Help Button ID
 

Hi there! Found this button in Italy, Sicily. Need help to identify it... Searched a lot on the web but I've not found anything, thanks!

Hi :)

I've seen a similar (without ATA) as a tram Button used in germany

T X

"Firmins London" on the rear, do you think it's from Germany? Just asking :)

It is a long way from home.
Your button is to the Tranvia Anglo Argentina in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Wow, thanks! How can I learn more about the origin of the logo? Any ref.? :)

I took the ID from ebay in 2014.
That particular button was made by the German manufacturer "Friedrich Linden" for "A.B., Buenos-Aires".
You can find images of trams with a TAA logo, but button designs never match up to those painted on trams.

Interesting, but why "firmins london" on the rear then?! :confused:

That is good old competition for commercial world dominance. This one was between the UK and the upcoming industrial powerhouse Germany.
Your British made button may be the older one. The British button industry lost South America to the German button industry.
In 1914 the countries went to war.
Here is the Wikipedia page for the company:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-...amways_Company

The button by FIRMIN’S is of a style quite a bit older than the Tram Company’s start-up in 1876. I was of the impression that that two piece style open back button had been superseded by the three piece closed back style by that date.
My house is upside down at the moment so cannot consult my reference books!
None the less, a very interesting bit of research done there. Best regards, D.J.

Open backed buttons were the standard for most civilian type buttons even into the mid 20th century as cheaper to produce than the closed back type.

The one thing I noticed is that the AAT is alwyas referred to as a "company" and their logo on tickets/trams/letterheads is AATC. I would have thought that uniform buttons would have had the same logo/insignia ? :confused:

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Your questions go far beyond your original identification request.
As stated before it is quite common for button designs to be different from other designs used by the company.

Marketing departments are a recent invention. Different people in a company may have sent logos to various manufacturers (of trams and buttons).

Logos on tramway carriages follow fashion and change over time. Button designs do not always follow fashion trends.

If a button manufacturer did not receive a logo (or a competitor's button), they designed the button themselves.

Which year do you think this button could belong to then?

Thanks a lot for all the answers! This forum is full of very knowledgeable enthusiasts! :)

Does the shank on the back have a D shaped profile or an O shaped profile?

It's circular :)