Help with Identifying US Army General Service Button - Late 19th Century?

[McDermut99]

I'd like to request some assistance in identifying the type and age of this button found at a site I've assisted with excavating. From what I've researched so far its an army general service kepi, vest, or cuff button (measures 15mm or 9/16 in wide) dating from the mid to late 1800s. Unfortunately I don't have any of the military button reference books in my library and haven't had much luck finding complete digitized copies online. There is some buildup on the backside that hasn't been cleaned yet that is obscuring some of the markings, but most of the word SCOVILL is legible.

 

If anyone could provide more information on this button, including further narrowing down its type, use and age I would greatly appreciate the assistance. Any suggestions of reference books or reliable online sources of information would be very welcome and appreciated as well.

 

[Bob B]

It is an army General Service button which would have been used on an enlisted man's uniform. That face type is the style used during the Civil War. Scovill made buttons for many years before, during, and after tha Civil War, and the specific backmark can help date the button more precisely. From the spacing It looks like this backmark could be "SCOVILLS & Co". If so that could be mid 1840's up to the Civil War. 

[Father V]

I was going to ask how the original poster read the backmark. Scovill makes sense.

[Bob B]

In its entirety it's probably "SCOVILLS & CO/*EXTRA*" if it is the one I think it is.

[McDermut99]

On 3/8/2026 at 7:38 PM, Bob B said:

It is an army General Service button which would have been used on an enlisted man's uniform. That face type is the style used during the Civil War. Scovill made buttons for many years before, during, and after tha Civil War, and the specific backmark can help date the button more precisely. From the spacing It looks like this backmark could be "SCOVILLS & Co". If so that could be mid 1840's up to the Civil War. 

 

Thank you very much for the information, this has been very helpful. Cleaning the backside of the button has taken longer than expected but I believe your initial assessment on the markings was correct. 

 

On 3/10/2026 at 9:13 PM, Father V said:

I was going to ask how the original poster read the backmark. Scovill makes sense.

 

On 3/11/2026 at 7:55 AM, Bob B said:

In its entirety it's probably "SCOVILLS & CO/*EXTRA*" if it is the one I think it is.

 

After further cleaning, more of the backmark was exposed and appears to read "SCOVILLS & Co / EXTR?" Images of the backmark after further cleaning are below.

 

[McDermut99]

According to the references available to y'all, has this button been given a type identification or label in the contemporary publications such as Albert's book?

[Bob B]

Not sure I'd call Albert's book contemporary as it's 50 years old now, but he identifies this General Service button as a GI94A type. Tice's book is more recent (1997) and much more comprehensive, identifying by button type and known backmarks. In his book it is GEN215A26.