My Historic Button Collection (Bought & Found)

[Deleted member 140734]

When I first began metal detecting around 5 years ago, I was lucky enough to find a GW Inaugural Button (posted again here). Since then I have found many colonial era buttons and now have a sizeable and interesting collection. Especially fascinating to me are the old US Navy buttons, especially from the post War of 1812 to Civil War era. Since my area is surrounded by ocean, many people came from fishing and whaling stock. I live close to what was one of the principle whaling ports from the colonial period through to 1849. I have found several US Naval Officer's buttons, such as the dug 1820-30's example I show here next to a mint purchased one.

As much as I enjoy the metal detecting hobby, sometimes I despair at finding corroded artifacts and coins. Fortunately, our soils are well-drained with sand underneath, unless there is a clay lens or glacial compaction of iron infused quartz gravels. Since most areas were farmed out and lost fertility early on, they weren't subjected to the later use of agricultural chemicals that I believe are responsible for metal corrosion.

This led me to start buying historical buttons and my collection is pretty large, especially early train and air transportation. And lots of British Empire colonial pieces. Here is a photo of my group of pre-Civil War New York State Militia buttons. I also bought a nice CSA button which I keep in my collection mounted next to a US Infantry button for balance. It's kind of funny how some women are taken aback when I tell them I collect buttons, as if it isn't a manly hobby! I will post more on this thread if some people are interested in seeing them. Detectorists in general love round metallic objects made with precious metals.

Some day I hope to find an American or British Revolutionary War button. It's a top goal for me. I have found many .75 and .69 musket balls, and a one inch cast iron grapeshot. My area was occupied for most of the war, including two barracks of Hessian mercenaries nearby. So the possibilities are there.

Speaking of Hessians...I own a c 1900 copy of my town's history book. In it, they mention that the Hessians were so despised, that even a 100 years after the Revolutionary War, a popular slur was to call someone a "dirty Hessian."

 

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[vpnavy]

When I first began metal detecting around 5 years ago, I was lucky enough to find a GW Inaugural Button...

Nice collection. Thanks for sharing...

 

[Deleted member 140734]

The bottom two buttons show the transition from the NYC Elevated to the underground subway. The Coney Island run was hugely popular. Also the line over the Brooklyn Bridge. Late 1800's to early 1900's.

 

[Deleted member 140734]

Some of my Airline buttons. Most notable is the pre-Howard Hughes TWA in lower right. Some early US Air Mail on top left.

 

[Deleted member 140734]

Some of my dug US Navy Buttons and a Civil War Artillery. In the immediate area where I found the top row, I also found Jacksonian-era coinage including a very large 1824 penny from Nova Scotia. If not on duty in the North Atlantic, this sailor could have been whaling or fishing the Cod Banks.

 

[BennyV]

When I first began metal detecting around 5 years ago, I was lucky enough to find a GW Inaugural Button (posted again here). Since then I have found many colonial era buttons and now have a sizeable and interesting collection. Especially fascinating to me are the old US Navy buttons, especially from the post War of 1812 to Civil War era. Since my area is surrounded by ocean, many people came from fishing and whaling stock. I live close to what was one of the principle whaling ports from the colonial period through to 1849. I have found several US Naval Officer's buttons, such as the dug 1820-30's example I show here next to a mint purchased one.

As much as I enjoy the metal detecting hobby, sometimes I despair at finding corroded artifacts and coins. Fortunately, our soils are well-drained with sand underneath, unless there is a clay lens or glacial compaction of iron infused quartz gravels. Since most areas were farmed out and lost fertility early on, they weren't subjected to the later use of agricultural chemicals that I believe are responsible for metal corrosion.

This led me to start buying historical buttons and my collection is pretty large, especially early train and air transportation. And lots of British Empire colonial pieces. Here is a photo of my group of pre-Civil War New York State Militia buttons. I also bought a nice CSA button which I keep in my collection mounted next to a US Infantry button for balance. It's kind of funny how some women are taken aback when I tell them I collect buttons, as if it isn't a manly hobby! I will post more on this thread if some people are interested in seeing them. Detectorists in general love round metallic objects made with precious metals.

Some day I hope to find an American or British Revolutionary War button. It's a top goal for me. I have found many .75 and .69 musket balls, and a one inch cast iron grapeshot. My area was occupied for most of the war, including two barracks of Hessian mercenaries nearby. So the possibilities are there.

Speaking of Hessians...I own a c 1900 copy of my town's history book. In it, they mention that the Hessians were so despised, that even a 100 years after the Revolutionary War, a popular slur was to call someone a "dirty Hessian."

Where on Long Island are you?

 

[Gare]

Nice going Eastender Thanks for sharing with us

 

[Deleted member 140734]

Where on Long Island are you?

Eastern Long Island South Fork

 

[Deleted member 140734]

More examples from my large collection of non-dug historical buttons. Since I was an international student who lived in India for all of 1983, I traveled much of the Indian sub-continent, riding as many of the old coal burning trains as I could before they were phased out to electric locomotives. Living in East Africa during 1979-80 and the first half of 1984, and in Israel 1984-1985, I've been a student of British colonial history and still read books on the subject to this day. The British perfected button manufacture and they were important imperial symbols much like jewelry. These examples mean as much to me as any contemporary coinage, and are also much rarer than most.

Attached find an early example of the British East India Company c. 1810. The picture doesn't do it justice. Features on the Imperial Lion are hand chased. It must have been a sight on the redcoats, sparkling with the sun glistening while moving over the features. The "God Save The King" is c.1830. And the Lady Clare is the household button for the wife of John FitzGibbon, 2nd Earl of Clare. He was an Anglo-Irish Aristocrat and politician who was active in the House of Lords. In 1830 he became a Privy Councillor, and later the same year was appointed Governor of Bombay, serving until 1835. From Wiki: "On 14 April 1826, he married the Hon. Elizabeth Burrell, daughter of Peter Burrell, 1st Lord Gwydwyr and Priscilla Bertie, suo jure 21st Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. Her dowry was between £30,000 and £60,000. The couple lived apart, Lady Clare moving to the Isle of Wight where she built a Catholic church at Ryde and a Priory at Carisbrooke.

The big silver button and matching cuff belonged to the livery of Earl Granville Leveson Gower, The First Earl Granville c. 1833. It is the largest button in my historical collection. It's a great snapshot into the importance placed upon the fancy carriages, horses, and attendants of British nobility.

Much of my British Military collection is from the mid-1800s along with Consular Officials and royal household Staff.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

What a great looking collection !

 

[Deleted member 140734]

Since I collect vintage railroad buttons, it would only make sense to also acquire them from my local RR, the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Founded in 1834, the LIRR is the oldest US RR still operating under its original name and charter. With its origins centered mainly around Brooklyn traffic, the LIRR was chartered to connect New York City to Boston. Cornelius Vanderbilt built part of fortune operating ferry services around NYC, but a land connection was sought. The CT coast was considered too hilly with many rivers to bridge for profitable RR construction. The idea was to run a line through the relatively flat middle of Long Island (which didn't have rivers or many at grade population center crossings), to the eastern tip where one ferry connection could link up to several NE regional RRs.

I may own one of the most extensive collections of LIRR buttons. Their first and oldest one pictured here dates between 1850s - 1870s. I never see this button come up for sale and feel lucky to have scored it. Early pre or Civil War-era RR buttons are the gold standard for the hobby. (I also have a rare mint condition NY & Erie RR button pre-Civil war). In the first photo, I show it next to Atlantic Ave. RR buttons. This RR dates to 1872, but parts of it were some of the earliest Street Car and Steam Locomotive RRs in the country that formed the start of the LIRR (East River Brooklyn to Jamaica 1832).

In the second photo first row are the three buttons previously mentioned, then the serif script pattern used 1870's - 1900. I have 30 NOS pieces of the serif pattern. The third row dates 1900-15. the fourth 1915-32, the fifth 1932-49, the LI 1949-59, and the M 1959-72.