Virginia Two Piece State Seal Buckle - need eyes on and opinions

[smokeythecat]

A buddy of mine owns this buckle. It was dug out of a camp used by Confederates during the Sharpsburg (Antietam) campaign.

It is made of cast brass and measures 69 x 50 mm. I have been looking for an exact match in the reference books I have and cannot find a match.

Is it real, a reenactors piece, post war, school buckle or what? Any input appreciated.



The ones in the CW books I have show the buckle style as a lot larger during the CW years.

 

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[fyrffytr1]

It looks like figure 416 on page 422 of Kerksis' "Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874. But that plate measures 49x81mm compared to your 50x69mm specimen.

 

[ripvanb]

It looks like a reproduction. Shouldn’t it say ‘Virginia’ at the bottom?

 

[fyrffytr1]

It looks like a reproduction. Shouldn’t it say ‘Virginia’ at the bottom?

The buckle I referred to does not have "Virginia" on it either.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Didn't anybody check the number-one reference book for such belt-plates? Or did y'all check that book but somehow miss seeing this buckle there?

It is Plate #380, shown on page 242, in "American Military Belt Plates" by O'Donnell & Campbell. Although the size dimensions listed in the book vary from Smokeythecat's specimen by one or two millimeters... the tongue-emblem, wreath-emblem, beltkeeper rectangles' decorations, and shape of the wreath's center-opening are all exact matches for Smokey's photos. So I'm 100% certain her buddy's Virginia buckle is AMBP-book Plate #380.... which dates from 1875-1900.

So, I have to say I am reasonably un-certain that it was dug at a Confederate camp in Maryland. ​

Text from the book about this tongue-&-wreath beltplate:
Waist Belt Plate, Virginia Militia, circa 1875-1900
Dimensions: 49 x 72mm / wreath height 48 mm
Remarks: Commercial post-[civil]-war stock pattern lacking the fine detail that characterized most pre-war plates. Large quantities were produced, offering sturdy inexpensive insignia to schools, military and private organizations.

 

[smokeythecat]

Thank you all. I also noticed the size was "wrong" for an original Civil War piece. Peter, I don't have that one book, as I as a rule do not collect post Civil War anything. Thanks for looking it up. I have found modern coins in CW camps, so no biggie for someone visiting a site later in time to lose something, but I guessed it was not a Civil War piece. I suppose I should buy that book. I looked at "Confederate Belt Buckles and Plates" and a couple others I have. I was out digging when I took the pic and forgot to orient the camera horizontally!

I just snagged a copy off Amazon.