Replica Button
MakerMade by
Scovill Manufacturing Company
American
Mediumgold-plated metal; paper; cardboard
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (button diameter): 7/8in. (2.2cm)
Component (height x width of card): 3 × 2in. (7.6 × 5.1cm)
Component (height x width x depth of box): 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 1/4in. (1.3 × 5.7 × 8.3cm)
Component (height x width of card): 3 × 2in. (7.6 × 5.1cm)
Component (height x width x depth of box): 1/2 × 2 1/4 × 3 1/4in. (1.3 × 5.7 × 8.3cm)
ClassificationsHistorical Events
Credit LineGift of Kenneth T. Howell
DescriptionA replica button of the button presented to the Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 by the Leavenworth, Hayden and Scovill Manufacturing Company. The button (d) is in its original gold box (a & e) with a pamphlet (b) and piece of tissue paper (c). The button has a relief image of George Washington on the front. The button is pinned to a black piece of cardboard with a gold design.
Object number1986.50.3a-e
Markings(b) Typed and printed in brown ink: [front cover] PRESENTED TO THE/ MARQUIS de LAFAYETTE/ 1824/ Scovill Manufacturing Co./ Waterbury, Connecticut/ [inside, left] When the Marquis de Lafayette/ visited this country in 1824, as a/ friend instead of an active ally,/ the Scovill Manufacturing Com-/pany was an active little brass/ button concern known as Leav-/enworth, Hayden and Scovill. It/ had been in business for 22/ years, having been founded in/ 1802./ As a token of appreciation of/ General Lafayette's war service/ to the American Colonies, the/ Company presented him with a/ full set of coat buttons carefully/ made in solid gold. The button/ attached to this card is a replica/ in gold plate of the original/ button./ [inside, right] The die for the medallion of/ George Washington appearing/ on the cap of the button was/ cut especially for use in making/ the original button at the United/ States Mint./ The reverse side, as with the/ original, bears the inscription,/ "Presented to General Lafayette/ by L. H. & Scovill, Button Manu-/facturers, Waterbury, Con."/ The Lafayette Presentation But-/ton was made for the second/ time fifty-two years later in 1876./ This time sets were made in/ gold plate from a duplicate of/ the original button. They were/ presented by Scovill to the mem-/bers of the official French Com-/ [back cover] mission at the Centennial Exposi-/tion in Philadelphia, celebrating/ 100 years of our independence./ Once more, in 1916, history re-/peated itself. The die was used/ to make a pair of gold cuff links/ for Lafayette's grandson, the/ Marquis de Chambrun on the/ occasion of his visiting this coun-/try during the first World War/ as a member of the French Mis-/sion./ The button has been "re-struck"/ in gold plate almost a dozen/ times since then for various com-/memorative purposes. The date/ of issue is indicated by the num-/bers stamped on the back./ B-002"(d) Card recto, printed in gold: "PRESENTED/ to the/ MARQUIS de LAFAYETTE/ 1824"
(d) Button verso, inscribed: "PRESENTED TO GENERAL LAFAYETTE/ BY L. H. & SCOVILL/ BUTTON MANUFACTURERS/ WATERBURY, CON"
On View
Not on view
1856
