Buttons made out of shell?

[Kaleb71386]

I've been searching for bottles in the river and found six buttons made out of shell?

I will try to post the pictures.has any one ever found such buttons ?

 

[surf]

Happy New buttons, Kaleb,

Welcome to the TNet. I'm looking forward to seeing your buttons.

I've found scores of them, over the years.

 

[Kaleb71386]

Cool they look like the 3rd one on the top right Any idea on what year or value and are they shell? Found a few white glass ones as well

 

[Kaleb71386]

I don't have a clue how I spotted them in the water lol.. I'm just good at finding stuff found over 150 old bottles in two months I just started looking for them in the river it all started when I found some in my crawl space when I was detecting the only thing I found down there other then a old pocket watch. So when it's to cold to detect I look for bottles can't stand being cooped up in the house all winter lol

 

[Sandman]

I doubt if any buttons have value to collectors as some buttons have been made out of shells for a very long time. Now some are plastic fake shells. Bottles are a different story as are railroad insulators and different types of barb wire. Somebody collects anything.

 

[Kaleb71386]

Very true. There still very cool to me lol.. I found a train button in my yard says the knocker on it with the front of a train

 

[Kaleb71386]

Wish I could use my phone to post pictures

 

[surf]

Cool they look like the 3rd one on the top right Any idea on what year or value and are they shell? Found a few white glass ones as well

Hey Kaleb,

That bunch is a mixed bag of materials; shell, bone, milk glass, porcelain & hard rubber.

I don't think they have much, if any value. Most of these are mid to later 19th Century. They were dump and privy finds. I have picked up a lot of them over the years. Some of the fancy glass ones may have a bit of value.

Wish I could use my phone to post pictures

I believe there's an app for that…

 

[mommababe2]

We used to find them all the time as kids in Illiniois. There used to be a button factory there that made them in Warsaw. Closed down YEARS ago.

 

[surf]

Warsaw Button Factory - 1911

 

[mommababe2]

Yep that's it! It is right on the Mississippi River. When the flood came through in the 90s it washed a lot of them up inland whereas before you only usually found them near the factory or the water.