Item number: M223

Year: AD 1895

The results after XRF testing

Material: Brass

Size: 19.2 x 19.2 x 14.5 mm

Weight: per Button 4.25 g

Provenance: Private Collector, UK, 2023

This is a set of six brass buttons made by the London button manufacturer “PITT & CO” for the British Army’s “The Border Regiment.” The obverse side of each button features a Chinese dragon with its head held high facing left. The absence of wings and long whiskers distinguishes it from Western dragons. Above the dragon, the word “CHINA” is inscribed. These buttons were provided for the use of officers in the regiment to identify their unit.

The reverse side of the buttons is stamped with the manufacturer’s name and address, “PITT & CO. MADDOX ST. LONDON.” From the mid-19th century, it became common practise for British button manufacturers to advertise their brand by stamping their trade name on the reverse of buttons, a tradition that continued into the mid-20th century. “PITT & CO” originally opened as “Charles Pitt & Co” in London in AD 1875. In AD 1895, the shop moved to 31 Maddox Street in West London. In AD 1973, it was acquired by another button manufacturer, “J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd.”

The Border Regiment adopted the Chinese dragon and the word “CHINA” as its insignia due to its history during the First Opium War in AD 1841. During this conflict, one of the regiment’s predecessors, the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot, captured a Qing Dynasty military flag at the Battle of Tinghai. This flag is currently preserved at Kendal Parish Church in England.

In AD 1881, the British Army merged the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot and the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot to form a new unit, named “The Border Regiment” due to the regiments’ proximity to the England-Scotland border. Since then, The Border Regiment participated in the British Empire’s colonial wars during the Victorian era and fought in both World Wars.

From AD 1947 to AD 1955, the regiment was deployed in the Near East, including Palestine, Egypt, and Cyprus. In AD 1955, it was redeployed to West Germany to assist in the defence against a potential Soviet invasion. In AD 1957, the regiment was stationed in West Berlin, on the front lines of the Cold War. In AD 1959, The Border Regiment merged with the King’s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) to form the King’s Own Royal Border Regiment, adopting a new name and insignia.

物件編號: M223

年代: 公元 1895 年

XRF分析結果:

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 19.2 x 19.2 x 14.5 mm

重量: 每粒鈕扣 4.25 g

來源: 英國私人收藏 2023

這是一組由倫敦的鈕扣商「PITT&CO」替英國陸軍「邊境團」製作的黃銅鈕扣，總計有六枚。鈕扣正面有一隻向左昂首的中國龍，沒有翅膀和長鬚是其跟西方龍之間最大的差異，龍的上方打印「CHINA」(中國) 字樣。這些鈕扣提供給部隊的軍官使用，以此分辨所屬的單位。

鈕扣背面印有鈕扣商的店名和地址「PITT&CO. MADDOX ST. LONDON.」。公元十九世紀中葉起，英國鈕扣商興起在鈕扣背面打印自家商號的廣告手法，並且持續自公元二十世紀中葉。公元1875年，「PITT&CO」先以「Charles Pitt & Co」商號在倫敦開業。公元1895年，店鋪遷至西倫敦的Maddox街31號。公元1973年，被同樣是經手鈕扣製造的同行「J.R. Gaunt & Son Ltd」併購。

邊境團之所以採納中國龍和「CHINA」作為隊徽，源自公元1841年第一次鴉片戰爭中，部隊前身之一「第55威斯特摩蘭郡步兵團」在定海的戰鬥，成功擄獲一面清軍軍旗，目前這面旗幟由英國肯德爾教區教堂保管。

公元1881年，英軍合併「第55威斯特摩蘭郡步兵團」和「第34昆布蘭郡步兵團」為新單位，由於兩支單位的駐地皆鄰近英格蘭和蘇格蘭交界，因此新單位被冠以「邊境團」名稱。自此邊境團參與帝國在維多利亞時期的殖民戰爭，和後續極為慘烈的兩次世界大戰。公元1947至1955年，該部隊部署在巴勒斯坦、埃及和賽普勒斯等近東地區。公元1955年，被調度至西德協防和監視蘇聯可能的入侵。公元1957年，更調度至冷戰最前線的西柏林駐點。公元1959年，部隊與「國王皇家蘭卡斯特步兵團」合併為「國王皇家邊境團」，使用新名字和隊徽。