Buttons. How do you tell

[housemom6]

How do you tell how old it is?

 

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[ekeisler]

Back mark is usually a dead giveaway.

 

[housemom6]

Can you elaborate? I'm a total newb lol thanks

 

[mangum]

Photo? That's kind of a broad question... It seems like someone posted some sort of a reference chart but I can't put my finger on it at the moment.

 

[mangum]

Here , I found it on another thread, this should help. http://www.daacs.org/wp-content/uploads/buttons.pdf

 

[treasurehound]

That is like asking "how old is a penny?" We can help you out more if you can give more info and a picture. The back of the button is called a backmark. It should have the manufacturer's name. So if you can post a picture of the front and back we can help you more.

 

[Iron Patch]

The construction of it is the main criteria, and sometimes can be narrowed down if there's a backmark. Obviously there's many buttons that don't have any markings so you determine the age by how they are made.

 

[housemom6]

Well silver searcher was nice enough to send me some relics from his part of the world. Some or them are buttons and very old and i don't see any marks.

 

[housemom6]

Sliver searcher was nice enough to send me some relics from his part of the world. I was just wondering the age.

 

[Iron Patch]

Sliver searcher was nice enough to send me some relics from his part of the world. I was just wondering the age.

 

[housemom6]

Thanks iron patch. There is so much to learn. And everyone here is so helpful

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks iron patch. There is so much to learn. And everyone here is so helpful

Sure is, but if you have an interest things tend to sink in fast. If this is a topic you enjoy you should try and find a copy of Dating Buttons by Warren Tice. It's out of print, but probably still a copy or two floating around out there somewhere. Just don't pay attention to some of the super insane prices that might come up. When in print it was about $85. Now I would think most would price well over a $100, but you could get lucky.

 

[housemom6]

Okay thanks I'll look around for it

 

[CRUSADER]

The top is an early cast, you'd have to ask the UK guys (or if I dig out my book), but it's quite old. I'd guess at least 1500s or earlier, but in the medieval range somewhere. Definitely old.

The 2nd is referred to as a ball button. it's more modern, maybe 1830 or 40. The casting vs. the two piece construction is how you know the age difference.

IP nailed them both.

The first button I catalogue as 'Tudor', so 1500s is spot on but not much earlier.

 

[housemom6]

Wow that's amazing that the button has survived so long. You could sew it right back on today and use it. Thanks for your help guys.

 

[housemom6]

And I'd like to thank Silver Searcher for sending them to me. He also sent me a 1866 sixpence and a bunch of little tiny black coins with carvings on them. It's so nice to help a a newb out with these amazing things.

 

[Iron Patch]

And I'd like to thank Silver Searcher for sending them to me. He also sent me a 1866 sixpence and a bunch of little tiny black coins with carvings on them. It's so nice to help a a newb out with these amazing things.

If you think that button is old, wait until you find out the age of the coins!


SS ain't so bad.... sometimes!

 

[Steve in PA]

Sure is, but if you have an interest things tend to sink in fast. If this is a topic you enjoy you should try and find a copy of Dating Buttons by Warren Tice. It's out of print, but probably still a copy or two floating around out there somewhere. Just don't pay attention to some of the super insane prices that might come up. When in print it was about $85. Now I would think most would price well over a $100, but you could get lucky.

I was going to reply to this thread last night and mention Tice's book. I even went as far to look for a link where it could be purchased. I had to laugh when I saw this one for $800. Talk about insane prices!
Dating Buttons - A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers and Their Backmarks: Companion to Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Warren K Tice: Amazon.com: Books

 

[Iron Patch]

I was going to reply to this thread last night and mention Tice's book. I even went as far to look for a link where it could be purchased. I had to laugh when I saw this one for $800. Talk about insane prices!
Dating Buttons - A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers and Their Backmarks: Companion to Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865: Warren K Tice: Amazon.com: Books

That is exactly why I mentioned it. The first Troiani button book I've seen for a crazy price like that too... and it originally sold for $39.95! I don't see the point, but they can sell it, or try to, for whatever price they want.


PS: And it's not even new!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Housemom66 wrote:
> Buttons. How do you tell how old it is?

Housemom, the short-&-simple answer to your question is "Post well-focused closeup photos of the button's front AND back, in the What-Is-It forum here at TreasureNet.

If you want to learn how to time-date (and identify) buttons for yourself:
Since you live in the US, I'd recommend you start with the best two INEXPENSIVELY priced books on buttons which were used in the US from the 1700s through today.
1- "Record of American Uniform And Historical Buttons, Bicentennial Edition" by Alphaeus H. Albert. Has thousands of photos. Available on Ebay for $39 to $45.
2- "American Military Button Makers And Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates" by William F. McGuinn & Bruce S. Bazelon. Has very detailed time-dating information on many hundreds of button-backmarks (the maker's/dealer's name on the button's back). This inexpensive book is particularly helpful because it includes photos showing the "evolution" of some manufacturer's backmarks... for example, Scovills & Co. means 1840 to 1850 and Scovill Mfg. Co. can date anywhere from 1850 to 1962, depending on variations in the marking, which are SHOWN in the book's photos of the many varieties of Scovill backmarks. Available on Ebay for $25 to $29.