- #1
Thread Owner
Asked an expert if I did ok (on price and authenticity) and he said this:
Your plate was a Mills manufactured product, purchased and used by the US Army beginning in the early 1890's and remaining in use through the first years of the 20th Century. It was issued as part of the Mills pistol cartridge belt to any soldier armed with only a pistol - cavalry in some cases, artillery, infantry NCO's, officers, etc.
From the condition, and based on my experience, I strongly suspect this plate was excavated from a burn pit at one of the frontier forts in the Western US. When the army disposed of broken or obsolete material and equipment, their practice was to destroy it to prevent use by the Indians or scavengers, and burning seems to be the preferred method. The condition of the brass indicates to me it has been burned and it closely resembles others that I have seen similarly treated and later found. The broken belt clasp on the plate probably happened before, and was the reason for, the plate being discarded.
Your plate was a Mills manufactured product, purchased and used by the US Army beginning in the early 1890's and remaining in use through the first years of the 20th Century. It was issued as part of the Mills pistol cartridge belt to any soldier armed with only a pistol - cavalry in some cases, artillery, infantry NCO's, officers, etc.
From the condition, and based on my experience, I strongly suspect this plate was excavated from a burn pit at one of the frontier forts in the Western US. When the army disposed of broken or obsolete material and equipment, their practice was to destroy it to prevent use by the Indians or scavengers, and burning seems to be the preferred method. The condition of the brass indicates to me it has been burned and it closely resembles others that I have seen similarly treated and later found. The broken belt clasp on the plate probably happened before, and was the reason for, the plate being discarded.
