Buttons and Button Mold

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

This button mold, which makes a single button, belonged to Deacon Phineas Field (circa 1799-1884) of Charlemont, Massachusetts.   The design is etched in half of the mold.  The other half consists of metal plates, marked with “P F”, attached to blocks of wood to form the button’s shank. Molten pewter would be poured into the fully assembled mold. Finishing work would involve filing off excess pewter and smoothing edges.

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Details

Item typeTools & Equipment
Metalworking
Clothing
CreatorField, Deacon Phineas
PlaceCharlemont, Massachusetts
TopicClothing, Textile, Fashion, Costume
EraNational Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877
Rise of Industrial America, 1878–1899
MaterialMetal; Wood
Dimension detailsHeight: 1.12 in Width: 1.37 in Length: 2.50 in
Catalog #1881.027.09
View this item in our curatorial database →
Field, Deacon Phineas. Buttons and Button Mold. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1881-027-09/. Accessed on December 6, 2024.

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