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Old 20-03-17, 10:20 AM
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Cribyn Cribyn is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Carmarthenshire, Wales
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Hello Janner

I have been collecting officer's mess waiter's buttons since the 1970s and unfortunately find that they are now becoming much more sought after with consequent price increases!

I know that there are several Forum members who collect them as well and obviously I suspect that those who collect to a specific regiment will also be interested in these buttons.

Mess waiter's buttons have been around for a long time, since about 1835 according to the introduction in Howard Ripley's original button book.

As you say, references are hard to come by and the only ones I know of are -

i. one page in Howard Ripley's original book on "Buttons of the British Army 1855-1970";

ii. a recent series of colour articles in "Button Lines", the Journal of the British Button Society;

iii. the odd illustration/short article in older issues of Button Lines and the Journal of the Military Historical Society;

iv. some illustrations in Gwen Squire's book "Buttons A Guide For Collectors" - but in my view she wrongly describes some officer's mess waiter's buttons as just "officers"; and

v. various specialist books on specific regiments and their badges sometimes cover these buttons.

I would be interested to see if any other member has a further list of references.

Roger

PS Should have mentioned auction catalogues. Mess waiter's buttons do turn up in these from time to time but it's not always easy to see or identify them. One exception is Bosleys' military button postal auction catalogue of 15 Feb 2006, there are a few clear illustrations of identified mess waiter's button there.

Last edited by Cribyn; 20-03-17 at 11:32 AM. Reason: PS Added
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