Need help with civil war (Flat) Massachusettes button ~ Must See ~

[DirtyMike]

Has anyone ever seen one of these. I cant find it in any books or anywhere. No backmark, its flat, and its BIG. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[johnnyi]

The design is similar to what's found on livery buttons but the style looks a little more modern. Are your sure it is one piece and not a shell upon a flat back? Is that a shank sunken into the back or a stub of a shank?

 

[DirtyMike]

The design is similar to what's found on livery buttons but the style looks a little more modern. Are your sure it is one piece and not a shell upon a flat back? Is that a shank sunken into the back or a stub of a shank?

Full shank and it appears to be a one piece.

 

[trikikiwi]

By coincidence I was looking at something similar, but obviously unrelated just yesterday.



Collar badges from the 3rd Auckland (NZ) Infantry Regiment (WWI)
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Antiques-collectables/Militaria/Badges/auction-240005971.htm

Mike

 

[johnnyi]

Mike, this isn't to be confused with the Massachusetts design which is a hand holding a curved sword. Your button is a hand holding a straight dagger which is a fairly common device on livery buttons for instance. It would be helpful to get a closer look at the shank and see how it is set. It might be easier to date that way. There have been a few buttons posted up here lately which can really fool you, and they all had in common a shank with the loop partially set in the back rather than soldered at its stem.

 

[Iron Patch]

Yep, very common design, knives, swords, arrows, seen em all and many times.