✅ SOLVED Eagle Head Button ID

[OpheliaN]

OK, one last button for the night. This one is brass. On the back it reads very faintly "Steele Johnson" I can't make out the other word. It measures 2 cm.

Any info is appreciated!

 

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[duggap]

That back mark would date it back to before the civilwar. It is US Army.

 

[nhbenz]

This back mark "-Steele & Johnson- MFG CO. " was used from 1875-1890, after the company resumed use of its original name, having had name changes in between in 1851 and 1858.

 

[Bryanhashemi]

wow that tricked me at first..That looked civil war to me. But back mark indicates "steele & johnson MFG CO." was used from 1875 to 1920. that eagel though makes me think its prior to 1880. So 1875 to 1880.

 

[duggap]

This back mark "-Steele & Johnson- MFG CO. " was used from 1875-1890, after the company resumed use of its original name, having had name changes in between in 1851 and 1858.

Nice catch. I didn't notice the MFG on the backmark. I thought it was one of the original ones.

 

[nhbenz]

Thanks Duggap. Bryan I don't recall a design change to the general service button until 1902. Steele may have had the same letters on their backmark, but unless Tice's book is wrong this Particular design (with the squiggly dashes and dotted ring underneath) was only used from 1875-1890.

 

[Bryanhashemi]

your right. i was just going off how long they used those letters. Didnt clarify.

 

[Ironman!]

Here is some info. from the McQuinn & Bazelon reference book "AMERICAN MILITARY BUTTON MAKERS AND DEALERS; THEIR BACKMARKS AND DATES"

Steele & Johnson from Waterbury CT. were composed of Elisha Steele & Joseph G. Johnson. They organized in 1852 to manufacture gilt & plated metal buttons. They were sold to Waterbury Jewelry Co. in 1856 but reorganized on March 17, 1858 as Steele & Johnson Button Co. In 1875 it became Steele & Johnson Mfg. Co. & lasted to c. 1920.

IM

 

[duggap]

This is kind of interesting. Let me see if I can get this right. They switched to the "buzzard or chicken" button in 1875 (until 1902). So with that backmark they must have been using some of their old dies as the button pictured would be the earlier design. What do you think folks, did I get it close to right?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Duggap, a possible explanation is that in 1875 or 1876 the Steele-&-Johnson Mfg. Co. produced those buttons in fulfilment of an Army purchasing-contract which was signed just a month or two prior to the issuance of the Army 1875 Regulations design-change for Enlisted-men's uniform buttons. I do not know the exact date of the Regulations-change... but for the sake of discussion let's say S&J gets a button order from the Army in October 1875, and in November the Regulations get changed. S&J fuflils the October contract for buttons with the design specified in the that contract, using the company's 1875-and-later name in the backmark on those buttons.

That is just a theory, but it's the only explanation I can think of.

 

[OpheliaN]

I'm confused, but THANKS EVERYONE.