Identification button used by Thomas Porter II
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1820
name: label: Manufactured by
content: I. Nutting & Son, British, ca.1805 - 1840
label: Used by
content: Thomas Porter II, British, 1790 - 1857
notes: label: Description
content: A round pewter button with "TPORTER" stamped across the middle. This button would have been sewn onto an enslaved person's shirt to identify him or her as belonging to Thomas Porter II. On the reverse side of the button there are fine concentric circle impressions within a pronounced rim as well as a stamp which is now illegible. There is also evidence of a parting line for a two-part mold on the reverse of the button. The button has considerable wear with pitting on both sides.
place: label: Place collected
content: Georgia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place used
content: Demerara-Mahaica, Guyana, Caribbean, South America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Commerce
label: Topic
content: Middle Passage
label: Topic
content: Slavery
label: Topic
content: Trans Atlantic slave trade
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
label: Exhibition
content: Slavery and Freedom
label: On View
content: NMAAHC (1400 Constitution Ave NW), National Mall Location, Concourse 3, C3 053
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2009.32.1
objectType: label: Type
content: buttons (fasteners)
label: Type
content: buttons (information artifacts)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: pewter
label: Dimensions
content: Diameter: 13/16 in. (2.1 cm), 3.9Grams