Correct Wooden Buttons

[CHall]

I want to replace my buttons on a civilian overcoat. Right now I have a four whole wooden button about 7/8". Can anyone suggest a more correct button to use?

Thanks!

[brown]

Re: Correct Wooden Buttons

Someone else should be able to speak to the civilian connection, but I do know that Missouri Boot and Shoe Company (not an approved vendor*) makes amazing looking wooden buttons for military impressions.


*I did not say this to discredit Mr Serio's work, simply in recognition that he is not on the "Approved Vendor" list of this website out of respect for the work and standards the hosts here maintain. I think the world of Bob's work (own quite a bit) and him as a person--he has provided more meaningful support to some of my friends that goes well beyong living history or business. His absence from the "Approved Vendors" list has been discussed on the boards in the past and does not need to be repeated here (and I am not encouraging anyone to start it). Thank you for understanding by meaning in this misunderstanding.

[Charles Heath]

Re: Correct Wooden Buttons

I want to replace my buttons on a civilian overcoat. Right now I have a four whole wooden button about 7/8". Can anyone suggest a more correct button to use?

Coy,

An excellent Christmas gift to yourself would be a copy of Mike Woshner's India-Rubber and Gutta-Percha In the Civil War Era. After educating yourself there, take the time to peruse John Zaharias' offerings for a nice set of matched hard rubber buttons. He may still run a full page ad in the usual suspect hobby publications, and is probably online.

[Gallo de Cielo]

Re: Correct Wooden Buttons

And getting a set of four-hole wood buttons to match the one you have would not be a bad thought either.

Prior to "the crash" Neill Rose had posted a few images of a surviving RDII with four-hole wooden buttons. Military vs civilian but I mention this by way of saying that four-hole buttons are not incorrect nor undocumented.

Just a further thought.

I like Heath's hard rubber idea myself.

Regards,

[ScottCross]

Re: Correct Wooden Buttons

Probably the most common civilian men's coat buttons are cloth covered buttons. As Charles mentioned, hard rubber/gutta percha would be a close second. I don't think I have ever seen an 1860s civilian coat with wooden buttons.

[Carolann Schmitt]

Re: Correct Wooden Buttons

I checked my files on men's civilian coats of all styles and, just for fun, my files on vests. Not a single wooden button on any of them. Cloth-covered is by far the most common. Buttons made from other materials including hard rubber/gutta-percha are the second most common.

Extant examples confirm that wooden buttons did exist, but that's not sufficient documentation for their use on every garment; and military use may or may not equate to civilian use. Context of the documentation must be considered.