Real or Faux? CSA Belt Buckle Authenticity

Brady12

Cadet
Joined
Jun 30, 2019
Hello, I saw these two belt buckles for sale and am wondering if they are real or fake. I thought I had originally posted these in the for sale sale section by accident, but I cannot see it, so I apologize if this is a duplicate post.
Thank you


 
Hello, I saw these two belt buckles for sale and am wondering if they are real or fake. I thought I had originally posted these in the for sale sale section by accident, but I cannot see it, so I apologize if this is a duplicate post.
Thank you


If you ever see arrow style hooks on a confederate plate/buckle, run away. One....okay, two other things:
1. If you have an interest in these things, get your hands on a reference book or two. Or ten. This will show you what was in service versus the multitude of “fantasy” pieces out there.
2. This advice was given to me quite a few years ago and has served me well; handle as many authentic relics as you can at dealer shops, relic shows or with private collectors. When you do that, it will give you a better idea of what a correct patina looks like, as opposed to a chemically applied one. It will give you an idea of what the real one feels and looks like as far as weight and techniques used in the production and finishing process. There is really no substitute for having that knowledge and you can only get it by putting your hands and eyes on authentic relics.
Take care!
 
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@ucvrelics just beat me to the punch and he's the authority on this stuff but yes fake and the second one a really bad fake. I don't think there ever was a CSA oval.
This is the only one that I’m aware of other than a cartridge box plate or two, but they are exceedingly rare.

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If you ever see arrow style hooks on a confederate plate/buckle, run away. One....okay, two other things:
1. If you have an interest in these things, get your hands on a reference book or two. Or ten. This will show you what was in service versus the multitude of “fantasy” pieces out there.
2. This advice was given to me quite a few years ago and has served me well; handle as many authentic relics as you can at dealer shops, relic shows or with private collectors. When you do that, it will give you a better idea of what a correct patina looks like, as opposed to a chemically applied one. It will give you an idea of what the real one feels and looks like as far as weight and techniques used in the production and finishing process. There is really no substitute for having that knowledge and you can only get it by putting your hands and eyes on authentic relics.
Take care!
These were so bad one didn't have to even see the obverse to know they were fake, but you are correct, arrow hooks are seldom seen on Southern buckles, though they do exist. There is one in the collection that you reference below Steuart Collection @ the VHS. There is another that I know of, in a private collection, both have copper hooks.
 
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