An authentic Victorian antique patent mourning button, dating to the late 19th century. Manufactured under West's Patent, the button features a high-domed glass face enclosing a white-and-black reverse-painted scene of a Victorian gravestone inscribed "IN MEMORY" framed by mourning wreaths.

The reverse is crafted in brass with a two-piece quick-release mechanism, stamped with "WESTS PATENT" and the maker's logo featuring an ornate "W" flanked by "T" and "N".

As a functional item of Victorian mourning etiquette and memento mori ("remember you must die"), it stands as a historical keepsake of remembrance and 19th-century mechanical button innovation.

Good antique condition for its age. The domed glass face is smooth and intact. The reverse-painted tombstone graphic remains clear with minor age-appropriate paint loss in the central plaque area. The brass casing displays a warm natural patina, and the spring-loaded patent release mechanism remains operational.

Dimensions

• Diameter: 2.0 cm

• Depth / Length: 1.2 cm

This piece would suit collectors of antique buttons, Victorian patent hardware, memento mori keepsakes, mourning ephemera, or dark academia curiosities.