Early Colegio Militar México Button – French-Made by T.W.&W. Paris (19th Century)
 
A rare relic of Mexican military education history, this early Colegio Militar uniform button was manufactured in Paris by T.W.&W. (Thiébaut & Weyermann), the prestigious French military outfitters who supplied brass insignia to armies worldwide during the 1800s.
 
Key Features:
Historical Provenance:
 
Pre-1900 production based on T.W.&W. Paris operational period (firm active 1830s-1890s)
 
Created for Mexico’s Colegio Militar (Military College), founded 1823 – the nation’s premier officer training academy
 
Design & Construction:
 
Solid brass construction with classic convex profile
 
Back marked "T.W.&W. Paris" – a hallmark of 19th-century European military quality
 
 Dimensions & Use:
 
Estimated 22.5mm diameter (standard for military coat buttons of this era)
 
Originally fastened uniforms of:
 
Cadets at the Colegio Militar’s original Tacubaya campus
 
Instructors during the Porfiriato period
 
Comparative Examples:
Mexican Army General Staff Buttons (1860s) – Similar T.W.&W. back marked, but with different insignia
 
French Export Buttons for Colombia (1880s) – Nearly identical construction, made for South American militaries
 
Significance:
Documents the French influence on Mexico’s military modernization
 
Few Colegio Militar-specific buttons survive from this early period
 
Ideal for collections focused on:
 
Porfiriato-era militaria
 
Military education history
 
French military exports
 
A small but mighty artifact connecting Mexico’s military heritage to 19th-century European craftsmanship.