Hard Rubber Button

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This button was unearthed during an archaeological excavation of the Brook Farm property in West Roxbury, where part of the land served as a training ground for soldiers during the Civil War. The distinctive eagle design displayed was often used on enlisted men's uniforms throughout the conflict, but the button's material is unusually made from hard rubber manufactured by the Novelty Rubber Company. Unlike most buttons, which were typically crafted from copper alloy, this example predates the widespread use of rubber in button-making, a process that didn't become common until the early 1850s with Charles Goodyear's development of vulcanization. The Novelty Rubber Co. operated from 1853 to 1886, supplying high-quality rubber and rubberized materials to the Union Army, who recognized the value of its water-resistant properties and durability in military applications.