Page 29 - November-December1965

Nov.-Dec., lg65 NATIONAL BUTTON BI'LLETIN 275

UNIFERM BUTTONS EN P.ARADE---AT trENtrtrRD
AI,PI{AEUS H. ALBER,T
rn one of the most comprehensixe exhibitions of uniform buttons ever shown
in one place, military and historical buttons were indeed in a grand parade.
As one entered the showroom, the exhibition case presented an eye-catching
parade all its own. Because of the great amount of materials, the exhibits wer6
changed occasionally.
, rn the political campaign section, there was a complete collection of seven
difierent Andrew Jackson buttons, eight Henry clay specimens and nine buttons
of. the Zachary Taylor c-?r-npaisn including the two ihoice items portraying Taylor
with his horse. The witliam Henry Harrison campaign of 1840, ine ni-gtr poinl ot
campaign button-making, was represented with nearly fifty specimens,lhe largest
number ever shown at one time. The exhibit included buttons of latei campaigns
down to the well-known "rke a.nd Adlai" contests of 19b2 and 's6. The large ".i6
to 1" 39 mm specimen attracted a great deal of attention and caused some discus-
sion, in view of the present silver crisis. All buttons in this exhibit \trere the uni-
form type with the metal loop or eye shanks.
A number of washington rnaugural buttons were shown including the two
siz,es of the LAUREL WREATH pattern, the PATER PATRIAE pattein as well
as the large size (19 mm) trTFTEEN srAR specimen. T'he steei hub with the
LINKED STATES BORDER, pattern engraved on it $ras also on view. (See May
1964 BULr.r:TrN). rt was reported that several specimens of difierent patterni
changed owners in the course of the Show.
A card of confederate buttons attracted attention. This comprehensive col-
lection included buttons lrom all branches of the armed forces as we[ as specimens
of the State militias. Outstanding in the collection was a well-preserved excavatecl
specimen of the famous Navy ',ship button,'.
There were several button molds on exhibition. one, previously described and
illustrated in the January 1960 BULLETTN, molds two bail bullets as v/ell as four
buttons with ornamental design. Another, a ttrree-part wooden mold, sho$/n else-
where in this BULLETTN, has two matrices, one of which has a device similar to
the Massachusetts cent of 178? (30 mm). Ttre other device is similar to the small
Spanish coin with the familiar motto Utraque Unum.
rn the competitive section of the show, Division rr was well represented with
cards of buttons entered in many of the classes. section 1 led with the most
entries, but sections 2 and 3 had quite a few interesting frames. rrunt clubs and
Crests were particularly well represented.
As usual, there were a number of cards of uniform buttons, both U. S. a.nd
Foreign, in the Non-competitive Division vr. Tlxese entries included a complete
set of state seals most of them in the staff type, a card of British Regimental
buttons many of them of the older l-piece patterns; also, several cards bf crest
buttons portraying Fabulous Animals.
rn addition to the Military Buttons of New England, the New Jersey Educa-
tional Exhibit included six frames of Railroad, rnlerurban and street Railway
buttons of the New England states. Ttrese buttons were principally from the
collection of Don Van Court and were arranged by S. James .,Jim;' leahy.
This extensive exhibition of the actual buttons was augmented by two illtx-
trated talks. The first one on Friday morning when the writer, exchanging places
with Mr. charles Kaziun who was unable io appear until saturday evenin[,ipot<e
on BurroNS oF THE AMERTCAN REvoLUTroN. The talk wai illustrated with
Kodachrome slides. This section of the parade included not only the pictures of
the generally known buttons of the Revolutionary war period, but atso a number
of previously unlisted buttons of the continental Navy- and Artillery, also Regi-
mental buttons of Massachus€tts, New Jersey, New york and pennsylvania. Many