Pretty cool Button!

Locozilla

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So I went out last night on my property to do some hunting, Our land has been built on since mid 1800s my house itself is from 1880 the property has had about 7 houses though on it from 1840s+ so there is SO much just on my own land to hunt that its hard to hunt it all if I wanna go other places hehe, so I finally took a day to hunt a old section that I know had a cabin on it in mid to late 1800s, I found a old 40s Merc and some old toy figures and I also found a cool old Cherub and I have NO idea what it dates to but it is really pretty cool. BUT the find of the day HAS to be this old Button, after doing some research I really couldn't find much on it and was wondering if anyone knew more about where it came from, and maybe if you know what it would be worth? it would be replacement value because it is to cool to sell hehe its going into my collection.

Thanks guys & gals!
-Rich

Here is the Cherub

charb2.jpg charb1.jpg

And here is the button

Dscf5441.jpg Dscf5447.jpg
 

Upvote 5

raycan

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Nice button. Looks good, but I do not know enough about buttons to help you identify it. Good finds!!!!
 

WHADIFIND

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They are neat finds!

So, um, when will you have time for me to come over and visit? ;)
 

hogge

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Judging by the pics you have shown....It's Tices....NY218C1 or a variation Alberts NY 28. New York Militia. High convex 3 piece for general and staff officers. Backmarks will determine age, as most were made after 1865. Need better pics of the front and back marks to determine exact variety. Hogge
 

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richmonddigger

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kool button

N Y button Indian war era, you can tell by the turkey looking neck, the cilvil war era button has a stronger eagle type neck.
 

hogge

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N Y button Indian war era, you can tell by the turkey looking neck, the cilvil war era button has a stronger eagle type neck.
This type was actually made in 1860 by Steele and Johnson.
 

OP
OP
Locozilla

Locozilla

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So the button I found is definitely circa 1860s? The place I found it is very promising, the ground is VERY soft, almost like it was maybe a privy or something, I did not have enough light to dig much deeper but I am hoping to get back out there this weekend and do some more investigating! Thanks for all the help and comments so far =] Also btw the back has nothing on it, I was hoping to find SOME kinda marking but there is nadda =[ but it has a nice layer of patina on it so there could be something under there that is not visible.

-Rich
 

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genlee

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Rich

The button is an 1870's New York Militia, if there is no shank, and only a pop out with holes in it, then that is a post war button. The only button made by Scovills and or Steele and Johnson, that remotely looks like that button, has a very prominent eagle and it is slender looking. So please find a backmark or take a picture of the buttons back.


John
 

HomeGuardDan

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Judging by the pics you have shown....It's Tices....NY218C1 or a variation Alberts NY 28. New York Militia. High convex 3 piece for general and staff officers. Backmarks will determine age, as most were made after 1865. Need better pics of the front and back marks to determine exact variety. Hogge

This button has actually been the part of some serious debate amongst button collectors. This style of button can age from 1860s-1900s. I need to see the back more than anything. The backmark and the number of bars in the sheild generally tell you the true age. However, even they have been wrong. I need to see the back more importantly. There is a back construction that has a dimple/turret shank rather than a traditional loop shank. Those are highly debated. I personally dug one at the bottom of a hut along with other eagle buttons and bullets. I have a good friend that also dug one from a CW site. I managed to get my hands on a post war sample a few years ago. When side by side you can easily tell the different in how the button was put together. Mine was a true 3-piece button, while the post war ones, though containing the sameback had a folded lip on the rim that appeared to be a 3-piece, when in actuality it was a 2-piece. In wrapping up, please post a picture of the back.

Thanks

Dan
 

hogge

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Rich

The button is an 1870's New York Militia, if there is no shank, and only a pop out with holes in it, then that is a post war button. The only button made by Scovills and or Steele and Johnson, that remotely looks like that button, has a very prominent eagle and it is slender looking. So please find a backmark or take a picture of the buttons back.


John
According to Tice, this button can ONLY be 1 of 2 types. NY218c, (with variants 1,2,or3 back marks) OR...NY218D1. Shield only has 4 bars! The more I examine it, the lettering spacing is closer to NY218D1. This is in Tices pg 318, that lists these buttons as made by Steele & Johnson, Model contracted in 1858. Back mark should read: *EXTRA.*/QUALITY. It does go on to say to check back marks closely as most were made after 1865. Is your info coming from Alberts?? Scoville produced these with various customer back marks. Waiting on poster to produce an upright pic of the front and back.............I would like to add that the Scoville produced buttons are not a match. This button was produced by Steele and Johnson ONLY!
 

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hogge

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Still waiting on poster for pics of back.
 

genlee

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Both Actually and I have talked with Daniel Binder in great detail, along with Bruce Bazelon. The button shown above is a two piece button, you can tell by the rim it is actually beveled. The button you are referring to hogge is a very beautiful button as I have owned two or three in my years of collecting buttons. I have also owned this variety and yes it is a Steele And Johnson button but once again with out seeing the back of button, it kind of makes this thread pointless.

So DetectThis post a picture of the back
 

Davers

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I recently dug one of this Type 22 mm & like the OP said , there does not appear to be a back-mark.

The back is kinda Concave (this could be damage ie, a push) ; it has no Shank but a hole where the "attachment type" was the hole did get a little bigger with my cleaning .

Again no-BM , unless it was right around the Shank area or if its Very faint.

Oh , it does also appear to be a 2 piece type, IMO ground action would have made a 3 piece come apart.

It was found in an area with Civil War action , 'Fired Bullets' , GA Button , but also clock parts , old style Heart Lock, + newer Iron Square & round nails even a Heart Breaker 1934 Buff & 44 Mercury , so IMO the area was occasionally used or occupied until the mid to late 1940's .

It's the closest thing to a Cellar Hole we have in my 'N Atlanta GA ' area.

Civil War or Post War Ill take the Button tho it would be nice to know a 'for sure' Mfg, date.

The op's Button is in MUCH better shape than mine.

Wish he/she had posted that back -side.
Davers
 

Davers

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I wanna add, those Droop Wings made me think that I had my first CSA staff.

Again , ill take it.

Also I only have the Alberts Book & just searched "Alberts NY Militia , NY 28.:icon_thumright:
 

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