“If we cannot learn wisdom from experience,
it is hard to say where it could be found.”

~ 1789 to 1797 ~
GWI 24
The Federal Eagle
W/ The Regnal Jewels of Scotland Indentees

 

     Welcome to Isabela’s 1789, George Washington Inaugural Buttons Library. My name is Robert J. Silverstein, and I am the author, creator, and developer of this library of 1789 George Washington Inaugural, New Nation Tribute, and early 18th Century American & British Military buttons. With the invaluable partnership and friendship of Dale Hawley, we were able to infuse this website with a premier collection of historical buttons that help tell an untold story of the sacrifices of men in founding of The United States of America. Our research and collaboration was done with other button collectors and cultural historians who has graciously enabled us to bring-out the true meanings behind the engraved symbols which were used by the citizenry and then later placed as tribute upon George Washington inaugural and New Nation Tribute buttons. Most of the early Revolutionary symbols have become unbeknown or forgotten by later generations of Americans who were too busy in developing a new country as a Republic, and their own unique culture. This site is a tribute in remembrance and the sacrifices of the men and soldiers who wore these buttons of valor in the dreams of their children building a foundational heritage that will be known as American throughout the world. 

     As this site infuses historical buttons into its pages and moves forward through time into the 18th & 19th century, we will explore historical events and look to provide the answers to help explain the era’s culture and operations that ended-up being place behind celebratory button insignia designs. To help build a foundation to the 18th century British Colonist we will use historical information to grass roots insignia and provide the associated meanings pre-dating the 18th century world view. This will be accomplished by cross-matching previous or similar symbols found on other relics in order provide proper context and meaning.

     The goal of this website’s author and contributors is to help advance the button community’s knowledge as a whole, and help individual collectors understand and enjoy their historical collections more. Also, we would like to welcome Robert Milburn who has been a great asset in 18th century advertisement research, and being able to tighten-up backmark dating on early turn of the century English and French made civilian & military buttons through historical records.

      After many years of research, I was able to document and provide 3 New George Washington inaugural button varieties, and establish 13 new sub-variants within each of the 26 known varieties, which were unlisted previously. The site was also able to identify roughly 2600 known specimens to date. Most of which were thankfully unearthed by 21st century metal detector enthusiasts, or found within private collections that were passed down through the generations. Unfortunately, in the last 233 years there was very little publication of insignia design roots from previous collectors or historians.

      I am happy to say that through a groups collaborative measures we were able to provide button collectors (for the 1st time in history) the names of the insignia design roots and the Philadelphia Artisans who engraved the steel dies for the George Washington inaugural and New Nation Tribute buttons. Within the pages we will also provide historical information to explain the intended meaning behind the insignia designs, and also provide the influence of the Scottish Royal Culture from the European Jacobite Wars and underground movement to give the grass-root movement behind each symbol. 

     After collecting GWI and NNT buttons for decades I can say that GWI inaugural and NNT buttons taken together will provide a picture and tell a story of the founding of our country from European’s distance of Old World Rule of Kings and Religious leader. The buttons are a reflection of the era’s social variables of commoners and Gentry society, which were needed to come into play in unison in order for British colonists in America to establish sovereignty both domestically and on the world stage. Unknowing, if the Newly Created Republic will be able to survive domestic and foreign threats to its creation of a New World Order free of kings and religious leaders the Artisans crafted the insignia with certain Old World Culture Symbols along with their engraver’s marks which were purposefully masked. This insurance policy of sorts to the Old World Rule of Hereditary Rights of Sovereignty was the brainchild of the International Master Artisan Robert Scot and his Philadelphia Artisans. As the founding of America their is heraldry associations to divinity. This was most likely in order to provide a reflection of humanities past, and how it will go into the future to enact a self-governing New Republic. 

       There is no-doubt that the Scottish gentry and other High Society Gentry (elites) worked with Robert Scot and other European immigrant Philadelphia Artisans through Congressional committees supplanted Judaeo-Christian religious symbols, along with other multi-culture denominators as a foundation in the creation of America’s federal insignia. We believe Robert Scot used a “Transformational Artisan Technique” in all of America’s founding insignia which also provided a purposeful allusion to the public as their very own. This was a purposeful mask of allusion by the Scottish Gentry who controlled the country’s power and resources at the time in Arboriculture, Agriculture, and Shipping through Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and Carolinas. Make No Mistake About Their Hold, this was not the New Gentry that Benjamin Franklin supported in the uprisings though tavern house unions. This was the Big Money.

     I wish our groups journey could have started and ended with the founding of America, but that should be considered the beginning. It is actually the flashpoint of European University Professors and their Alumni Gentry Class elites who wanted change in society’s social contracts. They termed their movement and themselves as Enlightened Revolutionaries who offered New Ideals and Scientific Based Reasoning for the betterment of the human species and Cultural Civilization. The New Era offered the common man the ability to break the bonds of social class stratification and the landed gentry to be seen, and (Standard of Living) live as equal’s of Prosperity amongst established Nobles and Royal families of the world.  

     I believe George Washington used the Scottish Gentry of high society allies from the American Revolution who formed a Council of Enlightened Visionaries of Scottish Gentry to help shape the dynamics of a much needed new style of societal governance. This new societal construct would be called, “The Grand Architects Design.” This blue print for the New Republic was most likely modeled from the a combination of the bible’s Great Architect of the Universe, The Noble Order of the Garter, and the Order of the Thistle’s precepts. This Council of Enlightened Revolutionaries was able to strategically weave Scottish Royal Culture and these Order precepts into the foundation for our country through Robert Scot’s Artisans and Congressional 1785-1789 Committee members.

*************       *************       ************* 

A societal fraternity of upstanding men

*American Freemasonry is based on the belief that each man has a responsibility to help make the world a better place. It’s the confidence of having millions of trustworthy brothers who have taken a sacred oath that they have your back. It’s a profound new sense of purpose and community. It’s a path of self-discovery and shared beliefs that make good men better sons, husbands, and fathers. And it’s walking upright and proud in the same tradition as the giants that came before us. In short, it’s a way of life.

*************   Scottish History 1st  *************

     Robert Scot was sent to America by several factions of Scottish Royal families as, “The International Guild President.” His authority would cover all practicing artisans being of all nationalities operating in the American colonies; as well as other European countries. Only Robert Scot was granted the Royal authority (and trained from childhood) to use the Scottish Royal Culture Symbols of the House of Stuart in the commissioned artistry he produced. Accompanying this authority is the right to use Royal religious symbol “E” which grants divinity from God.

     *Meaning, their was a plan set in motion to infuse Scottish Royal Culture into the U.S. Federal System. (By whom in Europe)? America’s newly introduced insignia originates in the history of Scottish Royal Culture, and will act as the official authoritative backing in country affairs with foreign nations. So, using his platform in America Very Discreetly working as the official International Artisan Guild President, he was able to successfully wield his influence behind the scenes of well known artisans that provided the foundation artwork for America’s insignia and long list of other official state relics through Congressional Committees.

Many Scots served as Revolutionary War officers for George Washington. Not all were Revolutionaries, some Scots served as privates in several Loyalist Regiments. Some surnames include: The Campbell, Mcdonell, McIntosh, Munro, Fraser, and Grant. Each of these noted families came from a Clan and each had a Tartan they bore for identification.

The Silverstein Proposition: There are several reasons why George Washington assumed the responsibility as the father of our country, and 1st President of the new United States. We are going to look at a thread in his decision making, which I feel should be brought to historical note. Deportment could have played a role and could have forced George Washington to feel “Obligated” becuase of the role he played since the French Indian War into the Revolution. The love for the people and the long road of the revolution would not be wasted post war. There was an Opportunity Vacuum created with Prince Edward Stuart death in 1788. This should not be overlooked as a “future claim” to the lands of America. The death of the exiled Prince (who was “Unlawfully” out of power by the Hanovers) created a cancellation of any future legal Rights of Hereditary claim over America by future generations of the House of Stuart. This was the opportunity for the New World Order to establish it’s own roots and slip from legality by any future Hereditary Land Claims. Meaning, the Represenative Republic of America would not be ruled by any claim by a future King or a Religious Hierarchical leader who supported that claim.

     We know that George Washington personal life was submerged in generational traditions of Scottish Royal culture. Stations in life provided avenues of social upward mobility by the families he associated with, and also the connections through Masonic fraternity of Gentry brothers. Masonry should be strongly noted in this era, because social relationships were mainly cultivated through Scottish Masonic Lodges. These lodges would adhered to Strict Observance (Key). In this time period George Washington had an obligation as an upright Mason, which created a personal responsibility of deportment and etiquette in their noted societal station in life. This Revolutionary War path he followed and his station in life bond combined with his masonic creed (as defined in section above) was an important thread in his assuming the responsibility of both father of our country and America’s 1st President.

     So, in a macro-lens of America’s “World Sovereignty,” we can look also look at the decision making process by the King George III of England. King George III of England offered George Washington his own Crown over the Americas, would politically out maneuver the future claims of the House of Stuart by an alliance. This would help solidify the as a treaty of sorts the Hanoverians power in both country’s legal dealings.

     As noted in history, George Washington had no desire for a Crown, and in the early days of the Revolution he wore the House of Stuart’s Phoenix, and the Sons of Liberty Stripes on his Continental Army Commander & Chief’s uniform. The virtues of the New Ideals and Enlightenment was an interpretation of a “combination of noble precepts” steaming from England’s The Order of the Garter and Scotland’s Order of the Thistle. This would be the new underlying social contracts for the upcoming age of Enlightenment and New Ideals soon presented by the propaganda measures of the Son’s of Liberty for the Patriot Cause. George Washington’s Continental uniform button below serves as, “direct irrefutable evidence” that he believed through legality and social etiquette that only the Bonnie Prince could claim heir apparent to America, not King George of England. Some American Gentry in the early years of the Revolution could have held the belief of some kind of restoration of the House of Stuart in America after the war. This should be seen as a Scottish Gentry Rally-Cry. One of Scottish & underground English propaganda. Anyway, for researchers into banking beyond Robert Morris & Haym Salomon, all (3) roads ultimately will ultimately lead to the Bank of Scotland in Italy, not the front of the Rothchilds borrowed finance money. Meaning,….. Scots.

Understanding the Bonnie’s numbers 3, 5, 6, 8, and 13

     In Artisans Robert Stranges engraving below of the Prince Edward Stuart circa 1745, we see symbols that were adopted within the foundational number symbology starting in America’s Federal Government in 1789. In the portrait, the young Bonnie Prince is wearing the Blue Sash and 8 Point Star of the Order of the Garter. The 8 Point Star has an indirect religious referance to the Bonnie being born on December 31, 1720 under the Bethlehem Star as the coming of the future King. The Order itself is made up of the King and his 12 Sir Knights making the symbolic number 13. The code of this Order of the Garter combine with the Code of the Order of the Thistle would turn into the “Foundational Morality” of the Grand Architect Design which was put for in American society by Scottish Enlightenment Ideals perpetrated by University of St. Andrews in Edinburg, Scotland, and English social club Gentry members who secretively supported the Jacobite movement in the 1760s. The Laurel Sprig and 3 Berries represents the Laurel Crown placed upon his head at Holyrood Castle in 1745 as the future King. They could not place a real crown on his head because his father was alive at the time. He was seen as a Roman Triumphant Caesar of sorts who’s victory in Edinburg in 1745, and future victories over the Hanoverians would restore his divine title of the III King of Scotland & VIII of England in the future. The 3 Ostrich Feathers originates from Edward the Black Prince in 1330-1376 eldest son and heir apparent of Edward III of England. This is considered the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales, for which the hereditary rightful heir to become the King of England will come. This makes the young pretender the rightful natural born son through James II & VII divinity. Next is the Phoenix helmet which symbolizes the Zoroastrian religion and the Rebirth of Bonnie King on the eve of December 31st 1720. At the time there was tribute song and poetry were associated with the birth of the future king. Divinity associations of him being born under the Bethlehem 8 Point Star from Pope Clemente XI helped cement his divine right of kings, and VIII king in coming to England. The 6 pointed Star also represents him as the coming of the King, and him being the right hand of God which is in all his earlier portraits and medals. All these numbers can easily be found before, during, and after the American Revolution. This would be represented in Rattlesnake buttons and Rev. War flags and propaganda media. Indirectly, speaking he would be considered the King of Jerusalem which would automatically make him the Sovereign Grandmaster of all Freemasons. So, to tie into American Freemasonry known as Jacobite strongholds during the revolution which inducted landed gentry association with 5 Point Stars in pentagram ritual association.  I give you the unseen connection as i pull the curtain aside….. .

 

 Before Robert Scot’s artisans transformed it, the Zoroastrian Fire Alter combined the Prince Edward Stuart’s Royal Phoenix symbol is where America’s Eagle originates. The Phoenix symbol is a Royal Crest of birth which belongs to Scotland’s Prince Edward Stuart. When he was Born in Italy on the new year, December 31st 1720, a Scottish poet wrote about the Bonnie’s birth symbolizing the re-birth. The Phoenix symbol, birth song ended up turning into an artisan propaganda symbol composure celebrated by loyalists of the House of Stuart. The Bonnie represented the birth of their “Ascension” back into because power, and then was confirmed religiously by Pope Cement XI (who ushered all this formally) upon his birth. The Phoenix was then used forward as the Bonnie’s signature which would be incorporated into his Coat of Arms (Helmet) during his propaganda battle against the British in 1740’s. This (Transformational) Phoenix was worn on Washington’s earliest Commander & Chief’s uniform in 1775. Meaning, Washington knew ultimately that this was the Bonnie’s army, and his Scottish noble Jacobites out of power were the true movement behind America’s cause. The Zoroastrian religion is the world’s oldest and extant religions. It is Monotheistic (one God), with the concept of good over evil. Even though Judaeo-Christianity was the world’s religions at this point, knights and nobles would still practice through Zoroastrianism through their Orders. The 18th Century was beginning of the end of “practicing rituals” within lodges through new sects like Strict Observance.   

 

Technically this button could be viewed as
the earliest Artisan Rendition (1775 )
of the
Great Seal of the United States

The Allusion:  George Washington’s 1774/1775 Continental Army Uniform Button depicted the “Sons of Liberty 13 Stripes” on the Bonnie Prince’s Zoroastrian Phoenix insignia. The 13 stripes represented the 13 colonies? I believe the 13 stripes is the representation of Prince Edward Stuart and the 12 knights of the Order of the Garter. (This would later be the bottom star on GWI 9 with the 12 stipples). As General of the Continental Army against the British Army, George Washington carried the Bonnie’s Phoenix with the Zoroastrian Rebirth message on his uniform buttons from the first battle in Cambridge when it broke out in 1775. Then 12 years later in the establishment of a Federal Government, Robert Scot skillfully transformed Prince Edward Stuart’s recognized symbol into the American Eagle. This gave the appearance of “America’s birth” to the patriots, while continuing the propaganda Rebirth message for the Scottish Gentry. The Allusion is for the common citizenry, the true intent of the American Revolution was the restoration of power for the House of Stuart and Scottish families out of power. 

     The death of Prince Edward Stuart in 1788, placed Robert Scot into the position of being able to graft the Kings Right of Sovereignty ” E,” and through the Artisan allusion technique, Scot was able to lay it into the foundation of the Grand Architects Design for our government. This was not any kind of tribute or representation symbol for George Washington as President. This is supported by the infusion of the letter “E” into 18th century governmental insignia and state relics which were created by the same Philadelphia artisans under Robert Scot’s authority as the guild’s Master Artisan President. 

The Scottish Roots in America’s Cause Reflected in A Button: George Washington’s Gilt  Zoroastrian Phoenix / Eagle Uniform button he wore as Commander and Chief would be the earliest “Artist Creation” of the Great Seal of the United States!  With Gary Gianotti’s irrefutable evidence which proves Robert Scot was the International Artisan Guild President directly from Scotland. Scot had behind the scenes influence as an “Unknown Superior of Strict Observance,” and was part of the “Creative force” that was behind the symbolism of the Scottish crown, and then influence behind the Great Seal Design within Congressional Committees. The Zoroastrian Phoenix / Eagle button above engraved by Robert Scot would be worn by George Washington, and then 12 years later with the death of the Bonnie, it was transformed into America’s Eagle, The Great Seal of the United States!

     We will also examine the reasoning why specific Scottish culture symbols were placed within America’s founding insignia and official objects. We know that Robert Scot’s and his Philadelphia Artisans had the proper education and artistry talent to provide a hidden Scottish Royal Culture and Judaeo-Christians foundations, but we need to look deeper and look at what they were trying to accomplish. Understanding the strategy put in place if the New Republic’s experiment in self-governance was successful or failed is very important. Understanding the concept of how European wealthy families and religious leaders dominated the economic structure of banking is very important to understanding the reasoning behind the Scottish Symbol placement and the societal construct of the Grand Architects Design. You will determine and measure through our history if the Scottish high society families strategy of preventing European Old Wealth through their financing (Banking) didn’t establish a dominance foothold in America’s ownership of the Country’s Resources.

       I believe that George Washington, the Founders, and this unseen Scottish Council of Enlightened Revolutionaries acted as visionaries and made a new strategic Chessboard that could be Transformational to fit societal needs as they changed. They were able to set up a strategic (Chessboard) plan using various networks to accomplish their vision. They were able to place pieces and provide the necessary tools for each piece to be successful. One of many vehicles was Robert Scot who was the International Guild President sent from Scotland who acted as an Unknown Superior (Strict Rite). He would be able to oversee and utilize in an umbrella all nationality artisans in America through his societal high social status. Another tool (Chess Piece) was the affiliated neighborhood Scottish Masonic lodges. The Scottish lodges provided a strong network for the high society Scottish elite families. The lodges were used as a social vehicle where everyone one who was a patriot came together to promote the agenda (Cause) of liberty and independence. This wide range of membership would include the artisans, all kinds of high society elites in political positions, as well as the disgruntled second class citizenry who be pawns in carrying out various missions or acting as Revolutionary War Soldiers. 

The Enlightened Individuals that contribute to this Library have the Power to Help the Button & Relic Community Rise-Up, and they Do So with No Fear of Personal Loss to Themselves; for They Do it for the beauty of Enlightening the American Culture of our era.

*

*
“Lux et Lux Fuit”

* * * * * * * * * * * *
*

X Click here X for all of May, 2020 Library Updates!

​

​