Different button found to what I normally pick up.

[Guest]

Found this interesting old button the other day.

It has a single loop on the back & I could see the pattern on it before I cleaned it up in some soapy water but after cleaning it you can see a gold coloured inlay in the button. Haven't come across one like this before - has anyone else found them at all? Common or rare? Interested to know what the inlay is? What's it off? etc. etc.

So many questions for one little button :lol:

 

[ANGRE7]

Im guessing gilt for the inlay?? Maybe double or treble?

 

[Guest]

Yeah probably some type of gilt. Been suggested to me that it may be Chinese which fits the area I found it & could date it anywhere between 1852-1900, which was the main time of activity there. Not the gold I was chasing but an interesting find.

 

[Dutchy]

Looks like a dress button from a gentleman's coat with most of the gilt still on it. Would be 1800's vintage.

 

[Guest]

Yeah that's what I am thinking. Does make me wonder how it got where I found it though - half way up a hill in the middle of some old shallow diggings. Maybe he was on his way to something important enough to dress up for but the cry of Eureka was too much to ignore so he rejoined the diggings in his Sunday best? :lol:

 

[the duck]

There were a lot of woman on the goldfields too any writing on the back

 

[Guest]

No writing to research unfortunately - & that pattern is a bit hard to type into Google :lol:
Even though these things aren't worth much, if anything, I always enjoy trying to find out about them whether it be a button, minie ball or other old curios.
Found one button that I traced back to Navy "slops" worn by British sailor's in the late 1800's & found on a relatively unknown Goldfield in NSW. Makes you think how it got there - did he jump ship & join the goldrush, how/why did he happen upon that particular Goldfield when bigger ones would have been passed by to get there etc.
Found another interesting piece on a different Goldfield last year. Had no idea what it was but ended up finding out it was a gimlet (small wood boring tool) & that the shaping fitted in with the goldrush era. Not worth anything but its in my junk to keep pile.
The history side of this hobby can be nearly as enjoyable as finding a good nugget. I can see why people can get hooked on relic hunting.

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Looks Scottish to me.. the pattern and the flower, don't know why, but I am going Scotsman's coat or something similar

Cheers, Tone

 

[Rambling rude]

Hmmm..4 leaf clover maybe.. Irish?? Just a guess
RR