Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

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BUTTON MAKERS AND THEIR BACKMARKS

General Information
Welcome
Mission statement During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers of metal buttons
Recording guidlines began to ‘brand’ their products by marking the backs with their names and often their
Photography tips addresses. These ‘backmarks’ can provide useful information for dating the buttons,
Scanning tips as details of the various companies, and when they were operating, can be found in
Uploading a coin contemporary trade directories and other documentary sources. The marking is
Uploading an artefact invariably produced by die stamping, which is an inherent part of the manufacturing
Search tips process, and backmarks produced in this way continue to be used to the present day.
Site map
The list that follows identifies British manufacturers and the backmarks they used
News releases
from the earliest ones recorded until about the middle of the twentieth century. They
Newsletters
have been collated from a large number of sources over a long period of time, both
Forum
documentary and from the buttons themselves, most of which have been recovered
Contact us by metal detectorists. In general, dates should be regarded as approximate, and not
Links exclusive unless the context indicates otherwise. It is also the case that there are
Ceejay's website some differences in respect of dating between the secondary sources that have been
Privacy policy consulted. Where it has not been possible to reconcile such differences, the various
Copyright information dates and date ranges encountered are all shown in the applicable ‘Date’ field.
Terms & conditions
The hobby and its The listing is in alphabetical order, by company name. During the period concerned,
detractors 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
Reference Articles done to facilitate faster tracing of a company when backmarks are partially illegible,
Barrel padlocks as they often are on buttons recovered from the ground.
Buckles through
the ages In addition to listing backmarks, any relevant information concerning the button
Buckles makers is shown in summary form. This typically includes dates when the companies
visual catalogue were established, taken over or ceased trading. Known button types, associated with
Button makers the maker, or with particular backmarks, are also noted where it is considered that
Coinweights they might be helpful. The backmarks consist of the company’s name (or initials)
Crotal bells alone, or the name and address together. They also occasionally include a pictorial
Galley halfpence trademark, such as the Prince of Wales plume found on Jennens’ buttons from 1860.
Gunter's chain In the list, the backmark is always the combination of the ‘Name’ and ‘Address’ fields.
Harness pendants If the address is not part of the backmark, the ‘Address’ field will be empty.
Nuremberg jetons
Papal bullae
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
Pocket sundials
directories and other primary sources. For this reason, those backmarks that have
Roman seal boxes
actually been seen by the writer - either by viewing the buttons directly, or

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

Seal matrices
photographs of them - are shown in an emboldened font. It is the intention that the list
Thimbles
will be periodically updated, as more of the backmarks are confirmed. It should be
Tumbrels
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) Name Address Related Information
1750 Company established in
this year according to
Firmin website
1870-1973 J R Gaunt & Son Birmingham Military and uniform
buttons, including British
Rail
1884 - well J R Gaunt & Son London Livery buttons
after 1899
From 1890’s J R Gaunt & Sons Clifford Street
Birmingham
1899-1991 J R Gaunt & Son London
Ltd
1899-1991 J R Gaunt & Son London Eng
Ltd
1899-1991 J R Gaunt & Son London Engld
Ltd
1899-1991 J R Gaunt & Son London England
Ltd
From 1900 J R Gaunt & Son
Ltd
c.1901- J R Gaunt & Son Montreal
1939? Ltd Made In England
c.1914- J R Gaunt & Son Montreal
c.1939 Ltd
J R Gaunt & Sons Montreal
1924 Amalgamated with Jennens
& Co of London
1940-1948 J R Gaunt & Son London

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

Ltd
Late Jennens
1950s/1960s Gaunt London
onwards
1950s/1960s Gaunt London Eng
onwards
2006 Part of Firmin Group.
Address:
J R Gaunt & Son
11 Brearley St, Aston,
Birmingham

GILPIN
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Gilpin & Co London GWR buttons

GREEN
(See PLANT, GREEN & MANTON)

GREEN, CADBURY & RICHARDS

Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1860-1876 Green, Cadbury & Friday Works, Summer
Richards (or Sumner) Row
1876 Green, Cadbury & Great Hampton Street
Richards

GRIFFITH
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
c.1900- Sydney Griffith Birmingham Buttons, include British
1925 Army

H&H
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
H & H Ltd Birmingham
H & H Ltd B’ham Civil Defence buttons

HT&B
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1850’s Hammond, Turner & Manchester Possibly outfitters
Bates
1861-1865 H T & B Manchester American Civil War buttons

HT&D
(Hammond, Turner & Dickinson – See HAMMOND)

HT&S
(Hammond, Turner & Sons – See HAMMOND)

HAMMOND
Date(s) Name Address Related Information

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

1717 Company founded in

Birmingham
1717-1800 Company operating from
100 Snowhill, Birmingham
c.1790- Hammond, Turner & Birmingham Predecessor to Hammond,
1823 Dickinson Turner & Sons
c.1800 Hammond, Turner Royal Navy buttons
c.1812- & Dickinson
1823
1800-1812 H T & D
1823-1865 Hammond Turner & Decorated buttons
Sons
1823-1865 H T & S Plain gilt buttons
c.1840- Noted for fine sporting
1850 buttons
Hammond Turner &
Sons Ltd
1955 Operating until this date

HARDING
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1861-1865 Harding & Sons London W American Civil War Buttons

HARDMAN & ILLIFFE

Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1800’s Hardman & Illiffe Birmingham

HARMAN
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Harman & Co Calcutta, India

HARRIS
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
William Harris Halesowen.
Birmingham

HARRISON & SMITH

Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1870’s Harrison & Smith Ltd Alma Street,
1875 Birmingham

HARVEY
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1800-1803 Joseph Harvey 16 Upper Priory,
Birmingham
1815 Joseph Harvey Park Street,
Birmingham

HAWKES

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

Date(s) Name Address Related Information

1788-1796 Thomas Hawkes 17 Piccadilly
1797-1809 Thomas Hawkes 24 Piccadilly
1810-1820 T Hawkes, Mosely & 22 Piccadilly
Co
1821-1852 Hawkes, Mosely & 14 Piccadilly
Co
1853-1890 Hawkes & Co 14 Piccadilly
1853-1912 Hawkes & Co Piccadilly London
1891 Hawkes & Co Saville Row

HEALEY
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
James Healey & Birmingham
Son

HEATON
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Ralph Heaton Sloane Street,
Birmingham

HERBERT
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Herbert & Co London & Birmingham Constabulary buttons

HESLOP
(See WAGSTAFF & HESLOP)

HOBSON
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1837-1877 Hobson & Sons 94 Great Windmill St &
43-44 Artillery Place,
Woolwich
1878-1883 Hobson & Sons 37-38 Little Windmill
Street & Woolwich
1884-1886 Hobson & Sons 37-38 Little Windmill
Street
Hobson London W
1887- Hobson & Sons 1 3 & 5 Lexington St
1890’s Active until this date
British Army buttons

HORTON
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1822 Horton & Co 59 Carver St. Sheffield
1822 James Horton 41 Rockingham St.
Sheffield
1829 William Horton, Rockingham St.
Sons & Co Sheffield

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W Horton, Sons & Sheffield Livery buttons

Co
1833 & James Horton 65 Carver St. Sheffield
1834
1833 & William & Alfred Rockingham St.
1834 Horton Sheffield
1852 Ceased trading? No Horton
Co. is listed in the 1852
Whites Directory

HUNWICK
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1853-1855 Hunwick London
1853-1855 Elijah Hunwick St. Martins Le Grand,
London

HYDE
(See WISE)

ILLIFFE
(See HARDMAN & ILLIFFE)

ISAACS
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
S Isaacs London & Birmingham?
1861-1865 S Isaacs Campbell 71 Jermyn St London American Civil War Buttons
& Co
S Isaacs Campbell St James St
& Co

JENNER
(Possibly an error reading of JENNENS)

JENNENS
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1800-1832 Messrs Jennens &
Co
1800-1832 Charles Jennens
Early
1800’s –
c.1825
1832-1912
1800-1912 Jennens & Co
1820’s-
1912
1832-1912 Jennens & Co London
From 1860 Jennens stamped their
buttons with Prince of
Wales plume from 1860
1860-1912 Charles Jennens London Livery buttons

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

[Prince of
WalesPlume]
1912-1924 Jennens & Co London

[Prince of
WalesPlume]
1912-1924 Jennens & Co Ltd London

[Prince of Wales
Plume]
1924 Merged with Messrs Gaunt
& Sons in 1924
1970’s At this date, J R Gaunt Ltd
of London & Birmingham

JOHNSON
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
John Johnson Edinburgh

KEMP
(See SMITH)

KIRMIKELL
(See CAIRNS)

KNOWLES
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
H Knowles Birmingham

LAMBERT
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Lambert & Co London & Birmingham?

LEONARD
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1803-1821 Period of operation
1803 William Leonard & Aston Street,
Co Birmingham
1815 Leonard & Co Aston Street,
Birmingham
1816-1820 William Leonard & Aston Street,
Son Birmingham
1821 Leonard & Son Aston Street,
Birmingham

LESDAM, BRATT
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1800 Lesdam, Bratt & Co

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

LITTLEWOOD
(See MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD)

LOTERY
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
H Lotery & Co London

LUCKOCK
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1787-1835 James Luckock St Paul’s Square,
Birmingham

LUCOCK
(Probably an error reading of LUCKOCK, see above)

M L & CO
(See MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD)

MS&JD
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
19th C MS&JD Plain gilt buttons

MANN
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
c.1800- Mann Birmingham
1843
c.1800- T Mann Birmingham
1843

MANTON
(See DAIN, WATTS & MANTON and PLANT, GREEN & MANTON)

McCLYMONT
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Circa 20th McClymont Dewar Glasgow
C & Co

McGOWAN
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Early I McGowan London Livery buttons
1800’s
1810 I McGowan Gerrard Street, London

MERRY, PHIPSON & PARKER

Date(s) Name Address Related Information
1850-1870 Merry, Phipson & Cherry Street,
Parker Birmingham

MIDDLETON, LITTLEWOOD
Date(s) Name Address Related Information

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

Circa Middleton, Sheffield

1800- Littlewood & Co
1810
Circa M.L. & Co Sheffield
1800-
1810

MILLS
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Mills & Co London Pewter buttons

MOORE
Date(s) Name Address Related Information
Circa Moore Birmingham
1790-
1825
1790’s- I Moore & Co Birmingham
late 1820’s

MORTEN & CROWDER

Date(s) Name Address Related Information
c.1900- Morten & Crowder Birmingham
1925 Ltd

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

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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfd

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
Back to top ---[ A to F ] --[ G - H - I - J - K - L - M ]-- [ N to Z ]

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