Antler buttons...

[Peter LeRay]

Since I'll be penned up in the house for the next few days
(-19°)I decided on making a pillow ticking haversack. I'll post pics as i go. Any local places have antler buttons? (As in a large Chain store etc?)

 

[Black Hand]

Do yourself a favor and avoid antler buttons if you are wishing to replicate a period item. Shanked metal buttons are the way to go, and can be ordered from a number of vendors. Even the metal ones from the fabric store are better than antler...

 

[necchi]

Truth that.
Antler buttons also have a nasty tendency of breaking, quickly.
Might be why they weren't commonly used.

 

[Peter LeRay]

10-4. Thanks fellas!

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I made traditional style horn buttons over the years, some bone as well. The horn buttons have held up through years of washer-dryer abuse and still look like brand new.

I cut the horn into fairly flat pieces and clamped a piece under my drill press and then used a plug cutter going slow with light pressure. Wear a paper mask. When cut sand the piece smooth on both sides and drill two holes for thread
the same process works for dry uncooked bone

 

[satx78247]

I believe that the primary reason that antler buttons weren't often used (in the USA) was that wearing them "marked a person" as too poor or "bumpkinish" to afford anything else.

yours, satx

 

[George]

I find hundreds of items mentioning "horn buttons" in the 18th-century newspapers, and I assume they are of cow horn, but I also find:

The Pennsylvania Gazette
October 21, 1731
PHILADELPHIA, Octob. 7. We hear from Hopewell in the Jerseys, that on the 4th past, two Bucks were observed fighting near the new Meeting House there; one of them extraordinary large, supposed to be a Roe buck; the other small and of the common sort. In company with them was a black Doe, who stood by to see the Engagement. The small Buck proved a full match for the great one, giving him many violent Punches in the Ribs, but in the height of the Battle, they fastened their Horns so strongly together, that they were not able with all their Strength to disengage; and in that condition they were taken. The Doe retreated into the Woods, but being pursued with several Beagle Hounds, she was take also alive, and they have put her and the large Buck into a boarded Pasture together, in hopes to have a Breed, if the Sizes are not too unsuitable. This is the second Brace of Bucks that have been caught by the Horns this Fall. Had they not better put 'em quietly in their Pockets?

The Pennsylvania Gazette
March 10, 1757
ANNAPOLIS, January 27.
Some time ago, in Hunting Time, a Man in Frederick County, having made himself a Jacket of the Skin of a Deer, with the Hair and Tail on, went out to hunt for Deer, and as he was creeping thro Bushes in pursuit of Prey, was seen by another Hunter, who taking him for a Deer, fired at him, and shot thro' the Skin, but happily did not kill. (It is not improbable but he might wear the Horns as well as the Tail.)

The Pennsylvania Gazette
March 4, 1755
Lately imported, and to be sold on the lowest terms, by GEORGE BRYAN,”¦ Stoughton drops, lavender water and drops, hartshorn and salvolatile drops, beautyfying water, and tooth powder;

They obviously used the term horn for antler, so how do we tell they aren't speaking of antler when they say horn buttons, horn ramrod tips, horn handled case and penknives , etc.? :grin:

Spence

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I Spence I think you will find the material record sorts out all we know in that case.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I believe in the context used, hartshorn refers to a chemical leavening agent used in baking. Called such because it was derived from rendering parts of red deer

 

[George]

I believe in the context used, hartshorn refers to a chemical leavening agent used in baking. Called such because it was derived from rendering parts of red deer

Yeah, but they call it hart's horn, not hart's antler. As you say, the hart is a European red deer.

I think it is included in a list of medicinals. here. Hartshorn was much used in herbal or folk medicine. It was also used in baking, a forerunner of baking powder.

Spence

 

[Peter LeRay]

What do you mean by a shanked metal button? What do they look like??

 

[smo]

It's a metal button with an eye attached to the back. Google shanked metal buttons :thumbsup:

 

[tenngun]

like a flat disk of metal, brass or pewter common, then a flat thin piece on the back with a hole on it to sew down. Antler used to be all the rage for frontiersman reinactors. Today I think most people use metal or horn as that seems to have been the most common. It may have been like satx suggested that only the improvised would use them. Metal buttons are found on trade list. Lewis and Clark returned with a dress with brass buttons sewed on as decoration. You can look up on J Townsend and sons or crazy crow to see some.

 

[Peter LeRay]

Ok thanks alot Tenngun!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Truth that.
Antler buttons also have a nasty tendency of breaking, quickly.
Might be why they weren't commonly used.

Antler slices often have weak marrow in the center that can break very easily. Cuts from the hardened bone part will make just fine buttons. A short section of antler tip can serve well as a button/fastener.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I am sure the improvised did not use antler slices foreign buttons either. Way too hard to make without a fine or band saw when wood, horn, thread, etc. would have been easier to improvise.

I do not know of a single 18th century example of antler slice buttons. One can find a plethora of horn examples.

 

[Stophel]

I would suspect that plain "white metal buttons" (pewter) would have been the norm for such a thing (though I don't know of any existing old haversack, nor military regulations describing the buttons). Perhaps even thread buttons might be used, like one would use on a shirt. Thread buttons certainly are cheap... costing only a little bit of thread. :wink:

 

[George]

I would suspect that plain "white metal buttons" (pewter) would have been the norm for such a thing (though I don't know of any existing old haversack, nor military regulations describing the buttons).

Or maybe even lead buttons....

"THE SOUTH CAROLINA GAZETTE
October 30, 1736
Charleston, South Carolina
There is also run away from said Sloop a ***** Boy named Immanuel, he is a strait slim Boy of about 16 years of Age, and speaks good English; he had on when he went away, a blue Jacket with lead Buttons , blue Stockings, a pair of Shoes and a canvas Cap:"

I wonder if those were molded lead buttons or made from a flattened musket ball? :haha:

Spence

 

[tenngun]

Or lead based pewter as lots was made then out of lead.

 

[tenngun]

Good point. I started moving away from antler because I've never seen one on an old piece, and think they would have been very rare. I THINK they would have been made only used when nothing else was available, and as pointed out by Rifleman the tips more then slices.