Button ID?

[Digger_O'Dell]

Hey button guys, may have my first of button! It's a 2 piece with full gold gilt with shank. Broken, but still attached. The back reads "State Arsenal, Harrisberg Pa." Tried looking it up and saw one crusty example someone thought may be military from the Spanish American war in 1898. Thoughts?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171020/ac1a0ab9740df965ffdffa82126b59e7.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171020/bb3ec3b62148bd1dbd529f199e8be0fd.jpg

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[Digger Don]

II
I found one very similar to yours, only from Pennsylvania. 1890s sounds about right!

[Digger_O'Dell]

Thanks Don, also found a smaller but toastier eagle button nearby. Same kind of shank and I think i see what might be waterbury on the back. I'll get it posted once I clean it up.

[Full Metal Digger]

Thoughts? I think that is an amazing button and I already hate you! LOL. Arsenal stuff is very cool. Would have been made under direct contract of the US Gov. Congrats my friend on a very cool find. HH, Dave.

[fyrffytr1]

Here's what I found about your buttons manufacturer. From the book "American Military Button Makers and Dealers; Their Backmarks and Dates" by William F. McGuinn and Bruce Bazelon:

State Arsenal, Harrisburg, Pa. Made uniforms for the National Guard of Pennsylvania, ca. 1898-1902. Buttons with this backmark were ordered from Scovill and Waterbury Button Co.for these uniforms. This backmark is found on PA-22C & D, also PA 20 & 21.

The numbers refer to the listings in "The Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons" by Alphaeus H. Albert. Your button is PA 22C. It is listed in his book as follows:
PA 22 Pennsylvania, the state seal; 2-piece, low convex.
A. The Device.the eagles wing close to the horse's ear.
C. The wreath with five twists. "State Arsenal:/ Harrisburg. Pa." RV 1.
The RV stands for relative value And the -1 means it is a fairly common button. RVs go from 0 to over 250.
It still a very nice find and the first one I have ever seen.

[Digger_O'Dell]

Wow, thanks for all that great info! :notworthy:

[fyrffytr1]

Wow, thanks for all that great info! :notworthy:

You are welcome. Whether it was used in the Spanish-American war or not would take more research. Did the PA. National Guard serve in that conflict?

[fyrffytr1]

It looks like there's a pretty good chance your button saw action.

The Pennsylvania National Guard was mobilized for the Spanish–American War (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War) and the Pancho Villa Expedition (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancho_Villa_Expedition)

1898 - The entire Pennsylvania division is mustered into federal service for the Spanish-American War. Units see action in Puerto Rico and the Philippines.