Found a button

[Dan W Wa.]

Found this button along with a few cobalt blue trade beads at an excavation for a foundation of a new home.
unfortunately the property owner will not allow anyone to search further.
anyone have a clue to the age or origin of this button.

Dan

 

[CRUSADER]

Hi Dan,

Welcome from the UK.

My best guess is that it is British & dates to the late Victorian period (1880s). I am basing it on the numerous similar types I have found. We call them Globe Buttons.

Does it have any backmarks - makers name etc?

 

[Paul in WA]

Dan, I have found the same kind of button over here in Eastern Wa. I'll see if I can find where I put it & post a pic. Too bad the property owner put a stop to the hunting.....any reasons?

Paul

 

[Dan W Wa.]

Sorry to say no markings at all on the button. But there were others that were found that were in the shape of an acorn.
The property owner is the sister of a washington state senator and they just don't like us poking around.
Here is a scan of the beads, the long brown and white item was not found there but I am trying to ID it also.
By the way there were thousands of these beads found, and they were offered to the local Indian tribe but they had no interest in them.

 

[JerV3]

Nice finds,

I'd say that button is from the late 1700's. Maybe early 1800's. I've found a few at some of my earlier sites. Those beads are really nice. To bad you can't hunt it.

HH Jer

 

[ModernMiner]

Very cool finds.
Love the blue beads.
-MM-

 

[PBK]

Nice ball button! A lot of relic hunters call them "Zouave buttons" because they were used on Zouave uniforms during the Civil War. However, they were also used as civilian dress buttons.

http://www.joshuasattic.com/search/product.asp?ID=431

http://www.geocities.com/uson2002/Zouave.htm

 

[jfx55]

puff button late 1700s-1800 i got afew from pa

 

[rust in peace]

I think the brown and white thing is a sea urchin spine.

 

[FinderFrank]

I found something that looks just like your button.It is alittle bigger than a marble.Look closely on yours to see if the top is threaded on,mine is.I was thinking mine is part of a necklace or charm.Found at a old school site dating 1861-1923 in Ohio

Nice find, Frank

 

[Dan W Wa.]

Wow, Good call Moonforest. Right on the money, I had always thought that an urchin's only had sharp pointed spines I never would have pinned that one down. Thanks

Frank, it could be threaded but it is corroded so much that I destroy it trying to find out, so I think I will leave it be.

Thanks to all for the help. now on to the next dig.
Dan