Old Navy Button

[metaldetectingtaylor]

Think I have seen this before on the forum but wanted to make sure it was the same. Looks like a navy button any ideas? Thanks, Taylor

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Many civilian sport-coat/blazer buttons have been manufactured which imitate the design of a US Navy button. A simple way to tell the difference (without even looking at the back) is that the civilian-clothing imitations have "weaker" detail in the emblem. Meaning, details like the "lined background" and feathers are not crisp/sharply-defined, whereas actual US Navy buttons are quite sharply-detailed. Your button appears to be a civilian-clothing imitation.

 

[metaldetectingtaylor]

I tried cleaning it but that was the best I could do. What period would this be from even if it was civilian?

 

[steelheadwill]

could be anything 1880- present I believe.
Yours looks like it's been buried a while, I'd guess early 20th century.
decent Find, keep on diggin

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Here's a photo to visibly clarify what I meant when speaking of the "sharply detailed" Original US military version and the "weakly detailed" Imitations manufactured for civilan jackets and coats.

Notice the rope border encirling the emblem - you can count every twist. The eagle's feathers show fine detail. The stars are clearly sharp-pointed stars - not weak dot-like ones as you see on most civilian imitations. Also note the well-made detail of the horizontal-lines background.

Steelheadwill is correct... the time-period of the civilian imiations can be anywhere from the 1880s to today. Last time I checked, you can buy brand-new civilian imitations online today from JoAnn Fabrics and other sewing-supplies sellers.