 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 10, 2008 |
Catalog of button
backmarks
Scovill Manufacturing Company,
Waterbury Connecticut
Scovill was by far the most dominant of the Civil War era button manufacturers. The firm was formed in approximately 1850, as a combination of the already substantial "Scovill" partnerships in business preceding that date and continued until the 1970's. They changed backmark styles frequently, and we are able to generally date the buttons by these changes. Scovill also produced many "custom" contracts for other outfitters, supplying buttons stamped with the outfitters name, or in other cases with blank backs. Of the buttons produced using the Scovill name, the use of "Scovill MG." dates to the early 1850's, it then evolved into "Scovill MF'G" sometime in the mid 1850's. Backmarks with rmdc date to the 1850's, and dm backmarks after that. Dates are approximate at best, and some late 1860's marks could be transitional. Further, it does appear that Scovill did on occasion use old backs or old dies to fill a more recent contract, probably due to lax inspection or as a means of cutting costs or increasing production.
Scovill produced for both the North and the South until hostilities began. It appears that they may have completed some buttons for the South for at least a short period of time after the conflict began, although the extent of that has not been proven and is subject to considerable debate and speculation amongst collectors.
Most information on this page is from Tice's book, Dating Buttons..., the pictures are generally from buttons that I have handled.
ScovillM01 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MG CO / WATERBURY " dm small letters, inner solid
ring, lettering crowds the rim,
ca early 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 1 [B5-14]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from MO2, Missouri staff (B4970)
ScovillM04 (22mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL. MG. CO / : WATERBURY : " rmdc on a
stippled field, ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 4 [B5-16]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from AY78 / 79, Federal Artillery, eagle "A"
button (B4148)
ScovillM12 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL. MFG. CO. / * WATERBURY. * " rmdc on
stippled background, ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 124 [B5-18] (with modification)
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from VA7, Virginia state seal high convex button (B4431)
ScovillM13 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO. / * WATERBURY. * " rmdc on stippled
background,
ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 13 [B5-19]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured on left is from VT9, Vermont state seal button(B5004)
Back pictured on right is from NH6, New Hampshire state seal
button (B4792)
Note that there are variations on how much the area around the shank is depressed, the more depressed the more pronounced the inner edge of the rmdc channel. Also the periods after Co and Waterbury will sometimes be weak. This is due to debris filling the void in the die when struck.
ScovillM14 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF.G. CO. / (dot) WATERBURY. (dot)" rmdc on a
stippled field, ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 14 [B5-20] with modification
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from RF17/19, Federal Rifleman, eagle "R"
button (B4161)
ScovillM16 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO. / WATERBURY CT.. "rmdc,
ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 16 [B6-2]
Examples with this backmark:
Back is from SC13, South Carolina state seal (B4997).
ScovillM17 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO, / WATERBURY. " dm between one outer ring
and two inner rings of dots,
ca 1860.
Tice page 71, item count # 17
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured on the left is from KY1, Kentucky staff, (B4940), the
stamping is weak, some of the letters are not fully formed, and the period after
Waterbury is barely visible.
Back pictured on the right is MG4, Michigan staff (B4960). I believe the two marks are identical, the Michigan is very sharp. This double inner ring probably dates to earlier than 1860 (late 1850's) but these dm Scovill marks are generally dated to the 1860's.
ScovillM18 (20mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MFG CO / (dot) WATERBURY (dot)" rmdc ca 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 18 [B6-3]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured on left is from Albert GI94, Federal general
service button (B4181)
Back pictured on right is from Albert SU55, Tice NCS280A1,Charlotte Military Institute button (B5434). Note double stamping, the die probably bounced during striking.
ScovillM21 (23mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G. CO. / (dot) WATERBURY. (dot)" rmdc on a plain field, ca
1850's,
Tice page 71, item count # 21 [B6-4]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from NH6, New Hampshire state seal button (B4674)
ScovillM22 (23mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G CO. / * WATERBURY. * " dm small letters inner ring of
dots ca 1860's (transitional backmark)
Tice page 71, item count # 22 [B6-5]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from RI8, Rhode Island
state seal button (B4720)
ScovillM23 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO, / WATERBURY. " dm between two rings of
dots,
ca 1860's.
Tice page 71, item count # 23 [B6-6] with modification
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from WC1, Wisconsin staff (B5013).
ScovillM24 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL, MF'G. CO. / * WATERBURY. *" dm between rings of
dots,
ca 1860's.
Tice page 71, item count # 24 [B6-7] with modification
Examples with this backmark:
Button on left is pictured is from LA not listed, Tice LA220A6, Louisiana state seal (B4947).
Button on right is pictured from another LA220A6 Louisiana state seal (B4843). Both dies are the same, but punctuation can seem to vary, period versus commas, or be missing entirely. This is not a difference in the dies but is believed to be manufacturing variance due to pressure differences in the stamping process, wear in the die, or debris build up during stamping.
ScovillM25 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO, / * WATERBURY * " dm between two solid
rings, ca 1860
Tice page 71, item count # 25 [B6-20]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from NA112, Federal Navy button (B4212)
ScovillM27 (23mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G CO, / (dot) WATERBURY. (dot) " dm between rings of dots
ca 1860's
Tice page 71, item count # 27 [B6-19]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from EG6, Federal Engineer button (B4368).
ScovillM28 (22mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G. CO, / (shield) WATERBURY. (shield) " dm between two
rings of dots, ca 1855 - 1860.
Tice page 71, item count # 28 [B6-8]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from SU85, Collegiate & Commercial Institute button
(B4386).
ScovillM29 (20mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G CO. / * WATERBURY. * " dm medium letters inner ring of
dashes, outer ring of dots, solid ring around the shank, 1865 and transitional
after the war.
Tice page 71, item count # 29 [B6-14]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from CV1, Federal Cavalry,
eagle "C" button (B4170).
ScovillM35 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL. MFG. CO. / WATERBURY. " dm between rings of
dots,
ca 1860's
Tice page 71, item count # 35 [B6-16]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from RI8, Rhode Island state seal (B4990)
ScovillM36 (23mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MF'G CO / * WATERBURY * " dm between rings of dots,
1860 to 1865 manufacture
Tice page 71, item count # 36 [B6-17] (Note Tice indicated there
could be commas. These are a clear examples, there are no commas.)
Examples with this backmark:
Back at left is from AY78 / 79, Federal Artillery, eagle "A"
button (B4147) (Block A in eagle)
Back at right is from GI89 Federal Infantry, eagle "I"
button (B4046) (Split moline I in eagle)
ScovillM46 (19mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILLS / * MFG. CO. * " rmdc, low convex 1850's
Tice page 71, item count # 46
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from GI84, Federal Infantry, eagle "I" button
(B4120)
ScovillM53As (14.4mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL. / MFG. CO. " dm ca 1860 small button
only.
Tice page 71, item count # 53 [with modification]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from TX236, Texas state seal button (B5323)
ScovillM54As (14mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL / * MFG. CO. * " dm ca 1860 small button only.
Tice page 71, item count # 54 [with modification]
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from Albert SU272, Tice NCS277As1,
North Carolina Military Institute button (B5436)
ScovillM55As (16mm)
Backmark: " SCOVILL MF'G CO. / *** " dm between
two rings of dots, made for sleeve button only, ca 1860
Tice page 71, item count # 55 [B6-15] (Note Tice removed the inner and
outer ring of dots in the computer enhanced photo, this is a clear example, there are
rings.)
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from GI85 / 88, Federal Infantry, eagle "I"
button (B5057)
ScovillM71 (22mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL MFG. CO / (dot) WATERBURY (dot) " rmdc on stippled
background, ca 1850's.
Tice page 71, not listed
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from NA112, Federal Navy button (B4213)
ScovillM72 (20mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G. CO. / WATERBURY." rmdc on a stippled field, ca 1850's
Tice page 71, not listed
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from SU189, Kings Mountain Military School (B3010)
ScovillM73As (15mm)
Backmark:
"SCOVILL MF'G. CO. / WATERBURY. " dm inner ring of dots, small
letters, made in small size only, this is abbreviated version of Scovill series
of dm early 1860's buttons.
Tice page 71, not listed
Examples with this backmark:
Note punctuation and style of this button is exactly like ScovillM35, and very
similar to ScovillM23, both are believed to be early 1860's buttons, the outer
ring was removed and the letters made smaller in order to fit the size of a
small button. No other cuff size buttons match the coat buttons
indicated, and this cuff does not exist in coat size. I believe this was
intended to be the sleeve or hat size button to go along with the 1860 uniforms
supplied to a number of the southern states as well as units in the north.
This should not be confused with the single ring Scovill buttons produced after
the war.
Back pictured is from MD11, Maryland staff officer button (B4748)
ScovillM74 (20mm)
Backmark: "SCOVILL. MG. CO / ( 3 dots) ( 3 dots) ( 3 dots) " rmdc,
manufacture 1850's
Tice page 71, not listed
Examples with this backmark:
Back pictured is from GI85/88, Federal Infantry, eagle "I"
button (B4130)
[Back to Ridgeway archive main page]
[Reference to Ridgeway archive catalog of buttons]
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