yank buttons w/out backmark?

[rebyank]

Pards,
I recently got a box of buttons at an antique shop and suprise, there's a yank button in it. It looks very much like other originals I've got, and nothing like the repos on my jackets, and yet it doesn't have a backmark. It was tied to a Victorian british royal arty button that had a mid 19th cent. backmark, but this one had no backmark. It might be a post war button, but I have no clue. I will try to post pics soon.

Does anyone have any ideas about this?

[Yellowhammer]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

What is a "yank button?"

You are going to have to be a little more specific if you want some meaningful info.

[rebyank]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

I do apologize, I meant federal eagle button. Here are pics of the button.

[rogue]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark, almost?

Hello,
Your button is not Civil War, but post war being worn from the mid 1870's until 1902 or close to it.
Notice the shield on the eagle, it is raised. CW buttons have depressed shields, and the eagle is different. The CW eagle is sort of chubby and robust while the post war eagle is thinner and some have even said it resembles a chicken more than the noble eagle.
Your button is the Indian War-Spanish-American War eagle.
Steve Sullivan
46th Illinois
Co. of Military Historians also...

[Yellowhammer]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

In this case, the tin back is also an indicator of post Civil War usage.

However, it is still a nice find. Indian Wars-era militaria is increasingly collectable.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

Hallo Kameraden!

Indeed...
A "scrawny necked" or "wrung neck" chicken.
;-)

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt
Company "E," 7th US Cavalry 1866-1876

[rogue]

Re: Tin backed plain CW eagle buttons

Hello Gentle Reader,
I actually have, and have seen elsewhere, several eagle buttons with the Civil War eagle that bore the plain tin back as well as marked and unmarked brass backs. There must have been an enormous number of these contracted for and made during the war.
Until quite recently every spring theatrical costume rental companies in Chicago would have "dusty trunk sales" where you could count on finding several "Gilbert and Sullivan" operetta coats in the pile with many or all CW eagle buttons.
What we now seek and prize was once just so much surplus.
Steve Sullivan
46th Illinois
Co. Mil. Historians

[HOG.EYE.MAN]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

I agree with the other fellers in this thread about the attached picture of the button you provided.

However, just for discussion, Federal Eagle buttons without back stamps do exist. I own 4 original all brass Federal eagle buttons and none of them have stamps what so ever.

[Jimmayo]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

Have found cuff size eagle buttons, New York and US staff buttons with the tin backs in 64/65 camps. Always wondered if they were from kepis since only the small buttons had the tin backs and there were so few of them. Brass back cuff size buttons were much more common than the tin backs.

Have also found standard size eagle buttons with brass backs and no backmarks.

[rebyank]

Re: yank buttons w/out backmark?

Thank you all for the info,

I have another that looks like this one on the front, but has a backmark of Horstman, Philidelphia. would this also be a post war span-am war button?


Thanks again.