New York followed the lines of the US 1839 regulations for belt and cartridge box plates, both constructed of stamped rolled brass with a lead solder filled back, like the US plates, simply substituting SNY for US. The 1839 belt plate, usually called simply the small size, about 40 by 71mm, changed to the larger size, about 57 by 87mm, in 1858. The earlier small belt plates, however, did not have a correspondingly small cartridge box plate for the infantry accoutrement sets, instead being accompanied by a large cartridge box plate, about 56 by 88mm, following the dimensions of the federal pattern. These small SNY cartridge box plates were specifically for the smaller belt-mounted cartridge boxes of riflemen and mounted troops, making them quite scarce. O’Donnell and Campbell note that “only a handful of these small cartridge box plates were made” (O&C Plate 541.) As with other SNY plates, Pittman seems to have been the maker for those accompanying his own gear and as subcontractor for other accoutrement makers like Dingee and Boyd & Sons.

This is a good non-excavated example of this scarce plate, about 40 by 72mm. The letters are crisp and well defined. The edge is good, with no dings. It shows an aged, undisturbed patina with some traces of gilt on the letters and in recesses. The reverse has a smooth surface to the lead solder fill, which is bluish gray in color with some white spots, and the loops are in place and intact for attaching it to the cartridge box flap with a leather thong.   [sr] [ph:m]

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