Source for GA State buttons

[goatgirl]

Could someone tell me the least expensive place to get GA State buttons? Most places on-line are nearly $1.50 with a minimum of nearly $7 shipping. I’m not too thrilled at the idea of paying nearly $18 for seven buttons.

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

There are several types of Georgia seal buttons, so the price depends upon type, however they are all manufactured pretty much by the same two companies in the US (a few are imported from Pakistan as well, though) so the price will be consistant with most sutlers. I would recommend that you advertise on the Buy, Sell, Trade forum here and see whats on the market. You'll probably save both time and money.

[Green Minnesota SS]

S&S Sutler in Gettysburg has them listed for a $1 per button, but shipping is still $6.95. But it does save you a couple of dollars. Hope this helps and here's the link http://www.ss-sutler.com/buttons.html

[Backus]

You may want to check out Hanover Brass. They have a lot of great stuff. http://www.hanoverbrass.com/More6.htm

[goatgirl]

Thank y'all for your help.

[marcaverill]

Have you tried eBay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Georgia-State-Seal-Buttons-Large-Civil-War_W0QQitemZ230442202122QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item35a76cf40a

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Georgia-State-Seal-Buttons-Small-Civil-War_W0QQitemZ230380964314QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item35a3c689da

Kind Regards,

[goatgirl]

I never think to look for stuff on eBay. I’d snatch them up if I had not already told some sutler friends I’d drive down and get some buttons from them. Thanks though. Maybe I'll remember to search eBay next time.

[blueYankee]

Have you tried Waterbury Button co.? www.waterburybutton.com
Many a button, both North and South during the Civil War was made up here in CT.

[goatgirl]

Mr. BlueYankee,

I had not tried Waterbury Button. I went today to pick up buttons from a sutler friend; the drive was not as far as I though, the buttons were a tremendous price, I got see their quaint little sulter shop and see acquaintances I had not seen in many months, so it was well worth it.

I noticed the Waterbury co. sells the battle flag buttons. Can anyone tell me what year of the war they were produced and where and how much they were worn or any other information about them?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

The battleflag buttons were worn post-war by the United Confederate Veterans.

[goatgirl]

Mr. Lamoreaux,

Besides the ones Waterbury what about the ones which were worn? On page 99 of Echoes of Glory is pictured a button with a Confederate battle flag the captions says “Staff and General officer’s buttons (imports), so I reckon privets would not have worn them, but at what time did officers wear them and did many?

On p. 121 is listed “cavalry buttons” and (local) and has a national flag “CSA” and swords crossed at the bottom. Any information on them? And were the cavalry and officers the only ones who wore flag buttons?

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Ah, yes, those two buttons are quite rare variants. The ones on 99 were French imports, run through the blockade, and are indeed probably more toward an officer. The other ones on 121 are called local variants, meaning smaller batches of a private purchase. Sometimes these are issued by a government body like a state, but most often purchased through regimental commutation funds. CS troops wearing any buttons with flags would be quite rare. I hate to generalize when it comes to material culture, but you'll find that CS private's buttons would greatly depend upon what time of the war and what theater their uniforms were issued. As previously stated, Federal general service (eagle) buttons were common in both, but for Eastern, the block letter buttons (page 119 Richmond) in I for infantry and A for artillery, as well as the scripted I imports from England and Ireland to a lesser degree. For western theater, you'll often find plain buttons of brass or pewter, civilian "coin" buttons, wooden dished buttons, and the occasional imported script buttons.

[goatgirl]

Thank you.