(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 March 05, 2008
(Confederate Adjutant General button) |
The Civil War Relicman, |
|
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 March 05, 2008 |
Catalog of button backmarks
blank backs, northern manufacture
This page will study blank backs for buttons made by northern producers. Many were made before the war began and some were supplied to southern units during the peace before the storm.
Why study blank backs? Many different makers made them and many different ways, so a study of them will reveal in some cases clues as to origin. There are also "correct" Civil War period blank back, and those that are later.
Confederate blank backs or "local" backs are studied on a separate page
Most information on this page is from Tice's book, Dating Buttons..., the pictures are generally from buttons that I have handled.
BlankNorth01 (23mm)
blank three concentric raised rings, one piece button concave back,
maker unknown 1820's or 1830's
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from VA2, Virginia state seal one piece button, (B4417)
BlankNorth02
(23mm)
Blank with a channel, rmdc, Scovill generic stock button ca 1850's
Tice page 71 (Scovill Mfg), item count # 64
Back pictured is from GA1, Georgia state seal (B3420)
BlankNorth03As (14mm)
blank back, concentric raised rings, concave back on one piece button, Robinson
manufactured 1830's
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from SU287, Norwich University cadet button (B4086)
BlankNorth04 (23mm)
blank back, single depressed ring, probably Steele & Johnson ca 1860
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from NH6, New Hampshire state seal button (B4793)
BlankNorth05 (21mm)
blank with depressed ring around the shank, made by Mintzer,
may have been intended for the smuggling trade.
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from VA16, Virginia state seal (Mintzer face)
(B4444)
BlankNorth06 (21mm)
back is unmarked but there is a faint outline of an earlier
mark, probably this plain back was re-struck over an earlier mark. Armitage
manufacture ca 1815 to 1825
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from VA1 Virginia seal, the earliest
one piece flat silvered button (B4416)
BlankNorth07 (21mm)
Blank back, with a single depressed ring near the rim, maker not known, ca
1860's
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from AY78 / 79 Federal Artillery, eagle "A"
button (B4678)
BlankNorth08As (15mm)
Blank back, with a single depressed ring near the rim,
depression around the shank is from assembly, maker not known, ca 1860's
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from VA13 Virginia state seal button (B5071)
BlankNorth09 (19mm)
Blank back, with a two depressed rings around the shank,
probably Scovill manufacture, ca 1850's
Tice not listed
Back pictured is from SU280 Norfolk Male Institute "NMI" button
(B5090)
BlankNorth99 (22mm)
Blank back, with stippled depressed channel, maker is American Button Co, who
operated from 1903.
Back pictured is from VA25 Virginia state seal button made by American
Button Co. Albert does not list this back for this button but the face die
matches, therefore it is likely this back is made by this maker. Bazelon
lists this company as operating from 1903. This is WAY past the Civil War,
however as this button otherwise looks like a Civil War button, I am
posting the backmark here for people to see. The backmark with this
stippling does look modern but the face does not.