Under construction

Looking at Marked Patent Buttons from several countries.

( with  digressions )

Buttons marked with initials are thanks to:  CC.  Carol Cienna ;  FT. Fred Tatman   GV. Gerard Van.  Spares are marked s.

 click the thumbnails to see larger images.

When I first approached this subject I rather naively and , I suppose,  arrogantly  anticipated being able to trace the development of the metal button, ( that being my interest at the time),  through the British patent records there are however problems, chief of them being, of course,  that we didn't actually  invent everything; there were, surprise, surprise, contributions from inventors all over the world.  As if the task of trying to find a  nice orderly button development in the middle of some very technical specifications wasn't difficult enough already, ( with  no experience of -and no real interest in- engineering),  other problems quickly become apparent there are patents entered in a different class materials, for example,  from which buttons have been and are constructed , were entered a different section of the abridgements another example from is  that for the first cheap process for making stamped concave buttons as an improvement in the manufacture of watch cases in the 1790s. 

  According to the website there were no early requirements to submit written specifications until the early 18^th.C but  I know of at least one where no specification was enrolled as late as 1787 but was still listed in the abridgements. 

The earliest button which I have seen reported with a patent mark is that for flat, tin-plated sheet iron attributed to by Joseph Alston in 1787 the backmark reads `I. Alston Patent'  about  36mm diameter, ( note the latinised I for J  a common affectation of the period; City Directories are full of them another, familiar to many collectors,  is for I or J Nutting ) ; similar buttons marked "Patent" reported by the same source a lady called Kareen in a post to buttonbytes.  BBB gives the same information under the TIN heading on p229,  sourced from NBB Sept. 1959, ( copy anyone?).

 Investigation of  the abridgements reveals that two years earlier on the 19th November 1785  James Alston   took out a patent later numbered 1511, ( here),  an interesting note is that this is the earliest mention I have found for fixing a shank without the use of solder/braizing).  The later patent by James Alston Oct. 30th 1787  later numbered 1624, ( here),  is very similar  so without examples a copy of the NBB article and preferably buttons,  I wouldn't attempt to say definitively that the correct patent has been identified purely because plated items can lose their gold or silver when exposed to chemical action possibly leaving the tin untouched;   tin rusts so that even a small area of rubbing exposes the tin to rust bloom which in the course of time would flake off taking the plating with it and as BBB points out the reported examples have lost their tin, consequently they could have had any finish;  clearly the main Patent needs to be examined in order to resolve the contradictions here.   In defence of BBB I would say, from bitter experience,  that long distance research is very difficult and one is inevitably relying on the research skills of another person who, although skilled and kindly disposed, may not even be the slightest bit interested in what they are doing - there is no substitute for interest and enthusiasm. 

Groups of  similar patents tend to appear at roughly the same time;  A quick glance at the  display of trouser and other buttons below  will show just how close they can be in appearance,  (although not necessarily in age),  indeed some patents appear to be so close in specification  to an existing patent, (this may be an inevitable result of the fact that they are abridgements not the full specification),  or the resulting button so similar in appearance  see E & Ws  and H & I's  buttons at f 10),  so as to leave one wondering how the `inventor' managed to obtain a new patent; others  are clearly improvements or minor variations either by the same inventor or a rival.  The aforementioned problem is very apparent when it comes to  buttons used on trousers and underclothes f 12 - f 18  see also f 117  & f 118. 

f 11 I did two shots because the lighting on these black buttons is very difficult the illustrated example is typical of cloth buttons used after 1850's.  f 12   I have this in a larger size too f 13 lots of Turners ( probably the most obvious candidate is John  Pemberton Turner),  in my records  but not that I've found in the abridgements. with a suitable patent.  f 14 & f  15 may or may not belong together only differing in the shape of the aperture.  Buttons with the same construction as f 12 f 13 & f 16  with a  plethora of name variants,  ( at one time just about every local tailor in existence had their name emblazoned proudly,  but  I don't have a Hill London as a manufacturer or patentee),  are commonly found on uniforms from the late 19thC on and not just utilised as trouser buttons, but also for sizing via tabs.  Interestingly  f 17 was advertised by Rowley in the Birmingham CD's  images/archive1/charlesrowley009.jpg    images/archive1/charlesrowley010.jpg    Charles Rowley also patented  in 1846 a way of shanking horn buttons anyone seen any with a patent mark?  William McGuinn & Bruce Bazelon in their excellent work American Military Button Makers and Dealers; Their Backmarks and Dates,  (herein referred to as ABM),   mentions 9 patents issued to Rowley and a reference to NBB v.19 # 6 Nov. 1960 again anyone with a copy please think of me.  f 18 is probably the shell of a linen covered button as described in the abridged specification for Patent 909 23rd April 1855 Iliffe, H.J. & Newman, J.  note the similarity with the shank of f 10

Early  Patents weren’t numbered  at the time but retrospectively in the 1850’s;  it was only from 1852 that a number was assigned to every  patent resulting in buttons backmarked  with the inventors name or initials in the UK.   There appears to have been no rush to use the numbers ; Edwards  & Wrights'  patent 1858 for example  f 1 to f 7 doesn't have the number it was allocated on backmarks  just the initials which are sometimes accompanied by a company name and the word patent.  The inclusion of the images from Gerard Van of the  f  with a  J. Edwards 77 Aldermanbury backmark  is my  first clue as to a possible identity for Mr Edwards who had previously eluded me completely - I was looking for an Edwards in Birmingham who fit the dates & when I couldn't find one I suspected him to be an employee of the firm-  Mr Wright I presume to be the Wright of Smith and Wright . 

  Among the problems with naming rather than numbering are:

 a)  The inventor may not be the same as the manufacturer.  b)  An inventor with more than one patent , which may sometimes be very similar to one another or  with minor variations which can leave identification of the correct patent open to question.

 c)    There may not be a patent at all; spurious patent claims on manufactured articles in general are not unknown historically, ask the nearest patent clerk ,  there is no reason to suppose buttons were any exception.

Images marked FT are from the collection of Fred Tatman who not only allowed me to have photographed the backmarks of a large part of his massive collection but also gave freely of his time and extensive knowledge of uniform buttons.    Hebbert  f 1 and Tait  f 2   were both suppliers not button manufacturers  f  & f are identifiable only in one year as selling wholesale .   Gerard Van reports these backmarks and obverse identifications  sandwvariants  Gerard also kindly provided the images for:  f4 ;f5; f6  a & b with an f5a obverse;  f7;  f8  presumably showing use of the construction after the expiry of the patent  &  f 9  the same construction used by Firmin.  Note the variation in size and spacing f3- f4 & f5b. Variations which do not show a dot under the s  f 5e are currently being treated as mis-strikes but may be a true variant.  f5d -f6b have different spacers.

 So far the earliest backmark I have found actually using allocated numbers is  patent 2346  Jan. 29th 1884; the patent is credited to R. Elsdon  as was, ten years later,  that for 8905  on  May 4th.  1894;  f 21- 23 note the slot cut  to recieve the shank  through the backplate.  I know of four other  patents by  Elsdon:  1651. Elsdon, R.  1884  Jan. 18th.  self shank;  15.531. Elsdon, R.  1885  Dec. 17th. wire button; 12.835. Elsdon, R.  1892  Jul. 12th.      wire button;      19,158. Elsdon, R.  1899 Sept. 23rd.  2x concave shank cavity & front grip. The shank innovation of 2346 continued to be used by Firmin on their own buttons f 25 and on those they made for others f 26 without the patent number.     Personally I am in agreement with the received wisdom that older button backs were, for whatever reasons,  utilised  in then current production.  I have seen numerous examples of mis-marked buttons  for example PT 2346 buttons that do not have the correct type of shank arrangement  exist  with the patent backmark and many marked RD664376, ( the registration number for the Mercantile Marine button produced around 1918?, ( if anyone knows the actual date I would appreciate details),  carry the wrong design on the obverse.

In addition to chasing a shank that would stay on manufacturers strove to improve the means of attaching the shank, (via eyelet holes),  to the clothing.  so far as I am aware the first mention in the specifications of this type of retainer  was Barnett George  July 11^th1840  Patent No .8565 ` Improvements in fastenings for wearing apparel…’ the section of interest to us is `(3) means for fastening buttons when the shank is passed through an eyelet hole…’ and `...3. A piece of wire is used; it is doubled so that one portion forms a spring tongue the other a shield or guard with indentations thereon...'  Prior to 8565, ( and certainly,  on some uniforms, in some countries into the early years of the 20thC ),  leather twists  f 29 - 30  were commonly used for the purpose- reportedly wooden pegs have also been found used in this way. I'm sure many of you will recognize the description above, ( no drawing available), but you may well be surprised if you think you have the shape in mind because the type we are all most familiar with  f 31 was patented by ?  (details as soon as I can locate this one note that  the image here is the closest to my memory of the actual shape),   additional  examples of  pin fasteners include  f 32 13,395 Gaunt, C. F. June 10 1913 and f 33  Rottenburg, H. No. 420 605 June 1st 1933 No. 15814 class 43. there are many others ( see under f 31 for a selection).  Later innovations sought to include protection from wear on the clothing, an example of which is that manufactured by Wm. Dowler and Sons Ltd.  f 34 - 35:  526,273. DOWLER & SONS LTD., W. & ROGERS, F. 1939  Mar. 11th.  No. 7903. [class 43].  back plate;  similar patents also mention holding the button so that the obverse design is kept in the required position.

f 36   Gerrard Van, who supplied the images  reports that the obverse design is Tweede Kamer, Leden der  or Members of Parliament ;  Note the obtrusive line running parallel to the shank indicating the use of a split die as per the description in :

Deykin, James, and Deykin, William Henry.  AD 1824, December 23.‑‑No.5062.

    " An improvement in the manufacture of certain military, naval, and other uniform and livery buttons."...'.Notes: describes what could be shell and/or single piece and the use of split dies and design impression from single die post shanking

Other unidentified  and/or unconfirmed (presumed British) patent markings include:

  Patent Gold Plate, C & L

note the similarity of f38 with the type of shank arrangement used by Armfields and a superficial resemblance to the concept of 8905.

f  I have added ... a tin-back (it is actually a steel-back). It could originate from any country, German or Czech. the inscription is Patent . * . * . * . going round. Do not be mislead by the POW front: the Belgians have made perfect mounted POW design buttons for civilian dress.

Another example of which I only have a reports  is that granted to `Frederick William Miller, glass enamel maker of Hazeldell,  Aylesbury Road, Hockley Heath, Warwickshire,  130985 14th August AD 1919.  back plate and shank that is not soldered on but secured in place by the enamelling on the face of the button'. Sc. Edith Combley to buttonbytes.  There is another enamel button  associated with this patent by the same lady.   See also BBB 47/10 marked Prov Pat 20561.

A number of non metallic buttons with patent marks exist. ( see also USA for cloth covered metal frames f 121 - f 125   of which  f 122 - f 125 may well belong in the British series).

 Thomas Cox  on  both costume and uniform horn patent details not available but a quick look at the companies available history gives a clue or two Cox and Ingram    The name  Ingram also turns up on horn pictorials  f 42 &  f 43

Ingram, Thomas Wells. AD.1832, August 15.‑‑No.6296.  ` " An improved method of manufacturing...buttons by the application of machinery not heretofore used for that purpose."...buttons as are made of  horn, hoof or any substance or composition " requiring considerable and  continued pressure for the purpose of giving them the required form "...'  long desc. of method/machinery follows. Notes:‑ horn, hoof, composition. see Ingram, Thomas Wells.    AD. 1837, May 4.‑‑No.7360.

Ingram, Thomas Wells. AD  1837  May 4. --No. 7360  “Improvements in the manufacture of  certain descrptions of buttons and in the tools used to manufacture the same.” The Buttons are such as are made of horn or hoof, and the improvement consists of applying flexible shanks to them. NOTES: desc. of cloth protruding from metal tube  forming shank.  desc. of manufacturing process, dies etc.{ Horn. Hoof. flexible shank. ]

 J.S. Manton  in conjunction with Islip T. took out a patent for  composition  buttons  No. 2907 26th Nov. 1860 there are at least two other patents associated with Manton and others:  Watts R. & Manton J.S. No. 3359 23rd dec. 1869; Manton J.S. & Manison W. No. 1360 12th Jan. 1884. There is also an A. Manton who had two patents 1886 & 1892 connection, if any,  not established.  Having read Jocelyn Howells' comments, ( see table below),  I am happy to attribute the swan on the patent example as the same as that used as a trade mark later by Buttons Limited a company whose predecessors include Manton.

Not all innovations were patented ; which is where useful design  registration comes in - I think- do bear in mind I don't have much information on this topic-  below are two examples one predating.1878  f 51 the other postdating   f 52 .  If anyone out there has one with a legible design diamond please put me out of my misery and send me an image. Anyone with registration details you found yourself you have my deepest respects;  trawling the pattern books, (the only method I am aware of of finding these),  is not to be taken lightly,  it is a mammoth task;  I searched six of these huge volumes with only three design registrations to show for it. Other registered designs in my collection are patterned / pictorial without any unique construction features and therefore, one assumes,  ornamental design registered.  

My main source for patent informaton in the UK has been the:

   Bennet Woodcroft Abridgements:  Wearing Apparel  Division IV. - Dress Fastenings & Jewellery. 1683‑1855.

  and the later abridgements:

  Fastenings, Dress.    Class 43.   1855-1928. and  Fastenings, Dress.    Group VI.  1929-1957 * 

The above reference books contain brief summaries  of the full patents giving dates, number & patentee with many illustrations; patents granted during the years of the commonwealth January 1649-May 1660 are not included; In addition they contain references, book and page, to other useful sources.  I am suspicious about the absence of button patents in the abridgements 1684-1769. The British Library Euston Road (from September 2005) holds all the old patent records & books associated with them previously held at the Science Reference Library Holborn including the foreign patent records previously held in the annexe. The National Archives Kew holds the original specifications before 1852,  (those in the British library are printed copies),  after 1853 copies of the full specification are available from the Patents Office.‘ go to either the National Archives website ( see internet resources this site)  and follow the links for research guides or the British Library website in the site search box type: patents & follow the links- you won't find any specifications online..

Prior to 1852 details of some patents were given in Journals such as:  Repertory of Arts & London Journal of Arts & Sciences. 

Scotland & Ireland both had separate systems from England & Wales before 1853 . Manuscript copies of the Scottish patent series are available at The National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh some indexes are available at British library.  Records in Ireland were destroyed in 1922 but references to them survive in the King’s Letter Books for 1776-1915 and the Signet Office Irish Letter Books which list patents to 1826.

Irish Parents Office www.patentsoffice.ie   Patents, registered designs & trade marks.

There are two information centers. Patents Office, Government Buildings, Hebron Road, Kilkenny & Patents Information Center, Ground Floor, The Earlsfort Centre, Lower hatch Street, Dublin 2.  The Link to Patent Office Registers provides some legislation details from 1927 to date and in greater detail1992 on under Legislation link.  

Australian Patents can be found at www.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents with the promise of archived patents in the future. The online database is covers from 1975 on. Currently the only pattern I am aware of buttons uniquely Australian is the overly large integral shank on single piece anodised alluminium buttons.

There is a girl guide button green plastic marked `copyright' possibly Australian- which is the location of the site featuring it. image and or  spare ANYONE ? The lady owning the site doesn't respond to her email.

Canada has a web presence at: Canadian Intellectual Property Office. www.opic.gc.ca

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,  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.

 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.

Doubly welcome would be contact with someone who has already done this research!  Stop Press I think I may have found a source of this information on CDROM for both France and Germany  if anything comes of it I shall let you know.

Germany: 

I am often asked if the RZM   REICHSZEUGMEISTEREI  f 68 - 69 (thanks to Jan Janssens for the correction)  and circlet design is a patent or registered design;  I'm told it  is  actually a sort of state, (Third Reich),  quality control acceptance mark indicating articles manufactured to  this specification were  fit for their intended use.  I wonder if any of the records of the procedure survived?  

F65 after consulting my German dictionary , babelfish.com  and freetranslation.com I decided the best interpretation of this particular use was registered / legally protected ( but may actually be the equivalent to  patent  registered)  all of the examples I have look as if they are equivalent to registered design marks in the UK and Modele depose. in France. I have yet to find or see a German Button marked with patent information of any kind  if the word is  Patente; has  anyone else? I do have some  Geschutzt, Gesetzlich and or Gezgezt/chen?, ( I will correct  the latter when I find the example as my German buttons are not catalogued), backmarks but all have patterned fronts, some of which are quite  beautiful,  so it seems likely that they are ornamental design registrations but I stand ready to be corrected on this too... Gerard Van (  a very knowledgeable collector whose opinion and input  I  value greatly) sent me this information `German patent inscriptions are mainly on fashion buttons "Geschutzt"'  .

 I  have  now seen, recently on  ebay , a sewing needle case with the wording Patent Geschutzt not Patente as anticipated. I would love to have contact with a German collector so please get in touch.

note E & W's patent type still in use some 40 years later a good example too of quality deteriorating as wartime necessitated economies.

United States of America.

Unlike the UK where protection is granted through separate interrelated registration schemes in America Patent protection is used for ornamental designs as well as inventions; a classic example of this appears on a trade card illustrated in The Collectors Encyclopedia of Buttons  Luscombe, Crown 1975  p51 marked `Fowlers English Crape Stone Patented Dec 25th 1883 Design Patent Re-issued July 1st 1884 Mechanical Pat. June 17 1884, Card Patent  Sept. 19 1882' [my italics].

The first backmark I am aware of - there may  well be many more - is on pewter buttons marked Grilley's patent the details of which I don't have?.  Rimmed Hard White  Pewters are noted to have Patent backmarks  see  JB May 1975 pp205  My next dated backmark reference  is another from The Collectors Encyclopedia of Buttons  Luscombe, Crown 1975  p156 which has an entry for Pomeroy Manufacturing Co. Wallingford, Conn. 1840's-50's making patent paper buttons  the illustrated  backmark appears to read Pomeroy MFG Co. Patent on a four hole sew thru button.   Robinson a well known American manufacturer produced Golden Age vest buttons with patterned/pictorial glass centres as illustrated at f 76  It seems more than likely that this is the company of Robinson Jones and Co. Attelboro. Mass.  whose history is given in ABM as being thus styled 1828-1834..

No reference to American patents can be made without mentioning Goodyear; there have been a number of very good articles about this remarkable man and his invention  ( follow the link below to Carol's site and/or  see  articlesonline ) all that needs repeating here are the dates and that several word variations are known exist.   f 81  (original) and f 82 (reproduction) courtesy of and thanks to Carol Cienna    who reports that the repro' is easily distinguishable from the original being black shiny and not even made of rubber Carol also noted the central depression between the holes and mentions a rough mould line on the edges;  they are available from a site called roadrunner at a very reasonable  $1.85 each unfortunately the International postage is not so reasonable at $9.95 which is more than three times the usual price to get a button here from the US.  (anyone might  think they are ebay commission dodgers lol.)

The NRC appears to have confined itself to the manufacture of  pictorials and abstract designs. The earlier and scarcer  backmark reads Novelty Rubber Co. New York Goodyear's Patent 1849-1851 Anyone with a spare or images to share please contact me;  in the meantime an illustration appears in  The Button Sampler Albert & Adams,  Gramercy ,  p103. & In Button Heritage Chamberlin & Miner Heritage Press 1967 plate66; the latter source also gives one marked Goodyear's P-T 151 misprint or variation? (note - invariably replaces = in this source).   When the 1849 was omitted the words `New York' were retained for a while.    

 Another manufacturer of Goodyear marked buttons was the IRC which appears to have restricted its production to plain and imitation thread patterns.

f 98 Paul Rice's list. has 1870 Welling Glass Button Molds 108660 9   f  99 Another rubber . BBB gives us the Dickinson Hard Rubber Company, Springfield Mass. and the information that this is probably not a patent date but the date of incorporation of the company; can anyone confirm that please?.

ABM reports a patent by Phillip Wm. Gengembre No. £1, 292 on Jan 19th 1864 for self fastening buttons  marked P.W.G Pat. Jany 19th 1864  and manufactured by the French Self-Fastening Button Co. New York. 

  Goodwin's Patent buttons  f 101 come ready named and dated which is convenient as I don't have the details but I do have this marking on a number of US State Seal buttons this was the only example I was prepared to clean off to try and get a decent image, (failed),  because it's condition is very tatty anyway;   the others still have their black paint - or most of it. If anyone has a decent image please think of this page; there is a nice spread of pictures in JB Feb 1975 pp 122 which shews the composite parts of this button.  Not patent marked but the same basic construction idea of the rim holding front & rear together  was used by Jennens on this Royal North British Dragoons button f 103 look at the join between the rim and the scalloped edge.

An Interesting  example of  how did they get a patent for that was one found by  Paul Rice who is  researching American patents and sent this one to buttonbytes:

` In my search through 100 years of button patents, I found an interesting input for this week's discussion. Specifically, in 1865, the US Patent Office issued a patent to Lucius E. Chittenden of the District of Columbia for the invention of a new material for the manufacture of buttons and other items. The material was "mother-of-pearl"     You can see a copy of the original US Patent Office description at     http://www.buttoncountry.com/1865_Patenting%20MOP.htm.   the patent was , specifically, for using freshwater shellfish anyone have Trade cards with patent marks? Paul kindly added this interesting information for us more  Paul  has also kindly given me a list of patent names and dates already mentioned above.

  Glass Dec 1880 backmarks f 105 are, according to : ....Black Glass Buttons  and the Return Engagement of Black Glass  buttons, commonplace in the US;  the same source  gives   August Hamann, of Hoboken, NJ  Pat. Dec. 28, 1880   shanks on black glass buttons and the fact that the inventor assigned the Patent to John A. Deknatel there is also an excellent history of the company pp1-4. Volume I.

f 107 FOX PAT AUG 3 86  (outside) and PAT MAY 27 87. (inside);   this is an interesting button cover I have other types of cover but none that are marked in any way. Unfortunately Paul Rice's list doesn't have a Fox.

A.P.Davis backmarks are noted by ABM Paul Rice's list gives 1888 Davis  DESIGN_FOR_A_BUTTON

  I believe the Scout button at f 114 is not mechanical patent button at all but a pattern;  the official website says incorporated Feb. 9th 1910; does anyone have details?  I have several backmark variants.

  The small brass fronted pictorial f 116  Pat  722 .1913-2-26 1918  there is no obvious candidate on Paul Rices' List . 

Another four hole button patent Dec 9th 1924 I do not yet have the inventors name, ( for sure),  on the face of it there's not much to distinguish this from others in the British series f 11 - f 18 above. f 117 reads P. B. Co.  f 118 probably P.B.  Co. anyone with a better example? Again from Paul Rice's list is 1924 White ALUMINUM WORK CLOTHES BUTTON which seems to be a strong candidate.  

 f 120   D. Blumenthal patent pending. Paul Rice's list has two possibilities 1911 Blumenthal  Sectional Button Mach D.tif 

1926 Blumenthal Design 1 D.;   based on  date alone ( given a choice of these two only)  I'd have to say the later date  seems most likely.

Clipmold these,  f 121 - f123,  were probably marketed as both for clothing and upholstery use;  there are two other patent buttons which are very similar to this one marked Trims Patented  f 124 and Goodman Patented  f 125 which may be US or UK patents.  I have a trade card with the same type of construction and backmark as  f 124, (here),  showing suggested use on a ladies dress but most of the examples I have seen tend to be covered in material more suited to upholstery than clothing.. 

Two further back dies are noted by ABM  (Waterbury Button Company Back Die List C1875-1935) worded `Patented' and `Patent Renewed 1935' and Scovill die cards worded ` Pat. Dec 6-98'

`... Buttons found on original cards labeled "Buffalo Horn" with patent dates between 1871 and 1875 often appear to have been made, at least in part, of other materials, including celluloid and composition. The term "Buffalo Horn" is misleading, as it could have been any type of horn, and was used as a trade name and sales gimmick rather than an indication of the true type of horn...'  Sc. Jocelyn Howells to buttonbytes. It is probably worth noting that Europeans too first think of the American Bison  in this respect but of course that is not the only type of `Buffalo' used there is also the Asian Water Buffalo as illustrated by this trade mark for James Grove a well known British producer of horn buttons  [link].

There is a report from an  American collector of `... a navy uniform button whose backmark reads Waterbuy Button Co. Pat. Pend. Man O War. ..'  Tina Lee to buttonbytes  see also quote above from ABM 

The United States Patent and Trademark office has extensive free downloads of historic patents see USA Archives section. There is a series of links at www.intellectual-property.gov.uk /std /resources /patents/offices_worldwide.htm   Better still for the uninitiated or less technically gifted, ( like me),  as this is a complex search engine go to:

Google Patent Search:  searches for US Patents  http://www.google.com/ptshp?ie=UTF-8&rls=ADBS,ADBS:2007-07,ADBS:en&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wt&q=

which easier to use than the search engine at the US Patent Office site but you could follow this link http://www.uspto.gov/go/classification/uspc079/sched079.htm#C079S003000  from http://www.iwantbuttons.com 

Ready sorted and easy to use is Paul Rice's excellent and growing database http://www.buttoncountry.com/patents.htm

Unallocated patent (?) buttons.  

f 126   Is a plastic  leather-look button with Chinese characters numbered (02) 6212246 purchased from US.  I should point out that this might not be a patent number it could just as easily be a telephone number for all I know. A kind chap in our local Chinese restaurant told me that the characters are pronounced Umm Suh  ( near as I can get) which is someones' name making the telephone number even more likely, Incidentally the only other telephone number I have come across on a button is by London Badge & Button Co. Ld.  mid to late 1980's.

f 130   I am confident  that this is a vegetable ivory button;  it reads Pat. June 20' 16. Purchased from a nice and helpful lady in the US. Paul Rice has kindly given me a list of patents and dates which indicates this may be 1916 Hastings VI BUTTON_STENCILING_MACHINE.

 f 132  Celluloid buttons appear - frequently in America ( I've been observing them and purchased one from e bay, which failed to arrive ) -  with Patent Apllied for backmarks does anyone have one with patent details or another example?  

f 128 & 133  Said to be celluloid but I'm not sure;  I really must get a copy of Jocelyn Howells' book `Button Materials A - Z  Identification Guide'  just as soon as I can keep myself from spending my spare cash on buttons and web space...There do not appear to be any construction differences between these two f128 has the central swirl in a gem-set type rim whilst 133 has its bulbous center mounted in the same way.

I have just purchased on ebay: 

  `A gorgeous glass dome (1/2" high) that has a softly faceted top and bubbled, mirrored bottom and is set into a black plastic base with a turned ribbon-like rim. The base has a patent number that is from 1942'   I can't wait for this one to arrive.

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).

P & J  Co's patent.  from an e bay report probably mis-read  R & J's ?

 ` I found a very charming piece yesterday backmarked "Weiss Patent". It has some age for sure, an enamelled ladybug on black glass mounted in metal,  just shy of diminunitve size. Jewelry quality'  Anita Cody quoted from a post to buttonbytes. Anita kindly responded to my e-mail query with:   `...Nothing learned about a Weiss patent button since. MHO is that it is probably a "makeup", albeit charming, perhaps part of a hatpin. I started to look into hatpins by Weiss but found nothing there either so this unique little button remains a mystery...'

Spares available:   duplicates in the additional illustrations for Goodyear are also spare.

I have a number of buttons in my collection  that clearly conform to patents in my records but they are not marked as such -I might include these at a later date if marked examples are not forthcoming.  If I get a reasonable amount of feedback on this page I may well extend it to registered designs. I would welcome images and  or information with regard to patent marked trade cards which I shall also include here.

Notes:  BBB mentions horn patent cards  dated between  1871-1875. 

 There are patent sale cards with the number 19510 1cm glass  imitation cut steel floral pattern overlay, the cards also have a trade mark eagle above ribbon all above two buglers.