Featured Lil cutie of a button

Haven’t gotten out to do much detecting this year. When I have the good finds have been a bit light. This sweet little button came up yesterday. Marked “Rich Orange”. I believe this description was used late 18th/early 19th to a bit past the American civil war. It would have been nicely gilt but other than that it’s survived in pretty amazing shape. I’d assume this button is towards the later 19th but I can’t be sure.

 

cute as a button !!!!!

 

Is it iron?
The design of the winged beastie within a pebbled circle looks Japanese...to me, anyway.
Any backstory to Rich Orange?

 

It’s hard to tell. I think it’s bronze of brass. If iron it would likely be a ball of rust. All the other iron I pulled was rusty and almost always is. I get the Japanese look. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was aesthetic movement era. Rich orange is just a “quality” level of gilding. I believe it just meant it had a nice deep gold appearance. Used in UK and US. Could be more to it but not that I know.

 

Thanks, Dagger!