Civil War Reunion Button/Badge

[S McKibben]

I picked this up this weekend and have not been able to find much about it.It has a loop to hang from a necklace and is double sided.Its marked made by CS Cole & Co. Chicago ILL

Any one seen one of these before or have any idea of the age?The lady I got it from says it was from the 1880's??

[KevinBeyer]

With the sentiment "Only a few of us left", I would think that it would date from somewhere in the 1920s - 1950s.

 

I doubt that it ever hung from a necklace, but would rather suggest that it was hung like a badge, or a medal, from a ribbon which was most likely red, white, and blue or perhaps blue and gray. Although, with the dual Union flags on the back, I suspect that it wasn't from a reunion of both Federal and Confederate Veterans.

 

Seeing as both soldiers are wounded veterans it might have been from a meeting of wounded Civil War veterans, although, again, this is just speculation.

 

Regardless, I think that it is an interesting piece and I appreciate you sharing it.

 

Kevin

[Bluehawk]

That beautiful thing got me curious - it "seemed" like it belonged to some sort of medal, rather than necklace. So, I did an online scrounge for CS Cole & Co. (found almost nothing except that the family may have been jewelers in the 1870s on southside Chicago) - but came across some photos of CW pieces remarkably similar hanging off of ribbons, I believe all three of these were for reunions.

[S McKibben]

Thanks Guys.It seems there really isnt much info out there on this type of item.

 

Shawn

[Championhilz]

Well,

I don't know what organization this badge is for, but I did find another copy of it for sale on Ebay: http://www.ebay.ph/itm/ONLY-FEW-US-LEFT-Ci...e-/220826824869

 

This one is made by a different manufacturer than yours - hopefully some information on this badge will turn up.

[SCF-Collector]

I don't think this is a Blue/Gray piece. Those drops often have wounded/disabled soldiers on them, but the uniforms are distinctively Blue/Gray to match the occasion. Below of pictures of a BG drop (sorry for the poor quality - kept coming out too bright). Both soldiers are disabled on this drop.

 

 

Notice the very similar backs (flags). This one is 1.25" across. It was made by Whitehead & Hoag. I do not recognize the maker on your piece, but a jeweler could certainly have made something like this. The construction would make me think it's older than the piece I've shown above (which is undated BTW).

 

I find the soldiers on your drop very interesting in terms of how they are illustrated. For starters, the presence of the drum is kind of odd/different. But more curious to me is the way the uniforms are colored - you can almost see pen/pencil brush strokes. The "painting" of the scene is also in general kind of rough. That tends to support the theory that it was jeweler design/made (just an opinion).

 

As for the "Only a Few of Us Left", that's fairly common. I tend to agree that logically the statement would appear/exist post 1900 as the Veteran ranks started to shrink more rapidly, but enough were gone pre-1900 that it was likely used. I'm fairly certain I've seen it on pre-1900 pieces.

 

These definitely hung from a ribbon on a badge. There are two rings - the larger being used to drape the ribbon through and back up to the top-bar where it is stitched together.

 

An interesting tidbit for the conversation. I did a quick search and learned that the "Only a Few of Us Left" was also the motto of the United Indian War Veterans organization.

[KevinBeyer]

A quick web search finds that C S Cole & Co Chicago, Illinois, was in business at least as early as 1895 and they made badges into at least the early 1900s. Otherwise I couldn't find much information on the company. (So I guess my original guess was way off!)

 

Kevin

[S McKibben]

Thanks for all the info guys. I know nothing about the civil war or collectibles. It was a neat piece so thought I should pick it up.

Thanks

Shawn