Button ID Needed

[ANTIQUARIAN]

This button was found today by a friend of mine here in Ontario. It was found in a old park dating from the 1800's and was found by an old homestead. I have asked my friend how the button is constructed and if there are any back marks, I'll post this info when I get it.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

No actual Military buttons were issued with shiny black paint on them. It is an "ornamental" button for civilian-clothing, known to button collectors as a Fashion button. Shiny black paint is often seen on Fashion buttons.

Sidenote:
During the World War One era, some US Army and US Marine Corps buttons were issued with what was called a "black finish" on them, but it was quite dull, not shiny -- its purpose was to keep shiny buttons from giving away a soldier's position to the enemy. The usage of the "back finish" army/marines buttons was ended in 1923.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

No actual Military buttons were issued with shiny black paint on them. It is an "ornamental" button for civilian-clothing, known to button collectors as a Fashion button. Shiny black paint is often seen on Fashion buttons.

Sidenote:
During the World War One era, some US Army and US Marine Corps buttons were issued with what was called a "black finish" on them, but it was quite dull, not shiny; its purpose was to keep shiny buttons from giving away a soldier's position to the enemy. The usage of the "back finish" army/marines buttons was ended in 1923.

Thank you very much for the info TCG! I never knew about the aspect of 'black paint' on buttons in regard to soldiers, smart thinking!

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you very much for the info TCG! I never knew about the aspect of 'black paint' on buttons in regard to soldiers, smart thinking!

Thanks again,
Dave

I'm not suggesting it is, but you can never count one out (as not being old) just because of some surface color because enameling goes back many hundreds of years.

 

[CC Hunter]

I'm not suggesting it is, but you can never count one out (as not being old) just because of some surface color because enameling goes back many hundreds of years.

There seems to be an exception to nearly every rule. I've caught myself a time or two speaking in absolutes when defining a relative time frame or usage of particular items, only to trip over my own words when the odd exception shows up.

On this particular button though, the design and details (not even including the false patina or black highlighing in the design) are just about entirely (99.9% +/-) concurrent with a cheaply constructed fashion button of relatively modern 20th Century time period. I will wager the back of this two-piece button is either entirely rusty, or completely missing.

PCG is right on target as well, (no surprise there), and my thoughts entirely agree.

CC Hunter

 

[Iron Patch]

Also, some buttons can have some darkening like that from other things they have been exposed to. I recall someone from FL posting several relics that had a tar looking substance on them, and there was no doubt they were early finds. It also seemed to be a condition for the area and not really something spilled, so no one had a real good explanation for it. It's been a while since I seen that post so am not sure if I'm accurately describing what they look like, but they did have what appeared to be a dark foreign substance on them.