EAGLE BELT BUCKLE!! I think its fake though....???

[Mkriegs]

found this today at a site that was there into the 1960s and 70s when reproduction buckles began to show up. Any ideas if its real or fake sorry for the bad pics. no markings on the back.

 

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[Mkriegs]

Says: "E Pluribus Unum" across the top. If its real i believe its post civil war era

 

[creskol]

Hard to tell really..what are its measurements and what does the back look like?

 

[ModernMiner]

Looks a lot like the one I dug, but I'm not sure what size yours is or what the back looks like.
I was baffled on mine too, but The Cannonball Guy ID'd it for me.
Check out this link and see if it's the same one you have:

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/392339-eagle-plate-but-what-era-purpose.html

Congrats,
MM

 

[diggervet]

not sure but it doesn't have that "patina" look to it, think it's a repro, but maybe?.......... how deep was it?

 

[gsxraddict]

we need to see the back, not all belt buckles are going to have a green patina, it depends on the soil it was dug from.

 

[CRUSADER]

Like everyone states, more details are required to make a judgement, ie the reverse shot & size & better pictures. The patina looks OK, & if I was a betting man, at this point, I'm going with 'real'.

 

[got2dig]

Like everyone states, more details are required to make a judgement, ie the reverse shot & size & better pictures. The patina looks OK, & if I was a betting man, at this point, I'm going with 'real'.

Yep, me to The patina looks nice.

 

[winslow]

I'd love to see a picture of the back even if it doesn't have any markings. Cool find!

 

[Mkriegs]

Ok here are some new pics. there is obviously a piece broken off the back. the measurements are 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall it was not dug in a harsh soil. im in ky

 

[mirage83]

Looks legit to me though I'm far from an expert. Nice find in any case.

 

[birdman]

Looks just like the one I found last year it dated to the 1870s-1880s.

 

[treblehunter]

That looks pretty darn cool, I hope you can get a positive ID on it. Welcome to TNet.

 

[ivan salis]

well most modern (fake) repo's -- used a peg type design front post for use on "modern" leather belts with a hole in them --that buckle clearly has the older metal tongue and keeper style (two metal parts)one on each side design ---where the "tongue" on the buckle fits into a slot on the keeper on the other side of the belt --which is the civil war correct style * --the tongue being broke off the buckle made it unusible --thus it was either lost or thrown away. ---due to the older design type and it being broken as well my bet is "real"--its a 1851 model union nco /enlisted man sword belt buckle (nco / enlisted ) model with out the silver wreath --if it had a silver wreath it would be a full commissioned officer.(Lt or above)--since the all of the calvary generally carried swords ( sword and pistols were the main "fighting" tools for calvary , these are often found at sites where they were at --- in the "regular army" only NCO'S and Officers carried swords and a side arm (pistol) as their standard arms.

 

[jewelerguy]

looks good to me. awesome find!

 

[CC Hunter]

The Eagle Belt Plate posted at the beginning of this thread, is certainly not a Model 1851 Sword Belt Plate nor of American Civil War vintage. The Model 1851 has the belt loop on the end being quite substantial in material, with the belt loop clearly visible when viewing the belt plate from the face side. Also, the Model 1851 Sword Belt Plate, as well as most ACW era rectangular sword belt plates, were constructed with a narrower catch tongue. As noted by the backside photo posted later in the thread, the catch tongue on this example is missing, yet the outline of where this piece was originally attached, shows a very wide tongue profile nearly spanning the entire height of the plate.

This particular Eagle Belt Plate here, more closely resembles the Model 1874 Sword Belt Plate, in use up through the 1890's and beyond. However, from my own memory, I cannot recall Ever seeing a heavy cast type belt loop attached on such an angle to the back of a Model 1874 Eagle Sword Belt Plate. The belt loop generally seen, is a three sided round wire loop, fastened top and bottom, coming out square with the back. At best this is rarely seen version of a Model 1874 Sword Belt Plate. I would certainly not rule out 20th Century manufacture either, on this oddity.

Ridgeway Civil War Reference Archive Federal sword buckles (Reg 1851), pattern 665


CC Hunter

 

[Mkriegs]

thank you all very much. i actually email the Hanover Brass foundry and sent them some pics to see if my plate matches any that they have made. hopefully they will get back to me soon.

 

[MT_Joe]

Cant wait to hear the results! Good luck

 

[Mkriegs]

THe Company that made fake plates in the 60s and 70s said it wasnt one of theirs!!! they believe it is from the 1890s!!

 

[Davers]

Still a COOL plate ( if not a repo,)
I def, be happy if it was a piece from the 1870s - 1890's.
Davers