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Description: | Fragment of a post-medieval copper-alloy button, weighing 4.08g. Only the head of the flat button survives although the location of the loop attachment on the back surface is visible.The head of the button has a diameter of 19.90mm and is 1.83mm thick. The front surface is quite worn and it is impossible to determine whether the front was originally decorated. It is almost certain that the button was plated as tiny patches of light green corrosion are visible below what appears to be an upper slightly shiny layer. In contrast the back surface is highly decorated. The scar from the attachment loop is in the centre of two scored concentric circles. The central circle containing the attachment loop scar has a diameter of 7.93mm. The next scored circle has a diameter of 14.50mm, creating a band 3.54mm wide between it and the inner scored circle. This band is decorated by equally spaced punched decoration. The decoration consists of lines of seven tiny ovals stacked on top of each other width wise, alternating with what can best be described as looking like stylised Christmas crackers. To further describe this second form of punched decoration, it consists of a central punched dot or larger oval with a smooth based (edge nearest the dot) and tri-pointed / tri-lobed outer edge. The band consists of eight of each of these two punched designs. The final band lies between the edge of the button and the outer concentric circle. The punched words 'TREBLE GILT RICH ORANGE' in upper case, and a font of or similar to 'Times New Roman', occupy just less than three quarters of the band. The space between the start and end of the punched text is decorated alternately with designs of five closely set punched dots (two) and, either side of those, designs of four closely set dots (three). Examples of this kind of button can be seen in Identifying Metalic Small Finds by Michael J. Cuddleford 1994 Anglia Publishing pages 16-19, item 18 and 19. Cuddleford describes this type of button as dating to the 18th and 19th centuries often bearing "the makers name on the reverse. Sometimes more enigmatic legends appear" some referring to the quality of the gilding. Item 18 is an example of this and is inscribed 'TREBLE STANDARD' while item 19 is 'BEST ORANGE'. Mrs McDougald's example described above has inscribed details of both the quality of gilding and 'RICH ORANGE'.
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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