(ca. 1830) Uniform Buttons of the Thomas Porter Company, Merchants and Slave Traders.This is an intriguing selection of slavery related items featuring uniform buttons of the Thomas Porter Company. This lot includes examples of the five different types of buttons known to have been used by this company at its headquarters in British Guiana. In its early years, the Thomas Porter Company was based in England, but with the abolitionist movement growing in strength there, and with slavery and the slave trade coming under closer and closer scrutiny by the government, it became expedient to move the headquarters across the sea to Georgetown, the capital of British Guiana, on the northern coast of South America. For several years this location was far enough out of the way to allow British merchants to continue to transport slaves to market in the Americas without raising the ire of the abolitionists. The buttons in this lot were all excavated from areas known to have been slave compounds in the vicinity of Georgetown. There is some question as to exactly whose uniforms or clothing these buttons were attached to. Some reports indicate that certain slaves were sold in clothing, or even uniforms, made by the company, which utilized these buttons. Other reports suggest that overseers or other officials of the company wore uniforms fitted with these buttons. It seems likely that both purposes could have been served by these buttons, especially since so many varieties have been uncovered.<p>The buttons -- all in excavated condition -- include (3) pewter pieces inscribed T. PORTER on the front, but each with a different reverse style. None of these have a complete shank. There is another, made in brass, with THP on the front and a makers mark on the reverse that appears to read ORANGE COCOUR, as well as two more brass buttons inscribed T.P, each with a different makers name on the reverse. One of these T.P. buttons retains its shank and shows much less evidence of excavation. Additionally, a similarly styled button inscribed HP, which was found with the others, is included. It is so similar that it is likely to have been a Porter Company button, as well.<p>Also included in this lot are (2) copper anti-slavery tokens. The first is inscribed AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER around a kneeling slave, the reverse with clasped hands and the partial legend MAY SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION *** THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Interestingly, this well worn token is engraved with a 2 to the left of, and a 3 to the right of the slave. The second token with a similar image of a kneeling female slave in shackles with the inscription AM I NOT A WOMAN AND A SISTER around. The reverse is inscribed UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / LIBERTY / 1838. The N in UNITED is reversed. The tokens grade AG and VF, respectively. Several pages of documentation relating to the buttons accompany this lot.
