Tiny anchor flat button and big decorative flat button

[K1DDO1979]

Quick hunt and only got two flat buttons but they are nice ones. I've never seen a anchor button so small yet. Thanks for looking! [emoji2]

 

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[Hot diggity]

Yikes! You cleaned all that beautiful green patina right off it! A long time before that comes back. That was a protective coating that gave it a cool old look. That's just my opinion though & if it looks better to you that's all that matters. People love shiny things.

 

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[Iron Patch]

Thanks. A stop at the store for some lemon juice tomorrow. Does it work on all old gilt buttons? I heard things about naval jelly I think as well. You ever try that?

Jelly is the same idea, I just prefer the lemon and have always used it. I think the jelly is more harsh so you often see cleaned buttons still having chunks of corrosion on them because they have to stop before the jelly eats the surface. The same can be said for lemon juice, but I think you have more time to work with... slow and steady vs cleaning it fast. But both will clean and it's just a matter of choice.

 

[Iron Patch]

Yikes! You cleaned all that beautiful green patina right off it! A long time before that comes back. That was a protective coating that gave it a cool old look. That's just my opinion though & if it looks better to you that's all that matters. People love shiny things.

What he cleaned was most the dirt off, and maybe some patina, but did it where it counts. What's left is the green patina on the high points, and silver plate in the recessed areas... which is the ideal result for that button. If it was a George Washington he would have just put an extra pile of cash in his pocket!

 

[Hot diggity]

Looked brass at 1st. You

 

[K1DDO1979]

Yikes! You cleaned all that beautiful green patina right off it! A long time before that comes back. That was a protective coating that gave it a cool old look. That's just my opinion though & if it looks better to you that's all that matters. People love shiny things.

I just ran it under some water to get the soil out of it. Just must be the angle of the picture and was still damp. [emoji2]

 

[46Wheat]

Nice buttons

 

[Iron Patch]

I just ran it under some water to get the soil out of it. Just must be the angle of the picture and was still damp. [emoji2]

That's not completely harmless on some finds it just happen to work out for that one. If there was no silver plate there you'd be down to the base metal. Only silver and gold before green....not brown or black!

 

[deershed]

Sweet buttons!!

 

[Steve in PA]

Those are both nice buttons. The pin wheel button cleaned up nice. I recommend diluting the lemon juice with some water. If that isn't working, you can go to a stronger mixture. Always better to start weak and go stronger than to start too strong and ruin something.

 

[ivan salis]

lead item could be a sounding weight ..or net weight ..fishing weight

 

[gheenoe78]

As different as different can get. That's a British Royal Navy Officer button and in the early days that type was only worn by captains. It has a chain around the anchor, where the little ones have nothing.

PS: That has the potential to clean up much better. It can be very surprising how much gilt may be hiding under there. Thing is you never know until you try. No going back, but rarely would it be a worse result even if there was not much gilt.

Iron Patch, what cleaning method did you use to get that button looking like that??! Ive got a couple which could use a similar treatment. Thanks.

 

[Iron Patch]

Iron Patch, what cleaning method did you use to get that button looking like that??! Ive got a couple which could use a similar treatment. Thanks.

Lemon juice soak and a little brushing from a tooth brush.

 

[CASPER-2]