Question for cannon ball guy

[leviathanrick]

I just read a post about an excelsior button. Your information is the best on the site. I found a button just like the one that was posted but the eagle is facing left instead of right. Can you tell me anything about this?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Yours is a much rarer version of NY York State Militia Officer button. (The more-common version shows a small eagle perched on a globe atop a large shield, whereas yours has a large eagle with a shield on its chest showing parts of the New York State Seal.) It is shown as button NY-28-A, B, or C. (I can't quite tell from your photo whether it is version A, B, or C.)

You did not say anything about your button having a backmark. I need to see it's back to time-date it. It's back is particularly important, because if it has a self-shank back, it is from the early-1900s and is not a Military button -- being instead worn by civilian New York State Government officials.

 

[leviathanrick]

Thanks for all your great info. Here is a picture of the back of the button. I do not see any writing at all on the back.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Thank you for providing a photo of your button's back. It shows your New York button is the version of Albert-book button #NY-28 which has self-shank back, which means it is from the early-1900s, and is the version reported to have been worn by NY State Government officials.

 

[leviathanrick]

Thank you. Your knowledge is astounding.