Hard Rubber Button

This button was recovered from an archaeological survey of the Brook Farm property in West Roxbury, where during the Civil War a portion of the land was used as a training ground for soldiers. The eagle pattern shown was commonly used as an enlisted man's uniform button in the Civil War, but the material type is unusual. While most were made of a copper alloy, this example is made of a hard rubber and manufactured by the Novelty Rubber Company. Rubber was not used for buttons until the early 1850's when the vulcanizing process was deveoped by Charles Goodyear. The Novelty Rubber Co. operated from 1853 to 1886, and supplied rubber and rubberized materials to the Union Army who valued their unique water proof potential and durability. Artifact lot # 103076.Scanned by Brian Schools.