Holly's CS and CSA buckles off The Sherman wreck off Little River Inlet and update.

[hollyberry7]

UPDATE: since I introduced myself I did find some info on a discussion in 07 on your Shipwreck forum. I dont know exactly what was found but I know where they went from there. It went to the a SC museum and will be my next step. Still with that known, I am still very interested in any info or advice.

From my into 2 nights ago.....

Any of you know of anyone actually finding Civil War belt buckles on The Sherman? I used a scooter backwards and deep in the sand I found 3 buckles according to my log book. (I might have given the 3rd to a dive buddy.) So far they have been deemed as Reproductions. Does anyone know of anyone placing reproductions on this wreck? Or know anyone that I can talk to.

( Small Hx) My Uncle has a Dive business out of Southport NC. This find was one of several on the Sherman (keys, door knobs, US bridle piece and the buckles) my first year of diving. I found them in the late 80s and they have been collecting dust in my curio cabinet since. When Civil war relics were being vandalized and were hot topics in the Wilmington area trying to get things out of Raleigh to fort fisher my buckles became a topic.
Before I really stick my foot in it.. I would love to hear of someone who knows that the wreck was padded with fake/replicas as a business ploy. Or, could I possibly have rare or even one of a kind type buckles. Can anyone help with this before I start my authenticity quest? I know where I got them... I found them myself and if they are authentic, I think I and my buckles might be your next big topic.

 

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[ironhorse]

Welcome Holly
Very cool dive finds
Who "deemed them repros"? What's their expertise?
There are many trusted members here with US Civil War knowledge that will gladly give their assessment of your finds

 

[xaos]

There are quite a few experts here, not sure if the shipwreck forum is where they hang out...

 

[Lafitte Deux]

You should post these in the What Is It forum.
Lots of knowledge there.

 

[devldog]

Best of luck to you in getting these authenticated. Someone who is more knowledgeable in the buckle artifacts will know. I will say that if these are authentic (and they very well may be), they are rare. Especially the Oval CSA plate. Let us know what comes about of this if you will, this is very interesting.

 

[xaos]

Someone once told me: If you ever see arrow style hooks on a confederate plate/buckle, run away.

There is a pretty well developed thread on TNET somewhere on what to look for...I think one poster even wrote a book...

try this post: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/648127-real-reproduction.html

I suggest theCannonBallguy as a reference!

 

[Southern loyalist]

As noted by others in your two posts, the plate with the arrow hooks is a bad reproduction that is now a fake (IMO) because of the placement on the wreck site as part of a monetary venture. Since the other one was found so close to the known repro I'd bet that it too is a reproduction, but consulting a third party expert (Cannonball Guy, Larry Hicklen in Murfreesboro, TN, etc) would put your mind to rest.

 

[hollyberry7]

Civilwartalk forum

Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. Both of these plates are repops. The hooks on the CS aren't even close to known examples. The original CSA ovals that I have seen and it was only 2 had puppy paw belt hooks.
Avatar: My GGG Grandfather Col W H McCardle AAG to General John C. Pemberton.
US Army Retired, Relic Hunter & Collector Of All Things Confederate for 47 years.
www.ucvrelics.com


The evaluation was done from a larger set of the same pictures that are on this forum. They have never seen them. Just the pictures. I promise I am going further. Just because they've never seen it like that doesn't mean its not the first. My first actual visit I'm thinking is going to be The SC Museum. I'll keep you updated.

 

[JT]

Particularly looking at the second picture, it seems to me being in an ocean environment for that period of time (if authentic), the hooks would be completely rusted off. Just my opinion, but they appear to not have spent that amount of time in the ocean.

 

[Salvor6]

Don't forget the wreck is in a river. Fresh water, less corrosion.

 

[JT]

Don't forget the wreck is in a river. Fresh water, less corrosion.

Its not in a river, Salvor. It’s about 7 miles offshore, in the open ocean.

Even if those buckles were buried in the sand offshore, IMHO those hooks should’ve corroded away in a salt environment if they’d actually been submerged that long.

 

[CaptEsteban]

Its not in a river, Salvor. It’s about 7 miles offshore, in the open ocean..

YEP !