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Naval Buttons

Image 1
Royal Navy 1891 – 1901
Worn by Captain/Commander, Lieutenant, Master, 
Surgeon, Purser, Midshipman, Warrant Officer
Distinguished from the 1901 – 1952 version by the slight gap between the top of the anchor and the bottom of the crown (as far as I can tell!)
Button ? (Whoops!)
Image 2
Reverse of button below
Backmark is unique in my collection, HT&D TREBLE GILT
And yes, it really is incredibly hard to read!
Button ?
Image 3
Front of button above
Very similar to one of Diana’s but different to all of them in that rope goes the opposite way around the anchor
Assuming it is the one it most closely resembles, it was worn between 1774 and 1787 by Captain/Commander, Master, Surgeon, Purser,
Warrant Officer and Midshipman
Button ?
Image 4
Most closely resembles the button Diana says was in use between 1825 and 1827
Worn by Captain/Commander, Lieutenant and Midshipman
Button ?
Image 5
Royal Naval Captain, Commander, Lieutenant, Midshipman, Volunteer
Worn between 1st January 1825 and 18th December 1827
(Dating and use information from the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, in personal correspondence)
Hammond Turner Dickinson. One piece.
BBB Plate 305, no 28
Button 04
Image 6
Royal Naval Captain (including the rank of post-Captain),
Commander, Lieutenant, Midshipman, Volunteer
Worn between 23rd March 1812 to 1st January 1825.
(Dating and use information from the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, England, in personal correspondence)
Hammond Turner Dickinson. One piece.
BBB Plate 305, no 29
Button 003
Image 7
Royal Naval Yacht Club
Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club was formed by four Royal Naval Lieutenants serving on board HMS Bellerophon anchored off Spithead in September 1867. It takes part of its name from the Albert Yacht Club formed in 1864 under the patronage of Prince Albert who was a very keen sailor. The following year the “Royal” was added by gracious permission of Queen Victoria. (Information from Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club’s website Button ?
UPDATE, May 2023: Ian Kelly of kellybadges.co.uk told me that the N actually stands for Northern: he wrote “It is cited in three reference books as Royal Northern Yacht Club (the oldest Scottish yacht club, since re-named Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club – https://www.rncyc.com)” Thanks, Ian.
Image 8
Royal Marines
Seller suggested the button dates from 1812 but ‘Diana’ suggests this style was in use from 1833 to 1881. The maker – Hammond Turner Dickinson – did not exist after the 1820s when Dickinson died. I asked the Royal Marines Museum for help in dating it, and they confirm pre-1823.
One piece.
BBB Plate 305 no 26 similar
Button 005
Image 9
Royal Naval Master
In use from 1805 to 1812.
Hammond Turner Dickenson. One piece.
Button 059
Image 10
Royal Naval Captain and Commander or Lieutenant
In use from 1795 to 1812.
Hammond Turner Dickenson. One piece. Dug, in very fine condition.
Button 084
Compare with gallery [to follow], image [to follow] (button 055)
Image 11
Sold to me as WWI Naval officers’ dress waistcoat buttons: I have been unable to verify this description
Hammond Turner & Sons
The anchors are not moulded with the button itself but applied separately. That’s why some of them are ‘slightly sqiffy’ (as my mother would have said): it seems appropriate, somehow!
Buttons 96
Image 12
Seller suggested the lettering stood for H (something) Light Cavalry
As the lettering on this button closely resembles one of Diana’s which relates to Her Majesty’s Training Ships, I decided to include it here as well as in the Military gallery
Hammond Turner & Sons
Button 105