Couple of Buttons

Clo · Mar 25, 2018

Newbie here. I found a couple of buttons yesterday while searching for CW relics. These were found in central MS along the old Natchez Trace road bed. One is obviously a four-hole button, material unknown to me (sorry, I took the pic after pulling the small one out of my pocket right after taking a bite of some fried chicken, so it's a little greasy). Google and Bing come up empty when searching for Hadden.Taylor & Co. New York. I'm assuming it is turn of the century, but only because my limited knowledge assumes that bakelite, plastic, and other non-natural materials were used shortly after that. The other button is much larger, approximately 1 1/4" across. I don't know if this was a flat button, or if the whorled pattern on the front side is indicative of a 2nd piece that was crimped on but has fallen off, or was a design for the front of the button. But I can definitely feel and see where the shank was located. I dug up several iron signals just to see what they were, and the majority were square nails. I dug up this buckle last year on the same site, which is the last time I was there. Anybody have any info on these pieces? Thanks in advance.

nhbenz · Mar 26, 2018

I find several hits, all from 1849-1856. Like here: https://books.google.com/books?id=y...onepage&q="hadden taylor” “249 pearl”&f=false

Roundness · Mar 26, 2018

Sweet finds.... Congrats

Possum · Mar 26, 2018

Clo,

Nice finds, the first button appears to be from overall's or an old work shirt. Hat's off to nhbenz on a great find with his research, however just because that companies been around for that long doesn't mean the buttons is that old. The link I provided below is one of three (3) patents filed by Franklin R. (F.R.) White in 1925 for the four (4) hole pattern button .

Also living just south of you and being a part of the pine belt there were a lot of timber companies all around my area as well as yours and I know there was a lot of sawmills all over the place to keep up with the supply and demand in the early 1900's. I've found numerous buttons resembling your 4 hole button with different names of course, for example "Panama Mobile" just to name one of many.

The flat button has me stumped :icon_scratch:

, Is there some sort of numbering or writing on the rear of the "Flat Button" or can you see a remnant of a fastening loop? If is not a button than the only other thing I can think of is possibly a rosette, maybe a piece of a broken broach or something along those lines. Sorry I couldn't give you a definitive answer, but this is the best I can do. Great finds and Congrats...

"D"

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/41/cd/a6/fd93458301185a/US1581709.pdf

nhbenz · Mar 26, 2018

I’m sticking with 1850’s for a few reasons. This design of button has been made since the 1830’s, known to have been used on long john underwear and trousers of the day. Many times they’re referred to as 4-hole underwear / advertising buttons. Many examples have been found with the names of companies known to have closed in the 1850’s/60’s. It seems likely to be the case if no examples of advertising or city business listings can be found after a certain date.
The above patent is on the design of the button that aligns the needle when used with an automatic sewing machine, rather than just being a button with four holes.

The other button looks like it may be a dandy, 1780’s or so... but Im less sure on that one.

Clo · Mar 26, 2018

Possumcop said:
Clo,

Nice finds, the first button appears to be from overall's or an old work shirt. Hat's off to nhbenz on a great find with his research, however just because that companies been around for that long doesn't mean the buttons is that old. The link I provided below is one of three (3) patents filed by Franklin R. (F.R.) White in 1925 for the four (4) hole pattern button .

Also living just south of you and being a part of the pine belt there were a lot of timber companies all around my area as well as yours and I know there was a lot of sawmills all over the place to keep up with the supply and demand in the early 1900's. I've found numerous buttons resembling your 4 hole button with different names of course, for example "Panama Mobile" just to name one of many.

The flat button has me stumped , Is there some sort of numbering or writing on the rear of the "Flat Button" or can you see a remnant of a fastening loop? If is not a button than the only other thing I can think of is possibly a rosette, maybe a piece of a broken broach or something along those lines. Sorry I couldn't give you a definitive answer, but this is the best I can do. Great finds and Congrats...

"D"

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/41/cd/a6/fd93458301185a/US1581709.pdf

I'm calling it a "flat button" because there's definitely some solder or something on the back that looks like the place where the loop was originally attached. The apparent solder remnants are centered in the piece, so I'm assuming it was for a loop. I thought about a rosette, but I don't know if they had a loop.