Calling all Button Collectors! - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

2747andy · #1 09-06-10, 06:56 AM

Not being a button collector, I only have Howard Ripley's 1855-1970 book as a guide! I picked up these three buttons yesterday, they look very similar to the 1855-1881 Infantry buttons he shows on pg. 23 in that they have a similar florish around the numeral.. In particular 176 the 1855-60 Connaught Rangers Officers button!! Are they British? If so which Regts as a "3" inside a horn does not tie in with the PT numbering? I suspect they may be Belgian having the makers mark "FONSON & CO BRUX" to the rear?

Thanks in advance!

Andy

1stTankie · #2 09-06-10, 08:28 AM

Hi Andy

I can't help thinking the clue lies in "Brux" on the reverse.
Could be Common Market.

Gordon

John Mulcahy · #3 09-06-10, 11:01 AM

Andy

These are Belgian from as early as 1897.

I have had a quick look through book The Emilio collection of military buttons: American, British, French and ... By Essex Institute, Luis Fenollosa Emilio 1911

"A. Fonson ' in Brussels was a producer of buttons for the Belgian Forces. The button with the numeral 1 is probably the First Line Infantry Regiment, 3 in the hunting horn is the 3rd Regiment of Chasseurs , the grenade is I believe the Grenadier Regiment.

If you can find a Belgian order of battle for the period on line you will get the regimental designations correct. According to the publication above there was only 1 Grenadier regiment at the time and 3 Rgts of Chasseurs in the Belgian order of battle.

John

2747andy · #4 09-06-10, 04:36 PM

Thanks John,
that is about all the info I need... any Belgian button collectors here?

Andy

Luc · #5 15-06-10, 08:13 PM

Contact the webmaster of this site: http://www.be4046.eu/index1.htm
he's very knowledgable and helpful and he might point you in the right direction.

Vincent · #6 01-12-10, 08:05 AM

The button number "2" is the 2nd belgian regiment of the line (infantry)
The button number "3" is a the 3rd regiment of "chasseur à pied"
Theses buttons were usually on tunics until summer 1915 when replaced by new tunics ( with lion's buttons)...

The third button is unknown for me at the moment but will see what I can found with my documents. E mail me if I forget, always hundreds of things to do in the same time !