 Confederate Adjutant General button |
The Civil War Relicman,
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Winchester, Virginia
USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!)
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This page updated May 11, 2008 |
Catalog of button
backmarks
W H Horstmann
W H Horstmann was the founder of the Horstmann empire . Most buttons were produced by either Scovill or Steel & Johnson. The buttons shown on this page are buttons produced during the founders tenure up to approximately 1850, and later buttons bearing the Horstmann name in general.
A separate page is shown for the other Horstmann entities:
W H Horstmann & sons 1843 to 1894 (this is when the sons William and Sigmond became partners
Horstmann Sons & Drucker 1845 to 1849
Horstmann Brothers (1859 to 1893) These "brothers" are the sons of W H Horstmann working together after the founders death.
Horstmann Brothers & Allien 1850 to 1877 , this is the brothers (sons of WH) working with Henry V Allien, after the founders death.
Most information on this page is from Tice's book, Dating Buttons..., the pictures are generally from buttons that I have handled. The general list of W H Horstmann buttons starts on page 130, count 33 items. Note that there is a page missing from the text, which lists backs 02 to 33, I will include a photograph of his page at the end of this section.
HorstmannWH10 (22mm)
Backmark: "W. H. HORSTMAN (sic) & CO / (dot) NEW YORK (dot) " dm between two
rings of dots, maker not known, ca 1840's or 1850's.
Tice pg 130, item count 10, not pictured, [with modification]
Back pictured is VA4, Virginia state seal low convex button (B4421)
HorstmannWH21 (23mm)
Backmark: "HORSTMANN & CO / (dot) NY & PHI (dot)" dm between two rings
of dots, Steele & Johnson ca 1860.
Tice page 130 item count 21 photographed [B16-14]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from VA20, Virginia state seal officer button (B3781)
HorstmannWH27
(23mm)
Backmark: "HORSTMANN'S / NY. & PHI. " dm between two rings of dots, probably
Scovill ca 1860.
Tice page 130 item count 27, photographed [B16-10] [modified]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is LA7, Louisiana state seal button (B4846)
HostmannWH29
(23mm)
Backmark: "HORSTMANN / * N. Y. & PHILADA * " dm between
rings, large letters no serifs. Transitional use 1865 - 1870.
Tice page 130 item count 29 photographed [B16-13]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is VA17, Virginia state seal officer button (B4447)
HorstmannWH33As (14mm)
Backmark: "HORSTMANN / (dot) NEW YORK (dot) " dm, probably Steele
& Johnson manufactured ca 1860.
Tice page 131, item count 33
Back is pictured from AK1, Arkansas cuff button (B4484)
HorstmannWH34
(19mm)
Backmark: "W. H. HORSTMANN / (dot) EXTRA (dot) " rmdc, with additional outer and
inner depressed ring ca 1840's - 1850's.
Tice not listed.
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from AY78 / 79, Federal Artillery, eagle "A"
button (B4679)
HorstmannWH35As
(16mm)
Backmark: "HORSTMANN & CO / (dot) NY & PHI (dot) " dm inner
ring of dashes, only made for sleeve size, ca 1860.
Tice not listed.
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from GI85 / 88, Federal Infantry, eagle "I"
button (B5056)
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[Reference to Ridgeway archive catalog of buttons]
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