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Use the new seachable
Navy button photo albums
click here |
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 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
  
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. |
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Royal Navy
RN Flag
Officer - 1748
Full Dress - 1748 - 1767
G. P. Dress - 1748 - 1783
Full & Undress - 1748 - 1787
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RN Lieutenant
- 1748 |
RN Lieutenant
- 1748 |
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RN
Lieutenant - 1748
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Huge 18thC Anchor mount |
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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.
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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
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RN Capt
/ Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787
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AUSTRIA
MN Generic Issue
In use 1880 - 1918
Ship's Officer Button
Maker - Unknown
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RN Capt / Commander
- 1774
Var. 03 . . . 1774 - 1787
In use 1774 - 1787
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RN Purser
- 1807
In use 1807 - 1825
In Gilt
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RN Surgeon
- at Sea - 1805
RN Ass' Surgeon - at Sea - 1805
RN Physician - at Sea - 1805
RN Surgeon - at
Sea - 1805
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RN Flag
Officer - 1795
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Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards
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French
Navy - 1870's
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French
Navy - 1920's
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? |
1901
pattern for Captains |
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Generic
Merchant Navy Officers
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RN Greenwich Hospital
Service
Officer's Hospital Staff Tunic
Button
In use 1800 - 1815
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Capt
/ Commander - 1774-1787
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RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825
Note: Anchors below stock
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RN
Capt / Commander - 1825
RN Lieutenant - 1825
RN Midshipman - 1825
In use 1825 - 1827
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Capt
/ Commander - 1774-1787
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RN
Capt / Commander - 1812
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RN Capt
/ Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787
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Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards
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Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards |
RN
Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787
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RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787 |
Capt / Commander - 1774-1787 |
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RN Master - 1807-1825
RN Ass't Master - 1807-1825
RN Volunteer Gr.II - 1824-1825
In use 1807 - 1825
Note: Anchors below stock
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RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787 |
18thC Trinty House Pilot ? |
RN Capt / Commander - 1787
RN Lieutenant - 1787
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With
Crown buttons |
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Royal
Navy - Officers (Roped Rim) Unlined Background 23mm - 1891-1901 |
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 |
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RN Capt
/ Commander - 1843
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Capt/Commander
1774-1787
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RN Capt
/ Commander - 1843
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RN Flag
Officer - 1827
Right Leaning Stock
In use 1827 - 1843
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RN Capt / Commander
- 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952
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RN Capt
/ Commander - 1891
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RN Petty
Officer - 1891
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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
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RYS -
RN Master - 1807-1825
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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
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Royal
Harwich yacht club |
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Navy
button |
ROYAL
MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923
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RN Petty
Officer - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952
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RN Cap't
/ Commander - 1901 |
Navy
- not checked reference books yet |
RN Capt
/ Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952
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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
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Late
18thC Navy cufflink |
Admiralty
Civil Police
In use 1940 - 1949
became the Admiralty
Constabulary in 1949
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RN
Capt / Commander - 1812
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RN Petty
Officer - 1891 |
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RN Cap't
/ Commander - 1901 |
RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952 |
RN Petty Officer - 1891 |
Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards
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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
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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 )
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RN Flag Officer - 1827 |
| Right Leaning Stock |
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Royal Marines |
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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 |
In use WWI
Officers Tunic Button
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RN - Royal Naval Reserve
Captain & other Officers
In use 1886 - 1901
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RN Capt / Commander - 1901
Other Ship's Officers - 1901
In use 1901 - 1952
J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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ROYAL MARINES
This button dates 1923 - 1952
O/R's Tunic Button
Maker = Smith & Wright, B'ham
RMLI & RMA merged in 1923
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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
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WWII Royal marines button |
RN Capt / Commander - 1812
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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 |
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US Navy
button ID'd
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Navy button
H.M. Coast Guard
O/R's Button
In use 1820 - 1836 ?
button
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UNITED
KINGDOM
Nourse Line
In use 1860 - 1917
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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
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UNITED
KINGDOM
Royal Victoria Yacht Club
Ryde, IOW, UK
2nd Pattern Button
In use 1845 - 1901
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Union
Castle Line
In use 1899 onwards
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CANADA
Canadian Pacific SS Line
In use 1901 - 1930's
Early Version
Maker - Unknown
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Navy
livery button ? |
Bristol Docks Authority
In use 1820 - 1992
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Navy
button ? |
Not Navy,
Army
The Royal
Staffordshire Reg
1881 |
IRELAND
James P. Corry & Cº
In use 1860 - 1920
Ship's Officer Button
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USA Marine
button
1941 -
1960
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Navy
button ? |
UNITED
KINGDOM
Castle Mail Packet
Company
In use 1869 - 1899
Maker - Unknown
Merged - Union Castle Line 1899
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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
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MN -
Anchor Line
In use 1900 - 1960s
Maker - Waterbury
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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"
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French
Navy |
UNITED KINGDOM
Shaw, Savill & Albion Line
In use 1882 - 1985
Maker - Unknown
Merge - Furmess Withy
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Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 - 2000's
Bliss
Bros Ltd
Rd
665050
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Austro Hungarian Navy
- Pre-WWI
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Not in
reference books
M.M Collier.Neal
Maker to his majesty ??
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Britain's
Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 's onwards
BM - Extra
high quality |
Britain - Canada
Merchant Navy
Private Purchase - 1774-1812
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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 |
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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'. |
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19thC Royal
Victoria Yacht Club
Firmin
& Sons
London |
UNITED
KINGDOM
Royal London Yacht Club
R. T. Y. C. - R. T. Y. C.
London, England
In use 1837 - 1901 |
19thC Northern Yacht Club button |
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Navy
button - similar to Trinity House pilot |
Navy
button - similar to Trinity House pilot |
UNITED
KINGDOM
C & D Line Ltd.
Commonwealth &
Dominion Line
In use 1914 - 1937 ?
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German navy pre 1918 |
P&O Line
In use 1920 - 1940s
Maker - Unknown
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Britain's Merchant Navy
Generic Design Issue
In use 1900 - 2000's
Bliss Bros Ltd Rd 665050
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Generic Merchant Navy Officers |
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P&O Line
In use 1920 - 1940s
Maker - Unknown
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Buttons
Livery
Buttons
Navy
Buttons Dress
Buttons Military Index
If
you can better ID any button or badge on this page please e-mail to buttons@colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk
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