Confederate Buckle? Just Cleaned It

[Michigan Badger]

Here's a buckle I found but I didn't like it the way it was all nasty corroded and all.

So, I gave it the foil and baking soda treatment and then I polished it with SIMICHROME polish.

Now, what is this buckle? I've been told in was Confederate and others told me it dates to World War I. I can tell you it was dug and it's old.

I took a picture of it just before I decided to clean it but then like a Bozo I deleted the picture before loading it onto my computer.

I do have another picture someplace on a CD but good luck finding it.

Anyway, here she is now. What would you say it is?

 

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[The Beep Goes On]

I don't know Badger, but it sure cleaned up nice! Congrats on the find.

HH!
TBGO

 

[bryan]

shouldnt have cleaned it.... that is my opinion. good find though

 

[bomber]

congrats!you gotta luv the semichrome

 

[tsgman]

I believe they were used as a bed roll buckle. It could be military or period Civil War era. I found a similar one in a Union camp here in Mo. Tsgman

 

[rvbvetter]

I dunno. It's entirely possible I suppose. But I'm thinking closer to a Boy or Girl Scout Buckle. Either way Nice Find!! HH

 

[tsgman]

I dunno. It's entirely possible I suppose. But I'm thinking closer to a Boy or Girl Scout Buckle. Either way Nice Find!! HH

Actually I have a Civil War book that show's a picture and describes them as bed roll buckles, Tsgman

 

[Michigan Badger]

I believe they were used as a bed roll buckle. It could be military or period Civil War era. I found a similar one in a Union camp here in Mo. Tsgman

Yes, someone told me it was a bed roll buckle before I cleaned it.

I've always wanted to clean one of these old artifacts but never could bring myself to do it on one this size.

Now very few people will ever believe it is old. But, if you look closely at it you can tell it is.

I will also say it was not easy to clean. I did electrolysis and scrubbed on this thing for what seemed like hours. It still isn't perfect as it has a yellowish haze on part of it.

I'm glad I cleaned it because now I can hang it in my office. Before it was so nasty looking I kept it in a drawer.

The special thing about this buckle is it's great condition. Most of these are found smashed or warped out of shape.

 

[SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS]

Badger,

nice. Def. military.

I go both ways on cleaning things. Some I try to get
back to original, others seem better with just a bit
of cleaning.

Like your job on the buckle.

Again, nice, a B U T ful piece.

have a good un...........

 

[Mona Lisa]

Amazing cleaning job, Badger. I think I read somewhere that these buckles are still being made today.

 

[hollowpointred]

ive seen heelplates with that heart on them and i think they were confederate. i could be wrong though. that thing cleaned up almost too good! it looks like it was made yesterday!that simichrome is powerfull stuff.

 

[caratjuice]

I think it looks pretty good shined up like that. Nice find.

 

[PBK]

The "Confederate blanket roll buckle" identification was first published in 1984, in Dr. Francis A. Lord's Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia, Vol. IV. This error was corrected in Vol. V, in 1989, but apparently some folks just weren't willing to accept it. Although it's often listed as a horse harness buckle, this heart-embossed item is really a buckle shield, made to fit on top of the actual buckle. Supposedly, the shield would keep the buckle from snagging, but it also served an ornamental purpose. Link:

http://antiquehorse.com/bucklepage.html

The same design has been around since the 19th century, and in fact it's still being made today:

http://www.nwhl.net/NWHL-NET/harness-parts-supplies/Harness-hardware-3.cfm

 

[Burdie]

WTG PBK! Badger your killing me. I wish I could find something that nice. That was one great cleaning job. I understand what you mean about displaying it. Burdie

 

[Michigan Badger]

The same design has been around since the 19th century, and in fact it's still being made today:

http://www.nwhl.net/NWHL-NET/harness-parts-supplies/Harness-hardware-3.cfm

The repros are smaller 3/4 inch.

I hate that they make repros

 

[civilman1]

Great cleaning job MB...This find can go both way's I'm afraid,That's why I hate REPRO'S too.Let us know if you find out the real story on it.I'm leaning toward's bed roll.Good luck and HH!!....Thank's for the info on Cleaning the hammer,can't wait...Don't think this one's a repro!!

 

[Smartin]

Great find badger, I'm sure the area and history of this area where you detected the buckle can speak for itself. Authenticity of any artifact can always be questioned.

Smartin

 

[stoney56]

Nice find! She shure is purdy.

 

[Ilovetodig]

That is one beautiful buckle. Unless you want to sell it then why not clean it up and display it. I would. I have yet to sell anything I find. I like it too much for that. I clean and display. To heck with them if they don't believe it was dug, you know it was, you sweated for it, you should be proud of it and display it. Just my two cents on it Badger.

 

[PBK]

I'm not sure where all this "repro" rhetoric is coming from, but since it was preceded by a quote from my original post, I'd like to clear up a couple of things:

1. I did not say Badger's find was a repro, nor did I intend to imply that it was. I'm sure it's old, maybe even Civil War period (although I'd guess later). I've found a fair number of them myself over the years, so I don't have a hard time believing that anybody else did. I only mentioned that buckle shields of the same design have been made for well over 100 years, and are still being made (in a variety of sizes, by the way, not just 3/4")? and posted a link to confirm it.

2. I did say that his find is not a Confederate blanket roll buckle, and it isn't. I cited both the specific source of that error, and its subsequent correction. It is what it is: a fine old harness buckle shield. What's wrong with that?

It's entirely possible, maybe even probable, that somebody used one of these buckle shields on a blanket roll strap, but that doesn't alter the fact that it was made for an entirely different purpose. A lot of Civil War soldiers wore "flower" buttons, too, but that doesn't make them military buttons. You can put an anvil on your desk and call it a paperweight, but it's still an anvil.

Badger, if my post came across the wrong way, please consider this my apology. I was just trying to pass along some information that I thought might be of interest. HH