Ridgeway Civil War Research Center A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
	Civil War Buttons
	by Harry Ridgeway

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson000 Superior Quality is a generic or trade mark backmark, this series is believed to have been manufactured by Steele & Johnson. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson000 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, (Steele & Johnson), backmarks are not numbered, Superior Quality marks are items 30 to 33, count them correlate with this listing. Details click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson000.html

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson200 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" rmdc on stippled field, very sloppy stamping, Steele & Johnson ca. 1850's. Three part officer button, coat size, 22mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson200 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 30. Plate B-10, 20.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson210 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) (star) (star) QUALITY(star) (star) (star)" rmdc, Steele & Johnson ca., 1850's. Three part officer button, coat size, 22mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson210 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 31. Plate B-11, 01.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson220 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" rmdc, stippled channel, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson220 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson221 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / QUALITY" rmdc, stippled channel, Steele & Johnson ca. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson221 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson222 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" rmdc, sloppy stamping, made in small size only, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Three part officer button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson222 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson240 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm between two rings of dots, sloppy stamping, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Note, this backmark used on staff coat size and two part large coat size buttons appears to be identical. Also, the tail of the Q does not touch the rim, which is characteristic of Steele & Johnson Extra Quality backmarks. Three part officer button, coat size, 22mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson240 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 32. Plate B-11, 02.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson241 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm, inner ring of dots, sloppy stamping, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Note, this backmark used on staff small size and two part small size buttons appears to be identical. Also, the tail of the Q does not touch the rim, which is characteristic of Steele & Johnson Extra Quality backmarks. Three part officer button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson241 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 33. Plate B-11, 03.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson250 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm between two rings of dots, sloppy stamping, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Note, this backmark used on staff coat size and two part large coat size buttons appears to be identical. Also, the tail of the Q does not touch the rim, which is characteristic of Steele & Johnson Extra Quality backmarks. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson250 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 32. Plate B-11, 02.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson251 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm, inner ring of dots, sloppy stamping, Steele & Johnson ca. 1860. Note, this backmark used on staff small size and two part small size buttons appears to be identical. Also, the tail of the Q does not touch the rim, which is characteristic of Steele & Johnson Extra Quality backmarks. Three part officer button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson251 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87, item 33. Plate B-11, 03.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson300 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm between two rings of dots, the letters are plain without serifs, manufactured 1880's or later. Two part convex button, large coat size, 21mm to 23mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson300 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson310 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (floral) QUALITY (floral)" dm two inner rings of dots, the letters are plain without serifs, manufactured 1880's or later. Two part convex button, coat size, 20mm to 21mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson310 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson320 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)" dm between two rings of dots, the letters are plain without serifs, manufactured 1880's or later. Two part convex button, coat size, 20mm to 21mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson320 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson325 Backmark: "SUPERIOR / (star) QUALITY (star)," dm inner ring of dots, the letters are plain without serifs, manufactured 1880's or later. Two part convex button, hat or sleeve size, 14mm to 16mm. Research Center: Backmark-SuperiorQuality-SteeleJohnson325 . Reference: Tice, Dating Buttons, page 87.

This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.

Most information on this page is from:
Uniform Buttons of the United States 1776 - 1865, by Warren K.Tice.
Dating buttons; A Chronology of Button Types, Makers, Retailers & Their Backmarks, by Warren K. Tice.
Directory of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers, by Bruce S. Bazelon and William F. Guinn.
Record of American Uniform and Historical Buttons, Bicentennial Edition, by Alphaeus H. Albert.
Pictures are generally by the author, unless otherwise indicated.

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War Buttons Research center, buttons, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button0000-Index.html. Research center, buttons, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Button0000-Index.html.

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War Button backmarks. Research center, button backmarks, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Backmark-000.html. Research center, button backmarks, click: http://relicman.com/buttons/Backmark-000.html.

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