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Two plain gilt buttons with shanks
Two plain gilt metal buttons with shanks from the 1845 British Northwest Passage Expedition led by Sir John Franklin.
The buttons were bartered from a group of Inuit near Cape Victoria, Boothia Peninsula, by Captain F. L. McClintock's sledge team in early March 1859, as part of the search expedition led by McClintock. About 45 Inuit turned up to trade with him, including bartering silver cutlery, a silver medal, several buttons and knives, and bows and arrows. McClintock records 'a few small naval and other metal buttons' that 'they wore as ornaments on their dresses' [McClintock, Voyage of the Fox (1859), pages 369-370].
It is not certain that the buttons were displayed at the Royal Naval Museum, Greenwich. The items are shown in - 'Stereoscopic slides of the relics of Sir John Franklin's Expedition' photographed by Lieutenant Cheyne RN, at the United Services Museum, Whitehall, No. 9 (middle right, one either side of the crown & anchor button).
The buttons were bartered from a group of Inuit near Cape Victoria, Boothia Peninsula, by Captain F. L. McClintock's sledge team in early March 1859, as part of the search expedition led by McClintock. About 45 Inuit turned up to trade with him, including bartering silver cutlery, a silver medal, several buttons and knives, and bows and arrows. McClintock records 'a few small naval and other metal buttons' that 'they wore as ornaments on their dresses' [McClintock, Voyage of the Fox (1859), pages 369-370].
It is not certain that the buttons were displayed at the Royal Naval Museum, Greenwich. The items are shown in - 'Stereoscopic slides of the relics of Sir John Franklin's Expedition' photographed by Lieutenant Cheyne RN, at the United Services Museum, Whitehall, No. 9 (middle right, one either side of the crown & anchor button).
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Object Details
| ID: | AAA2090 |
|---|---|
| Collection: | Polar Equipment and Relics |
| Type: | Buttons |
| Display location: | Not on display |
| Creator: | Unknown |
| Events: | Arctic Exploration: Franklin's Last Expedition, 1845-1848; Arctic Exploration: Franklin Search Expedition, McClintock, 1857-1859 |
| Vessels: | Fox (1855) |
| Date made: | Before 1845 |
| Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. |
| Measurements: | Overall: 6 x 13 mm |
| Parts: | Two plain gilt buttons with shanks |