Haitian Phoenix button

[McCDig]

Went to two parks in Baltimore City today and, in the last hour of the time out, ran into some military buttons: a 1-piece convex Phoenix regiment button from Haiti (c. 1810) and a U.S. Navy 2-piece, Albert 112 (pre-1850). Also scored a little silver today.
Inscription around the Phoenix button is "Je Renais De Mes Cendres", or "I am reborn from my ashes". Button was made in England for military under Henri Christophe of Haiti. My dug button is shown left of an example of a Type 2 Queens Regiment No. 2, which I believe mine is as well!

 

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[Steve in PA]

Nice find. Those Phoenix buttons seem to turn up in so many places except under my coil

 

[creskol]

Wow.. That's some good park digging.. especially in Baltimore! Well Done!

Just curious.. Are there many people in the parks now?

 

[McCDig]

Thanks creskol. Depends on the park. Those that are chiefly rec fields are empty since Rec and Park programs are shut down. Neighborhood square parks are jammed now with kids out of school and parents home from work.

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Steve. This is probably my oldest military button.

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Randy. Today was my button day, deep high-tones in the upper 20s on the Equinox 600.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice finds McCdig. I like those buttons.

 

[xcopperstax]

You had an excellent hunt there Mcdig! That Hatian Phoenix button is awesome! I feel like that's the one that comes up every once it awhile that some people think is ultra rare. Maybe it is. Congrats!!!

 

[McCDig]

Thanks xcopperstax. I like the stories behind these Phoenix ending up in settlements along the Columbia River and California.

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Trezurehunter. I got the Phoenix button ID from a member of the ID ME Facebook group. An internet search got me on to the unique type 2 design features.

 

[A2coins]

Holy smokes thats frekin cool That will display nice good job on rippin that puppy out of the dirt

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Tommy! I agree, 'frekin cool'. We got into spot where I started to hear some deep hightones, just what I was waiting for.

 

[washingtonian]

Very cool, historic find. I was with a friend on a beach last year when he pulled a phoenix button up. I'd only vaguely heard of them at that point. That is old as BALLS for the Seattle area hahaha. Keep up the good work!

 

[McCDig]

Thanks washingtonian. Interesting stories about early traders to the northwest who picked up phoenix buttons in the course of their travels and trading.
See this article.

 

[dirtdigginfool]

Hey McD... congrats on those awesome buttons... VERY cool! But I can’t help but be drawn in to that beautiful, old, hand-fashioned silver pendant. Those parks are STILL givin’ up the goods, keep’em comin’! Ddf.

 

[Donnie B from VA]

Rare button to find on the East Coast. Congrats.

 

[medieval_mark]

Buttons made in France during Napoleon's "100 Days"

Went to two parks in Baltimore City today and, in the last hour of the time out, ran into some military buttons: a 1-piece convex Phoenix regiment button from Haiti (c. 1810) and a U.S. Navy 2-piece, Albert 112 (pre-1850). Also scored a little silver today.
Inscription around the Phoenix button is "Je Renais De Mes Cendres", or "I am reborn from my ashes". Button was made in England for military under Henri Christophe of Haiti. My dug button is shown left of an example of a Type 2 Queens Regiment No. 2, which I believe mine is as well!
View attachment 1812756View attachment 1812761
View attachment 1812758View attachment 1812759

This button was made in France between the time Napoleon returned from Elba and the Battle of Waterloo. Once Napoleon was defeated, the returning French government of Louis XVIII had no purpose for these buttons and sold them to the new Kingdom of Haiti. They made their way to the US here and there. They are rare and worth a lot of money. I saw one sell on ebay recently for $600. I'm an old fart. Back in the day when I was 16 back in 1980, I got really lucky and bought seven of these buttons at a garage sale for $20.

 

[Red-Coat]

This button was made in France between the time Napoleon returned from Elba and the Battle of Waterloo. Once Napoleon was defeated, the returning French government of Louis XVIII had no purpose for these buttons and sold them to the new Kingdom of Haiti. They made their way to the US here and there. They are rare and worth a lot of money. I saw one sell on ebay recently for $600. I'm an old fart. Back in the day when I was 16 back in 1980, I got really lucky and bought seven of these buttons at a garage sale for $20.

Welcome to Tnet.

Do you have evidence (reliable reference sources) for that story and the suggestion that the buttons were made in France?

The evidence, as I understand it, is that these buttons were specifically commissioned by Henri Christophe, the Haitian former revolutionary leader. As part of the strategy to legitimise himself as ‘Henry I, King of Haiti’ (declared in 1811) he created an elaborate fictitious structure of nobilities, originally consisting of 4 Princes, 8 Dukes, 22 Counts, 40 Barons, and 14 Knights; founded a College of Arms to provide armorials for those ‘nobles’; and chose a crowned phoenix rising from ashes/flames with the motto “Je renais de mes cendres” as his own armorial. That choice was believed to be in reference to the rebirth of the city of Le Cap after Christophe himself had it burned to the ground in 1802 rather than give it up to the French forces that arrived to suppress the revolt; he then later defected to French allegiance.

The buttons were designed to be used on Haitian uniforms for Christophe’s military and the evidence is that all of the known styles were produced in England. There are a number of reported backmarks, including the larger ‘ball’ buttons being marked “Bushby/London”. Other back-marks include the words “Best Quality” and “Imperial Standard” in English.

By the time the first consignment of buttons reached Haiti from England, Christophe was dead, having shot himself (in 1820) rather than be overthrown in a coup. It’s not known for sure what happened to the then unwanted buttons which had already been produced, but it looks as if they were ultimately purchased in 1832 by the American merchant Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth with the intention of using them as fur trade items in the Pacific Northwest (a venture which was largely unsuccessful).

 

[ArfieBoy]

Great finds, those buttons! That pendant appears to be unique. Thanks you for sharing with us!