Civil War era CSA 1st Regiment Virginia Volunteers Plate

JohnOrtegae

Private
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
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Yes it is. It is from the same collection as the Appomattox Court House Flag that was sold by Heritage Auctions in 2015, owned by Robert C. Laurens. Robert Laurens obtained the flag in his collection from Reginald Hart, a famous Civil War collector.
 
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I was just about to say that I have a photo to prove that it was in the case prior to the 60s, as all these cases were put together well before that......I grabbed the photo album, and, well, as you can see the case has been rearranged. I wonder where that cap went! Oh! And the pistol! Just noticed that one while I was typing! Thanks for looking that up in your book!
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I was just about to say that I have a photo to prove that it was in the case prior to the 60s, as all these cases were put together well before that......I grabbed the photo album, and, well, as you can see the case has been rearranged. I wonder where that cap went! Oh! And the pistol! Just noticed that one while I was typing! Thanks for looking that up in your book!
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Unfortunately there was not the attention to accouterments like there is now and research from Crouch, Mullinax, O'Donnell, Kerksis and Gavin have shed quite a bit of light. Looking at Bill Gavin's 1963 book Accouterment Plates, he shows the value of a Maryland oval belt plate @ $90. The going rate for a nice specimen today is $6,500.

Gavin also has a picture of the 1st Regiment of Virginia Volunteers plate and explains that these were cast in the late 1850s before the war. He has an example of the plate where the soldier later added CSA.

You will also notice that all of the known originals have two periods after Vols.
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That is why I wanted the photos of the back of the plate. Sorry. In the future if you will contact us before you buy we might can save you.

Hate to be a spoil sport;
Unfortunately @zburkett is dead on, this is a 1960s recreation

This is one of those times I'm happy that y'all chimed in before I got home. I hate telling folks these things.
 
That is why I wanted the photos of the back of the plate. Sorry. In the future if you will contact us before you buy we might can save you.
This is one of those times I'm happy that y'all chimed in before I got home. I hate telling folks these things.

Thank you for your help everybody! I value your time! I did not buy this plate. I am a picker. The current owner of this collection came into our shop in hopes of liquidating it. The collection is massive. As I mentioned above, Heritage Auctions sold a Flag from Appomatox Court House, that came from this collection. The flag was obtained from Reginald Hart, a famous collector in the 18th & 19th century. There is a Flag that was picked up on the battlefield at Gettysburg. Many dug displays, and unique, one of a kind items. I tell you that to offer the following...

Whereas I appreciate the provided references above, I can't help but struggle to understand why a collection like this would include an item that was reproduced in the 60s. The collector, Robert C. Laurens, had been collecting since the 30s. The current owner bought a protion of the collection in the early 70s, and has stored it, untouched, at his home since then. I made reference above to the photos I have showing this plate was in the case prior to the 60s, but left it alone since I noticed the case had been rearranged. I looked at it again, and you can see the plate in the photo, and the plate was never moved, only a few of the other items. The date on the back of the photo is July 1961. @Package4 and @zburkett made mention of repros being made in the 60s. Even though that is fact, how would the plate I offer from this collection be in the condition it is, when it has been in the case since at least 1961? @Package4 also mentions two dots after Vols. Close inspection under magnification, there is a second dot that did not completely form. Is it possible this is a rarity, or an oddity? If so, how to determine?

The plate is 3 inches by 2 1/4 inches. It does not react to magnet. There is green corrosion present. It is not perfectly oval. It is not uniform in thickness. There are file marks present. Hopefully some of this is helpful.

Thanks again for the dialogue and interest everybody!
 
You just need to check ALL the items as I'm not saying everything is a repop. In the early days unscrupulous folks would put a few original items and a few repops and an old tag there you go. RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH
 
You just need to check ALL the items as I'm not saying everything is a repop. In the early days unscrupulous folks would put a few original items and a few repops and an old tag there you go. RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH
Thank you! I know that is not what you are saying, and I agree with research. I do buy this piece here is possibly repop, but I am not convinced beings the repops where in the 60s, and this one was already in the case by that time, and appears to be of era. I would love to compare it to a repop.
 
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