Found My First Button Today And Need Help

[Wayne in Iowa]

I found me my first button today as i was detecting the woods by a Camp Ground i detect at.
It was about 4" deep and came in at a +20/+21 VDI on the MXT.
It's a 2 pc Eagle button,Nice thing is there's no damage to it but old age.
There's alot of writing on the back but all i can make out is Scovill and Waturbury at this time.
It's about the size of a penny.
Any help on age and service would be great.
And what would be the best way to clean it so i can read the rest of the back.
And the best way to preserve it?
Wish i had better pics but this is the best i could come up with.
Thanks for any help.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[FlaHunter]

I am going too give this one a shot. See if this is not made of brass. If it is I believe the Scoville in the name comes from the Scoville Brass Company in waterbury , CT. The emblem too me though not clear is military in nature I would say US Army. During WWII Scoville Brass was one of the largest brass producing companies in the area.The button is off of a uniform if all of this holds too be true.

FlaHunter

 

[FlaHunter]

You know Wayne this on second look . Looks like one of the Indian wars relic found by Montana Jim.If you look at his pics and yours you will see an almost replica of what you have.Chance that this is older than i first thought. and may go back too that period.

Still a uniform button but much further back.Too see Montana Jims finds just click on the button that looks like yours in the TH recent treasures found by members tag on this page.

 

[Wayne in Iowa]

Yes that's how the front looks.
What i did find out is that it looks like the only buttons with the words "Scovill and Waturbury" were made from 1850-1865.

 

[Montana Jim]

Nice button!

Check your backmark closely... these will be the dates of manufacture for the Scovill(s) companies...

LEVENWORTH, HAYDEN & SCOVILL 1811-1827
J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL 1827-1840
SCOVILLS 1827-1840
SCOVILLS & CO. 1840-1850
SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO. 1850-1960
SCOVILL Mg. Co. 1850-1865
SCOVILL Mg. Co. / WATURBURY CT. 1850-1865
SCOVILL Mf''g Co. WATURBURY CT. 1850-1865
SCOVILL Mf''g Co. WATURBURY 1850-1865
SCOVILL Mfg Co. WATURBURY CT. 1850-1865

Service can only be determined or guessed at depending on where it was found... for example... battlefield? Basement? Closet? Park? Encampment?

Cleaning: soap and water lightly brushed, don't scrub it... or just don't clean it. If your not going to sell it you can soak it in olive oil to remove some crude. Up to you... I never advise cleaning methods!

An olive oil soak will keep it nice for preservation but will likely seep the oil for a long time to come... it'll look great but not original.

That style button was made by dozens of companies (PBK can tell you more) and in dozens of front designs all matching what you have... the eagle. It looks like it's an 1850 - 1885 button either way like you said. It may well be a Civil War or Indian War (western) relic, again, depending on where it was dug. Some buttons never saw service (war or battle)... and civilians continued to use them forever after the war...

See eagle buttons I dug here...
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,77046.0.html

 

[Wayne in Iowa]

Thanks for the info,
Love your buttons...
I found it in S.E Iowa so i know it was not lost during any type of action.
I bet some old time farmer had lost it as he was working on the farm.
As that what the place was years back.
I have been told there was a underground railroad around this area during the War,need to do some research on it and see what i can find out.
Any way,It was a nice surprise finding it even if it's only worth a few bucks.