CANADIAN CURIOUSITY

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is an unusual little item that I have just bought. There are no secrets to be discovered with it - only, what date is it from ?

Basically it is a button hook - dating from the period when a Gentleman's boot spats had buttons, and this little tool helped to do them-up. What is unusual is that it has been mounted in a .303 cartridge case - with a hole bored through the bullet. The base of the cartridge has been removed and a Canadian button fitted.

So the questions for our Canadian friends are - 1. Can you identify the button's unit ? 2. Do you think this is a Boer War period - or, 1st. WW. ?

There was a set of 3 1st WW miniatures with it - but these may be quite separate. Were people still using button hooks in the 1st. WW - and would they have been used with boots ?

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

I'm unable to read the motto in the Garter - however, the Crown is more the late Victorian - early Edwardian pattern. Which is why I wondered if it could be Boer War period (1899-1902).

[Hugh]

Show us the button! (Please)

[Hauptmann]

I'm not positive but from what I've found this should be a Canadian General Service button from 1924 to 1946.

Dan

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hugh - I can only show the top of the button - it is fixed into the base of the cartridge. Dans seems to have found the same pattern - although this would make it later than WW1. I doubt if we will ever know it's history - perhaps it was made to commerorate his war service ?

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Mervyn,

Just catching up one the posts I've missed over the past few days, or was that weeks?

I would guess that this could have been made in Europe after the war for sale to the soldiers returning for memorial services. From what I have read there was a very lucrative business in making souveniers for the returning vets. I don't think buttons on shoes and boots were very popular in North America after the Great War time period tough I could be wrong on that point. However, if my guess is correct (regarding boot buttons) then that may be another indication that this was made in Europe for the souvenier trade as they may not have been up on the current trends in North America.

I've seen similar pieces for sale at different shows but never one with a military button affixed to the end.

An interesting artifact.

Regards

Brian