Hard Rubber Eagle I - Civil War Berdan's Sharpshooters Officer Cuff/Kepi Button

Description

For sale is one very hard to find non-dug, high-convex, cuff/kepi size (15 mm), Civil War US Army "Berdan's" Sharpshooters "Eagle I" officers' button.  It consists of molded one-piece black hard rubber with an embedded iron shank.
The First and Second US Sharpshooter Regiments were raised in September-October 1861, consolidated together in December 1864, and broken up on February 20, 1865.
Warren Tice, in his "Uniform Buttons of the United States, 1776-1865" writes, "Lincoln invited Hiram Berdan, one of America's foremost marksmen, to form an elite brigade of two regiments made up of marksmen.  To enlist, a candidate had to place ten consecutive shots within a ten-inch circle, at a range of two hundred yards.  The Sharpshooters originally were equipped with heavy target rifles.  Colt revolving rifles were later issued, but proved unsatisfactory due to 'blow back' and dangerous chain-firing difficulties.
"After struggling with the Army establishment to obtain state-of-the-art weapons, Berdan gained the direct approval of Lincoln to purchase breech-loading Sharps rifles.  The fighting spirit, and accurate fire of the Sharpshooters, became legendary but their numbers became depleted by combat as the war intensified.  Sharpshooters were camouflaged with green uniforms and nonreflective, black hard rubber buttons.
"Charles Goodyear discovered the process of producing hard rubber in 1839, and his brother Nelson patented improved processes for manufacturing rubber items in 1849 and 1851.  The two brothers were sons of Amasa Goodyear, who made white metal Light Artillery and Infantry buttons at Waterbury, Connecticut around 1808-1814.  Actual production of hard rubber military buttons was done under license arrangements by the Novelty Rubber Company of New York and Brunswick, New Jersey.  Some hard rubber specimens appear to have aged to a brown color.  Although the Sharpshooter Brigade was not an independent arm of the U.S. Army, its unique equipment, mission, and valor warrants separate listing."
He continues on to say, "Examples [of this officer's button] have been found on the Smithsonian's sealed pattern uniform for enlisted men.  The use of hard rubber buttons with the branch insignia  for enlisted men is perplexing, since the regulations of 1854 specify these for officers only.  Perhaps this is a case of misuse of buttons intended for officers uniforms."
This cuff/kepi-size button is specifically listed as Tice's SS216As1 and as Albert's GI86Av1 with the "N . R . Co. / GOODYEAR'S P=T." raised mark backmark.  It dates between 1861-1865.
This example is in very good to excellent condition with some very minor wear.  One leg of the shank has a tiny crack across one side near where it enters the hard rubber (see top leg of shank in shank side view detail image); it does not appear to go through to the other side and the shank is stable.  Due to some dust on the scanner, we included a second scan of the front for comparison.
For shipping, we use well-padded boxes, typically ship same- or next-day, and always combine costs on multiple lots.  This auction contains USPS First Class shipping with full tracking and insurance.
Good luck bidding on this very uncommon and desirable Civil War button!  In nearly 30 years of collecting, this is one of the few of this type we have ever seen.