Civil War Belt Plate I purchased this past Saturday

kfields

Cadet
Joined
Mar 17, 2019
This is my first post! I spent much of my free time today reading older posts and found it fascinating! Thanks for the entertainment and knowledge!
I thought I would start off by posting a belt plate I bought at a local rural antique/flea mark
officers buckle1.JPG
officers buckle 2.JPG
officers buckle 3.JPG
et here in west central Ohio. The plate looked good to my eyes in the poor indoor lighting. For $70, if real, I thought was a bargain. I already have it installed in a shadow box displayed on a wall of my pre-Civil War house. Hopefully the folks here will confirm it is a Civil War era piece?
What I liked about it was the patina, the fine detail to the front and what I thought (in the poor lighting) were numbers stamped into the back. After I bought it and got it out in daylight, I confirmed the numbers (909) stamped into it. It wasn't until today when I looked at it again that I saw a letter "Y" stamped into the back off to the right of the "909" as well. So here goes!
Kim
 
Welcome and thanks for sharing your great looking acquisition! I know nothing about buckles, badges, etc., so I won't hazard a guess: I'm sure others will be able to help. In the meanwhile, I look forward to your perspective in our discussions. Enjoy!
 
Welcome to the group from middle Alabama and the numbers on the plate would have had corresponding numbers on the tongue of the belt.
 
Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. Nice Plate. Buckle depicts patriotic eagle, and was used by officers carrying swords, and enlisted cavalry, following the regulation of 1851, most were manufactured 1850's to end of the Civil War. These well made plate was sold commercially through a catalog, officers with allowances could buy them, these buckles with the wide brazed tongue were sold during the Civil War and continued into the Indian War period. The plate was made of cast brass, eagle and wreath are integral to the casting. The eagle faces right, rays are prominent, 13 stars, eight above the banner, three left of the eagle's head and two to the right, nearly symmetrical shield bears stars and stripes, background is finely stippled.
 
This is my first post! I spent much of my free time today reading older posts and found it fascinating! Thanks for the entertainment and knowledge!
I thought I would start off by posting a belt plate I bought at a local rural antique/flea markView attachment 297581View attachment 297583View attachment 297588et here in west central Ohio. The plate looked good to my eyes in the poor indoor lighting. For $70, if real, I thought was a bargain. I already have it installed in a shadow box displayed on a wall of my pre-Civil War house. Hopefully the folks here will confirm it is a Civil War era piece?
What I liked about it was the patina, the fine detail to the front and what I thought (in the poor lighting) were numbers stamped into the back. After I bought it and got it out in daylight, I confirmed the numbers (909) stamped into it. It wasn't until today when I looked at it again that I saw a letter "Y" stamped into the back off to the right of the "909" as well. So here goes!
Kim

welcome from berlin

@Package4 & @ucvrelics

... could somebody please post a pic of such a belt - i'd really liked to see the second part of that buckle
 
This is my first post! I spent much of my free time today reading older posts and found it fascinating! Thanks for the entertainment and knowledge!
I thought I would start off by posting a belt plate I bought at a local rural antique/flea market here in west central Ohio. The plate looked good to my eyes in the poor indoor lighting. For $70, if real, I thought was a bargain. I already have it installed in a shadow box displayed on a wall of my pre-Civil War house. Hopefully the folks here will confirm it is a Civil War era piece?
What I liked about it was the patina, the fine detail to the front and what I thought (in the poor lighting) were numbers stamped into the back. After I bought it and got it out in daylight, I confirmed the numbers (909) stamped into it. It wasn't until today when I looked at it again that I saw a letter "Y" stamped into the back off to the right of the "909" as well. So here goes!
Kim
Welcome to the forums from the host of the Stonewall Jackson Forum and another long-time collector - here's a link to a post in one of my educational threads showing a near-twin to yours which I also picked up for around $5 at another flea market, now many, many years ago: https://www.civilwartalk.com/thread...lt-and-cartridge-box-plates.81279/post-600929
welcome from berlin

... could somebody please post a pic of such a belt - i'd really liked to see the second part of that buckle
Although this example is as explained in the post an enlisted man's and not an officer's, the catch is virtually identical other than the size of the catch opening: https://www.civilwartalk.com/thread...lt-and-cartridge-box-plates.81279/post-600912

1552931968925.png
 
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Welcome to the forums from the host of the Stonewall Jackson Forum and another long-time collector - here's a link to a post in one of my educational threads showing a near-twin to yours which I also picked up for around $5 at another flea market, now many, many years ago: https://www.civilwartalk.com/thread...lt-and-cartridge-box-plates.81279/post-600929

Although this example is as explained in the post an enlisted man's and not an officer's, the catch is virtually identical other than the size of the catch opening: https://www.civilwartalk.com/thread...lt-and-cartridge-box-plates.81279/post-600912

View attachment 297659

thx
 
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Thank you all for the kind welcome and confirmation of what I picked up this past weekend. I've had good luck finding these belt plates and buttons at Ohio flea markets and antique shows. Maybe I've just become more aware? Anyway I'll begin to post some of my other finds from over the years.
I live in an old brick farmhouse built in 1826 and have been lucky finding stuff in the dirt. I even found a Civil War era button under a tree about 20 feet from my house. How it got there, I don't know. Maybe I'll show that one in my next post.
Kim
 
Welcome from the Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing Forum and North Mississippi! Very nice buckle and congratulations on your bargain.
Regards
David
 
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