Would anybody know the signifigance of this date?

[GunClick Rick]

I have an old watch fob that i found along time ago as i collect watchfobs.It states Sgt. J.A.Barton U.S.Army 1859-1882
was there a battle or anything at that time?Years of service?

[Mean Bob Mean]

I would assume those were the years of service.  He could have served in two minor altercations:  the Civil War and the Indian Wars, to name a couple.  He might have served in Panama, Mexico or in putting down insurrections such as the Lincoln County war.  If he served on the frontier there is an excellent chance he saw action of many stripes. 

[St. George]

That's a very modern pantograph 'engraving' that may've been applied any time in the past couple of decades - the 'Sgt'  abbreviation for 'Sergeant' being a more modern version than what was common in the purported time frame - 'Serg't'.

Nevertheless, the rank would've been commensurate with the years of service, as there wasn't a lot of rank to go around, and soldiers pretty much had to wait until the more senior guys died, in order to be promoted.

Scouts Out!

[GunClick Rick]

That's what i researched in the fact they didn't hand out seargent status very often and you had to wait for it or really be the right stuff to be one.If you could see it it looks like it is poured in a mold from the start or something,the front is nice,the back a pocks and waves and in the pocks has something left over from a mold or whatever..

[St. George]

'Real' fobs were die-struck, not cast - the bubbles indicate a rubber mold - popular from the 1960's to the present.

Engraving - if any - was done by hand, not by pantograph, as this has been.

Pretty much every one of mine has the maker's imprint on it, as well - the idea being that if you were impressed with the quality of the work - you'd like to do business with the maker.

Scouts Out!

[Professor Marvel]

With the caveats from St. George (and Rick) , one might at first think " OMG a forgery!"  
however, since the engraving is so clearly modern, and the manufacture commensurate with with a latex casting,
one can readily make a case that it might well be a repro made for or by a re-enactor....

yhs
prof marvel

[ol coot]

Has anyone notice the cartoon type face on the front of the fob?
Looks like Yosemite Sam to me.

[River City John]

It's a standing eagle with outspread wings atop crossed banners. I don't see a person's face as such other than the voids created by the space around the eagles legs and the bulbous tail. It is a bit awkwardly sculpted, that's for sure.

If it was created to suit a reenactor's persona, that's one thing. Fakes to foist off on uneducated collectors is something else. Don't have a lot of patience with "fakirs".

Scary thing is there is a world of very well done reproductions, particularly of the kind of things reenact-ors own, never intended as "fakes", that now over time develop very respectable wear and 'aging'. These unintentional fakes are always confusing as they enter the secondary market.


RCJ

[harleydavis]

Scary thing is there is a world of very well done reproductions, particularly of the kind of things reenact-ors own, never intended as "fakes", that now over time develop very respectable wear and 'aging'. These unintentional fakes are always confusing as they enter the secondary market.

What is also scary is the lack of knowledge or flat out ignorance by some buyers. I have been selling a lot of my repro Civil War gear on eBay. I listed cartridge box, belt, cap box, bayonet & scabbard in the "reenactment, repro" section @ $95. Buyer asked me if I was sure that it is original items!! Seriously, at $95 for that much "orginal" stuff, you wont even ask price just jump real fast!!! I mean, there is a certain amount of knowledge/research on the part of buyers to know what you are looking at as well. Another fellow showed me his "original" 1883 Colt SA w/factory letter to prove it. Funny thing, it had the cross bolt cylinder pin rather than the screw frame. He paid a fortune for it, my smitty ID'd it as a Italian peice, SN's faked and sent to Colt to aquire the letter. Cant blame it all on the faiker. If its too good to be true, probably is!! Just my 2 pennies worth.

[Don Nix]

The War of 1812 and the French and Indian War

[GunClick Rick]

I was thinkin made for reinacting,i got it in Oakhurst ,Ca. and just below there is Fresno,Ca. and they have a huge civil war
reinactment every year...I'v had it for a long time..I don't live to far from there,used to go up to Oakhurst all the time.

[Major 2]

What is also scary is the lack of knowledge or flat out ignorance by some buyers. I have been selling a lot of my repro Civil War gear on eBay. I listed cartridge box, belt, cap box, bayonet & scabbard in the "reenactment, repro" section @ $95. Buyer asked me if I was sure that it is original items!! Seriously, at $95 for that much "orginal" stuff, you wont even ask price just jump real fast!!! I mean, there is a certain amount of knowledge/research on the part of buyers to know what you are looking at as well. Another fellow showed me his "original" 1883 Colt SA w/factory letter to prove it. Funny thing, it had the cross bolt cylinder pin rather than the screw frame. He paid a fortune for it, my smitty ID'd it as a Italian peice, SN's faked and sent to Colt to aquire the letter. Cant blame it all on the faiker. If its too good to be true, probably is!! Just my 2 pennies worth.

  amazing isn't it..... I too sold most all my cavalry stuff, used and well used.... there is a now closed Saddle Shop in Kissimmee
that acquired one of my Movie Prop 59 McClellan's.... not from me but in trade from the fellow I sold it to ...
It was hanging on the wall... I recognized it ... still had the brass # tag from my inventory.

The ID card stated it was relic of the Civil War     well I suppose it was a relic of Civil War...... (MOVIES)
I decided to say nothing.............