C. Rouyer artillery button

[johnkris]

The button seems like a foreign artillery button but the maker mark. C. Rouyer, is coming up as a Civil War confederate Louisiana maker.

 

[Salterr]

Here's another rouyer button for confederate staff. The flaming bomb is usually ordnance department in the civil war but also used in France and European countries as grenadiers

 

[bobinwmass]

Listed in Albert's book as a relatively rare Louisiana artillery button, LA22A. Tice's book says it's a rare locally produced Louisiana button, LA292A1, made early in the Civil War. Interesting that the Tice entry indicates that the backmark should be in raised letters, but the only photos I've seen of the Rouyer backmark are like the one on your button.

 

[johnkris]

The button seems like a foreign artillery button but the maker mark. C. Rouyer, is coming up as a Civil War confederate Louisiana maker.


View attachment 533188

View attachment 533189

US Ordnance Corps.

Listed in Albert's book as a relatively rare Louisiana artillery button, LA22A. Tice's book says it's a rare locally produced Louisiana button, LA292A1, made early in the Civil War. Interesting that the Tice entry indicates that the backmark should be in raised letters, but the only photos I've seen of the Rouyer backmark are like the one on your button.

Page 153. Got it.

 

[bobinwmass]

Tice does discuss Casimir Rouyer as a button maker on page 83 of his book, and does report this backmark, a weak depressed mark between two rings, as a war time backmark. He also shows a picture of it on page 85, Plate C-2, Figure 11.

 

[johnkris]

Too much? https://www.ebay.com/itm/256761476058

 

[bobinwmass]

I've seen the Rouyer Confederate Staff officer button going in the $1500 range. I've not been able to find a listing for this one to give you a comparison. I would expect one of the big button dealers would be seeking $1000 plus, but who knows when it would sell.

 

[johnkris]

This may be too big for ebay. Not sure what to do here.

 

[johnkris]

I put the listing to $699 so the people here have the first shot at it.

 

[bobinwmass]

I used to collect Confederate buttons 30 to 40 years, then sold them off to buy the land I built my house on. I never had this one in my collection but certainly would have bought it for the $299 you initially had listed at 30 years ago. Even briefly considered buying it last night, but not gonna start that collection all over again.

 

[johnkris]

I used to collect Confederate buttons 30 to 40 years, then sold them off to buy the land I built my house on. I never had this one in my collection but certainly would have bought it for the $299 you initially had listed at 30 years ago. Even briefly considered buying it last night, but not gonna start that collection all over again.

I bumped it to $699. It's ebay, so I figure half the real value is the best I'm ever going to do there.

 

[bobinwmass]

I bumped it to $699. It's ebay, so I figure half the real value is the best I'm ever going to do there.

I could see a serious collector who really wants to fill a hole in their collection easily paying your asking price. They just have to find your listing. Like I said, I think you would see major dealers asking much more. You came up with one of those lucky finds that happen less and less often nowadays.

 

[johnkris]

I could see a serious collector who really wants to fill a hole in their collection easily paying your asking price. They just have to find your listing. Like I said, I think you would see major dealers asking much more. You came up with one of those lucky finds that happen less and less often nowadays.

Once in a lifetime. I posted it here because people were so great about helping me.

 

[johnkris]

Sold.

 

[bobinwmass]

Sold.

Congratulations. Didn't think you'd have much trouble. Doing a little further research into my records from when I collected Confederate buttons, I see the LA22 with the blank back was offered at $1500 in 1991. This was before Tice's books came out. In Tice's 1998 price guide he estimated the LA22 with Rouyer backmark at $2000. In his 2005 price guide at $3500. From what I've seen lately though, many Confederate buttons are back down to prices they were going at in the 1990's. I guess not as many collectors so not as much demand. Hope my info helped. (But maybe I still should have bought it when you had it at $299 Wednesday night. Will likely never see another.)

 

[johnkris]

Congratulations. Didn't think you'd have much trouble. Doing a little further research into my records from when I collected Confederate buttons, I see the LA22 with the blank back was offered at $1500 in 1991. This was before Tice's books came out. In Tice's 1998 price guide he estimated the LA22 with Rouyer backmark at $2000. In his 2005 price guide at $3500. From what I've seen lately though, many Confederate buttons are back down to prices they were going at in the 1990's. I guess not as many collectors so not as much demand. Hope my info helped. (But maybe I still should have bought it when you had it at $299 Wednesday night. Will likely never see another.)

I had it at $99 for a few hours initially. Honestly, it made me nervous just having that kind of thing. That's way out of my universe, this kind of stuff. I paid 40 bucks for a pile of buttons, so I can't say I didn't make an acceptable profit.

 

[bobinwmass]

I had it at $99 for a few hours initially. Honestly, it made me nervous just having that kind of thing. That's way out of my universe, this kind of stuff. I paid 40 bucks for a pile of buttons, so I can't say I didn't make an acceptable profit.

I only saw your listing on Ebay after I identified it for you and you bumped to $299. If I had seen it for $99 before you sought help here, I definitely would have jumped on it. But once I started giving you info, I decided to just let it ride out and see how you and it did.

 

[Salterr]

I only saw your listing on Ebay after I identified it for you and you bumped to $299. If I had seen it for $99 before you sought help here, I definitely would have jumped on it. But once I started giving you info, I decided to just let it ride out and see how you and it did.

I feel that way too many times If I help someone identify or price something. If I kept my mouth shut I'd have a lot more pieces in the collection but I can't in good conscience do it. I always rather tell people what it is or what it's worth.

 

[johnkris]

I feel that way too many times If I help someone identify or price something. If I kept my mouth shut I'd have a lot more pieces in the collection but I can't in good conscience do it. I always rather tell people what it is or what it's worth.

I had another guy from another forum misidentify something as worthless and I put it on ebay for cheap. It sold FAST. The guy posted me right after correcting himself. I don't trust any source absolutely.

 

[bobinwmass]

I had another guy from another forum misidentify something as worthless and I put it on ebay for cheap. It sold FAST. The guy posted me right after correcting himself. I don't trust any source absolutely.

I did see on another forum that you thought it was an ordnance button, and no one there yet has caught on it was a rare Confederate Louisiana. Think you'll do better here with buttons.