✅ SOLVED Help with a button backmark please

brianc053

brianc053

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Jan 27, 2015
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Morris County, NJ
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Hi everyone. I found this button in southern Delaware last week, but I'm struggling to identify it.
The logo on the front is unfamiliar; it seems to have an artistic "U T CO" or "T U CO", but I'm not sure.

I thought that being able to read the backmark would help solve the mystery, but - I can't read that backmark.
I know it says "Phila.", and I'm aware that Horstmann buttons had "Phila." on the back, but - I don't think the rest of the letters spell Horstmann. (OK I'm certain they don't.)
And in picture "NEW 5" isn't it weird that the "C C" are imprinted differently than the other letters? That reminds me of a counterstamp on some coins...

Can any of you read the backmark, or do you recognize it?

Thanks in advance.

- Brian

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Upvote 1
Retired Sarge said:
I keep looking at button back marks to see if I can find an example like this.......
Click to expand...
Thank you again. Yeah I did exactly the same thing - and was stumped.
If the button were in worse condition, or if the front design was plain, I wouldn’t give this button two thoughts.

But that front design is pretty cool, and it’s driving me nuts not being able to figure out what it is.
I hope the backmark will help - but I’m losing hope.

Thanks again for any help.
 

Upvote 1
Cool button and a stumper for sure. Maybe look at Philadelphia City directories for button manufacturers. The front looks like it has some band or music symbols. Will look some more tomorrow.
 

Upvote 2
The emblem on your button's front represents the Union Traction Company, which operated "electric railway' streetcars.

I can't help you much with the backmark. To my eye, the first letter seems to be a T, and the last two are A and N. So on your behalf I searched through the McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on backmarks, looking through all the T in Philadelphia backmarks. No match found. Also looked through the various manufacturers' "die lists" in the back of the book. Again no match.

BTW, the backmark being written in plain-block letters indicates it was made in the 1890s or later. Prior to then, nearly all button backmarks were written in serifed lettering.
 

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Upvote 8
This might help some, same button but different back...I think

6 Antique Embossed 2 Part Brass Buttons. Jacob Reeds Sons & N Shellenburg Phila - Etsy

6 Antique Embossed 2 Part Brass Buttons. Jacob Reeds Sons & N Shellenburg Phila This is a great lot of late 1800s 2 part embossed brass buttons They appear to be 4 uniform & 2 cuff / cap buttons I dont know what the logo is, but it is on all the buttons including the small ones They are marked
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com
 

Upvote 3
TheCannonballGuy said:
The emblem on your button's front represents the Union Traction Company, which operated "electric railway' streetcars.

I can't help you much with the backmark. To my eye, the first letter seems to be a T, and the last two are A and N. So on your behalf I searched through the McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on backmarks, looking through all the T in Philadelphia backmarks. No match found. Also looked through the various manufacturers' "die lists" in the back of the book. Again no match.

BTW, the backmark being written in plain-block letters indicates it was made in the 1890s or later. Prior to then, nearly all button backmarks were written in serifed lettering.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for this! Mystery Solved!
(Creskol I looked at the Union Transportation Company, and the logo is similar but I think this one is from that Union Traction Company).

Now if only I could learn how it came to be in southern Delaware! (I know the landowner where I found it, so I plan to see if he knows the provenance when I see him next).

Thank you All!

- Brian
 

Upvote 4
brianc053 said:
Thank you so much for this! Mystery Solved!
(Creskol I looked at the Union Transportation Company, and the logo is similar but I think this one is from that Union Traction Company).

Now if only I could learn how it came to be in southern Delaware! (I know the landowner where I found it, so I plan to see if he knows the provenance when I see him next).

Thank you All!

- Brian
Click to expand...
Not with that backmark. They both used the same die, so they are identical, but the backmark is unique to Union Transportation Company. The Union Transportation Company was a railroad and the Union Traction Company was streetcar/trolley. Your button is a railroad button.
 

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Upvote 2
Great Save on that cool looking button. Well Done.
 

Upvote 0
creskol said:
Not with that backmark. They both used the same die, so they are identical, but the backmark is unique to Union Transportation Company. The Union Transportation Company was a railroad and the Union Traction Company was streetcar/trolley. Your button is a railroad button.
Click to expand...
I stand corrected. Thank you for following up.
Knowing what the backmark says, I can now make out "THEO N DOAN & CO". The letters that I thought looked like counterstamped "CC" were the "D" and the "O" in Doan.
- Brian
 

Upvote 1
Creskol said:
> Not with that backmark. They both used the same die, so they are identical,
> but the backmark is unique to Union Transportation Company. The Union
> Transportation Company was a railroad and the Union Traction Company
> was streetcar/trolley. Your button is a railroad button.

Creskol, the Waterbury Button Company website shows this button in a photo and says the button's emblem represents the Union Traction Company.

Pattern #06859 – UT CO. (UNION TRACTION CO.) – Waterbury Button Company

waterburybutton.com waterburybutton.com
But you are saying the same emblem with a Doan & Co. backmark represents the Union Transportation Co. Please point us to your info-source. I'm curious because I've never heard of a case of a different backmark changing the meaning of the 100%-identical logo on the button's front. Naturally, I tend to go with the ID provided by the button's manufacturer.
 

Upvote 3
TheCannonballGuy said:
Creskol said:
> Not with that backmark. They both used the same die, so they are identical,
> but the backmark is unique to Union Transportation Company. The Union
> Transportation Company was a railroad and the Union Traction Company
> was streetcar/trolley. Your button is a railroad button.

Creskol, the Waterbury Button Company website shows this button in a photo and says the button's emblem represents the Union Traction Company.

Pattern #06859 – UT CO. (UNION TRACTION CO.) – Waterbury Button Company

waterburybutton.com waterburybutton.com
But you are saying the same emblem with a Doan & Co. backmark represents the Union Transportation Co. Please point us to your info-source. I'm curious because I've never heard of a case of a different backmark changing the meaning of the 100%-identical logo on the button's front. Naturally, I tend to go with the ID provided by the button's manufacturer.
Bramblefind said:
Here's the listing in Van Court / Transportation Uniform Buttons ---
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Notice at the notation at the bottom of Bramblefind's post where it says the design was worn later by the Union Transportation Company.
 

Upvote 3
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