Lion and Unicorn Button

DavidBeard

Hero Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
507
Reaction score
44
Golden Thread
1
Location
Derbyshire
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac / Garrett Pro-Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
One of Mick's small pasture fields is being ploughed up next week - had a quick race with the 'Muck Spreader' to see what I could salvage!
Found this 'Perfect' (only lost its shine) Lion and Unicorn Button:

Lion-Unicorn-Button.webp
The Lion and the Unicorn were fighting for the crown:
The Lion beat the Unicorn all round the town.
Some gave them white bread, some gave them brown;
Some gave them plum-cake and drummed them out of town.

And a few other items -
Other-bits.webp
Putting one in the 'What Is It' room?
Bring on the plough! 8)
 

Upvote 0
General Services. The button was used from ww1 to just after the second world war. I like finding them :icon_thumright:
 

Cool botton, I like it. :icon_thumright: What is the rhyme from?
 

Texasgopher said:
Cool botton, I like it. :icon_thumright: What is the rhyme from?
I'm not sure how many years the 'Nursey Rhyme' goes back but sometime after the 1600's.
"...King James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I when she died childless in 1603, effectively uniting Scotland and England beneath one rule. The Scottish Royal Arms had up to that point used two unicorns as shield supporters. The English Arms had used a variety of supporters, but most frequently had included a lion. In a tactful gesture then, he placed a lion upon the left of the new Arms, and a unicorn upon the right. This was a potent bit of symbolism, for both the lion and the unicorn had long been thought to be deadly enemies: both regarded as king of the beasts, the unicorn rules through harmony while the lion rules through might, It came to symbolise a reconciliation between the Scottish unicorn and the English lion that the two should share the rule. The effectiveness of the sentiment, unfortunately, is placed in some doubt by the famous nursery rhyme..."
 

WhiteHunter said:
General Services. The button was used from ww1 to just after the second world war. I like finding them :icon_thumright:
As you say Army General Service button, one of the most common types, this is 1902-WWII (depending on backmark)
 

DavidBeard said:
Texasgopher said:
Cool botton, I like it. :icon_thumright: What is the rhyme from?
I'm not sure how many years the 'Nursey Rhyme' goes back but sometime after the 1600's.
"...King James VI of Scotland succeeded Elizabeth I when she died childless in 1603, effectively uniting Scotland and England beneath one rule. The Scottish Royal Arms had up to that point used two unicorns as shield supporters. The English Arms had used a variety of supporters, but most frequently had included a lion. In a tactful gesture then, he placed a lion upon the left of the new Arms, and a unicorn upon the right. This was a potent bit of symbolism, for both the lion and the unicorn had long been thought to be deadly enemies: both regarded as king of the beasts, the unicorn rules through harmony while the lion rules through might, It came to symbolise a reconciliation between the Scottish unicorn and the English lion that the two should share the rule. The effectiveness of the sentiment, unfortunately, is placed in some doubt by the famous nursery rhyme..."

Thanks for sharing! That makes it even more interesting. The history over there is nothing short of fascinating.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom