Rare North Carolina button, confederate?

crabstang44 · Mar 10, 2016

Has been mostly identified, but don't know who used it. If anybody has any new info please let me know thanks, was found in new Bern nc

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

by the way in case anyone was wandering, the shank is intact

Steve in PA · Mar 11, 2016

Welcome to T-net. Don't have my reference books here at work, but am anxious to see if it is even listed. Looks like a little jelly could bring out more of the gold, but you have to be pretty careful when cleaning a 4 figure button.

Fantastic find :thumbsup:

Am waiting for more information before I vote banner.

DownNDirty · Mar 11, 2016

Steve in PA said:
Welcome to T-net. Don't have my reference books here at work, but am anxious to see if it is even listed. Looks like a little jelly could bring out more of the gold, but you have to be pretty careful when cleaning a 4 figure button.

Fantastic find Am waiting for more information before I vote banner.

Make sure that you use ALUMINUM jelly to clean it, NOT naval jelly. Naval jelly is more acidic and may damage the gilt, but you should be OK with aluminum jelly. You'll probably have to order it online-you can get it through Amazon.

Congratulations on such a rare and fantastic find, and in exceptional condition. The capped bust is a beauty also!

Coastie59 · Mar 11, 2016

Congrats on an awesome find!! Would like to see more pics when cleaned! I'm just down the road in Newport NC still looking for my NC button!

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

Coastie59 said:
Congrats on an awesome find!! Would like to see more pics when cleaned! I'm just down the road in Newport NC still looking for my NC button!

I'm scared to do any cleaning

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

crabstang44 said:
by the way in case anyone was wandering, the shank is intact

here is all i know= it was made by firmin and sons for the tailor robert cook in the mid 1800s in london, and i believe it was worn by a small group of confederates right here in my city, apparently if you had the money back then to fund a group of soldiers with everything they needed they would make you a staff officer and you could by your own uniforms and buttons etc. and i found out that one other was dug in kinston years ago, and the confederates retreated from new bern to kinston during the war, dont know how true it all is but is all i got

mangum · Mar 11, 2016

Wow! Amazing NC button! I've never seen that one!

Patriot Relics · Mar 11, 2016

Welcome to Tnet, certainly a rare button and not one I've seen before. If it is as rare as others have mentioned may be worthy of the banner. Holding my vote for a bit more info on the unit and a picture of the reverse. Congrats

screwynewy · Mar 11, 2016

crabstang44 said:
I'm scared to do any cleaning

I've cleaned a lot of gold guilt buttons using aluminum jelly with similar green corrosion and I am always amazed at how they come out looking. The aluminum jelly makes them look almost non-dug. But given the rarity of this button I would not take any chances on it. I would recommend consulting with a military relic expert like Harry Ridgeway. You can find his information here: The Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway

Congrats on an amazing find! Keep us posted if you find more information on it.

sorahc · Mar 11, 2016

Speechless. Could you please post a picture of the back? And can you read the backmark?

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

The back

Tnmountains · Mar 11, 2016

DownNDirty said:
Make sure that you use ALUMINUM jelly to clean it, NOT naval jelly. Naval jelly is more acidic and may damage the gilt, but you should be OK with aluminum jelly. You'll probably have to order it online-you can get it through Amazon.

Congratulations on such a rare and fantastic find, and in exceptional condition. The capped bust is a beauty also!

Ace hardware and use a q-tip and have a little fresh water handy to dab it off. Slow. Aluminum jelly is made by loctite. Little at a time.

Steve in PA · Mar 11, 2016

Didn't find your button in Albert's book but found it in Tice's book. Based on what Tice has to say, you have yourself a very rare button, and you also have my banner vote (even if you are a new member).

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

do i rub the jelly on and then wipe it off or leave it on or?

Steve in PA · Mar 11, 2016

crabstang44 said:
do i rub the jelly on and then wipe it off or leave it on or?

Apply the jelly any way you want, but protect your hands and eyes. It doesn't take long. I would wash it off after about 60 seconds and repeat as necessary. You want to keep a close eye on the process.

crabstang44 · Mar 11, 2016

ok i guess i will try some on the back first and see how it goes

Ahab8 · Mar 11, 2016

Dying to hear more about this button. If DRex is this fired up about it you have something very very special

button king · Mar 11, 2016

Page 216 of Alberts book( Steve from pa)

Ahab8 · Mar 11, 2016

button king said:
Page 216 of Alberts book

Thanks BK. I'll take a look at Tice and Alberts

WHADIFIND · Mar 11, 2016

Ya know? I don't know buttons at all. But, judging by the excitement in some of the posts there's something I can't figure out.

Why oh WHY!?!? Would ANYone be encouraging him to clean this button!?! At this stage, if it truly is that rare, why would anyone try to encourage "experimenting" with cleaning.....AT ALL!