Button with anchor on it.

[TwoRivers]

Yesterday I found a flat button with an anchor and chain on the front, it is about the size of a quarter. No discernible writing on the back.
If anyone knows the history (ID) of this button I would appreciate any information you might give.

Thanks John in Virginia

 

[brnn53]

Looks British to me. Nice find.
Mike

 

[TwoRivers]

Thanks Mike.............you could be right.........I'll have to start doing some research on it...............................................John

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

Nice finds! I am curious what state you found them in.

I just went through the Albert's Record of American Uniform and Historical Button book and although there are some similar early US Navy buttons, none match Most US buttons were on a lined background with a border. The fouled anchor also wraps the opposite way on all US buttons.

There are many similar varieties of British buttons like this dating 1748 to 1812, when the royal crown was added. In 1774 a fouled anchor, plain edge or surrounded by rope edging, took the place of the Rose design used up until that date.

Here are two from that time period:

RN Capt/Commander - 1774
RN Master - 1787
RN Surgeon - 1787
RN Purser - 1787
RN Warrant Officer - 1787
RN Midshipman - 1787
In Use 1774-1787

RN Capt/Commander - 1774
Variation
In Use 1774-1787

 

[TwoRivers]

Nice finds! I am curious what state you found them in.

I just went through the Albert's Record of American Uniform and Historical Button book and although there are some similar early US Navy buttons, none match Most US buttons were on a lined background with a border. The fouled anchor also wraps the opposite way on all US buttons.

There are many similar varieties of British buttons like this dating 1748 to 1812, when the royal crown was added. In 1774 a fouled anchor, plain edge or surrounded by rope edging, took the place of the Rose design used up until that date.

Here are two from that time period:

RN Capt/Commander - 1774
RN Master - 1787
RN Surgeon - 1787
RN Purser - 1787
RN Warrant Officer - 1787
RN Midshipman - 1787
In Use 1774-1787

RN Capt/Commander - 1774
Variation
In Use 1774-1787

Neil............Thanks for the information you have compiled.........The buttons were found in Virginia on an old plantation from the early Colonial period..Coins and other items have been found dating back to the 1700s....

John in Virginia

 

[Larry (IL)]

Thanks Neil, that second one is close.

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

Thanks Neil, that second one is close.

That is what I thought too. Thanks for the heads up on this Larry! It's always fun trying to figure these things out!

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

I happened to come across this image while reading another forum. It is a plate showing buttons from the Inauguration of George Washington. Look down at the 4th row and the 4th column and you will see your button, or a very similar one.

It says "from breeches find, Continental Navy c1789" I am sure that this is incorrect and yours is British. While yours is not an inaugural button, it is still a nice piece and should command a good price!

Harold labeled this as part of the "Breeches Find" where 12 GW inaugurals were found on a pair of naval breeches along with three navy buttons. This is one of the naval buttons.

J. Doyle DeWitt purchased the breeches with one of the Eagle and Stars GW's still attached, as well as one of the navy buttons.

Sally Luscomb got one, and Harold got the last.

David F. Johnson and a Col. Campbell declared they were the first Continental Navy buttons found to date.

Hammer Price: $275

Congratulations!

http://kirkmitchell.tripod.com/CobbGW/navy.html

 

[TwoRivers]

I happened to come across this image while reading another forum. It is a plate showing buttons from the Inauguration of George Washington. Look down at the 4th row and the 4th column and you will see your button, or a very similar one.

It says "from breeches find, Continental Navy c1789" I am sure that this is incorrect and yours is British. While yours is not an inaugural button, it is still a nice piece and should command a good price!

Harold labeled this as part of the "Breeches Find" where 12 GW inaugurals were found on a pair of naval breeches along with three navy buttons. This is one of the naval buttons.

J. Doyle DeWitt purchased the breeches with one of the Eagle and Stars GW's still attached, as well as one of the navy buttons.

Sally Luscomb got one, and Harold got the last.

David F. Johnson and a Col. Campbell declared they were the first Continental Navy buttons found to date.

Hammer Price: $275

Congratulations!

http://kirkmitchell.tripod.com/CobbGW/navy.html

Neil.........There is a close resemblance to the button on the website you gave....Without revealing to much about where I found it I will say this.......The old plantation (now farm fields) where the button was found was formerly owned by relatives of George Washington or Richard Henry Lee (At the moment I don't remember which}....Friends of mine own the farm and have let me hunt it for over 20 years... This particular plantation probably dates back to the late 1600s and early 1700s... It would be nice to pinpoint the origin of this button....

Thanks again..............................John in Virginia

 

[cajintex]

One day, when I grow up, I am gonna find me one. Way to go.

 

[cornspike]

Great find

 

[TwoRivers]

Recently I recieved a publication from Garrett detectors, one of the articles in the publication showed a picture of an identical button to the one I have posted. They said it was of the revolutionary war era and it was from the British Royal Navy.

John

 

[1859large]

That button is one old button!

The uniform buttons are cast and the design is raised above the surface of the button. and loose their gilding. Yours looks hand made with the design below the surface of the button face hence a lot of gold remains.but is lost on the higher areas. I would think a hand made button like that would be high status and early. The fact that it resembles strongly the other buttons is that it was an ancient design that button makers where following.

The design is called a fouled anchor. Wrapping your anchor chain or rope around an anchor is a bad thing - funny that navies use it but maybe it reminds them that below the surface you cannot see what is happening, beware!

The Royal Navy as others have said introduced the fould anchor design in 1774 for Admirals and 1787 for other ranks, Captains etc. I thought it might be older but I was mistaken. Before that time they used the Tudor Rose pattern. The fouled anchor design itself goes back to 1400.

This site shows 2 buttons very similar to yours.

http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/navy%20buttons.htm

A very sweet find.

HH 1859

 

[TreasureHuntersSupply]

 

[TwoRivers]

1859...........Thanks for the information on the button...........Pretty exciting to find a button that old and be able to ID it............I hope to find it's value just to know, as of now I plan on keeping it.

Thanks again..............John

 

[myrddin]

cool stuff... thanks for posting... I like to see things like this..

 

[DirtDigler]

Here's one I found last year that's similar to yours. A 'Charles Jennens/London' backmark with the Prince of Wales plume identified mine as circa 1805-15, Royal Navy, gold plated. Does yours have a backmark?

 

[TwoRivers]

Here's one I found last year that's similar to yours. A 'Charles Jennens/London' backmark with the Prince of Wales plume identified mine as circa 1805-15, Royal Navy, gold plated. Does yours have a backmark?

Hello Dirtdigler.......Mine doesn't have a back mark......it's simply flat....whereas your button is convex on the front..You have found a nice button...

John in Va....