West Somerset Yeomanry button

[Saffron]

I found this nice West Somerset Yeomanry button on Sunday while metal detecting in Somerset.

Suspect it is an early one but unable to confirm age. If anybody could do so it would be much appreciated.

Near sphere shaped rather than flat or simple dome, (at first sight thought it was a musket ball!), looks like made in 2 parts but the back with attachment loop is missing. 16.2mm diameter and 12.3mm deep.

[Bill A]

Hello Saffron, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.

[Cribyn]

Hello Saffron

Without seeing the back and/or backmark it is difficult to give a precise age. Obviously pre 1901 because of the crown, I would agree that it is likely to be an early ball button, possibly dated to the 1830s/1840s.

Some time before the end of the Victorian period the design changed to the same crown over 'WSY' but within a 'scalloped' edge.

Regards
Roger

[Saffron]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Hello Saffron, welcome to the Forum. Your account is active and open for posts.

Thanks for the welcome, and getting me going.

I have done a LOT of family history, and researched the men that were killed from my village in WWI and published a booklet about them so I know a bit about WWI buttons / badges.
But with metal detecting you never know what you might find, and when it is an old button like this unless blatently obvious, or quickly resolved by a google search I am lost.
In this case I could fairly easily work out it was the West Somerset Yeomanry, but could not get an exact match to pin the date range down further.
So you might well find me picking your brains every now and again.
Hopefully I might even see the odd item where I can contribute input.

[Saffron]

Originally Posted by Cribyn

Hello Saffron

Without seeing the back and/or backmark it is difficult to give a precise age. Obviously pre 1901 because of the crown, I would agree that it is likely to be an early ball button, possibly dated to the 1830s/1840s.

Some time before the end of the Victorian period the design changed to the same crown over 'WSY' but within a 'scalloped' edge.

Regards
Roger

Cribyn, very many thanks for that.

I have a couple of useful websites that I use for backmarks, but sadly in this case the back was missing

I have already learnt something from this site as I never knew this type of button was called a "ball button" (logical when you look at it!).

The WSY buttons I had seen were flatter and like you say had the 'scalloped' edge, so by the type of button and lack of "scallop" I took this one to be older ..... I admit I was hoping (rather than expecting) that somebody might have known the date for the change.

Unlike some metal detectorist I prefer to find items like this that can be researched rather than coins. So from a button I knew nothing about when I picked it up I now know what the WSY stands for, that is is called a ball button and "possibly dated to the 1830s/1840s". Realistically this is probably about the best I was likely to get, so I am happy.

Once again many thanks.