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Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfdhttp://www.ukdfd.co.uk/pages/buttonsgtom.html[24.02.2009 02:25:17]

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Reference Articles

BUTTON MAKERS AND THEIR BACKMARKS

During the second half of the eighteenth century, manufacturers of metal buttonsbegan to ‘brand’ their products by marking the backs with their names and often theiraddresses. These ‘backmarks’ can provide useful information for dating the buttons,as details of the various companies, and when they were operating, can be found incontemporary trade directories and other documentary sources. The marking isinvariably produced by die stamping, which is an inherent part of the manufacturingprocess, 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 usedfrom the earliest ones recorded until about the middle of the twentieth century. Theyhave been collated from a large number of sources over a long period of time, bothdocumentary and from the buttons themselves, most of which have been recoveredby metal detectorists. In general, dates should be regarded as approximate, and notexclusive unless the context indicates otherwise. It is also the case that there aresome differences in respect of dating between the secondary sources that have beenconsulted. Where it has not been possible to reconcile such differences, the variousdates 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 orgenerations of the same family worked for the business, they are listed under thecommon surname. Where double or multiple names apply, each name is listedseparately, but cross-referenced back to the main company name. This has beendone 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 buttonmakers is shown in summary form. This typically includes dates when the companieswere established, taken over or ceased trading. Known button types, associated withthe maker, or with particular backmarks, are also noted where it is considered thatthey 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 pictorialtrademark, 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 actualbackmarks used by the companies, or simply their details, as obtained from tradedirectories and other primary sources. For this reason, those backmarks that haveactually been seen by the writer - either by viewing the buttons directly, or

Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfdhttp://www.ukdfd.co.uk/pages/buttonsgtom.html[24.02.2009 02:25:17]

Seal matricesThimblesTumbrels

photographs of them - are shown in an emboldened font. It is the intention that the listwill be periodically updated, as more of the backmarks are confirmed. It should benoted that confirmation of a backmark does not imply confirmation of any datesassociated with them.It is also inevitable that the list will contain errors, both as a result of transcribing theinformation, and because of the use of secondary sources, which, as indicatedabove, are sometimes at variance with each other. Similarly, there will be omissionsfrom the list, both in respect of the names of companies, and the backmarks for thosethat are listed. It is intended that the periodic updates will also include amendmentsand additions, as more information becomes available.If details seem rather sparse in some cases, it should be borne in mind that theinformation shown might have been gleaned from a single button or a singledocumentary reference. In other cases, of course, there is a wealth of publishedinformation, and further details are often available from the sources cited at the endof the listing.

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GAUNTDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

1750 Company established inthis year according toFirmin website1870-1973J R Gaunt & SonBirminghamMilitary and uniformbuttons, including BritishRail1884 - wellafter 1899

J R Gaunt & SonLondon

Livery buttonsFrom 1890’sJ R Gaunt & SonsClifford StreetBirmingham 1899-1991J R Gaunt & SonLtdLondon1899-1991J R Gaunt & SonLtdLondon Eng1899-1991J R Gaunt & SonLtdLondon Engld1899-1991J R Gaunt & SonLtdLondon EnglandFrom 1900J R Gaunt & SonLtd c.1901-1939?J R Gaunt & SonLtdMontrealMade In England c.1914-c.1939J R Gaunt & SonLtdMontrealJ R Gaunt & SonsMontreal1924 Amalgamated with Jennens& Co of London1940-1948J R Gaunt & SonLondon

Button Makers and their backmarks G to M - ukdfdhttp://www.ukdfd.co.uk/pages/buttonsgtom.html[24.02.2009 02:25:17]

LtdLate Jennens1950s/1960sonwardsGauntLondon1950s/1960sonwardsGauntLondon Eng2006 Part of Firmin Group.Address:J R Gaunt & Son11 Brearley St, Aston,Birmingham

GILPINDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

Gilpin & CoLondonGWR buttons

GREEN

(See PLANT, GREEN & MANTON)

GREEN, CADBURY & RICHARDSDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

1860-1876Green, Cadbury &RichardsFriday Works, Summer(or Sumner) Row 1876Green, Cadbury &RichardsGreat Hampton Street

GRIFFITHDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

c.1900-1925Sydney GriffithBirminghamButtons, include BritishArmy

H & HDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

H & H LtdBirmingham

H & H LtdB’ham

Civil Defence buttons

H T & BDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

1850’sHammond, Turner &BatesManchesterPossibly outfitters1861-1865

H T & BManchester

American Civil War buttons

H T & D

(Hammond, Turner & Dickinson – See HAMMOND)

H T & S

(Hammond, Turner & Sons – See HAMMOND)

HAMMONDDate(s)NameAddressRelated Information

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Button Makers and Their Backmarks G to M - Ukdfd

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
addresse... (More)

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