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BUTTON MAKERS AND THEIR BACKMARKS
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During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers of metal buttons began to ‘brand’ their products by marking the backs with their names and often their addresses. These ‘backmarks’ can provide useful information for dating the buttons, as details of the various companies, and when they were operating, can be found in contemporary trade directories and other documentary sources. The marking is invariably produced by die stamping, which is an inherent part of the manufacturing process, and backmarks produced in this way continue to be used to the present day.
The list that follows identifies British manufacturers and the backmarks they used from the earliest ones recorded until about the middle of the twentieth century. They have been collated from a large number of sources over a long period of time, both documentary and from the buttons themselves, most of which have been recovered by metal detectorists. In general, dates should be regarded as approximate, and not exclusive unless the context indicates otherwise. It is also the case that there are some differences in respect of dating between the secondary sources that have been consulted. Where it has not been possible to reconcile such differences, the various dates and date ranges encountered are all shown in the applicable ‘Date’ field.
The listing is in alphabetical order, by company name. During the period concerned, this is invariably the surname(s) of the founder(s). Where various members or generations of the same family worked for the business, they are listed under the common surname. Where double or multiple names apply, each name is listed separately, but cross-referenced back to the main company name. This has been done to facilitate faster tracing of a company when backmarks are partially illegible, as they often are on buttons recovered from the ground.
In addition to listing backmarks, any relevant information concerning the button makers is shown in summary form. This typically includes dates when the companies were established, taken over or ceased trading. Known button types, associated with the maker, or with particular backmarks, are also noted where it is considered that they might be helpful. The backmarks consist of the company’s name (or initials) alone, or the name and address together. They also occasionally include a pictorial trademark, such as the Prince of Wales plume found on Jennens’ buttons from 1860. In the list, the backmark is always the combination of the ‘Name’ and ‘Address’ fields. If the address is not part of the backmark, the ‘Address’ field will be empty.
It is not always clear from the sources whether the name and address are actual backmarks used by the companies, or simply their details, as obtained from trade directories and other primary sources. For this reason, those backmarks that have actually been seen by the writer - either by viewing the buttons directly, or photographs of them - are shown in an emboldened font. It is the intention that the list will be periodically updated, as more of the backmarks are confirmed. It should be noted that confirmation of a backmark does not imply confirmation of any dates associated with them.
It is also inevitable that the list will contain errors, both as a result of transcribing the information, and because of the use of secondary sources, which, as indicated above, are sometimes at variance with each other. Similarly, there will be omissions from the list, both in respect of the names of companies, and the backmarks for those that are listed. It is intended that the periodic updates will also include amendments and additions, as more information becomes available.
If details seem rather sparse in some cases, it should be borne in mind that the information shown might have been gleaned from a single button or a single documentary reference. In other cases, of course, there is a wealth of published information, and further details are often available from the sources cited at the end of the listing.
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GAUNT
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1750
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Company established in this year according to Firmin website
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1870-1973
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J R Gaunt & Son
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Birmingham
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Military and uniform buttons, including British Rail
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1884 - well after 1899
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J R Gaunt & Son
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London
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Livery buttons
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From 1890’s
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J R Gaunt & Sons
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Clifford Street Birmingham
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1899-1991
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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London
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1899-1991
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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London Eng
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1899-1991
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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London Engld
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1899-1991
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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London England
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From 1900
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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c.1901-1939?
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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Montreal
Made In England
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c.1914-c.1939
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
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Montreal
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J R Gaunt & Sons
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Montreal
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1924
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Amalgamated with Jennens & Co of London
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1940-1948
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J R Gaunt & Son Ltd
Late Jennens
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London
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1950s/1960s
onwards
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Gaunt
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London
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1950s/1960s
onwards
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Gaunt
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London Eng
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2006
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Part of Firmin Group. Address:
J R Gaunt & Son
11 Brearley St, Aston, Birmingham
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GILPIN
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Gilpin & Co
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London
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GWR buttons
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GREEN
(See PLANT, GREEN & MANTON)
GREEN, CADBURY & RICHARDS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1860-1876
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Green, Cadbury & Richards
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Friday Works, Summer (or Sumner) Row
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1876
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Green, Cadbury & Richards
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Great Hampton Street
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GRIFFITH
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.1900-1925
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Sydney Griffith
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Birmingham
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Buttons, include British Army
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Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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H & H Ltd
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Birmingham
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H & H Ltd
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B’ham
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Civil Defence buttons
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H T & B
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1850’s
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Hammond, Turner & Bates
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Manchester
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Possibly outfitters
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1861-1865
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H T & B
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Manchester
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American Civil War buttons
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H T & D
(Hammond, Turner & Dickinson See HAMMOND)
H T & S
(Hammond, Turner & Sons See HAMMOND)
HAMMOND
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1717
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Company founded in Birmingham
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1717-1800
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Company operating from
100 Snowhill, Birmingham
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c.1790-1823
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Hammond, Turner & Dickinson
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Birmingham
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Predecessor to Hammond, Turner & Sons
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c.1800
c.1812-1823
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Hammond, Turner & Dickinson
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Royal Navy buttons
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1800-1812
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H T & D
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1823-1865
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Hammond Turner & Sons
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Decorated buttons
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1823-1865
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H T & S
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Plain gilt buttons
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c.1840-1850
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Noted for fine sporting buttons
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Hammond Turner & Sons Ltd
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1955
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Operating until this date
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HARDING
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1861-1865
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Harding & Sons
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London W
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American Civil War Buttons
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HARDMAN & ILLIFFE
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1800’s
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Hardman & Illiffe
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Birmingham
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HARMAN
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Harman & Co
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Calcutta, India
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HARRIS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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William Harris
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Halesowen. Birmingham
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HARRISON & SMITH
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1870’s
1875
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Harrison & Smith Ltd
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Alma Street, Birmingham
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HARVEY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1800-1803
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Joseph Harvey
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16 Upper Priory, Birmingham
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1815
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Joseph Harvey
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Park Street, Birmingham
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HAWKES
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1788-1796
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Thomas Hawkes
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17 Piccadilly
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1797-1809
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Thomas Hawkes
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24 Piccadilly
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1810-1820
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T Hawkes, Mosely & Co
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22 Piccadilly
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1821-1852
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Hawkes, Mosely & Co
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14 Piccadilly
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1853-1890
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Hawkes & Co
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14 Piccadilly
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1853-1912
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Hawkes & Co
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Piccadilly London
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1891
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Hawkes & Co
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Saville Row
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HEALEY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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James Healey & Son
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Birmingham
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HEATON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Ralph Heaton
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Sloane Street, Birmingham
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HERBERT
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Herbert & Co
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London & Birmingham
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Constabulary buttons
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HESLOP
(See WAGSTAFF & HESLOP)
HOBSON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1837-1877
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Hobson & Sons
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94 Great Windmill St & 43-44 Artillery Place, Woolwich
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1878-1883
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Hobson & Sons
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37-38 Little Windmill Street & Woolwich
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1884-1886
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Hobson & Sons
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37-38 Little Windmill Street
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Hobson
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London W
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1887-
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Hobson & Sons
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1 3 & 5 Lexington St
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1890’s
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Active until this date
British Army buttons
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HORTON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1822
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Horton & Co
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59 Carver St. Sheffield
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1822
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James Horton
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41 Rockingham St. Sheffield
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1829
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William Horton, Sons & Co
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Rockingham St. Sheffield
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W Horton, Sons & Co
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Sheffield
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Livery buttons
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1833 & 1834
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James Horton
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65 Carver St. Sheffield
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1833 & 1834
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William & Alfred Horton
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Rockingham St. Sheffield
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1852
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Ceased trading? No Horton Co. is listed in the 1852 Whites Directory
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HUNWICK
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1853-1855
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Hunwick
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London
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1853-1855
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Elijah Hunwick
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St. Martins Le Grand, London
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HYDE
(See WISE)
ILLIFFE
(See HARDMAN & ILLIFFE)
ISAACS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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S Isaacs
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London & Birmingham?
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1861-1865
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S Isaacs Campbell & Co
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71 Jermyn St London
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American Civil War Buttons
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S Isaacs Campbell & Co
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St James St
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JENNER
(Possibly an error reading of JENNENS)
JENNENS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1800-1832
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Messrs Jennens & Co
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1800-1832
Early 1800’s c.1825
1832-1912
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Charles Jennens
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1800-1912
1820’s-1912
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Jennens & Co
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1832-1912
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Jennens & Co
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London
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From 1860
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Jennens stamped their buttons with Prince of Wales plume from 1860
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1860-1912
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Charles Jennens
[Prince of WalesPlume]
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London
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Livery buttons
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1912-1924
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Jennens & Co
[Prince of WalesPlume]
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London
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1912-1924
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Jennens & Co Ltd
[Prince of Wales Plume]
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London
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1924
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Merged with Messrs Gaunt & Sons in 1924
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1970’s
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At this date, J R Gaunt Ltd of London & Birmingham
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JOHNSON
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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John Johnson
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Edinburgh
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KEMP
(See SMITH)
KIRMIKELL
(See CAIRNS)
KNOWLES
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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H Knowles
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Birmingham
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LAMBERT
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Lambert & Co
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London & Birmingham?
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LEONARD
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1803-1821
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Period of operation
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1803
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William Leonard & Co
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Aston Street, Birmingham
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1815
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Leonard & Co
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Aston Street, Birmingham
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1816-1820
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William Leonard & Son
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Aston Street, Birmingham
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1821
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Leonard & Son
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Aston Street, Birmingham
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LESDAM, BRATT
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1800
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Lesdam, Bratt & Co
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LITTLEWOOD
(See MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD)
LOTERY
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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H Lotery & Co
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London
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LUCKOCK
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1787-1835
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James Luckock
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St Paul’s Square, Birmingham
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LUCOCK
(Probably an error reading of LUCKOCK, see above)
M L & CO
(See MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD)
M S & J D
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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19th C
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M S & J D
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Plain gilt buttons
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MANN
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.1800-1843
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Mann
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Birmingham
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c.1800-1843
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T Mann
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Birmingham
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MANTON
(See DAIN, WATTS & MANTON and PLANT, GREEN & MANTON)
McCLYMONT
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Circa 20th C
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McClymont Dewar & Co
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Glasgow
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McGOWAN
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Early 1800’s
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I McGowan
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London
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Livery buttons
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1810
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I McGowan
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Gerrard Street, London
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MERRY, PHIPSON & PARKER
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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1850-1870
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Merry, Phipson & Parker
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Cherry Street, Birmingham
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MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Circa 1800- 1810
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Middleton, Littlewood & Co
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Sheffield
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Circa 1800- 1810
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M.L. & Co
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Sheffield
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MILLS
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Mills & Co
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London
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Pewter buttons
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MOORE
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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Circa 1790- 1825
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Moore
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Birmingham
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1790’s-
late 1820’s
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I Moore & Co
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Birmingham
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MORTEN & CROWDER
Date(s)
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Name
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Address
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Related Information
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c.1900-1925
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Morten & Crowder Ltd
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Birmingham
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MOSELY
(See HAWKES)
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Bibliography
Books
Bailey, Gordon - Detector Finds
Blair, Dennis G - British Buttons
Hughes and Lester - Big Book of Buttons
Luscomb, Sally C - The Collector’s Encyclopaedia of Buttons
Meredith, A & G & Cuddeford, M - Identifying Buttons
Peacock, Primrose - Discovering Old Buttons
Read, Brian A - History Beneath Our Feet
Squire, Gwen - Buttons, A Guide for Collectors
A Dictionary of English Costume
The Encyclopaedia of Fashion
The Magpie’s Companion
Periodicals
British Button Society Journal
Treasure Hunting Magazine
The Searcher
Internet websites
Diana’s Buttons - http://www.angelfire.com/wa/dianaspage/DianasButtonsWelcome.html
The Oldcopper Website - http://www.oldcopper.org/button_makers.htm
UKDFD - http://www.ukdfd.co.uk
UKDN - http://www.forumukdetectornet.co.uk/phpBB2/portal.php |
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