The Early Military Button project

[blue_yeti]

Hi Ian

Apologies for not completing the ID there.

It is Royal Artillery and actually dates to 1873-1902. Before that date the artillery used three cannons with the crown above and before that various types. The one I want someone to find is the first pattern with a cannon facing right with a pyramid of stacked cannon balls beneath, as its a very rare button.

After that date the crown would have changed .

Hope that helps

BY

[-ian-]

Thats fantastic. Thank you for your quick and thorough reply.

[carper84]

Thank you BY

[blue_yeti]

Derfel

I have PM'ed you some info but did get back the following on your militia buttons, one of which is unrecorded so another great one thank you.

The button to the Northumberland Fencibles is unrecorded. The first commission dates for the unit are 28 February 1795, under Colonel Francis Blake, Lieut-Colonel Robert Dudley Blake, a corps of full battalion strength, they are stood down towards the end of 1801.

That of the 94th is either the raising of 1780-1783 Col. Robert Prescott, a Scottish regiment, or that of 1794-1796 under Col. John Hely Hutchinson, an Irish Regiment. The style suggests the latter.

The 6th Regt Loyal London Vols is a known type from (1803-1814)

Thanks for posting them

BY

[Puffin]

Puffin,

Had it confirmed it is a mess waiters button as suggested above.

Pops, looks to me like the 39th which is the Dorsets, I suspect 1800-1855 but will check up in the reference books thius evening and get a bit more detail for you.

Cheers
BY

Cheers BY, I'll pass the infomation on.

[derfel]

Thanks again here is the better pic of the fencibles button

[blue_yeti]

Thanks mate, most helpful

BY

[scratchiemm]

My best button ever.........!

silverbutton.jpg (52.72 KiB) Viewed 9800 times

A die-stamped two-piece military uniform button of the Honourable Artillery Company; circular; flat; separate brazed/soldered wire shank; the plume and motto (ICH DIEN), of the Prince of Wales, and the inscription, HON ARTILLERY COM above; silver-plated front

Circa late 18th to early 19th century

Is this of use to your project???

Cheers

[blue_yeti]

Hi Scatchie

Very nice button indeed and one on which I asked my colleagues about for some extra info and it doesnt turn up all that often.

As is clear its a button of the HAC which gets its Royal Charter way back in Henry VIII's reign. This style of button though usually has the back mark 'R.C', (does yours?) which is the registered silver maker's mark of either Robert Clark or Richard Crossley, two London 'smiths 'of the day'.

The face of the button is covered with silver sheet, i.e. Sheffield plate, thus they remain in good nick even after all these years in the ground.

Dating is really quite difficult as George, Prince of Wales (later George IV) was created Captain-General of the HAC at the tender age of just 3! Which therefore places the buttons at c1770 to 1790 at the very latest.

Very nice early find and thanks for sharing

BY

[scratchiemm]

Hi BY,
Thanks for your extra info on the button. Unfortunately there is no silver mark on the back..........
It's always interesting to try and wonder why an unusual button ended up in the ground in the depths of the countryside so hopefully your project will provide some meaningful answers or at least possible theories.
Good luck with your ongoing project

Cheers
Mary

[bill320]

Hi Blue ....found this yesterday.(3rd west york)(flatback)...thought it may be of interest...(many thanks mate.)

[blue_yeti]

Just like to publicly thanks Bill320 for putting up on Ebay all the buttons that were ID'ed on this thread for him.

Not only that but just cutting and pasting all my replies into the Ebay listing just added a little salt as well.

Sadly this has led to the people helping with this project as volunteers not wishing to do detailed ID's any longer just to give up all of our time to help other people profit by using our write ups to enhance their profits, which is understandable.



BY

[Hawkstone]

That is SO disappointing that some-one abuses the help & knowledge of your good self and others. It must feel like a real kick in the nuts, to say the least !!. I hope he has the decency to apologise, and remove the quotes at least. J.

[StuE]

Sadly most of us get tunnel vision at times and plough ahead without thinking of others. I'm sure on reflection Bill realises he should at least have asked your permission to use all your hard work and maybe even offered you one or two of the choice ones for your collection.

[blue_yeti]

Stu,

Looks to be the IV Queens Own Hussars, hence the HQO monogram. I believe the latin script was added after 1906 from memory, but this is not the usual pattern of badge I know for this unit as it usually has a large IV centrally placed. I will take a look at books for some more details when I get home, it could be a sweetheart brooch and a shot of the back may help in this regard

Cheers
BY