Antique brass button stick engraved with name - J. Harrop

Soldiers were required to maintain pristine uniforms, which included keeping all brass uniform buttons, cap badges, and belt components highly polished. However, liquid chemical polishes like Brasso could easily stain, discolour, or rot the wool or khaki fabric of the tunic if it touched the cloth.
Brass button sticks (also referred to as a button brasses or button cleaning guards) served as a protective physical shield between the metal hardware and the uniform fabric. With the fabric completely blanketed underneath the brass plate, the soldier could vigorously apply polish and buff the buttons clean without any risk of transferring residue onto the tunic.

Soldiers frequently engraved their names, initials, or service numbers into the brass to prevent their kit from being lost or stolen. The engraving visible on this button stick reads 'J. Harrop' alongside service numbers. It is believed the owner may have been John Harrop, who served with the 1st Battalion 25th Regiment of Foot (Kings Own Borderers). The regiment was stationed as part of the Gibraltar garrison from January 1859 before later departing for Malta in June 1862. There is record of an incident in Gibraltar involving John Harrop in 1861. His service number was 3065 which tallies with the number on the obverse of the button stick.

Most of the other brass button sticks in the collection date to the World War One era, making this the oldest by some fifty years or more.