27th August 2022

New Finds

The logo on this card of buttons was used by G. J. Coles for its home-brand Embassy from 1971 until the brand was dropped around 1994. The dog reminds me of the cartoon character Mr. Peabody from the Rocky and Bullwinkle show.

 

Government service/Victoria Railway Uniform buttons

These buttons can be confusing. The VR  when combined with the Queen Victoria crown indicates that the “VR” is the cypher for “Victoria Regina”. Such buttons were used for the railways, but also for other governmental employees. However, after the coronation of King George VII in 1902, the use of the VR symbol (i.e. not his cypher) with the Tudor (or King’s ) crown indicates this is (only) for the Victorian Railways. General purpose governmental buttons would used the GVIIR (George VII Rex).

“Special Quality” probably indicates British production pre 1902. “C.R. Martin Melbourne” indicates 1868-1893. “Lincoln Stuart Melbourne”, the example with the Tudor crown, indicates 1902-1952. You can see that they did not change the design apart from the crown.

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