unique buckle!

[relicmanCt]

I posted this on "the what is it" section and no one could figure it out. Found at early 1880s cellar hole. Any ideas? Its some where in the 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. range. Solid copper, probably had gilt at one time. The paws and the other piece go through to the front.

[Dharmacy]

That is an interesting buckle. The serrated part on the top looks as if it was to be used to cut rope or twine while being worn? Seems to be designed to free up you hands to hold both ends of a piece of rope to be able to cut it?

D.

[lonewolfe]

cool!

hh

[cryptodave]

Maybe it was used by soldiers at cannons... Possibly to cut fuses easier without going through the motions of a knife.
Pretty cool find.

[stefen]

Could have been used as a horsehair scraper.

[civilman1]

Serration throw's me off....Never seen one like that before.Hope someone can ID it for ya!!Kinda bugging me....HH!!

[relicmanCt]

yeah me too. Someone said maybe war of 1812. Notches cut out for number of kills?

[Leebo in SC]

I can't help I D the buckle, but it is a very nice find.

Lee

[trk5capt]

Relicman, Must Be One Of A Kind, In 36Yrs Of CW Relic Hunting Have Never Seen One Like It. Congrats. You Have A Head Scratcher There. trk5capt...

[Mainedigger]

Relicman....awesome find..I think they were modifications made by the soldier for whatever reason...I like the idea to cut cannon fuse or rigging...could also be to rip canvas for wadding for a musket....could guess all day and not even get close...might be one of those things that the secret of it's use died with the soldier who made and used it.

[TheSleeper]

I don`t think it`s CW era, i think its earlier. Your old brown bess and kentuc longs used a patch of cloth, or best silk if they could find it, on the ball. Looks like a custom belt buckle someone made to help cut the cloth patch for them.

[relicmanCt]

Thank you all for the input. I plan to hit the cellar hole again soon. Maybe I will find more pieces of the puzzle to the person who lived there.It's such a trashy site. Hopefully my new 4x6 DD will help in the search.

[nahabit]

awesome! my respect!

[jeff from east pa]

It could have been made like that after the war. or It looks pre civil war they mostly had percussion fusses during the civil war.

[relicmanCt]

Finally got the 4x6 coil. Now just have to wait for a decent day to use it. It got cold up here in New England again. Found a few more things at the site, but not any more clues to the origin of the belt plate.

[AnOldPro]

What you have there is an early pre-civil war militia cast brass belt plate. The serrated edge was obviously filed into it AFTER it was manufactured by its wearer for some presently unknown purpose. Look closely at the serration and you will see that it was a "homemade" piece of work.

This is a great find... and... made more so by the fact that the buckle was personalized in a unique way by its wearer. Congratulations!

Just thought of one more possibility... the buckle was serrated for use as some kind of a hand-held cutting tool when its work as a military buckle was done?

DC

[relicmanCt]

Thanks for the info. Wonder if it has a value? Other than historical of course.

[AnOldPro]

YES... the bucke IS valuable... other than historical.

Without actually having it in my hands to do a close appraisal I would guess-timate its value at $250.00 to $350.00.

DC