Pewter Buttons?? Need help IDing/Dating them. Thanks

[julesjunk]

Hello,
Found these two buttons about 20ft apart from each other at an 1840's farmstead near Colecamp, MO. They appear to have Pewter fronts, are approx. the diameter of a nickel, are very heavy for their size, and are identical in size and shape, except for having slightly different patterns on the faces.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Jules

 

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[romeo-1]

No idea but they sure are purty!

 

[dugupfinds]

Pewter "tombac" buttons - 18th century - earlier than the house.

 

[ColonialDude]

yepper, that be tombac *hah* Nice oldies. I love old colonial buttons.

Dugupfinds...have you ever found any tombac 4-hole buttons I didn't know they existed until I found one yesterday at a site that ranges from 1780-1812.

 

[dugupfinds]

I have several 4 holed pewter types. Plain. But not sure if they are that early. Your have to post a picture.

 

[Don in SJ]

I am fairly certain your buttons are not "Tombac" buttons. A Tombac is not a Pewter button. Tombac buttons did not have iron shanks, early pewter buttons did, and I would lean more towards pewter.

Here is a description of a Tombac button, which by the way, usually on the reverse you will see the spin marks.

The definitive description of Tombac used in button manufacture. Tombac, invented in the late 17th Century was used in manufacture up to but not after 1800. Tombac was a combination of Copper, Zinc and arsenic metal. It was known as "White Copper" according to David Johnson in his Uniform Button books published in the 1940's. As it goes, the Tombac metal was never white. It always turned out with a yellow sheen to it. In any case it was not used for button manufacture after 1800. One or two examples may have been found after 1800, but no signs of continued manufacture. This confirmed with Sally Luscomb's Button Collectors Book. The primary design on Tombac Buttons was made with a Lathe. The metal was brittle and would break instead of bend.

Pewter, is mostly Tin, Copper and Lead, modern day Pewter does not use lead.

The attached photo is of some of my Tombacs, you will notice the backsides are all very similiar on how the shank was attached, and on some you can see the spin marks from the lathe. Also, I includes a broken one since many of the larger Tombacs are found broken like this due to them being so brittle.

Tombacs found in America are usually considered to date 1770's to 1800.

Jules, your buttons are hard to say what age, but I do believe they predate your site and are from the 1700's.

Don

 

[Kansas]

I guess I was wrong yesterday when I told you about the "Star" thing at the hunt.
Dont ever listen to me.... I have way to many senior moments.

~Kansas~

 

[dugupfinds]

Tombac is a generic term for these type of buttons, please see quote from Gordon Baileys book on buttons:

"Buttons made of a Zinc & copper alloy were widely used during the 18th century. The American name for this metal is tombac & is usually contains enough zinc to give a silver apperance. Tombac was used in the 17th century buttons of this metal are hard to tell from those of good quality pewter."

There are many pewter examples in his book under the generic heading of "Tombac".

Date stays the same.

 

[ColonialDude]

don't mean to hijack this thread but here is my tombac 4-hole

 

[dugupfinds]

Yes, found 7 of them. The rest in the hedge again.

 

[julesjunk]

Thanks all, for the help.........

You have me wondering about the site now. Seems I should take a few more swings at it.
Regards,
Jules

 

[dugupfinds]

Yes give it a good going over. These buttons are of good quality & of at least middle class origin. They may have lost other quality finds.

GET OUT THERE & HAPPY HUNTING!!!