This plate has sharp detail, a pleasant, medium aged patina, and comes with its hasp as well. This pattern was introduced in 1851 as the regulation plate for officers and for enlistedmen carrying swords (cavalry, NCOs, etc.,) and shows the “arms of the U.S.:” an eagle with spread wings bearing a U.S. shield on its chest, clutching arrows and olive branch, and holding a ribbon reading, “E Pluribus Unum” in its beak. Underneath is a wreath and overhead is a band of stars with a cloud behind and rays of the sun above.

Enlistedmen entitled to them were issued plates that bore an applied wreath of “German silver” (i.e. nickel,) while officers purchased their own plates on the commercial market, which usually featured much finer detail from secondary die strikes and a thin silver wash on the wreath and sometimes the stars, which is usually gone, as is the case here. The recessed interior of the plate is a tad darker than the raised edges, but in addition to the sharper raised details, the ground is finely stippled.

The belt loop is in place on the side of the plate and shows no bends. The belt hook on the reverse is also in place and of medium width, which is not an indicator of production date- commercial makers realized early on that a slightly wider tongue made the plate more stable. The hasp, which would be sewn in place on the other end of the belt, where the plate is on the adjustable end, is with it and matches in color and condition. The reverse has a medium patina like the face and some thin darker stains. The plate and hasp sometimes show up with bench numbers on the reverse to keep them together after hand fitting until they could be placed on a belt, but this was not necessary in smaller production runs or establishments both making the plates and fitting them to belts. In this case there are no marks.

This is a strong example of a regulation Civil War officer’s sword belt plate, worn by officers in all branches of service. It would look great in an officer’s display, belt plate display or specialized collection of the Model 1851.  [sr][ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!