🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Ball button that swivels?

[Iron Buzz]

No idea of the age, but it was found in the yard of an 1865 home. Not sure what the ball inside is made of... it looks green like copper but I don't think it is actually metallic. And as the title suggests, it swivels! There is also a small vent hole in the swiveling part.

 

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[Nathan W]

Very interesting

 

[Jeff H]

Perhaps not a button? Pretty cool!

 

[Deftone]

I spotted similar ones called zouave ball buttons.

 

[Iron Buzz]

I spotted similar ones called zouave ball buttons.

By Jove, I think you've got it!

What I'm seeing is not exactly the same, but close enough that I'm thinking you're right. Thanks

 

[detectorcowboy]

I spotted similar ones called zouave ball buttons.

Pretty big for a Zouave button?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Interesting find, I've found a number of 'ball buttons' before, but none were designed like that one.
Very heavy unique construction, probably made of a specific purpose.
Dave

 

[Iron Buzz]

Pretty big for a Zouave button?

Having just learned about them, I don't really know. This one is just over 19mm (3/4") in diameter.

I found one here that says it is 18mm, so not that much smaller, but smaller. MIne has no apparent backmark of any kind, either.

Do Zouave buttons have that inner ball that mine has?

 

[Boghog1]

Any watermark on it? could be that it wasn't meant to swivel but due to conditions it separated and can now swivel

 

[ticndig]

I agree , it's not meant to swivel , it's broken. but it's a nice one for sure .

 

[Iron Buzz]

Any watermark on it? could be that it wasn't meant to swivel but due to conditions it separated and can now swivel

No apparent backmark. Just a vent hole.
I agree that mine swivels because it is broken, but also because it has that inner ball, which seems odd. But it does kind of look like some other Zouave buttons that I've seen pictures of may also have that.

 

[GlowingArtist]

Could you be misinterpreting a hole from damage as a vent hole? Maybe it was not ment to swivel and used to be fully attached/glued inside and is only a large button. Given the loop, you couldn't put much stress on it to do anything mechanical or it really would break.

 

[Nick79]

Could you be misinterpreting a hole from damage as a vent hole? Maybe it was not ment to swivel and used to be fully attached/glued inside and is only a large button. Given the loop, you couldn't put much stress on it to do anything mechanical or it really would break.

I dug the same, but never found out exactly the name

 

[Iron Buzz]

Could you be misinterpreting a hole from damage as a vent hole? Maybe it was not ment to swivel and used to be fully attached/glued inside and is only a large button. Given the loop, you couldn't put much stress on it to do anything mechanical or it really would break.

No. Clearly not just damage. But that vent hole is minor anyway... just mentioned it in case it means something to somebody.
It probably was NOT meant to swivel. I do suspect it is broken and that's why it now swivels... if it weren't for the internal sphere, it would be in two pieces.

 

[Nick79]

I dug the same, but never found out exactly the name

And if it helps...I dug mine in a 1906 SF earthquake dump. So its pre 1906

 

[WoodnHead]

It's possible that the button was originally covered in a material that rotted away, like leather or fabric. The interior ball would have had just enough slack that a thin layer of material could be wrapped over the outside of the button, enter the opening and be 'captured' and held in place. Once the material rotted away the ball is freed enough to move around.

I am familiar with smaller metal ball buttons that were covered this way, usually with silk, for garments etc...

 

[CRUSADER]

Civilian Ball or Globe Button, circa 1850s.