Ridgeway Civil War Archive Buttons from Virginia, schools and academies

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 11, 2008

The Ridgeway Civil War Archive
Buttons from Virginia, schools and academies buttons
SU series for Virginia schools

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.

Episcopal High School, Alexandria Va

B3990 Episcopal High School, Alexandria Va (17.3mm)

Backmark: blank back with a channel, rmdc
This was a high school in Alexandria, Va . Although not directly involved in the famous shooting of the Federal Colonel Ellsworth at the nearby Marshall House in Alexandria, the school immediately closed after the incident. Most of the students served the Confederacy.
Stand up shank intact, attractive silvered nondug button, top grade.
Ref: Albert SU105, Tice VAS270 Uncl.

Hampton Military Academy, Hampton, Va

B5091 Hampton Military Academy "HMA" button (17.2mm)
B5091A.JPG (42655 bytes)
HMA was located in Hampton, VA in the 1850's and closed in 1861 when the Federal penninsula occupation got too close.
Backmark: SCOVILL MFG CO, dm
Convex cadet coat size button.
Back is broken inside the button, attractive dug button with gilding
Recovered: Virginia Penninsula campaign
Ref: Albert SU163, Tice VAS273Am1

Norfolk Male Institute, Norfolk Va:

B5090 Norfolk Male Institute "NMI" button (19.0mm)
B5090A.JPG (38052 bytes)
NMI was located in Norfolk, VA in the 1850's. It was a small cadet program, and short lived, all buttons from this school are rare.
Blank back, with a two depressed rings around the shank, probably Scovill manufacture, ca 1850's (BlankNorth09)
Convex cadet coat size button.
Stand up shank intact, nondug button, with trace of silvering
Ref: Albert SU280, Tice VAS282A3

Norfolk Military Academy, Norfolk VA

B5092 Norfolk Military Academy button (17.2mm)
B5092A.JPG (43441 bytes)
Norfolk Academy, later renamed to Norfolk Military Academy, was a respected preparatory school of the pre war period, located in Norfolk Va. Many of their graduates served with distinction in the Confederacy.
Backmark: " R & W. ROBINSON / * EXTRA * " dm, two inner solid rings, ca 1840's to 1850's (RobinsonRW09)
Convex cadet coat size button.
Stand up shank intact, dug button with gilding.
Recovered: not known
Ref: Albert SU390, Tice VAS285A1

Virginia Military Institute, Lexington Va, high convex early button, R& W Robinson:

B4460 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (22.2mm)
B4460.jpg (32399 bytes)
This is the first button employed by VMI after its founding in 1839. More Confederate officers were trained at VMI than any other school.
Backmark: "R & W. ROBINSON / * EXTRA RICH * " dm between one outer solid ring, and two inner solid rings, ca 1840s (RobinsonRW05)
Two part coat button.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button.
Ref: AlbertSU407, Tice VAS291A1

VMI Lexington, Va, R& W Robinson....:

B4078 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (21mm)

Backmark: "R & W Robinsons" backmark is on a distinctive banner used before the Civil War by this button manufacturer As R & W Robinsons ceased production during the war, this pattern is unquestionably saw wartime use. Die pattern with spear passing through the "D"
Shank and most gilding intact
Recovered: Stafford County Va
Ref: Albert SU408, Tice VAS294A1

B5087 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (21mm)
B5087A.JPG (55480 bytes)
VMI is located in Lexington Va, Stonewall Jackson was an instructor there. R& W Robinson was taken over by D Evans in the late 1840's, D Evans continued to use the Robinson dies in the 1850'sThis is the variant with the spear leading to the "E"
Backmark: "R & W. ROBINSON" dm on a ribbon reading counter clockwise, eagle between the ends, ca 1830's 1840's (RobinsonRW01)
Two part low convex cadet coat button.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button.
Ref: Albert SU408, Tice VAS294B1

B5088 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button (13.7mm)
B5088A.JPG (39100 bytes)
VMI is located in Lexington Va, Stonewall Jackson was an instructor there.
Backmark "ROBINSONS / (dot) EXTRA (dot) " dm outer solid ring, ca 1840's or 1850's (RobinsonRW23As)
VMI cadet button, small size button for hat or sleeve.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button.
Ref: Albert SU408, Tice VAS294As1

VMI Lexington Va, D Evans....:

B4461 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (21mm)
B4461.jpg (40893 bytes)
D Evans took over production for R & W ROBINSON in the early 1850's and adopted the style of ribbon backmark previously employed by R& W Robinson. The dating of this button is subject to debate. Clearly they could have been produced before the war began, but some collectors believe they were distributed later from old stocks.
Backmark: "D. EVANS & CO. / ATTLEBORO" dm on a ribbon with flower, inscription runs counter clockwise, ca 1850's - 1860s (Evans09)
Two part low convex cadet coat button.
Stand up shank intact, gilded nondug button.
Ref: Albert SU408, Tice VAS294D2

B4632 Virginia Military Institute, "VMI" Lexington Va. nondug (21mm)

Backmark: "D. E & Co / Extra" D Evans took
over production for R& W Robinson in the early 1850's.
Stand up shank intact, nondug gilded button.
Ref: AlbertSU408, Tice VAS294As2

VMI Lexington Va, Firmin....:

B5089 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (21mm)
B5089A.JPG (39134 bytes)
VMI is located in Lexington Va, Stonewall Jackson was an instructor there.
Backmark: "FIRMIN & SONS / (dot) LONDON (dot)" dm between two rings of dots (Firmin13)
Two part low convex cadet coat button, English manufacture.
Stand up shank intact, attractive nondug button.
Ref: Albert SU408, Tice VAS294F1

VMI Lexington VA underwear and suspender buttons:

B4080 Virginia Military Institute "VMI" button, (17mm & 14mm)

These brass button bears "VMI" above laurel branches, four hole button is probably an underwear button, button with bar is
suspender button, these date to approximate Civil War period. Attractive buttons with some gilding, four buttons different sizes
Recovered: Rockbridge County Va (near VMI)
Ref: Tice VAS296As & Cs

[Back to Ridgeway archive main page]

[Reference to backmarks]

[Back to relicman.com Home Page]