Livery Buttons
These 19th century
buttons have intriguing designs, rooted in the histories of the noble
families of Great Britain
The word livery comes from
the French livree meaning to liberate or bestow. It was used to describe
giving to retainers, who provided domestic service to the nobles and
aristocrats. It came to mean the suit of clothes worn by menservants
in the colors of the master who provides it and for whom they work.
So from the stable boy through the page boys, each would wear his master's
livery. The master wouldn't wear the livery, but he might have cufflinks
or a ring using the same symbol.
Many of the crest used on livery buttons descended from the crest which
knights wore on top of their helmets. It enabled friend and foe to recognize
each other in battle.
Identifying livery buttons can be difficult and almost impossible. When
matching buttons with pictures, everything must be exact. Often the
crest is shared by many families.
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Livery
button
1806 -
1824
R Bushby
St Martins Lane
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Titled
family livery button |
1838
Nortzell & Son
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Livery
button |
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Livery
button
No BM |
Livery
button
BM 1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London
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Hunting
button
BM
Mens sporting
design |
Livery
button
BM 1843-1861
Boggett & Reynolds
St Martins Lane London
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Hunting
button
No BM |
Livery
button
No BM |
Livery
button
No BM |
Livery
button
Unknown
BM
Jackson
Ribby
Gracechurch
Street London |
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Hunting
button
BM
Mens sporting
design |
Livery
button
No BM |
Livery
button
Unknown
maker
Oldham
Lombard St London |
19th Livery
button
no back
mark |
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hunting
button |
Peacock
Beauty,
power, and knowledge |
Raised
hand |
Bird
on a Duke's crown |
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Fox hunting
button
One who
will use all that he/she may possess of wisdom and wit in his/her own
defense |
Greyhound
Courage,
vigilance, and loyalty |
R monogrammed
button |
Baron's
button
One who
will not fight unless provoked; peace and harmony |
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Nice
monogrammed button |
Fishing
button |
Raven
Divine
providence |
Very unusual
raised wolf head button
Reward
from perseverance in long sieges and/or hard industry |
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Monogrammed
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Hound
Courage,
vigilance, and loyalty |
'Titled'
family |
Titled
family |
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Bird
on a crown(b) |
Fishing
button(w) |
Unicorn
on Duke's crown(x) |
Association
with the law or the legal profession |
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Griffen
on Duke's crown(c)
Person
of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited,
ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious; "True magnanimity and strength
of mind" acc. to Guillim.
If wings "displayed," it signifies protection |
Monogrammed
T H |
One who
will not fight unless provoked; peace and harmony |
Crown
indicates titled family |
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Rev Danbuz
household livery button
Person
of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited,
ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious; "True magnanimity and strength
of mind" acc. to Guillim.
If wings "displayed," it signifies protection |
Gilded
boars head (r)
Hospitality |
Crested(r) |
Crown
and shield(b) |
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Gilded
bulls head (c)
Valour,
bravery, generosity |
Rev Danbuz
household livery button |
livery
button |
Hand holding
Fluer de lis
Purity;
light; floral badge of France; represents sixth son as mark of difference |
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Bird |
Honour;
if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess
in the Crusades |
Arm with
weapon
A person
with qualities of leadership |
Shooting
button with Latin inscription |
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Bulls head
livery button
Valour,
bravery, generosity |
Prancing
Lion livery button
Dauntless
courage |
Livery
Button - dog with dragon head |
Monogrammed
button |
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Tally
Ho hunting button |
Boar's
head livery button
Hospitality |
Boars head
on a sword livery button
Hospitality |
Lion
livery button |
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Stag
head livery button |
Lion
livery button |
Greek
god livery button |
Hunting
livery button |
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Unicorn
design livery button |
Griffin
design livery button |
Lion
design livery button |
Lion
livery button |
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LBV monogrammed
button |
Livery
button with cockerel design |
Monogrammed
livery button |
Is this
a USA button ? |
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Dragon
design livery button |
Really
nice etched Pewter button with a fox design probably 18thC |
19thC
livery button |
Livery
button with slave in chains |
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Rabbit
livery button |
Livery
button |
Livery
button |
Stag
livery button |
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Flying
duck button |
18thC
button |
Stags
head livery button |
Livery
button |
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Bird
button |
Livery
button |
Livery
button |
Livery
button |
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Fish
design hunting buttton |
Bird
design livery button |
Boars
Head |
Hunting
livery button |
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1876-1894
Honour;
if the head of a "blackamoor" or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess
in the Crusades
Livery
button
Firmin
& Sons Ld
153 Strand London
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Livery
button |
Interesting
button |
Hunting
button |
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Hound
head hunting button |
Livery
button |
Livery
button |
Fish
design Livery button |
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1852-1875
Heart and
Hand
Firmin
& Sons
13 Conduit
St London |
1876-1894
Firmin
& Sons Ltd
Strand
London |
Livery
button
1852-1875
Firmin & Sons
153 Strand London
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Bird
livery button |
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Livery
button with unlisted manufacturer
B.Warwick
- Regents Street |
Livery
button with unlisted manufacturer
Oakshette
& Co
15 Mill
St
Conduit
St London
(same street
as Firmin & Sons)
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Livery
button
1871-1873
Reynolds & Co
50 St Martins Lane London
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Livery
button |
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Livery
button |
Livery
button |
Livery
button |
? |
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1876-1894
Honour; if the head of a "blackamoor"
or Moor, refers to deeds of prowess in the Crusades
Livery button
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London
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? |
19thC
hunting livery button |
Livery
button |
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Early one piece - Prince
of Wales - not checked ref books yet |
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Railways,
Trams & Buses |
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The Great
Eastern Railway button |
London
Midland and Scottish Railway Company
1907-1959
Buttons Ltd |
Eastern
Railways button |
London
and North East Railways
1907-1959
Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
Birmingham |
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Northern
Railways button |
Stevenson's
rocket button - worlds first ever steam train |
Eastern
Counties bus company button |
North
Eastern Railway button |
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Stevenson's
rocket button - worlds first ever steam train |
North
Eastern Railway button(b) |
Eastern
Railways button |
Railways
button |
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Manchester
- 'Ship, Canal Railways' button |
Southern
Railways button |
UK -
Britain
Huddersfield Corporation
Tramways
1883 - 1940
General Staff
Maker - Unknown
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Manchester
Corporation Tramways button |
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Southend
on Sea Corporation transport
Trolley
Buses - 1925 - 1954
Special
Quality |
Manchester
Transport Corporation |
Warrington
Corporation Tramways |
London
and North East Railways
1907-1959
Buttons Ltd [crossed swords trademark]
Birmingham |
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20thC
Large and small Great Western Railways buttons
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London
North East Railways |
Chatham
Railway rally button |
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Midland Railway button
J Gaunt and Sons Ltd London
From 1899 |
Newport
Corporation Transport |
Colchester
Corporation button |
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Police
buttons |
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Newark
Police button |
Hull Police
Early 20thC
Firmin and Son Ltd London |
Lancaster
police button(c) |
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Local
Govt and others |
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Corporation
button ?
'In Deo
Spes'
In God
is my hope
1876-1894
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London
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19thc
London District Post Office button |
? |
World
button |
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Probably
a Generic Police Button of Royal Parks etc.
1902-1952
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'Excelsidi'
button |
City
of London - COA's
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USA Post
Office Dep't
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19thC
London County Council |
Queen
Victoria crown 1855-1901 |
19thC
Button with crest |
1747
School Button |
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Cherub
with wings button with latin inscription |
Colchester
Corporation button |
Neat
button with crown and Portcullis design(x) |
WWII
Civil defence button |
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North
Western company button |
TVC and
crown button ? |
1696
Fire office hand in hand button |
Fire
Office the Strand (London) button |
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EPWW
monogrammed button |
Ipswich
corporation button |
? |
Victorian
Royal Court, One of which is . . . Officer at Arms, Earl Marshal of England
(r) |
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Guardian Insurance
company
1876-1894
Firmin & Sons Ld
153 Strand London
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Great dated button
- 1747 'Mr W Naggs's Charity' |
British museum commissionaire's
?? or military |
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Unknown
buttons |
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Button
with crown |
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Crown
button |
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Ship
button |
Silvered
button with crown ? |
P.S ? |
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