This is a protector used to cover the shirts or jackets of military or other uniforms that had brass buttons. The horseshoe shape enabled the button to be isolated from the rest of the top and made it easier to clean and polish without getting the jacket soiled. It would have been a common item in military or militia or band member families in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They may even be still used today for regimental uniforms. This item has no known local provenance but is of interest as an example of a cleaning object in days gone by. This is a brass button protector in the shape of a horseshoe with straight sides and rounded tips. It is slightly misshapen. It has an advertisement for Brasso metal polish etched into the brass. ‘Use Brasso Metal Polish’button cleaner/protector, brass, warrnambool, military

This object was used a shield to slide brass button through to enable them to be polished.They were a common object for those who wore military type uniforms with metal buttons The item belonged to John T Sizeland who was a member of the Warrnambool Urban Fire Brigade from 1940 through to 1977.This is an object which was commonly used by those in the military and those who wore uniforms with brass buttons. This item has strong provenance having belonged to John Sizeland who was a member of the Warrnambool Fire Brigade for over 30 years and was donated along with a number of associated fire brigade items. Long horse shoeshaped piece of copper with narrow slice three quarters through with rounded notch at the end.J Sizeland hammered into one end.warrnambool, button cleaner/protector, button cleaning shield, brass button, john t sizeland, brass button cleaning