As promised a while ago, some pictures of my favorites out of the small batch of vintage brass buttons I found.
I decided to replace the buttons that were already on the Shore Jacket (which were also vintage, just a little more uniform).
It's interesting to see how something as simple as switching already beat up looking buttons to an even more aged and random looking assortment totally changes the look of the jacket.
To be fair the whole jacket has also gotten a lot grimier overall, which probably contributes to it looking less "bright & shiny".


The button on the left is probably the most random out of the bunch, it reads "Legion Etrangere", which is indeed The French Foreign Legion.
The one on the right is of roughly the same design, but a different material and more beat up. It reads "Garde Nationale", National Guard.


Both this anchor and ordnance button look like they've been on the bottom of the ocean for ages.

This one is also quite odd.
While it is impossible to make out on this picture and also quite hard in person, it reads "Sapeurs Pompiers" which is the fire brigade.
I can easily picture a deep black fireman's coat with these bright white buttons on it.
What is interesting is the way the top is coated with a fairly thick layer of what most resembles white paint or even plaster.
It is very rough, and looks almost home done. I have never seen this kind of coating before and I'd like to find out what the story is behind it.