Navy buttons

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Metal detecting holidays in England

Twinned with Midwest Historical Research Society USA

Use the new seachable Navy button photo albums click here

At first, buttons consisted of white metal, usually with a rose in the centre.

In 1774 a foul anchor surrounded by rope edging took the place of the rose and in 1787 the same device with the addition of a wreath of laurel leaves was adopted for Admirals. When the Merchant Navy started to use the foul anchor device, a crown was added for all naval officers in 1812. The same basic design remains in use today.

The foul anchor device itself was first recorded in use in the seal of the Lord High Admiral of Scotland in 1402. It was subsequently adopted in the Admiralty seal and by a large number of navies throughout the world. The rope 'fouling' has no specific twist and may be deemed to be correct however it fits around the anchor

Belt buckle

RN Captain - 1757
( Dress )
In Æ Gilt or Silver Gilt
In use 1757 - 1774

There is no wreath with the rose, (so it's not a Flag rank officer).

Royal Navy Lieutenant - 1748

Great electronic on line reference Navy books written by:

Tim Burt
Hamwic House
Box 895
Elora
Ontario
Canada - N0B 1S0

He has written 19 Books on Tunic Buttons of all types. Contact him on info@hamwichouse.com to order a copy.

Royal Navy

RN Flag Officer - 1748
Full Dress - 1748 - 1767
G. P. Dress - 1748 - 1783
Full & Undress - 1748 - 1787

RN Lieutenant - 1748

Huge 18thC Anchor mount

RN Lieutenant - 1748

In 1774 a fouled anchor, plain edge or surrounded by rope edging, took the place of the Rose and in 1787, the same design, with the addition of a wreath of laurel leaves, was adopted for the Admirals.

Capt / Commander - 1774-1787
RN Master & Mate - 1787-1807
RN Surgeon - 1787-1805
RN Purser - 1787-1807
RN Warrant Officer - 1787-1860
RN Midshipman - 1787-1812
RN Volunteer Gr.I - 1787-1812
RN Instructors - 1727-1842
RN Engineer 1st Cl. - 1837-1841
Var. 01 . . . 1774 - 1860
In use 1774 - 1860

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

AUSTRIA
MN Generic Issue
In use 1880 - 1918
Ship's Officer Button
Maker - Unknown

RN Capt / Commander - 1774
Var. 03 . . . 1774 - 1787
In use 1774 - 1787

RN Purser - 1807
In use 1807 - 1825
In Gilt

RN Surgeon - at Sea - 1805
RN Ass' Surgeon - at Sea - 1805
RN Physician - at Sea - 1805
RN Surgeon - at Sea - 1805

RN Flag Officer - 1795

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

French Navy - 1870's

French Navy - 1920's

1901 pattern for Captains

Generic Merchant Navy Officers

RN Greenwich Hospital Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1800 - 1815

Capt / Commander - 1774-1787

RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825

Note: Anchors below stock

RN Capt / Commander - 1825
RN Lieutenant - 1825
RN Midshipman - 1825
In use 1825 - 1827

Capt / Commander - 1774-1787

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

Capt / Commander - 1774-1787

RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825

Note: Anchors below stock

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

18thC Trinty House Pilot ?

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825
In Gilt
Note: Anchors below stock

RN Purser - 1807

RN Master - 1807-1825

RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787

RN Master - 1807-1825

Unrecorded Navy

With Crown buttons

Royal Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Unlined Background 23mm - 1901 to 53.

Royal Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Unlined Background 23mm - 1891-1901

1827 Captains one piece Naval button(b)

Royal Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Lined Background 17.5mm - 1843-1891

RN Capt / Commander - 1901 to 53.

Capt/Commander

1774-1787

RN Capt / Commander - 1843

RN Flag Officer - 1827
Right Leaning Stock
In use 1827 - 1843

RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

RN Capt / Commander - 1891

RN Petty Officer - 1891

RN Capt / Commander - 1812
RN Lieutenant - 1812
RN Midshipman - 1812
RN Volunteer Gr.I - 1812
After this issue a Midshipman
will have the Captain's style

Royal Yacht Squadron RYS - RN Master - 1807-1825

Royal Marines light infantry regiment

ROYAL MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923

Royal Harwich yacht club

Navy button

ROYAL MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923

RN Petty Officer - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

RN Cap't / Commander - 1901

Royal Navy -1824 issue

RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

RN Cap't / Commander - 1901
Fake - Line background never
existed. Possible on civilian
Jacket to avoid WWI
"White Feather" harassment.
Style In use 1901 - 1952

Late 18thC Navy cufflink

Admiralty Civil Police
In use 1940 - 1949
became the Admiralty
Constabulary in 1949

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

RN Petty Officer - 1891

French or Spanish navy

RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

RN Officer - 1891

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

One piece Navy button

HONI SOIT QUI MAN Y PENSE

PACKET

Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French: shame upon him who thinks evil of it)

RN - Packet Service
( Mail & Supplies Delivery )

c.1800-1811
Firmin & Co

One piece Navy button

HONI SOIT QUI MAN Y PENSE

PACKET

Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French: shame upon him who thinks evil of it)

RN - Packet Service
( Mail & Supplies Delivery )

RN Flag Officer - 1827
Right Leaning Stock

Royal Marines

One piece Navy button

HONI SOIT QUI MAN Y PENSE

PACKET

Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French: shame upon him who thinks evil of it)

RN - Packet Service
( Mail & Supplies Delivery )

c.1800-1811
Firmin & Co

RN Air Service

In use WWI

Officers Tunic Button

RN - Royal Naval Reserve

Captain & other Officers

In use 1886 - 1901

RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

J R Gaunt & Son Ltd

ROYAL MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923

RN Capt / Commander - 1812
RN Lieutenant - 1812
RN Midshipman - 1812
RN Volunteer Gr.I - 1812
After this issue a Midshipman
will have the Captain's style

WWII Royal marines button

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

One piece Navy button

HONI SOIT QUI MAN Y PENSE

PACKET

Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French: shame upon him who thinks evil of it)

RN - Packet Service
( Mail & Supplies Delivery )

c.1800-1811
Firmin & Co

Unusual Navy button - not recorded

Royal Marines light infantry regiment

Royal Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Unlined Background 23mm - 1891-1901

RN Petty Officer - 1891

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

One piece Navy button

HONI SOIT QUI MAN Y PENSE

PACKET

Honi soit qui mal y pense (Old French: shame upon him who thinks evil of it)

RN - Packet Service
( Mail & Supplies Delivery )

RN Greenwich Hospital Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1814 - 1868

RN Capt / Commander - 1812
RN Lieutenant - 1812
RN Midshipman - 1812
RN Volunteer Gr.I - 1812
After this issue a Midshipman
will have the Captain's style

RN Capt / Commander - 1901

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

RN Capt / Commander - 1843
RN Lietenant - 1843
RN Master - 1843
RN Surgeon - 1843
RN Purser - 1843
RN Midshipman - 1843
RN Warrant Officer - 1843
After this issue a Warrant
Officer will use the same
design as a captains button
In use 1843 - 1891

RN Cap't / Commander - 1901
Fake - Line background never
existed. Possible on civilian
Jacket to avoid WWI
"White Feather" harassment.
Style In use 1901 - 1952

RN Petty Officer - 1901
In use 1911 - 1952

PWG Navy button

RN Capt / Commander - 1843
RN Lietenant - 1843
RN Master - 1843
RN Surgeon - 1843
RN Purser - 1843
RN Midshipman - 1843

WWII Royal Marines button

RN Capt / Commander - 1812
RN Lieutenant - 1812
RN Midshipman - 1812
RN Volunteer Gr.I - 1812
After this issue a Midshipman
will have the Captain's style

RN Capt / Commander - 1825
RN Lieutenant - 1825
RN Midshipman - 1825
In use 1825 - 1827

WWII Royal Marines button

Royal Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Lined Background 17.5mm 1843-1891

RN Capt / Commander - 1812

RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825

RN Greenwich Hospital Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1814 - 1868

US Navy button ID'd

Navy button H.M. Coast Guard
O/R's Button
In use 1820 - 1836 ?
button

UNITED KINGDOM
Nourse Line
In use 1860 - 1917

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901

Royal Northern Yacht Club
Glasgow, Scotland
In use 1837 - 1901

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal Victoria Yacht Club
Ryde, IOW, UK
2nd Pattern Button
In use 1845 - 1901

Union Castle Line
In use 1899 onwards

CANADA
Canadian Pacific SS Line
In use 1901 - 1930's
Early Version
Maker - Unknown

Navy livery button ?

Bristol Docks Authority
In use 1820 - 1992

Navy button ?

Not Navy, Army

The Royal Staffordshire Reg

1881

IRELAND
James P. Corry & Cº
In use 1860 - 1920
Ship's Officer Button

USA Marine button

1941 - 1960

Navy button ?

UNITED KINGDOM
Castle Mail Packet
Company
In use 1869 - 1899
Maker - Unknown
Merged - Union Castle Line 1899

WWII German Navy Kreigsmarine Button

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901

MN - Anchor Line
In use 1900 - 1960s
Maker - Waterbury

USA Marines button

Boston Elevated Bowe & Seligman as a backmark from 1880's to 1920

Trinity House
UK Lighthouse Authoruty
Pilot's Tunic Button
In use 1900 - 1930s
"Trinity House Pilot"

French Navy

UNITED KINGDOM
Shaw, Savill & Albion Line
In use 1882 - 1985
Maker - Unknown
Merge - Furmess Withy

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 - 2000's

Bliss Bros Ltd

Rd 665050

Not in reference books

M.M Collier.Neal Maker to his majesty ??

Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards

BM - Extra high quality

Britain - Canada
Merchant Navy
Private Purchase - 1774-1812

UNITED KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901

CANADA
Canadian Pacific SS Line
In use 1901 - 1930's
Early Version
Maker - Unknown

MN - Anchor Line
In use 1900 - 1960s
Maker - Waterbury

WWII German Navy Kriegsmarine Button

'Further research on this button reveals this button appears to be relate the French 2nd Empire. My sample is of French Maritime Customs. Note the similarity'.