✅ SOLVED Help with ID of Military Button

[Mason Jarr]

I was going through some buttons I'd found recently at some Indian War sites and noticed this one was different. It's two piece, cuff button size, and has an eagle and stars so I feel like it's a military button, but not one I've run across before. The eagle is facing to its left. There's a ring of small stars around the eagle. The rim has texture and almost looks like a rope pattern. The back is rusty and seems to be of iron rather than brass. There's no makers information that I can see. Anyone know what it is?

 

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[Lenrac2]

Nice button! I'm sure someone will be able to ID it! So many knowledgeable folks here!

 

[smokeythecat]

Does the eagle have anything in its talons? Can you count the stars? I can't tell by the pics.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Does the eagle have anything in its talons? Can you count the stars? I can't tell by the pics.

There is a bit of damage in the lower third, but it could be an anchor and I believe I can see 13 stars with side lighting.

 

[Midwest Murph]

I'd say it's definitely a U.S. naval button. The left-facing eagle, thirteen stars, horizontal anchor (pretty sure you can see part of the loop on the lower left), lined field and rope border are all there. There should be a little cluster of three cannonballs at the bottom in the smashed area.

 

[Mud Hut]

Hmmm.. an iron back would be of concern.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Definitely not an actual US Navy button. First, note that the "detail" of the eagle and stars is quite weak, not sharp like on actual US Navy buttons. Weak detail is common on civilian-usage Fashion imitations of navy buttons. Second, note that the emblem is not surrounded by a "rope border." (The button's rope-shaped rim does not count as a rope-border.) See the photo below, which shows an actual US Navy button from the civil war era. I'll also include a photo of a common Fashion navy button to show what "weak detail" looks like compared to the crisp detail of the actual US Navy button.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Definitely not an actual US Navy button. First, note that the "detail" of the eagle and stars is quite weak, not sharp like on actual US Navy buttons -- but weak detail is common on civilian-usage Fashion imitations of navy buttons. Second, note that the emblem is not surrounded by a "rope border." (The button's rope-shaped rim does not count as a rope-border.) See the photo below, which shows an actual US Navy button from the civil war era. I'll also include a photo of a common Fashion navy button to show what "weak detail" looks like compared to the crisp detail of the actual US Navy button.

With the comparison pictures you can see the differences, they literally jump out at you. When the OPs and the civilian button are compared you can see the similarities.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Definitely not an actual US Navy button. First, note that the "detail" of the eagle and stars is quite weak, not sharp like on actual US Navy buttons. Weak detail is common on civilian-usage Fashion imitations of navy buttons. Second, note that the emblem is not surrounded by a "rope border." (The button's rope-shaped rim does not count as a rope-border.) See the photo below, which shows an actual US Navy button from the civil war era. I'll also include a photo of a common Fashion navy button to show what "weak detail" looks like compared to the crisp detail of the actual US Navy button.

Thanks, CG. Had it been an actual Navy button that would've opened a whole new line of inquiry....how did a Naval button end up at an Infantry/Cavalry post miles from the nearest ocean? I know from my research that there were civilians and spouses posted at this site so it possibly could've belonged to one of them.