Buckle frame, locket, and buttons

[Tommy G]

These finds are from two short hunts. A nice buckle fame, the heart locket (nothing but dirt inside), and some nice buttons to include the smallest two-piece I've ever found. There is also a mystery button, slightly convex, with what appears to be a soldier on the front holding a spear or staff in the right hand, and a sword in the left. That particular button was found at a 1756 home site here in Virginia that I hunt often. It looks like it has words on it, but I can't make them out. Any help with that button would appreciated. If no one can ID it, I will post on the Whatisit forum. Thanks for looking.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice relic hunt!

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some nice finds

 

[BARKER]

Hi Tmmy G; That Indian Button is actually the Massachusetts State Seal Indian. Nice Find.

 

[Tommy G]

Hi Tmmy G; That Indian Button is actually the Massachusetts State Seal Indian. Nice Find.

Close, but in looking at the MA state seal, I'm not seeing a sword in the left hand; unless there is an earlier version I haven't seen. I put this on the Whatisit forum, and we have a lot of feedback in progress, but no consensus yet. Thanks for the comment

 

[btjbtj]

That button is very cool. I look forward to an ID on that one! Congrats on your finds. -Lisa & John

 

[ucvrelics.com]

Hi Tmmy G; That Indian Button is actually the Massachusetts State Seal Indian. Nice Find.

Virginia State Seal. After downloading I agree with a fellow post that you can see Columbia and if you look at the bottom the last 3 letters of nia are visible. Take a small solution of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 water and use an old toothbrush and get the flaking of the wording around the edge. I think that will tell a lot.

 

[against the wind]

Very nice hunt,,
Congratulations

 

[Aureus]

Really nice finds! Congrats!

 

[CRUSADER]

Virginia State Seal. After downloading I agree with a fellow post that you can see Columbia and if you look at the bottom the last 3 letters of nia are visible. Take a small solution of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 water and use an old toothbrush and get the flaking of the wording around the edge. I think that will tell a lot.

This is not a candidate for any mix of Lemon Juice. Leave it as is, no cleaning will help it. I use lemon juice a lot & it will kill that one.

 

[Tommy G]

Virginia State Seal. After downloading I agree with a fellow post that you can see Columbia and if you look at the bottom the last 3 letters of nia are visible. Take a small solution of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 water and use an old toothbrush and get the flaking of the wording around the edge. I think that will tell a lot.

The VA state seal was my first guess, but two things keep me from a positive ID. First, in all variations of the VA seal I've been able to find, the staff and sword are in the opposite hands. Second, the letters at the bottom appear to be INA, not NIA. So the jury is still out.

 

[Tommy G]

This is not a candidate for any mix of Lemon Juice. Leave it as is, no cleaning will help it. I use lemon juice a lot & it will kill that one.

I agree with you. No further cleaning on this one. I've taken it as far as I want to go. I'm thinking this is a post revolutionary war militia button of some sort, so I want to preserve what is left and hope to eventually solve the mystery. One thing not mentioned in my previous description - the figure on front is raised/three dimensional. That, and the convex design, make me think military.

 

[CRUSADER]

I agree with you. No further cleaning on this one. I've taken it as far as I want to go. I'm thinking this is a post revolutionary war militia button of some sort, so I want to preserve what is left and hope to eventually solve the mystery. One thing not mentioned in my previous description - the figure on front is raised/three dimensional. That, and the convex design, make me think military.

Pretty sure it Militia, & probably a small & rare Regiment.

 

[Tommy G]

Updating this post to alert folks on this side of the isle. I started a thread on this button in the Whatisit forum. After some great discussion, Bramblefind posted an 1874 news article from the Charlotte Democrat newspaper that had a very detailed description of this button. It seems an identical button was found near Statesville, NC back then. I posted the link to the Whatisit forum discussion should you want more info, or to see how the discussion progressed. Should anyone come across another button like this, I would appreciate hearing about it.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/519150-help-button-id-needed-soldier-holding-staff-sword.html

 

[Scrappy]

I agree with you. No further cleaning on this one. I've taken it as far as I want to go. I'm thinking this is a post revolutionary war militia button of some sort, so I want to preserve what is left and hope to eventually solve the mystery. One thing not mentioned in my previous description - the figure on front is raised/three dimensional. That, and the convex design, make me think military.

X3. With almost no remaining gilt keep that lemon juice away! Lol.

Great buttons bud.