🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Time period of this backmark?

[jhamner]

With all the Scovill backmark variations, I'm having trouble placing this one in a specific time slot. I think it's post (Civil) War, but I would love to hear from the experts out there!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

It's very important to note that your Scovill backmark has no circle-of-dots nor an indented ring-groove around the shank, nor around the outer edge of the back (outside the backmark's letters). The McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on button backmarks shows (in a photo) a "no rings" (nor circle of dots) backmark ALMOST identical to yours (except yours has a dot -- which is NOT a 'star" -- at the beginning and end of Waterbury). The book says that back dates from 1870 to 1890.

Now, all of that being said, your button's exact back (ringless, with a dot at the start and end of Waterbury) is shown on a World War One era US Army "Great Seal" button in the photo below.

 

[Retired Sarge]

It's very important to note that your Scovill backmark has no circle-of-dots nor an indented ring-groove around the shank, nor around the outer edge of the back (outside the backmark's letters). he McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on button backmarks shows (in a photo) a "no rings" (nor circle of dots) backmark almost identical to yours (except it has a dot at the beginning and end of Waterbury). The book says that back dates from 1870 to 1890.

Now, all of that being said, your button's exact back (ringless, with a dot at the start and end of Waterbury)is shown on a World War One era US Army "Great Seal" button in the photo below.

TCBG, aka walking, talking, encyclopedia of many things in for the ID!

 

[jhamner]

TCBG, aka walking, talking, encyclopedia of many things in for the ID!

Thank you very much! The various Scovill marks are always confusing to me, but you made it all make sense!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Jhamner wrote:
> Thank you very much! The various Scovill marks are always confusing to me, but you made it all make sense!

Because you said that, I absolutely MUST add a correction to the info given in the photo of 4 buttons with different time-period Scovill backmarks. The info below the second button is incorrect for the backmark shown -- which has a lower-case "o" in the abbreviation "Co." That backmark dates from 1870 to 1920 -- NOT from 1860 to 1880.

For "it all to make sense," please buy the McGuinn-&-Bazelon book "American Military Button Makers and Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates." The latest edition (buff-colored cloth cover) sells for about $25. In addition to time-dating info for many hundreds of backmarks (listed in alphabetical order by button-maker or dealer name), it has many pages of excellent CLOSEUP PHOTOS showing various button-backmarks, including two pages of just the Scovill variations. Also, 3 pages of Horstmann backmarks -- plus, many other backmark photos.

The scan attached below shows one of the McGuinn-&-Bazelon backmark book's photo pages of various Scovill backmarks, with CORRECT time-dating.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Jhamner, I forgot to request, please post a closeup photo of your button's front.

 

[jhamner]

Jhamner

Sorry for the delay-My daughter has our camera and I'm not sure how to post a pic with my phone. The front though, if this helps at all, is a standard Marine Corps eagle and fouled(?) anchor button. Update--just got the camera back!

 

[jhamner]

Sorry for the delay-My daughter has our camera and I'm not sure how to post a pic with my phone. The front though, if this helps at all, is a standard Marine Corps eagle and fouled(?) anchor button. Update--just got the camera back!

This query is SOLVED thanks to your kind replies! Thank you!

 

[GoldieLocks]

This query is SOLVED thanks to your kind replies! Thank you!

Is there a difference between a backmark and a button?