which could inexpensively mass-produce much more ornate 2-piece buttons.
The term "Double Gilt" on your button means it had two coatings of gold gilt. Higher-quality buttons had three coats, and thus were marked "Treble Gilt."
thanks