✅ SOLVED RH&S button

[edlynne]

I found this button in Central Massachusetts. Not sure if it is a button or a snap, 5/8 of an inch wide. Any help in identification is appreciated. Thanks in advance

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[Bramblefind]

Hi - that looks a lot like the monogram for the RH Stearns & Co - Boston department store.

Here's some info about the store-

R. H. Stearns Co., Boston, Massachusetts

Though founded in 1845, the more familiar home of R. H. Stearns on the Boston Common was built in 1910. The interio...

www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org

And from Wikipedia

R. H. Stearns & Company, or Stearns, as it was commonly called, was an upper-middle market department store based in Boston, Massachusetts, founded by R. H. Stearns.

The flagship store was located on Tremont Street, opposite the famed Boston Common, in the section of Boston called Downtown Crossing. The store was located a couple of blocks away from its primary competitors on Washington Street, those being Filene's and Jordan Marsh.

R. H. Stearns carved out a niche as being a more service-oriented store than its competitors, and it was considered by many[who?] to be the "carriage trade" store of the Boston area. By the mid-1970s the changing face of the retail marketplace caught up with the store, and it did not have the financial backing like Filene's or Jordan Marsh, who were both owned by large national retail holding companies. At the time of Stearns demise Filene's was owned by Federated Department Stores, and Jordan Marsh was owned by Allied Stores.

R. H. Stearns operated through the Christmas shopping season of 1977, and closed down in January 1978 after holding a liquidation sale.

 

[edlynne]

Hi - that looks a lot like the monogram for the RH Stearns & Co - Boston department store.

Here's some info about the store-

R. H. Stearns Co., Boston, Massachusetts

Though founded in 1845, the more familiar home of R. H. Stearns on the Boston Common was built in 1910. The interio...

www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org

And from Wikipedia

Thanks, not sure how you did it but Thanks

 

[Mud Hut]

Hi - that looks a lot like the monogram for the RH Stearns & Co - Boston department store.

Here's some info about the store-

R. H. Stearns Co., Boston, Massachusetts

Though founded in 1845, the more familiar home of R. H. Stearns on the Boston Common was built in 1910. The interio...

www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org

And from Wikipedia

Dang Bramble !! You nailed that one! Outstanding!

 

[edlynne]

cant figure out how to mark solved.

 

[fyrffytr1]

While the letter style is the same, Bramblefind's link shows RHS company and not RH&S. While they may be one and the same I don't think I would mark it solved yet. And, if I overlooked something in Bramblefind's reply I apologize. I'm old and don't have time to read every word!👴

 

[Red-Coat]

While the letter style is the same, Bramblefind's link shows RHS company and not RH&S. While they may be one and the same I don't think I would mark it solved yet. And, if I overlooked something in Bramblefind's reply I apologize. I'm old and don't have time to read every word!👴

You’re quire right that these small details matter, but I think Bramblefind’s ID is reliable, as always.

Stearns didn’t register the monogrammed logo as a trademark as far as I can tell, so we don’t have any dating from those records, but the company seems to have used the names R H Stearns, R H Stearns Co and R H Stearns & Co at different times in its history.

Here’s a picture of the old Masonic Temple at 131 Tremont Street in Boston being converted in 1885 to become their new store from 1886 onwards. The hoarding clearly says “R H Stearns & Co – Great Bargains in Handkerchiefs”:



That store was torn down after a completely new building was put up in 1908 at 140 Tremont Street, with the ampersand dropped from the name. The completed building was referred to as “R H Stearns House” and the business referred to initially as “R H Stearns Co” and then as “R H Stearns”.

 

[fyrffytr1]

You’re quire right that these small details matter, but I think Bramblefind’s ID is reliable, as always.

Stearns didn’t register the monogrammed logo as a trademark as far as I can tell, so we don’t have any dating from those records, but the company seems to have used the names R H Stearns, R H Stearns Co and R H Stearns & Co at different times in its history.

Here’s a picture of the old Masonic Temple at 131 Tremont Street in Boston being converted in 1885 to become their new store from 1886 onwards. The hoarding clearly says “R H Stearns & Co – Great Bargains in Handkerchiefs”:

View attachment 1988080

That store was torn down after a completely new building was put up in 1908 at 140 Tremont Street, with the ampersand dropped from the name. The completed building was referred to as “R H Stearns House” and the business referred to initially as “R H Stearns Co” and then as “R H Stearns”.

But, none of those names match R.H.& S. in that order.

 

[Mud Hut]

But, none of those names match R.H.& S. in that order.

R.H.S. & Co. on the button. Not R.H.& S.

 

[Red-Coat]

But, none of those names match R.H.& S. in that order.

R.H.S. & Co. on the button. Not R.H.& S.

Yes... RHS & Co

For fancy monograms like this, you often can't simply read them left to right with an assumption that the all letters continuously read in that order. Here, the 'RHS' and the '& Co' are laid on top of one another, such that they should be read as separate parts of the overall company name.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Yes... RHS & Co

For fancy monograms like this, you often can't simply read them left to right with an assumption that the all letters continuously read in that order. Here, the 'RHS' and the '& Co' are laid on top of one another, such that they should be read as separate parts of the overall company name.

Now I see said the blind man!