(ca. 1832-33) Oregon Territory Phoenix button. Brass. Rulau-E Ore 5 var. Very Fine.
Price Realized:
$126.50
Item Description
(ca. 1832-33) Oregon Territory Phoenix button. Brass. Rulau-E Ore 5 var. Very Fine.
70.1gns. 24.2mm. Shank attached
on the reverse. The obverse features a phoenix rising from flames with JE
RENAIS DE MES CENDRES (which translates to “I rise from my ashes") around and the
regimental designation No. 1 below. Rulau lists the type as Rarity-5. Rough
surfaces with a rust colored patina. Sharp details remain, sharper than the
example in our March 2010 sale (Lot 1), but not as smooth, undoubtedly a ground
find. That piece had the shank removed and was flattened.
****INTRO*****Stack’s is pleased to present to
the collecting community this select grouping of Oregon Phoenix Buttons. Produced in England for use by Haiti's
King Henri Christophe before 1820, according to Rulau, quantities of these
buttons were imported into the Pacific Northwest circa 1832-33, likely by a
trader named Nathaniel Wyeth. Their frequent appearance in Western
archaeological contexts has led them to be collected as Indian trade goods and
as tokens, thus their listing in the Rulau token reference. Rulau notes
"the buttons are found most extensively on Sauvies Island, along the
Cowlitz and Clackamas Rivers, at the falls at Oregon City, and at the Cascades.
They have also been found near California missions at San Juan Capistrano, San
Luis Rey, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez." This grouping was consigned to
us by a family whose roots in Oregon extend to 1852 and includes three major types: Rulau-E Ore 5 var, Rulau-E Ore 6 var, and Rulau-E Ore 7 var. Rulau lists the different regimental numbers as a different listing, but since some of the regimental numbers are not listed in his reference, we are calling them a variety of the main listings. He notes that there are, "In all, some 600 of these buttons of all types known."
From
an Oregon family, whose roots there go back to 1852.
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