Button - Old or not??

[BioProfessor]

I found this button in a known civil war encampment area but I have no clue about buttons. It is 7/8" across and the backstamp says "Quality" on the bottom. There may be something across the top but it is not readable at this time. I have looked at various sites with Civil War era buttons and haven't seen an example of this type. That leads me to believe it may be a more modern button that just happened to be lost in a civil war area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Daryl

 

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[RELICDUDE07]

I think its old i have found some also with the same, and diff. styles. its a police button . i would just guess 1880s from the style .. just a guess on date ... good find

 

[BioProfessor]

Thanks for the information. Just my luck. I'm hunting an area where Sherman spent three days with about 12,000 troops preparing for the seize of Savannah and I find a police button. Gotta laugh.

Daryl

 

[mojjax]

Here is a similar one on Ebay -

http://cgi.ebay.com/CIVIL-WAR-ERA-S...goryZ395QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[RELICDUDE07]

sounds like me at my best colonial 1700s site , get a beep and guess what a wheat penny . Its a cool find and could be around 1860s im not sure on the date, but its old. goodluck/ relic

 

[BioProfessor]

It just gets better and better. The link to the item on Ebay is a dead ringer for the button. Beginning Bid - $0.99 and it looks like it won't sell. Now just how much fun was it digging through all those roots? Too funny.

Daryl

 

[RELICDUDE07]

I think that on ebay is a repro? they make tons of them...

 

[Montana Jim]

Very common, but - potentially very old too.

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,114122.0.html

Also - the back mark is the key to dating the button... Your's has no backmark, but it does have a "quality mark".

A quality mark is a term used to promote sales... referencing any gilt or rich color... or in the case of the one you have it just says "quality".

Quality Mark's : "A term used for certain words found on the backs of buttons made after 1800. It is believed the purpose of the words was mainly to promote sales, as the differences in quality can seldom be noted. Most of the marks appeared between 1800 and 1850. Examples are "Rich Gold", "Gilt", and "Rich Orange" (Luscomb 1967:163).

Waterbury Button Company for example is still making them today:

http://www.waterburybutton.com/user...=Career Uniform&subcatg=Police&page=4&id=4806

http://www.waterburybutton.com/user...=Career Uniform&subcatg=Police&page=2&id=5108

http://www.waterburybutton.com/user...=Career Uniform&subcatg=Police&page=5&id=4617

 

[BioProfessor]

Thanks Montana Jim for all the work finding the button on the forum. Seems like the two buttons are the same except for the backmark. Good enough for me.

Daryl

 

[Montana Jim]

Thanks Montana Jim for all the work finding the button on the forum. Seems like the two buttons are the same except for the backmark. Good enough for me.

Daryl

Daryl - No problem. I know everyone gets a warm fuzzy when PBK replies, and since he was not here for this one I just linked him through for you to that other post! LOL

I still think you have an old-a$$ed button... and I think it's a great keeper! It's possible that the back mark "quality" is attributed to a certain manufacturer or time frame... and I think for a while Waterbury was in litigation trying to claim the term "quality" it as it's own, but thats not something I am ready to commit to as fact.

 

[BioProfessor]

Maybe somebody at the Waterbury will remember the issue and can give me information. I like the button and it is in great shape. Really crisp and shows no problems so it is a keeper. Now if it had been a CSA Officer's button, the shovel would have halved it. LOL.

I just seem to find the odd things - a Police button at Sherman's planning camp for the seize of Savannah, a Domino in a Roman area in the UK, Church wick scissors in the basement of a house Starting to wonder where I should hunt for things I am trying to find.

Daryl

 

[RELICDUDE07]

Found a 1850s to 1860s P. button online