Paris-Made Academic Uniform Button with Owl Emblem – Late 19th / Early 20th Century French State Educational Institutions This button is a distinctive example of the uniform traditions associated with French state educational institutions during the late 19th to early 20th century. The obverse features an owl motif encircled by a laurel wreath, a symbolic composition rooted in classical antiquity and closely associated with Athena/Minerva, representing wisdom, intellect, and vigilance. This classical imagery was consciously adopted within the modern French educational system as a visual expression of learning and rational thought. The owl emblem was particularly favored by state lycées and teacher training institutions (Écoles Normales), where it symbolized dedication to knowledge, academic discipline, and intellectual authority. The surrounding laurel wreath reinforces this symbolism, traditionally signifying achievement, merit, and institutional honor. On the reverse, the stamped mark “DUSOUR – PARIS” clearly identifies the piece as the product of a Paris-based official manufacturer. Such workshops specialized in producing standardized and durable uniform fittings for public institutions, including educational and administrative bodies. When considered in terms of its iconography, manufacturing technique, and maker’s mark, this button can be confidently identified as non-military, yet firmly associated with a formal and disciplined academic environment. Overall, it represents a historically significant artifact that reflects the symbolic language, intellectual values, and institutional identity of the French state education system at the turn of the century. Dimensions Ht: 20 mm Width: 14 mm Weight: 60 g