A Livery Button of Evers & Anderson York circa 1820.

[constanius]

 

A merchant token(EDIT) livery button of Evers & Anderson Tailors of York England, I can find no listing or info for it, 30mm copper undated but I am tentative dating this circa 1820 & assume it is RRRR. Looks as if just the obverse was silvered and it has a spot of solder(?) on the reverse.

 

The wear it has sustained over the years, for me at least, adds a certain charm to it. This is the type of find that really turns my crank.

 

William Evers established his tailoring business in York in 1802, in 1818 he was located in Spurriergate. At a, so far to me, unknown date he entered into a partnership with R. W. Anderson another York tailor who had already incorporated William Robinson Est. 1762 into his company. Seeing as Evers name is first he certainly was not a junior partner. Both men were actively involved with the Merchant Tailors Guild in York.

[ccg]

Considering the tailor aspect, I can't help but wonder if it's a button

[constanius]

That thought had also crossed my mind but it seemed rather large for a button & unlike most of the buttons I have seen from that era, typically brass uniform buttons. I had also wondered if it had been adapted with a stud for some other kind of fitting, perhaps a lapel pin etc.

 

Now that you have also come up with it possibly being a button I better do some more research on early 19th century buttons

 

Thanks for your input ccg it is most appreciated.

 

Edit: You are right ccg it is a button http://www.ebay.com/itm/19TH-CENTURY-Lot-of-9-English-BUTTONS-Made-in-London-Verity-of-Button-Makers-/370675684658 or at least it looks the same type as these, though they are all about 25mm, mine is 30mm.

 

One of the references said that the early 1800's buttons mostly had no maker's name on the reverse & were heavier, the later ones were lighter & had the maker's name. Mine is 8 grams, so would classify as heavy, so circa 1820's seems okay.

 

So this is my first collectible button.

 

Thanks again

[rsraghead]

Looks like a button loop was broke off

[frank]

I love it -- a beautiful artifact.

[constanius]

I took the liberty of using one of the pictures from the ebay listing I posted.

 

 

These are livery buttons, during the 18th & 19th century's most families wealthy enough to have a large number of servants would provide them with civilian uniforms(livery) & the buttons on them would typically show the heraldic animal associated with their family crest. So what I posted as a merchant token is a livery button but having the tailor's names on the reverse who had supplied the uniforms, all of these pictured above just have the button maker name.

 

I guess it is surprising that it has taken me so long to acquire a mint struck button when you consider that many of the issuers of the tokens I collect are listed as Birmingham die sinkers & button makers. The picture below is of a RRRR token of Henry Kettle which looks so similar to the livery buttons, it is one that I have been trying to obtain for a long time.

 

I think that this could actually have been made/intended as a livery button because the size is 31mm but Kettle has used what appears to be the obverse die from his 1802 imitation spade guinea which was only 19mm but has his name below the bust.

[Art1.2]

That's a wonderful find. I love the condition - shows that it was used for a long time.

[Circus]

nice one

[constanius]

The crest is most likely from Sir William Mordaunt Sturt Milner, 4th Baronet (1779 - 1855) of Nun Appleton Hall, North Yorkshire Coat-of-Arms

Military: Major, York Hussars (Yeomanry Cavalry).

Office: High Sheriff of Yorkshire, 1817-1818.

Luckily bridled Pegasus heads are pretty rare, and he was the first Baronet Milner to use the bridle on the Pegasus plus with his York connections seems very likely the button is from his livery. He succeeded his father in 1811, so my dating looks pretty good so far.

Crest: A Pegasus head and wings couped and bridled

[bill]

Great piece.

[rsraghead]

I admit, its lovely

[bagerap]

This thread comes just as there is a loose button floating around my desk, normally a candidate for the junk box.

It turns out to be a 25mm uniform button from the West London 4th Middlesex Rifles, 1860-62 by Firmin Ltd, Birmingham & London.

Pleasing to me as most of my adult life was spent in West London.

[rsraghead]

I would be pleased too

[constanius]

This thread comes just as there is a loose button floating around my desk, normally a candidate for the junk box.

It turns out to be a 25mm uniform button from the West London 4th Middlesex Rifles, 1860-62 by Firmin Ltd, Birmingham & London.

Pleasing to me as most of my adult life was spent in West London.

 

I was born in Enfield, Middx. One of the reasons I wanted the York merchant token livery button was I lived there for 6 years so I fully understand that somethings also carry a sentimental value.

[rsraghead]

I collect German coins because of spending from birth to age 13 there, sobeleive me, I understand