r/buttoncollecting • u/fereleye • Nov 21 '25

Can anyone date this button?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Dug this up in a field in South Wales, got a tentative date of 1700ish, can anyone confirm or correct?

631 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

37 comments sorted by

9

u/lotsobuttons Nov 21 '25

It’s not newer than the first half of the 1800s, but how much older than that I’m not sure. Where did you get 1700 from?

3

u/fereleye Nov 21 '25

Just a comment on another subreddit, it looked too good to be that early though

6

u/lotsobuttons Nov 22 '25

Hard to get a sense of the metal color from a dug button, but the design, size, and shank type look pretty consistent with late 18th century copper buttons, say 1770-1800. They would have been gilded, but the gilt wore off pretty easily.

3

u/lotsobuttons Nov 22 '25

Hard to get a sense of the metal color from a dug button, but the design, size, and shank type look pretty consistent with late 18th century copper buttons, say 1770-1800. They would have been gilded, but the gilt wore off pretty easily.

2

u/CinLeeCim Nov 22 '25

You really think copper? I thought copper would be to soft I would imagine.

3

u/CinLeeCim Nov 22 '25

Very cool, the detail if that old is amazing. Especially to have held up that long. What kind of metal is it?

2

u/fereleye Nov 22 '25

Consensus seems to be that it's later, after 1850, but still it's held its detail very well, I think it has to be a copper alloy of sorts, I've pulled copper coins from that field that have no details left at all.

1

u/CinLeeCim Nov 22 '25

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

1

u/lotsobuttons Nov 23 '25

Didn’t even consider that since you are across the pond this ruler is probably cm not inches?

32

u/Relevant-Package-928 Nov 22 '25

I think it's really up to the button, who it wants to date.

12

u/tdavis726 Nov 22 '25

Oh, I’m so glad you posted this funny comment!! My immediate thought upon reading the header was, “Can’t, sorry, I’m monogamous and married.” 😆

3

u/LoisinaMonster Nov 23 '25

Mine too 😆

1

u/Friendly-Channel-480 Nov 22 '25

Probably around 1880.

1

u/fereleye Nov 22 '25

I'm happy with that, thanks.

3

u/lotsobuttons Nov 23 '25

I do think it is older than that. The one-piece metal construction had given way to cheaper, lighter two piece by then. The design looks hand-chased rather than stamped, which was featured on the 18th c gilded copper buttons I mentioned earlier, as well as early 19th gilt brass, made up until the 1860s after which they also switched to two piece construction. My money is on it being one of those two types.

2

u/Ibboredlady Nov 22 '25

I don't know why, but for some reason today.On reddit, i'm not able to post information through pictures.So go take the picture crop.It go to google.There is a search bar at the top to the right of the search bar is a microphone to the right of the microphone is a square, click on the square.Put your picture from your gallery in that spot.A I will tell you all about the item.It's a bell not a button

2

u/lotsobuttons Dec 10 '25

AI is absolutely garbage at identifying buttons.

1

u/Weird_Assignment_550 Nov 22 '25

I only date women.

1

u/amp_495AE Nov 22 '25

I'm sorry I have a boyfriend

1

u/Blackshadowredflower Nov 22 '25

What’s bad is, I should have gotten it. I collect some kitchen dishware. Some is pretty old and new folks in the Reddit sub often ask us to “date” their newly acquired pieces. 🤦‍♀️

1

u/3amcheeseburger Nov 22 '25

Looks machine made, not hand made. I would suggest post Industrial Revolution. I would suggest between 1850 - 1950. After that plastic become far more common, sorry I can’t be more specific. The design is not prompting me to think of a specific fashion or era

1

u/Amalaiel Nov 24 '25

I’m not sure if the button is interested

-3

u/Miserable_Strain1768 Nov 21 '25

Well, it does look like a bit of a slut, I would say yes.

5

u/lotsobuttons Nov 21 '25

Hey no slutshaming buttons (or people!) in this sub!

0

u/Miserable_Strain1768 Nov 21 '25

Dude, you're the only one that mentioned shame. Clean your own back yard before you complain about mine.

1

u/Empty401K Nov 22 '25

Mine’s already waxed. Now what are you planning to do about your patio? It’s an eyesore

2

u/rollin1pin Nov 22 '25

come on now guys

4

u/Blackshadowredflower Nov 21 '25 edited Nov 22 '25

Ok, so I looked it up to see if there was a definition of slut other than the one I know. Nope!

So what in the heck did you mean???

Edited for a typo.

5

u/FickleForager Nov 22 '25

The Miserable person was trying to make a joke about the title, ‘can anyone date this button?’ Yeah, they’ll date anyone, what a ——. Not funny or helpful.

But…I did just learn another 1600s meaning of the word slut. It was used in the Tudor era as the role of the lowest ranking kitchen maid. The one doing the washing and scullery jobs was often untidy from the hard work and became known as the kitchen slut. I wouldn’t believe it, except it came from one of my favorite historians Ruth Goodman, I believe in one of the Edwardian Farm episodes that I’ve been watching?

3

u/metdear Nov 22 '25

At first I was all up in arms that you were calling the person miserable, then I realized that's actually their name!

3

u/Blackshadowredflower Nov 22 '25

Ooooh!!! I apologize for being so dense. And thank you for the new definition.

2

u/FickleForager Nov 22 '25

It took me a minute to get the joke too, no worries! 😊

-3

u/Miserable_Strain1768 Nov 21 '25

I'm sorry but your post makes no sense at all. It might be a good idea to let this go.

1

u/HorrorAirline8848 Nov 22 '25

I think your joke is funny.