Archaeology Online

Copper alloy two-piece domed waist coat button face and shank.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1789053

This is a shattered 2-piece copper alloy button. After conservation, the button shattered into approximately ten fragments and therefore no measurements other than weight was recorded. Notes from prior to conservation indicate the original measurements were as follows: the height of the dome wa...

Gilded and stamped copper alloy waist coat button with bone back

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1789382

Heavily corroded and fragmented. Missing its shank. Note on tag says "cannot withstand treatment". Measurements taken from largest metal frag.

Unidentifiable iron button with shank

Iron | Object #: 1789384

This is the metal back of a two piece button. In this style of button, the face, or cover, of the button was commonly fashioned from a sheet of thin metal, usually a variety of copper alloy. Backings for these buttons provided both strength and a method of attaching the button to clothing, eith...

Coat button with gilded star pattern of metallic thread.

Metal, unidentifiable | Object #: 1789415

This remarkable artifact is a textile covered button. The star pattern is composed through the careful arrangement of metallic foil strips and metallic coated threads, which have been braided or twisted. The barest hints of the silk core to the threads can be seen in the image, and were preserv...

Copper alloy domed collar button with concentric ring design.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1789441

Identical to shank of incomplete collar button 1796770. Measurements slightly off due to conservation. Copper alloy face filled with pewter on the interior to connect stud with face.

Copper alloy collar button shank.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1796770

Stud shank to collar button. Identical to shank of collar button 1789441.

Copper alloy flat disc coat button.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1796817

On display at the International Museum of Slavery, Liverpool. Catalogued from drawings.

Cast flat disc pewter waist coat button.

Pewter | Object #: 1796839

On display at International Museum of Slavery, Liverpool. Catalogued from drawings.

Copper alloy button ring button, medium.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800019

This ring is a simple length of copper alloy wiring which is soldered to form a circular core upon which thread or textile swatches were stretched to create cloth covered buttons. Often, extra fabric material was gathered at the rear to serve as a shank to attach the button to items of clothing...

Copper alloy button ring, small, with preserved thread impression around frame.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800055

This ring is a simple length of copper alloy wiring which is soldered to form a circular core upon which thread or textile swatches were stretched to create cloth covered buttons. In this example, the corrosion of the copper alloy has preserved the impressions of the threads that once were used...

Partial tinned singleton button, small.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800268

2 fragments. Diameter around 11.8mm

Copper alloy coat button with shank cast in boss.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800280

This is a one piece metal button, which archaeologists often refer to as “flat disc” buttons. One piece buttons were often made of copper alloys. The shank of this button was a length of copper alloy wire which was inserted into the mold as the button was cast. This style of introducing the sha...

Tombac coat button with shank cast in boss.

Tombac | Object #: 1800311

This is a one piece metal button, which archaeologists often refer to as “flat disc” buttons. One piece buttons were often made of copper alloys. This particular example is cast tombac as denoted by the “grey” coloration seen below the corrosion on the button face. Tombac is an alloy of copper ...

Copper alloy waist coat button with shank cast in boss.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800327

Copper alloy waistcoat button with shank cast in boss.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800331

Copper alloy clothing hook with one eye.

Copper Alloy | Object #: 1800383

Tobacco pipe base marked W and M on either side of the heel along with a crown design.

Earthenware, ball clay | Object #: 1802168

This is a fragment of a white clay tobacco pipe, the bowl of which is stamped with the initials “WM” inside a cartouche. A second set of the initials, each letter surmounted by a crown, can be found molded into either side of the bowl heel. Smoking tobacco was an activity that permeated the liv...

Copper alloy button ring, small.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1802408

This ring is a simple length of copper alloy wiring which is soldered to form a circular core upon which thread or textile swatches were stretched to create cloth covered buttons. Often, extra fabric material was gathered at the rear to serve as a shank to attach the button to items of clothing...

Copper alloy button ring, small.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1802412

This ring is a simple length of copper alloy wiring which is soldered to form a circular core upon which thread or textile swatches were stretched to create cloth covered buttons. Often, extra fabric material was gathered at the rear to serve as a shank to attach the button to items of clothing...

Copper alloy button ring, small.

Copper/Copper Alloy | Object #: 1802415

This ring is a simple length of copper alloy wiring which is soldered to form a circular core upon which thread or textile swatches were stretched to create cloth covered buttons. Often, extra fabric material was gathered at the rear to serve as a shank to attach the button to items of clothing...