Confederate wreath buckle?????

[Gregg3131]

Found this at CW hospital site. Is this a part of Confederate wreath or civilian? No markings on it and its very light and flimsy....thoughts?

 

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[Rookster]

Nice one.Anythine CW is great.Congrats

 

[Hawks88]

Nice save. Congrats

 

[nhbenz]

I think the size and construction indicate civilian.

 

[villagenut]

Find the other half and you will not even need to ask what you got. It just might be there close by. I would grid the area out and work it all from two diffent directions. I would want to know that I did not leave the tongue behind without a thorough search.

 

[jewelerguy]

I've searched a good amount online and can't find another example with the inner cut-out to match yours. Based on the stamped construction, I would tend to believe it's pre-civil war militia

 

[Gregg3131]

I've searched a good amount online and can't find another example with the inner cut-out to match yours. Based on the stamped construction, I would tend to believe it's pre-civil war militia

I believe you are correct. Looking at relicman website looks like1840s to 50s militia sash buckle. I believe the tongue would have an eagle.

 

[smokeythecat]

They also have stars in the middle. Militia light weight sword belt plate, for over the shoulder. And yes, pre Civil War but used then also.

 

[CC Hunter]

Gregg,

The find you have there, the outer wreath portion to a stamped brass Tongue & Wreath belt buckle or clasp, dates from the 1850's. These thinner die stamped brass buckles were commercially produced to supply the boom market demand during the California Gold Rush period. Several varieties of these actually featured the clothing company name in a circle around a center eagle on the tongue portion. Companies such as Taussig, Pollack & Co.* San Francisco * / M. Cohen & Brother * San Francisco * / Pollack Brothers * New York * / and others. The particular wreath style you have there is commonly called the "Taussig" style as quite often these will go with the tongue portion of these buckles marketed by well known Gold Rush merchant William Taussig. At quick glance the wreath you have there appears to be the lower profile style, whereas the likely tongue may have been the 6-point Star surrounded by stars, or the slightly rarer plain eagle without the surrounding company name.

CC Hunter

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I have read that pre-civil war militia would be issued ceremonial clasps that were thin stamped versions.
Same manufacturer maybe? Folk Lore?

 

[CC Hunter]

I have read that pre-civil war militia would be issued ceremonial clasps that were thin stamped versions.
Same manufacturer maybe? Folk Lore?

Militia? Issued? Ceremonial? - The answer to all those is a rather resounding NO!

Folk Lore (assuming tales told in recent decades) - The answer is likely Yes!

These Tongue & Wreath belt clasps were popular items during the California Gold Rush era, both for fashion and utilitarian function for carrying formidable weapons such as the celebrated bowie knife, pepperbox revolver, Colt's patent firearm, etc..

CC Hunter

 

[Gregg3131]

Great info CC hunter thx

 

[Gregg3131]

Looking at relicman site it sure looks like this is a militia buckle.

 

[CC Hunter]

Looking at relicman site it sure looks like this is a militia buckle.

Gregg,

The design style of stamped brass wreath you have is actually not shown in any of the reference photos on Harry Ridgeway's relicman.com website.

Furthermore, the stamped Tongue & Wreath "buckles" as shown on the website were actually commercially available during the 1850's to supply the Gold Rush trade in Western America and Australia. The period newspaper advertisements as well as city business directory listings have these items described as "Belts with Clasps". Following many years of dedicated research, with myself along with other devoted enthusiasts; we found zero reference to anything in the 1850's through 1860's period described as a sash worn about the waist. Plenty of 1850's advertisements, manufacturing listings, patents, etc., for window sashes. However, a decorative sash worn with a buckle or clasp.....no such luck. There are though numerous period references for belts for men, women, children, firemen, miners, etc..

Ridgeway Reference Library, Civil War plates and buckles

Following are Tongue & Wreath belt clasps that were personally recovered by myself and my father years ago. The first three all feature a stamped brass wreath with the belt loop extending top and bottom well past the outer diameter of the wreath, as well as a lined design on the belt loop and wreath perimeter. These details as described are a precise match for the stamped brass wreath shown at the beginning of this thread. As I mentioned earlier, the wreath you have appears to be the slightly lower profile style, which would likely have fit the 6-Point Star (surrounded by stars) tongue, or possibly the Taussig style plain eagle tongue with outstretched wings (without the surrounding company name).

The first two Tongue & Wreath belt clasps shown below have the business names of San Francisco California merchants, dating from the 1850's. The third Tongue & Wreath belt clasp has the business name and full address of a Melbourne Australia merchant, dating from the 1850's. The final photo is a collection of Tongue & Wreath belt clasps and parts all recovered in one day by my father when he was age 80! This was his best day ever for total recovered Tongue & Wreath pieces. The stamped brass wreath at the bottom of the photo is a match for the M. Cohen & Brother * San Francisco * tongue that is shown directly to the right in the photo.

CC Hunter

 

[CC Hunter]

The following linked T-Net posts detail other recoveries of the same style Tongue & Wreath belt clasps found in the goldfields of Australia and Western America. Note the 1850's period advertisements for Taussig, Pollack & Co. - San Francisco, provided by Kuger.


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/370669-taussig-pollack-co-san-francisco.html


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/119111-seated-hill-update.html


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what-s-worth/429582-2-buckles.html


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting/451154-todays-find.html



CC Hunter