MARLBOROUGH. Armorial crested livery button of the Duke of Marlborough

Spencer Churchill family, Dukes of Marlborough. An excellent silver plated 27mm armorial crested livery button with the backmark C. PITT & Co. 50 ST MARTINS LANE LONDON. The button shows the CHURCHILL crest of a lion, that of Spencer being two wyverns. The dukedom was created in 1702 for John Churchill who had successfully commanded the English and Dutch Armies against the French in northern Europe. The family’s other remarkable member of the last century was Sir Winston Spencer Churchill.  sep17/1

The heraldic description of the crest [taken from Colin R. Lattimore’s Strawberry Leaves (Bookplate Society 2016)] reads:  On a wreath of the colours a lion couchant guardant argent supporting in the dexter claw a banner gules charged with a dexter hand appaumée of the first, staff or.