Brass belt or sash item maybe

[Kieth-Tx]

Anybody have an idea on this one? This is off a Civil War era location that is now underwater. Found numerous Minies and musket balls saturday...my buddy pulled this one up. Thanks, Kieth

 

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[creskol]

It is a belt keeper

 

[Kieth-Tx]

Kinda what I thought creskol....but was it military? Which side? What type of belt?

 

[creskol]

Kinda what I thought creskol....but was it military? Which side? What type of belt?

I was quickly trying to find you a photo ... Check out this ebay auction and look at the photos:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160591477911&clk_rvr_id=248335983333

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Yes, it is military. It is Northern-made. It was on the belt which held a soldier's cartridge box, or a sword. (We Virginia diggers find those objects mostly in yankee camps.) Its purpose: it clamped one end of the belt back onto itself, creating a loop which (permanently) held one end of the belt's buckle.

Update: When I clicked "post," I see that Creskol finished typing his reply ahead of mine. To me, the belt on Ebay doesn't seem to be "configured" correctly. The belt-adjuster serves no purpose where it's at on that belt.

 

[creskol]

Yes, it is military. It is Northern-made. It was on the belt which held an Enlisted-man's cartridge box. (We Virginia diggers find those objects mostly in yankee camps.) Its purpose: it clamped one end of the belt back onto itself, creating a loop which (permanently) held one end of the belt's buckle.

Update: When I clicked "post," I see that Creskol finished typing his reply ahead of mine.

You gave a very good explanation .. always good to have community effort, and I am always grateful for your knowledge! Thanks Mr. G!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

"Community effort" is the best method. As I've said in the past, I appreciate your many knowledgable contributions.

I had to add a sentence onto my update after I got a look at the Ebay belt. I've never seen the adjuster-clamp located on the dead-end of a belt. It serves no purpose there, and is in fact "in the way" there.

 

[creskol]

"Community effort" is the best method. As I've said in the past, I appreciate your many knowledgable contributions.

I had to add a sentence onto my update after I got a look at the Ebay belt. I've never seen the adjuster-clamp located on the dead-end of a belt. It serves no purpose there, and is in fact "in the way" there.

I agree and noticed that, too, but on a quick search, that was the only thing I could come up with that might give the general idea. A better photo might be useful, but I am away from my books at the moment. You got one that you can post?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Unfortunately, no. While typing my first reply, I took the time to search through my computer's relic-photos folder. (As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words.) No luck in my relic-photos folder ...so I had to write an explanation of what the adjuster-clamp does.

Long ago, I realized that we relic-diggers could learn the correct ID of lots of the mysterious brass "parts" we dig, by closely examining the non-dug civil war soldier leather equipment which is for sale at relic-shows. That's how I learned to "recognize" the metal parts on various types/models of leather bayonet-scabbards, cartridge-boxes, knapsacks, saber-belts, etc.

I remember seeing that specific type of belt adjuster-clamp on a particular version of sword-belts. I do not recall ever seeing it on a belt with a US Oval buckle.

 

[Kieth-Tx]

"Community effort" is the best method. As I've said in the past, I appreciate your many knowledgable contributions.

I had to add a sentence onto my update after I got a look at the Ebay belt. I've never seen the adjuster-clamp located on the dead-end of a belt. It serves no purpose there, and is in fact "in the way" there.

Thanks guys...y'all are awesome! But I do believe the placement of it is right. Look at pic two...it will serve to hold the tail of the belt from flopping once the belt plate is hooked.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Kieth, a clarification of what I wrote:
I've never seen the adjuster-clamp located on the dead-end of a belt which was manufactured for use with a three-hook oval buckle (such as a typical civil war US Oval buckle). One end of such a belt attaches onto the oval-buckle's (single) tongue-hook -- and the belt's other end attaches onto the oval buckle's twin-hooks. Meaning, neither end of that type very simple type of belt doubles back onto itself. The adjuster-clamp is intended to lock two equal-width strips of leather together. (The four sharp-pointed tabs on the clamp pierce the leather, locking the clamp in place.)

 

[Kieth-Tx]

Gotcha....appreciate all the info. I found a US plate last week within 10' of where this was found. Thanks again, Kieth