Waterbury Companies backmarked button

[JohnK83882]

Waterbury Button Company became Waterbury Companies in 1944 but I had to go through all my modern army buttons to find ONE button marked Waterbury Cos Conn W-2. I can't find W-2 among the alphanumeric maker mark codes but one button source says the Waterbury backmark didn't change into Waterbury Cos until 1965. 

 

https://inkspotantiques.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=10&srsltid=AfmBOopxj6sRZFzKtFq94j-8nWQ18IAuNr-KSZSdEulwfPfX9D241A2E

 

[JohnK83882]

Just got a small stash of Vietnam stuff and here's three more Waterbury Co's buttons. 21-W this time.

 

[JohnK83882]

 

 

A few more Vietnam era Waterbury buttons. One has a star.

[danimal03]

Interesting.  I have been studying and collecting buttons almost my entire life.  I spent many years overseas in Iraq and AFG as a contractor supporting the DoD.  When I was in Iraq, I thought it might be interesting to contribute to the button collecting world.

 

I contacted the "Waterbury Button Co." and asked if I could commission a US themed Iraq button.  I borrowed off the design of the Multinational Force - Iraq insignia.

 

To my chagrin they said they could, but they had a substantial minimal order.  I figured since I was at a unique time and place in my life; I went for it.  During an email discussion, I inquired if I could have a custom backmark.  They replied that I could; but it would increase costs substantially.  So, I told them to just give me their normal backmark.

 

I attached a pic of the coat-sized version front and back.  Note the back is marked, "Waterbury Button CT USA".  Granted this is a commercial type of button but this is what I got.  I had a cuff sized version made as well but I do not have one in front of me to see what it is marked.

 

I mounted these buttons on card sets and literally gave them all away to service members I saw while there as a "thank you" for their service.  I explained what they were and why I had them made.  I also told them I intended them to be used on future sports coats like for their future Veterans' organizations meetings, etc. 

 

They were made in three finishes.  Gold (seen here), nickel finish, and gun metal.  I received delivery of these buttons in southern Iraq around June 2009.  So, they were made around May 2009.  I sewed the little gun metal ones on several "tactical" shirts and wore them for years in Iraq and in AFG. Anyway, I digress...

 

Thank you for posting your info.  cheers!

[JohnK83882]

That's interesting. The kind of thing you'd put on your blazer. Kind of a veteran association logo. And you have a definite date for when they were made, which may be a first in the military button world. 

 

I like to think there's more info on backmarks and date ranges in the Waterbury archives somewhere. Maybe even info on why some of the newer buttons have a star. 

[JohnK83882]

You wanted a nice Scovill or Evans deeply impressed backmark.