✅ SOLVED Button and Not sure what this other thing is

[Metal Magnet]

How folks, been a while. Hit a new spot. Found some wheats, but have never seen a button like the one pictured. As you can see, it's small. Also, what is the mesh metal thing that is surrounded by a copper ring in the lower left. I think i've seen these before, but can't remember.

Any help is great appreciated!

 

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[Breezie]

I really can't tell from one photo, but the center item could be a lead seal, and the mesh item could be part of some type of jewelry. Could you post pics of the backs of both items? Breezie

 

[DCMatt]

Screen disk from a faucet aerator?



DCMatt

 

[Metal Magnet]

Thanks Breezie! Here are the backs. The mesh thing reminds me of a crude faucet filter. The button does indeed show a shank - so i dont think it's a seal. It has a C on the left side on the front and what looks to be an eagle's head on the top middle in the picture above.

 

[Metal Magnet]

Screen disk from a faucet aerator?

View attachment 774434

DCMatt

hahahaha, i posted my reply to breezie and just saw your comment dcmatt. yep, i think that's what it is! probably for an outdoor faucet.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

What you are seeing on the button isn't a letter C, it is the curved wing of an eagle sitting on a horizontal anchor. But it's not an actual Military button. It is an imitation Navy button made for the civiian-clothing industry. Note the eagle's very round-topped wings, in comparison to the pointy-topped wings on an actual US Navy button. Also, the actual ones always have very sharp "detail" -- the "Fashion" civil-clothing imitation ones tend to have weaker detail.

 

[Metal Magnet]

thanks cannonballguy! any idea as to age? also, if i wanted to get more detail from it, how should i clean it?

thanks.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

The imitation-military "Fashion" buttons for civilian clothing have existed since the latter-1800s. Unfortunately, there's no way to accurately date your button, due to it having a corroded iron back.

There have been many discussion-posts at TN about how to clean brass buttons. I don't have a link to any of them, but I'm sure somebody else will point you to them. Some people use warm peroxide, some use vinegar, some use diluted Ammonia, and some clean the button "dry" with the blunt end of a toothpick. I myself prefer a 50/50 mix of Ammonia and water, UNLESS the brass button is heavily corroded, or came out of highly acidic soil. I soak the button'd FRONT (only the front) in a shallow plastic of the 50/50 ammonia-&-water for about 5 minutes, then gently scrub it with an old toothbrush undr running water. Sometimes a second threatment is needed.

Everybody praises (and recommends) their own preferred method. The choice is up to you.