Help with Unknown Buttons Please
 

Hi there,

A few more from my unknowns box.
(As usual, if they don't fit in with my collecting interests I may dispose of them at a later time).

1. 7VRC - White metal (27.8mm). Backmark = W . B . C *** LONDON ***
[I did wonder (hope) if this was for a '7th Volunteer Rifle Corps'? - Though for which County I don't know, presumably it would have to be one of the big Counties to get up to 7th]

2. "For The King" (19.6mm). Backmark = J.R. GAUNT & SON Ltd LONDON . ENG .
[Loop removed and crude solder repair made]

3. RAC under a Crown. (23mm). Backmark = J.R. GAUNT & SON . LONDON

4. KGR under a coronet of some sort. (14.2mm). Backmark = JENNENS LONDON
(Belt/strap contains the following honours : KELATIGHILJIE (kelat-i-Ghiljie), CANDAHAR, GHUZNEE, CAUBUL. Which are all battle honours from the first Afghan war circa 1830-40s)
[This could be Indian Army - but well out of my area of knowledge]

Any help you can give would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Ian

Hello Ian

Button 2 has the appearance of one of those early 'generic' volunteer buttons. However, the backmark places the button firmly in the last part of the 19th century as Gaunt did not start up in business until 1884 and only became a limited company in 1899 or thereabouts. Could it be a Coronation souvenir for Edward VII?

Button 3 is, I am almost certain, the Royal Automobile Club.

Button 4 is for the 13th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry, pre 1861 according to Poulsom's Indian Army Buttons book; he illustrates exactly the same button. They became the 12th Regiment in 1861 and added the name 'Kelat I Ghilzie' in 1864 and subsequently became the 12th Pioneers (Kelat I Ghilzie Regiment) in 1903.

Button 1 is a mystery but I will keep looking!

Regards
Roger

Hello Roger,

Many thanks for those ID's.

I must get myself a set of the Poulsom books on Indian Buttons. Not my area of interest - but a worthwhile purchase, if for no other reason than helping identify buttons.

Button 1 - I should have said that this is a 'flat' button with the design in relief.
At almost 28mm in diameter, it is a 'big' button for a Military Uniform.

Button 2 - With the "C I C" type cypher in the centre of the button, I did wonder if one of the 'C's stood for Canada, but only guessing.

Button 3 - Royal Automobile Club (other than Royal Armoured Corps) was the only use of the RAC monogram I could come up with as well. But didn't want to influence anybody by putting that.

Button - 4 . Thank you - that ID would have taken me months to work out if I ever did.

Like you, Button 1, I find the most frustrating. I feel I should know it or have seen it elsewhere. But where?

All the best and hope the weather is as good where you are as it is here in the Sunny South. :)

Ian

The backmark for button 1 is from the Waterbury Button Company, post civil war.
(ref. Warren Tice, Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865, page 50)