Undug finds Need some buckle help and an unknown item needs identifying

[jimyates1959]

Good morning folks,

I bought a lot of items from an online auction last weekend that include a colt 1849 31 caliber pocket model revolver along with a holster and belt and buckle and a pocketwatch and shoulder board and spy glasses and something unknown to me.

I did some looking online but every buckle I saw had the eagle looking to it's right and this one is looking to it's left. So I don't know if the buckle is authentic or not.

The lot of goods supposedly belonged to a colonel in a Mass. regiment that quite a bit was written about and wounded in battle that was later promoted to a brigader general.

Can anyone shed any light on the authencity of the buckle and identify the unknown item pictured with the spy glasses?

I'm mainly a gun guy and know what the colt is worth and bought the lot based on the value of the revolver and the rest of the stuff is gravy.

Thanks,
Jim

 

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[PeteWmass]

I dug half of one of those flute/ocarina things....

 

[DCMatt]

'59 - There are a number of buckle experts on this board. You might consider posting your buckle in the 'What Is It' forum for faster ID. They will probably want to see a detailed pic of the back side of the buckle.

Good luck

DCMatt

 

[leaker]

The other thing is a type of instrument. I forget what it is called it is kinda like a flute for lack of a better term.hope this helps. Don't drink and drive you might spill your drink

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Despite the emblem's variation from the usual version (which you were correct to be concerned about), your buckle is definitely a genuine Model-1874 US Army waist-belt plate. It is a scarce variation showing the eagle's head looking to its left (viewer's right), manufactured by Horstmann Brothers & Co. of Philadelphia PA between 1874 and 1890. See info and photo of Plate #915 (page 543) in the book "American Military Belt Pltes" by O'Donnel-&-Campbell.

 

[Mackaydon]

Yes, as PeteW mentioned, the instrument is an ocarina.
Ocarina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[stefen]

I've heard it called a Sweet Potato Mouth Harp that produces a humming-like sound...

They were still around in the late 1950's & 60's as a dime store item...

 

[jimyates1959]

Thanks so very much for the information. Glad to hear what the buckle is even if it's not civil war used period!

 

[BuckleBoy]

The item in the last photo is certainly an ocarina. I hope you will strongly consider keeping these items as a set rather than breaking the set up. Great purchases for sure, and so nice (and more valuable) to have multiple items from a specific, known soldier. Congrats!

 

[jimyates1959]

The item in the last photo is certainly an ocarina. I hope you will strongly consider keeping these items as a set rather than breaking the set up. Great purchases for sure, and so nice (and more valuable) to have multiple items from a specific, known soldier. Congrats!

I'll get the lot of items in later this week but I'll have to see if there is any provenance tying the items together. It was an online auction and I didn't spend a lot of time reading what little bit of detail was there but rather paid what the 49 pocket was worth plus a little more for the rest of the goods. I may have hit a home run if the items actually have anything to tie them together. The fellow had a pretty good record plus there is a book about the particular regiment he commanded. Looks like he was in the thick of things during the civil war. Patrick Robert Guiney - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia