|
|
Blennerhassett Livery Buttons c1858-1868
Household Livery Uniform Brass Buttons with Blennerhassett coat-of-arms
manufactured by Foley & Croker of Dublin
 if you know of a similar button, please get in touch... |
|
|
|
These brass uniform buttons are from the livery of a coachman or senior household servant at an Irish "big house", perhaps Ballyseedy or Churchtown in Co.Kerry, perhaps Riddlestown in Co.Limerick. Of the one-piece "flat" style, before such brass uniform buttons became curved or domed, 30mm diameter displaying the Blennerhassett family coat-of-arms, crest and motto. Both buttons both show wear and on both the loop is missing, indicating considerable use.
The manufacturer's name "Foley & Croker, 24 College Green, Dublin" appears on the reverse. Glenn Thompson of the National Museum of Ireland (Decorative Arts & History) at Collins Barracks, Dublin dates the button to the years 1858-68 when Foley & Croker are known to have been manufacturing buttons at Dublin. The Dublin Street Directory in [Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory for the Year 1862] has for 24 College Green: "Foley and Croker, button manufacturer and trimming warehouse, Foley H. & Croker J."
The two examples of the button shown here (below, left) are each owned by a family descended from Irvine Rowland Blennerhassett of Crickhowell, Co.Breconshire. He was a son of Dr Edward Blennerhassett MD (b.1838 d.1874), one of a remarkable dynasty of Physicans from the Blennerhassett family of Ballymacprior in Co.Kerry. Perhaps a uniform was owned by that family, the set of buttons being removed from the uniform and distributed to individuals as keepsakes or heirlooms and kept by descendants.
A small number of cast brass reproductions of Geraldine Pardoe's button were made for her in 2009.
|
|
|
|
|
photo: courtesy of Geraldine Pardoe
|
|
photo: courtesy of Geraldine Pardoe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
modern reproduction of
Geraldine Pardoe's button 2009
|
photo: courtesy of Monina Rogers
|
|
photo: courtesy of Monina Rogers
|
|
|
|
ARMS: |
gules, a chevron ermine, between three dolphins embowed argent |
|
CREST: |
a wolf sejant proper |
|
MOTTO: |
"Fortes Fortuna Juvat"
(Fortune Favours the Bold) |
|
|
the reverse has:
* FOLEY & CROKER *
24 COLLEGE GREEN, DUBLIN
NOTE: the lower of these two buttons has been converted into a brooch, the brooch pin now missing. |
|
this example of a similar (but
different) design of button reading
* FOLEY & CROKER * DUBLIN
shows the loop intact |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NOTE:
A one-piece silver-plated convex button, 25mm diameter, displaying the Blennerhassett crest "a wolf sejant"
and with maker's name “G. & H. Bullivant, Birmingham” on the reverse, was offered for sale on eBay in 2007. |
|
|
|
|
