US 1839 PATTERN 2-PC INTERLOCKING BELT PLATE ON BELT

$1,295.00

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Item Code: 1256-26

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These belt plates were robust enough to have a long service life even after their official replacement by the 1851 pattern rectangular, eagle belt plate. In Civil War photographs they occasionally show up on enlisted men in state volunteer units, members of regimental bands, etc. This belt rig likely dates to that period, with the black bridle leather belt dating after the official adoption of that color in 1851 and bridle leather taking the place of most buff or waxed leather about 1861/1862, though as a state militia or privately purchased piece for a bandsman, etc., all bets are off. The belt is adjustable in the fashion of an officer’s belt by means of a narrow, wire frame buckle with tongue on one end, with a retaining loop, and we note the owner or military goods dealer, apparently liking the stippled or pebbled ground of some higher-end versions of the pattern, emulated it by applying punch dots to its face, some of them on the face of the raised letters.

These plates originally replaced the 1832 pattern belt buckles using an S-shaped link to join separate disks with belt loops attached to either end of the waist belt. These are more robust, substitute a general service “US” for different branch of service designations, and were intended to be worn only by the artillery, with both the 1832 short sword, then being relegated to heavy or foot artillery, and the Model 1840 light artillery saber, though infantry NCOs also wore them until they turned in their 1832 short swords for the new 1840 pattern NCO swords, carried on a shoulder belt. In addition, Engineers were authorized them in 1847 for wear with their sword bayonets and a slightly bigger version was issued to the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen to support a wider belt for the rifleman’s knife. For the most part these were replaced by the 1851 sword belt plates, though the engineers kept them for a time and the US ordered them for some states into 1854.

This is an interesting original example of a regulation plate on its original belt, that would fit a US accoutrement plate collection, military bandsman’s display, etc. The plate has an untouched patina. The belt is flexible, with good color and finish. See O’Donnell and Campbell for parallel examples and the history of the pattern.  [sr][ph:L]

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