Under construction

France:

  Known patent buttons  are  backmarked  Brevete, Bvt or Bte sometimes accompanied by the initials SGDG, ( without guarantee of government, which seems to be a disclaimer of responsibility for the item being fit for the  intended use),  the latter initials also appear on their own see f 64.  Company Initials were often used by French manufacturers and suppliers alike fro example T. W. & W. Trelon, Weldon & Weil  H .M  Hartog Marchand. A.P. & Cie.

 I think the above T. W.& W. buttons are all the same patent note that the feet of the shank form part of the face of the button f 55 is the only one where this is not visible. There are subtle differences in the way the shank  legs appear to penetrate a central cross shaped protrusion - presumably pierced with four holes - I believe the difference is only in the shape of the slot arrangement that seems to stop the legs from entering too far but I could easily be wrong. f 58 again same series of backmarks but I have been unable to find any crimp marks such as are visible on f 53 - f 57 around the base of the central protrusion there are subtle differences and one wonders if it  is the  same shank adapted for use on aluminium?  I know of two patents possibly  three attributable to T. W. & W. using purely surname criteria they are: Weldon et Weil 28th Me 1859  ` with cloth, tool for covering'  and 28th Je 1862 no details. and there is one attributed to Weill 10 N 1875. no details.   I do not  think that the illustrated examples  pre date any of these patents or  the few scraps I have with regard to French Patent records but rather to the period just prior to and during WWI ( based on a French collectors assurance that f 58 was produced during WWI but it is worth pointing out that these dates are at odds with those provided by ABM for T.W.&W. and Hartog Marchand.  There are other instances of the use of this type of shanking arrangement, (where the feet penetrate the front),  again patent details, if any,  not available but there is a Polish staple, ( literally in this instance), shank button f 59  which clearly shows the feet of the shank forming part of the face of the button.

f 60  Is an interesting flat profile, (2.5mm),  two piece button ; the legs of the shank are slightly offset where they enter the body of the button at a guess I'd say the raised area immediately around the leg area is the result of riveting in the shank which would necessitate the back-plate being made separately and later united with the front.  the crisp backmark,  (probably applied at the same time as the back-plate and shank were united) is the result of deep stamping.

f 61    G.J. & F  I have seen examples which, if memory serves,  have B^vTe in the blank space on this example.  I am unable to find any shank shaped irregularities on the obverse but there are some features which suggest the insertion of the legs into slots  the crimping in the metal around the legs -reminiscent of the marks left by split dies- is not dissimilar to that on the T W & W examples the shape of the shank itself is slightly different and the obverse die is definitely not the same all of which suggests to me same or very similar  type of manufacture but different manufacturer; perhaps further examples will illuminate.

f62 Low profile Brevete buttons marked A.P & Cie are another quite commonly found example of presumed to be similar patents being granted.  Note the similarity with E & W's Patent  and probably even more so to the H & I patent linen button. A section of the back-plate being pressed & pierced with a short  channel stamped either side  all of the examples I have seen have been packed with cardboard. There is  another backmark  SOLIDAIRE BREVETE SGDG  AP ET CIE PARIS , (connection not established), which was mentioned in connection with floral pattern `Victorian' buttons in an e bay multiple item lot.

f 63 I have seen self shank horn buttons with the word Brevete and SGDG initials with a simple cruciform cut jewel design  but I don't know the patent details , ( I  also don't have examples, hint, hint), there is an illustration of this type with the words Paris Depose in The Button Collectors History.  Grace Horney Ford, Springfield Mass. 1943 pp 187 .  The earliest patent for moulded horn buttons is said to have been for Emile Bessot in the early 1800's, Sc. JB Jan 1975 Horn & Hoof Mrs. Richard D. (Barbara) O'Donnell.  (BBB gives the date as 1830).

f 64 shews imitation horn with what looks to me like an aluminium shank.

EGJ & F on horn pictorial  (bird in flight) seen on e bay but presumably a misreading of   L.C.J & F.  Patent  as reported by BBB 15/17 with a variant  L.C.J & F.  Depose 15/15 which makes it likely these are of French origin.

EGJ & F on horn pictorial  (bird in flight) seen on e bay ( the vendor did promise a rear view but I'm still waiting -I think it's currently on it's third 30 day listing being disfigured by a worm hole and consequently overpriced-incidentally I disagree with BBB about how these beastly bugs are are acquired  ` in the factory' unless they take many many years to gestate I have examples, complete with chrysallis,  that were over a hundred years old and fine when stored but not so when they were removed again having been exposed to the ravages of nature thanks to a burglars' hole in the roof ),  but presumably a misreading of   L.C.J & F.  Patent  as reported by BBB 15/17 with a variant  L.C.J & F.  Depose 15/15 which makes it likely these are of French origin,   ( see also G. J. & F. f 61).

 Although there is an index in English the French Patent specifications  are, naturally enough,  in French. Some of the English patents were very technical and therefore difficult for me to picture the resulting button form; so the thought of trying to do the same in somewhat archaic technical French was asking rather too much of my limited abilities-I'm quite good at shopping there...  any  French speakers who think they could tackle the task are welcome to get in touch; If you don't have access to them already  I should be able to provide abridged copies of the 93 Tomes of the Premier Series 1791 -1844,  which are titled:

 Description des machines et procédés spécifiés dans les brevets d'invention de perfectionnement et d'importation.

 Description of machines and processes specified in patents of invention improvement and importation.

and the first 79 Tomes of the Deuxieme series 1844-1860   and Tomes 80-116  1861-1870 which are titled:

Description des machines et procédés pour lesquels des brevets d'invention

Description of machines and processes for which patents of invention have been granted under the law of 5th July 1844.

and the Nouvelle Série Tomes 1-99 1871-1896 . Both translations are from an untitled Science Reference Library (Holborn) document.