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Gradia Militaria

Knights of Pythias, Uniform rank, white metal button circa 1878-90

Knights of Pythias, Uniform rank, white metal button circa 1878-90

10136

£10.00
£10.00
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White metal button approx 23mm across.

 

• Largely assembled by Civil War veterans who valued the disciplined military lifestyle, various drill corps organized under the Knights of Pythias were officially consolidated into the Uniform Rank in 1878.

• It was organized completely along U.S. Army lines into Companies, Brigades, and Regiments. Members wore their own military-style uniforms, called their lodges military units, used military titles, and attended “encampments” instead of conventions.

• While the regular Knights used a falcon as their symbol, the Uniform Rank adopted the dove as its official bird and the lily as its official flower, earning it the nickname the “Army of the Lily.”  That’s the dove-and-lily design on your button.

• Members participated in parades and processions, and the Uniform Rank was eventually banned within the organization in the 1950s.

  • Organization: Knights of Pythias.
  • Branch: Uniform Rank (The "Army of the Lily" military branch).
  • Front Design: featuring the text "Uniform Rank" stamped around a central calla lily 
  • Manufacturer Stamp (Backmark): Stamped "Pettibone Mf'g Co. Cincinnati". 

 Age & Dating Clues

  • Production Date: Minted approximately between 1878 and 1890.
  • The Name Shift: James and William Pettibone took over their main business operations in 1872. Right around 1890, the company officially transitioned its corporate branding and stamps to "The Pettibone Bros. Mfg. Co.". Because this button specifically says "Pettibone Mfg Co" without the "Bros.", it places the button right in that early late-1870s to 1880s sweet spot. 
  • The Secret History: Interestingly, Pettibone did not actually operate a button-minting foundry. They were master tailors and retailers. They contracted master button-makers (like Scovill or Waterbury) to strike the brass with the Pettibone custom name on the back, and then Pettibone sewed them onto the uniforms in their Cincinnati workshop.

 

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