Confederate Adjutant General button	The Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway
	Winchester, Virginia USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!) I am a collector buying and selling authentic Civil War Relics
	This page updated   May 10, 2008

The Ridgeway Civil War Archive 
Buttons from North Carolina (NC...)

This is a sampling of relics collected by Harry Ridgeway over the years.  This archive record is for educational purposes only.  Some of the relics listed may be on display at the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester Virginia, some are no longer owned by the author.  None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to the separate sales catalog for items that are currently offered.

All  items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described.   Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.    This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.

B5031     North Carolina state seal button (14.2mm)

Backmark: "KENT. PAINE & CO. / RICHMOND." dm inner ring of dots, Scovill manufacture 1860 (Kent02)
This is the only two piece North Carolina state seal produced before the war, the others were "locals' were produced during the war. Button is relatively rare.
Stand up shank intact, some gilding
Recovered: Varina, Va
Ref: Albert NC1, Tice NC201As2

B4985     North Carolina officer staff button, Goldsboro Rifles (22.2mm)

Depicts state seal of North Carolina, manufactured pre-war for officers of Goldsboro Rifles. The standard seal was used, but with a custom backmark. 
Backmark: "GOLDSBORO / * RIFLES * " dm between rings of dots, Scovill produced ca 1860. (Goldsboro01) Scovill made up these custom backmarks for this unit, when it was formed in 1859. This militia unit served with distinction the entire war, eventually surrendering at Appomatox. 
Three part officer or "staff" coat button. 
Stand up shank intact, top grade gilded nondug button. 
Ref: Albert NC2, Tice NC204A1

B4813     North Carolina officer staff button, nondug (22.2mm)

Backmark: "MITCHEL & TYLER / RICHMOND VA" dm between rings, this is 1860 backmark for a very rare button.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button
Ref: Albert NC2, Tice NC204A2

B4986     North Carolina state seal staff button (22.5mm) 

Depicts state seal of North Carolina, intended for officers of North Carolina militia units. 
Backmark: "EXTRA / * QUALITY * " dm small letters between rings of dots, no well for shank, Scovill produced ca 1860. (ExtraQ02) All examples known of this North Carolina button with "Extra Quality" show sloppy assemblage, raising the possibility that these were reassembled at the factory, smuggled, or some other explanation. 
Three part officer or "staff" coat button.
Stand up shank intact, top grade gilded nondug button.
Ref: Albert NC2, Tice NC204A4

B4818     North Carolina officer staff button, nondug (15mm)

Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G Co / WATERBURY" This is the cuff which is much rarer than the coat.
Stand up shank intact, nondug gilded button.
Ref: Albert NC2, Tice NC204As3

B4814     North Carolina state seal button, nondug, (22.5mm)

Backmark: "S A MYERS / RICHMOND VA" rmdc, this is very desirable "local" backmark rare to get this button nondug.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button, crisp backmark
Ref: Albert NC8, Tice NC210A1

B4815     North Carolina state seal button, nondug (22mm)

Backmark: "W WILDT & SON / RICHMOND VA" rmdc Backmark is usually illegible due to poor stampings. This one is double stamped!
Stand up shank intact, top grade nondug local
Ref: Albert NC8, Tice NC210B1

B4816     North Carolina state seal "local" button (22mm)
 
North Carolina state seal, ladies Liberty and Plenty, Confederate wartime manufacture.
Blank depressed channel with star, made by Wildt (BlankLocal26)
Two part button, crude southern "local" manufacture.
Stand up shank intact, top grade nondug local
Ref: Albert NC8, TiceNC210C1

B5137     North Carolina state seal southern manufactured "local" button (22mm)  
 
North Carolina state seal, ladies Liberty and Plenty, Confederate wartime manufacture.  
Backmark:  "W. WILDT & SON / * RICHMOND VA. * " rmdc. Backmark is usually illegible, back crimping irregular (Wildt03)  
Two part convex coat size button, crude southern "local" manufacture, copper wire shank, back is very crudely crimped.  
Stand up shank intact, clean patina, rare to get this backmark  
Recovered: Richmond Va  
Ref: Albert NC8 not listed, Tice NC210D1        

B4817    North Carolina state seal "local" button (22.5mm)
 
North Carolina state seal, ladies Liberty and Plenty, Confederate wartime manufacture.
Blank depressed channel, made by Wildt (BlankLocal13)
Two part button, crude southern "local" manufacture.
Stand up shank intact, top grade nondug button.
Ref: Albert NC8, TiceNC210D2

B4251     North Carolina "pine tree" button (21mm)

One piece Confederate button is southern wartime production or "local manufacture". It is quite rare.
Shank intact, attractive rare button
Recovered: Richmond VA
Ref: Albert NC12, Tice NC251A1

B4252     North Carolina "sunburst" 8 point star, cast (22.3mm)

Backmark: Blank these are one piece cast button, back shows marks from milling. This is 8 point star on a plain field, no border.
This is believed to be the earliest of the sunburst buttons.
Shank missing, attractive gilded button
Recovered: Richmond Virginia
Ref: Albert NC13, Tice NC230A1

B4819     North Carolina "sunburst" 7 point star nondug (23mm)

Backmark: Blank these are one piece stamped buttons, not cast.
This is pattern with the small NC, stamping is typically weak.
Shank intact, unusual for the shank to be intact
Ref: Albert NC16, Tice NC242A1

B4260     North Carolina "Hornet Nest Rifle Corps" (22.6mm)

Backmark: "Scovills & Co / Waterbury" early rmdc The Hornets Nest Rifle Corps was formed in Charlotte, NC and became Company B 1st Regiment of North Carolina Volunteers. The unit was nicknamed "The Bethel Regiment" in honor of its action in that early battle where the first North Carolina casualty of the war occurred. Elegant button was private purchase by the organizer of this unit.
Stand up shank intact, gilded button
Recovered: Stephenson's Depot, Virginia
Ref: Albert NC18, Tice NC254A1

B4821     Cherokee Nation (North Carolina) nondug (22mm)

Backmark: "Rich Gold / Color" rm one piece convex button dates well before the war. The seven point star is symbol of the Cherokee tribe, some Cherokee Indians fought for the Confederacy, and some of these buttons have turned up at Civil War sites. However purpose of this button is not definitely proven at this point.
Stand up shank intact, beautiful gilded nondug button
Ref: Albert not listed, Tice UM248A1

B5434     Charlotte Military Institute button, (19.5mm)

Button bears "CHARLOTTE / M I./ N. C. with crossed pen and saber, a small cadet school in Charlotte NC.  
Backmark:  "SCOVILL MFG CO / (dot) WATERBURY (dot)" rmdc ca 1850's, (ScovillM18)  
Two part cadet sized coat button, gilded.  
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button.  
Ref: Albert SU55, Tice NCS280A1

B5436     North Carolina Military Institute button (13.8mm)
 
School located in Charlotte, NC, button bears " NC / MILITARY   INSTITUTE" with behive, reference to Revolutionary War, Charlotte was referred to as a "beehive" of rebellious activity.  
Backmark:  "SCOVILL /  * MFG. CO. * " dm ca 1860 small button only. (ScovillM54As)  
Two part cadet hat or sleeve button, gilded.  
Stand up shank intact, gilded dug button.  
Recovered:  Signal Hill, Manassas  
Ref: Albert SU272, Tice NCS277As1

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