Hello, I'm new to the group and excited by all the great info you guys have to offer! I have a friend who's going through all his family's stuff and he found several items that I can't find on Google lens etc. There are 15 buttons that are all the same made by the Waterbury manufacturing company in Connecticut. He doesn't know much about what position or status he held except that he led pickets charge at Gettysburg? Idk. I'll attach photos. There is one that is larger than the others. It has like a coat of arms or maybe an a academy insignia on it that I can't find anywhere. It doesn't have anything on the back. If anyone knows anything about these, I would appreciate your insight. The front of the (15) say United we stand, Divided we fall" on the front and has (2) men shaking hands. ("Klein Brothers"?) I'm attaching a couple pics. I'm really puzzled about the single one that's larger and different.
Treasure hunt find, helping a friend. Need civil war buttons info.
- Thread starter JenniferC
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TheCannonballGuy
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Because of the civil war ancestor story, I regret to have to tell your friend that all of the buttons in your photos were made in the 20th-Century. For example, the button backmark saying "Waterbury Co's Conn" dates from 1942, when the firm's name was changed from Waterbury Button Company to Companies (plural). Note, the firm changed its name back to Waterbury Button Company (singular) around 2005.
The button which has a rectangular shank/thread-loop) dates from no earlier than the 1940s. It is called a "self-shank" button because instead of the loop being a separately applied piece, the back itself forms the shank.
RedCoat is correct, of course... the button showing two standing men shaking hands is a Kentucky State Seal button, which in the civil war era was worn by soldiers of the State Militia. But the last of the official state militias became US National Guard units in the very-early 20th Century, and stopped wearing their State insignia buttons.
Now, state seal buttons tend to be worn by State Police and various state Government officials, in various agencies.
The button which has a rectangular shank/thread-loop) dates from no earlier than the 1940s. It is called a "self-shank" button because instead of the loop being a separately applied piece, the back itself forms the shank.
RedCoat is correct, of course... the button showing two standing men shaking hands is a Kentucky State Seal button, which in the civil war era was worn by soldiers of the State Militia. But the last of the official state militias became US National Guard units in the very-early 20th Century, and stopped wearing their State insignia buttons.
Now, state seal buttons tend to be worn by State Police and various state Government officials, in various agencies.
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