Some Kind of Happy Dance Under The Apple Tree

[Nana40]

Somebody's gonna have to tie my feet to the ground!

OK...new site....started out on the back 40 by the barn. Got tired of hauling the shovel around and digging great big holes only to find car tags and such had been distributed around, about two feet under. So I headed for the front yard of the house. Was getting late, and I knew the ballgame was coming on at 6:30, so I was trying to hurry around and see what I was in for there. After about 15 minutes I was huntin under one of the old apple trees and dug this BUTTONNNNNN! I was rolling around on the ground like that little baby jenny! My newest favorite find. I thought...I just gotta stay a few more minutes! Dug all kinds of stuff...some stuff I don't even know what it is. Got a wheat and a little tin...kinda like the ones that the Bayer asprin come in. I haven't opened it yet. Somebody PLEASE tell me what the button is for sure. I don't have a clue as to how to clean it properly either. I just ran some water over it and brushed it lightly with a toothbrush. After yesterday's fiasco with that button, I figured I better leave well enough alone. What a day...Nana's so happy.

 

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[The Seeker]

We definitely need some pics to compare this button to and from the sites and places I have gone to and looked through , you have one special button there Nana. There is not one button that I have seen from the period of the Civil war to the present that even comes close to this style of Eagle button . Congrats once again on an amazing find!

 

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[stoney56]

Here's a bit of info and looks pretty darn close. It comes from:
http://howardlanham.tripod.com/quiz2/quiz2a.html

General service buttons were first introduced in 1854 and replaced branch specific buttons for enlisted men. The button used during the Civil War had a shield that was flush with the surface. About 1875 this button was replaced with one that had an elevated shield similar to the one pictured. A specification issued in 1885 clearly shows the later type button. In 1902 these buttons were replaced by a more modern type button similar to those in use today. Also indicative is the backmark. The firm of Horstmann is one of the oldest and best known of the military outfitters. The book American Military Button Makers and Dealers: Their Backmarks and Dates does not picture this particular backmark. It is similiar to others from the late 19th-Century.

References:

Albert, Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons p. 15
War Department, Specification for Uniform Coat Button (1885)

 

[Gypsy Heart]

I saw that one also Stoney,but again the headfeather,eye prominence and shape of the head are different...

 

[stoney56]

2nd row, 2nd button. Can't blow up or gets too distorted.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...&no=24&tt=6,679&oid=953cd3d75f6628b0&ei=UTF-8

 

[nitewizerd]

nice

 

[PBK]

For a second opinion, I sent the photos and a link to this thread to another well known buttons expert, Daniel J. Binder, author of Civil War Collector's Guide to Albert's Button Book. He responded as follows:


Hello from Illinois:
Thanks for your sending me the digital images of the button. I would tend to trust Bob Edmondson's opinion as he's one of the very best in the business. In my opinion, the button is a circa 1880-1900 US general service button with a rotted out tinned iron back. The general style of the eagle postdates the Civil War by a good many years, and tinned iron backs were seldom used in the construction of American military buttons prior to the 1870s era. They were, however, relatively common in the last quarter of the 19th century and into the early 1900s. I see nothing about this button that even hints at early fabrication. Hope this helps.

Daniel J. Binder
Rockford, IL

A third major authority on buttons who might be able to help is Warren K. Tice. Unfortunately, I do not have his contact information. Perhaps another member could get in touch with him.

 

[Nana40]

I can not express how much I appreciate all the research you all have put into this button. Thank you so much!!!!! What would I do without ya!

Thanks again!

Nana

 

[The Seeker]

Hey Nana.......... I bet you never thought your button would cause so much controversy, Thats what TN is for! To assist in situations like this one........The Eagle on most Buttons has been an important part of military uniforms going back over 200 years, the different verities applied to these buttons has also varied in different ways. Now not saying that this button could be from the time period mentioned above, but still looking at Nanas button shows without any dought , its a (very close ) resemblance but when looking at the Eagle buttons that I have looked at and I'm sure plenty of forum members and guests have looked at also, clearly show they are not the same buttons! What we do need is something to campare SIZE ! take another Pic with a dime next to it to determine the diameter !

Will just have to keep trying!
This is definitely a great find
To research!!!!

Seeker

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Nana,
Regardless of what this button turns out to be, you really have made a fantastic find. I have read your posts since I started this forum and if any one deserves to find something truly great ,it is you. You give inspiration to all the other women detectorists and I am really happy that you were able to find such a great piece of history.
Thanks for leading the way
Christy

 

[stoney56]

Hey Nana.......... I bet you never thought your button would cause so much controversy, Thats what TN is for! To assist in situations like this one........The Eagle on most Buttons has been an important part of military uniforms going back over 200 years, the different verities applied to these buttons has also varied in different ways. Now not saying that this button could be from the time period mentioned above, but still looking at Nanas button shows without any dought , its a (very close ) resemblance but when looking at the Eagle buttons that I have looked at and I'm sure plenty of forum members and guests have looked at also, clearly show they are not the same buttons! What we do need is something to campare SIZE ! take another Pic with a dime next to it to determine the diameter !

Will just have to keep trying!
This is definitely a great find
To research!!!!

Seeker

If you look at pic #8, I think you'll see it's not a whole lot smaller than the base of the shotgun shell.

 

[Nana40]

OK...I took a picture of the button next to a nickel. It's the same size as a nickel. And no, Seeker I didn't! But this is fun! Agreed?
Christy....Thank you! What would the world be without us girls? Really and truly, thank you.


Nana

 

[pgill]

Well done PBK this one took you a while...... But anyway, we cannot do without you Nana, also well done, it has turned out to be a trully great find.

God bless
Peter

 

[The Seeker]

This is amazing! Are we looking at the same button here? Take a good look at the base of this button, the tail feathers are way longer than any of the buttons that are showing up here in the forum! I can post pics of eagle buttons all day long and not one will match yours Nana! You still have a great find.....and further research is still needed! But all the imput on your Find is I'm sure greatly appriciated.........!

Seeker

 

[The Seeker]

Here's a bit of info and looks pretty darn close. It comes from:
http://howardlanham.tripod.com/quiz2/quiz2a.html

General service buttons were first introduced in 1854 and replaced branch specific buttons for enlisted men. The button used during the Civil War had a shield that was flush with the surface. About 1875 this button was replaced with one that had an elevated shield similar to the one pictured. A specification issued in 1885 clearly shows the later type button. In 1902 these buttons were replaced by a more modern type button similar to those in use today. Also indicative is the backmark. The firm of Horstmann is one of the oldest and best known of the military outfitters. The book American Military Button Makers and Dealers: Their Backmarks and Dates does not picture this particular backmark. It is similiar to others from the late 19th-Century.

References:

Albert, Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons p. 15
War Department, Specification for Uniform Coat Button (1885)

Hey Stoney56.........This is a challenge trying to figure this out , and whats not noticed are the extended feathers at the base of this button . Which are on many of the early buttons , as you can see on your button the tail feathers are short, and on Nanas there much longer which makes for a huge difference in both of these buttons.........!

Seeker

 

[stoney56]

Hmmm. Both button and nickle are about the same size--around 21MM which is within the range of the great coat button of post CW. It could be a private variation-without the backmark guess we may never know. Keep on seeking Seeker.

 

[comfyinvermont]

Hey Nana, whatever type of button it is. It is very, very nice. Congrats on one very nifty find. You have come a long way from you bullet days. You have earned it. Congrats again...Lance

 

[The Seeker]

Hey Nana........I was just going through some of the early Button web sites earlier today and came up with plenty of buttons , both Post Civil war and Pre- Civil war. The number of varieties seem endless but we all know there are plenty to look through....Here are just a few pics of some I came across , Still searching for yours!

Those darn tail feathers !! Still searching for that type....

Seeker

 

[dave-enc]

nana wtg on a terrific find
hh
dave+bobbie

 

[Nana40]

Thank you!

OK...today we were trying to figure out how to clean the back better..was having sort of a hissy fit when hubby said he was going to clean it! Well...he bumps the back against the desk a couple of times and out pops the dirt! Now I have a picture of the back....but .....nothing is there! I hope this might help.

I went back to the site this afternoon to see what I could dig up, and boy, am I tired! :P Have you ever tried to relic hunt in a nice cut yard? Having a hole the size of my fist on top and a hole the size of a basketball underneath? Anyhow, dug a 1946 nickel, some shotgun shells, another button..but not another Eagle button. :P This one is a big ole ugly blue one...but it has a back! I found too much junque to list, and most of it I don't have a clue what it is? So, if you do...do tell! I still have a bunch of area to cover...went very slow today, trying not to miss much.

Thanks ya'll! Nana

 

[pgill]

Hey Nana love the buckles I can also identify the 1 object, it is a big piece of pipe

God bless
Peter