button or what

[jrwill56]

found this today the front looks like a plain brass button, the back says Gillet & Torney waranted, it may be a button or a rivit, anyone know
i could not find anything on it , how old is it? it is brass and 1/2 inch wide

 

[creskol]

are you sure it doesn't say Gilbert &Torrey Warranted?

 

[jrwill56]

i don't think it does

 

[creskol]

i don't think it does

Okay .. I don't know then. That would have been my guess.

 

[creskol]

P.S. Check the front carefully for any words on it.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Button-collectors and diggers call your button a 1-piece brass flat-button. The brass version with an indented-lettering backmark dates from approximately 1810 to about 1840. They were primarily manufactured (by the multi-millions) for use on civilian clothing, although some did wind up on military uniforms, especially local Militia.

The closest match in the McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on button-backmarks for your button's backmark is (as Creskol indicated) "Gilbert & Torry / Warranted" -- representing a British button-making company in the 1830s... which matches the time-period of your button.

 

[fyrffytr1]

If you click on the attached thumbnail 3 times it will be greatly enlarged. The lettering is "Gillet & Torrey/ Warranted". I could not find any reference to that name in the few British back mark links I have.

Button Makers and their backmarks - ukdfd

Welcome to Diana's Buttons - www.dianasbuttons.com

Buttonmakers Birmingham

 

[nhbenz]

Gillet & Torrey was apparently a retailer of clothing (and just about everything else) rather than manufacturer, in NY. The ads below are from 1826
http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper ...ork NY Evening Post 1826 Grayscale - 0974.pdf
2nd column, Several ads, starting down at the capital F
And
http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper ...ork NY Evening Post 1827 Grayscale - 0038.pdf
3rd column, down to the capital E.

 

[creskol]

Gillet & Torrey was apparently a retailer of clothing (and just about everything else) rather than manufacturer, in NY. The ads below are from 1826
http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper ...ork NY Evening Post 1826 Grayscale - 0974.pdf
2nd column, Several ads, starting down at the capital F
And
http://fultonhistory.com/newspaper ...ork NY Evening Post 1827 Grayscale - 0038.pdf
3rd column, down to the capital E.

That;s some great sleuthing nhbenz ... Here is the contents

 

[tennessee digger]

Now that was a GREAT job guys! Creskol nailed it right off the bat and the rest followed up with some good work. That is why I like this forum, really good folks here! Tennessee digger

 

[Don in SJ]

Good research on the backmark nhbenz! I wonder if the reference books have a typo and it really should be Gillet instead of Gilbert. Interesting to see if anyone ever found the backmark with Gilbert on it, we now know Gillet & Torrey exists and just seems too similar to have two names so close in spelling that the possiblity of a physical misread or typo occured. Tice also has it as Gilbert, but he collaborated with the MCGuinn & Bazelon writers, so if one is wrong the other could be also. Errors do exist in the books....

Don

 

[nhbenz]

Wait, but, the... er, um, oh well.
Thanks Creskol for posting the pic. I don't know how to add pictures on an iPad. And I owe a belated thanks to TheCannonballGuy for doing the same on another thread.

 

[creskol]

Now that was a GREAT job guys! Creskol nailed it right off the bat and the rest followed up with some good work. That is why I like this forum, really good folks here! Tennessee digger

Thanks for the kudos, but in all fairness, nhbenz was the one who came up with the best possibility yet. Still don't know what the button really says, as jrwill56 posted it as reading "Gillet & Torney waranted"