SCOVILL MFG CO. WATERBURY BUTTON EAGLE + ANCHOR

[Sheanderson]

SCOVILL MF'G CO. WATERBURY BUTTON EAGLE + ANCHOR

Looking for any help I can find to identify this button. After looking around this site, I think it is a US Marine Corps Button.

It was not from a DIG. We are downsizing my 89-year-old mom’s house. Her father was in military during WWI and her brothers during WWII, one a Marine. She grew up in Decorah, Iowa and Minneapolis, Minnesota thru the early 1940’s.

• It is domed
• Two pieced – top copper or brass and bottom tin or aluminum
• Tiny ribs on front
• 13 stars on front
• Anchor and Bird with head hanging down
• There are two dots between Scovill Mf’g Co. “dot” Waterbury “dot” rather than stars
• No rings on back
• It measures just over 1” across
• I see no dents

Thank you for any help.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

All I can tell you right now is that it was manufactured between 1850 and 1865. Someone else should come along soon and give you more info.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Your Scovill-made US Marines button's backmark having no rings (circular grooves), IN COMBINATION WITH the presence of the two dots, means the button is from sometime in the 20th Century. More specifically, your US Marines button has what is called "black finish" on it, which dates it from the World War One era to 1923.

As a sidenote, I should mention that sometime after 1923 and up to today, some US Marines buttons have been manufactured with a "brown finish" on them, according to a T-Net member who is a former US Marine. But in your photos, the color appears to be black, not brown... and if it actually is black, it is from the World War One era to 1923.

 

[Sheanderson]

And, if it were brown rather than black, what would the story be then?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

I can't find the message I received from the T-Net former Marine about the "brown finish" (on metal, not plastic) Marine buttons. IF (big if) I recall that message correctly, he said the "brown finish" ones date back to the Vietnam War era, and are still being used today.

Perhaps he (or some other former Marine here at T-Net) will see this post and confirm or correct my elderly brain's memory about the "brown-finish" US Marines buttons.

 

[duggap]

You are definitely correct about the brown version of the button. I tried looking it up and the only thing I found as to a date of adoption was WWII. But I must say the site I was on is famous for making misstatements.

 

[tim185]

I can't find the message I received from the T-Net former Marine about the "brown finish" (on metal, not plastic) Marine buttons. IF (big if) I recall that message correctly, he said the "brown finish" ones date back to the Vietnam War era, and are still being used today.

Perhaps he (or some other former Marine here at T-Net) will see this post and confirm or correct my elderly brain's memory about the "brown-finish" US Marines buttons.

CBG.... I'd put dollars your 'elderly brain's memory' against durn (yes i said durn) near anyone on here.... no disrespect to anyone else but hey... you know

Tim

 

[N.O. noir et d'or]

CBG.... I'd put dollars your 'elderly brain's memory' against durn (yes i said durn) near anyone on here.... no disrespect to anyone else but hey... you know Tim

Tim, I am going to have to 2nd your sentiments re CBG. I've learned so much from him here - a extraordinary resource for us all!!! N.O.

 

[tim185]

Tim, I am going to have to 2nd your sentiments re CBG. I've learned so much from him here - a extraordinary resource for us all!!! N.O.

N.O..... agreed.
I often just follow his posts just to learn stuff. It's durn near ridiculous the quality of information he provides to us all.
I've often thought he should just start his own research website.... but then again... I'm glad he doesn't.

Tim

 

[MuckyBottles]

I found one of those buttons the other day minus the back and it was gold/brown..

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

MuckyBottles, the button you found is an entirely different type of button from Sheanderson's 2-piece US Marines button. Yours is a US Army Staff Officer's 3-piece button... and the EXTRA-WIDE flat rim encircling yours means it was made sometime between the 1870s and 1902, when the army quit using that type of button. Also, none of the US Army Staff Officer buttons were made with "brown finish" or "black finish" on them... yours was goldplated, which has partially worn off, exposing the brass underneath, which allows the brass to turn brown in certain soil-conditions.

 

[MuckyBottles]

MuckyBottles, the button you found is an entirely different type of button from Sheanderson's 2-piece US Marines button. Yours is a US Army Staff Officer's 3-piece button... and the EXTRA-WIDE flat rim encircling yours means it was made sometime between the 1870s and 1902, when the army quit using that type of button. Also, none of the US Army Staff Officer buttons were made with "brown finish" or "black finish" on them... yours was goldplated, which has partially worn off, exposing the brass underneath, which allows the brass to turn brown in certain soil-conditions.

Thank you, so a post civil war button it is.

 

[Dug]

I can't find the message I received from the T-Net former Marine about the "brown finish" (on metal, not plastic) Marine buttons. IF (big if) I recall that message correctly, he said the "brown finish" ones date back to the Vietnam War era, and are still being used today.

Perhaps he (or some other former Marine here at T-Net) will see this post and confirm or correct my elderly brain's memory about the "brown-finish" US Marines buttons.

We are in trouble CB cuz I have an elderly brain too and it is getting more elderly everyday. Sorry I did not see this right away, but have been distracted with work for the last few months.

I entered boot camp July 1973 and dress uniform buttons were and have been black finish since. Speaking with some "old Corps" types slightly ahead of me I understand brown finish was used up to some point just prior to my arrival but were phased out for wear which explains why I never saw any brown finish buttons. Probably safe to say the brown buttons had to be in use from 1923-late 60s as a swag.