🥇 BANNER Naval Officers Buckle 1850s - Rare AMES mfg. variety

[Scrappy]

Naval Officers Buckle 1850's - Rare AMES mfg. variety

I got out for a quick jaunt this afternoon. The new location I found was a house that had the exterior modified, but surely dated pre-1840's. It had been abandoned and literally had 2-3' weeds, and was almost undetectable. Almost...

First signal was this killer buckle tongue.

I searched for a half hour for the other half but no luck. I couldn't get the coil close to the ground for smaller target, so all I caught after that was big targets.



After some cleaning...



What I believe I have is an Ames Mfg. Co. Navy buckle 1851-1862. This early variety has two stars by the anchor. Some of the gold gilting remains, but I didn't want to over clean it. It's definitely one of my favorite buckle finds ever

My take for the hour

Enjoy.

Just a little updated pic - first one in sunlight



I love it!!!!

 

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[ARC]

I have a running bet that he is at the exact spot where he found that...

Looking for the "other half".

 

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[HomeGuardDan]

that is a beauty man! seriously, the NICEST example I have seen dug! BANNER all day long...killer man, simply killer!

 

[hogge]

GREAT FIND Scrappy! Congratulations! Hogge

 

[Steve in PA]

Steve, here is a pic from my buckle book of the closest one to your buckle. Yours is definitely the 1852 pattern and with the two stars under the anchor, one of the early ones. This one is in the Smithsonian and belonged to Admiral David Farragut. Yours seems to be just a little different than any in the book when I compare the location of the stars in relation to the eagle's wing tips. Definitely a rare and desirable find.

Putting my vote in now

 

[Steve in PA]

Haha I went to nominate for banner and the button wasn't on your post. I'm like WTF... and then I look at the banner, LOL. Congrats!

 

[Davers]

That is KILLER alright.
A heart break not to get the other half, but hey, half is much better than no half.
And I do know exactly how you would feel I got half a tongue, and wreath buckle, and was unable to get the other half.
But maybe next spring you have a better chance ?
Good luck out there.

I'm thinking like you , at-least he got the Better Half but instead on next Spring , I'd spend "Much" time there in the Fall Or Winter.

WTG Scrappy.....You Dog you.
Davers

 

[BigWaveDave]

Congrats my friend, on another Banner find... That buckle is awesome!

 

[huntsman53]

In overgrowth...
"Pat the coil" and "scrub"...
Push through... don't swing...
When you get a signal... push aside growth with your feet then instead of an X pattern do small to larger circles.
And the ole dip in "dip swing".

Well done Scrappy.

AARC... Are you sure you don't mean the "Bend and Snap", LOL??!!


Frank

 

[Scrappy]

I love how the information came together on this one! You have my Banner vote

Hey thanks man for the vote - I can't believe it made it up!

Man oh man we can only hope to dig a buckle that nice! Wow what a great find

Much appreciated Buck. The gilt was a real surprise.

I just realized I forgot to "add" more to this find / thread.

First I will start by saying... This is a Banner find.

Beings I am not a CW guy per say I looked at your item Scrappy and knew it was a great find BUT... kinda skimmed it I must admit.
Which was a mistake.

Beings I AM a "ship" guy I liked the buckle so I posted and moved on...
Then... last night I remembered the buckle and also remembered something else...
There were types of eagle faces.

This being said... My opinion of your find has changed from a "really great find" to a "stellar find".
Beings... your buckle has the right facing eagle. (which I forgot all about upon seeing your find)...
Which if I remember correctly would place your buckles age at PRE 1830. (?)
And would have been reserved / used by Master commandment and lieutenants.

IF this is correct... and I poked a little online with not any real consequence this elevates your find above any others of its type.

Again...
Well done and congrats.

ARC

Well said, and thank you for the vote!

 

[DigIron2]

That's awesome. I know If anyone could find the other half it would be you. Good luck! [emoji2]

More likely then not it is probably around there somewhere too. Might be laying further away from the tongue then someone might think though. That piece is killer killer all by itself, but you get that wreath too, shooby dooby..... I hope you get that other piece man. HH

 

[scruggs]

That's one beautiful buckle you found! CONGRATULATIONS!

 

[Scrappy]

Sweet find Scrapster i have not seen many if any of this variety..I am voting banner also.Nice gilt on there too,
One thing i have noticed is many people find the other piece just go back again and again it's how i found my missing piece of the Liberty buckle..

~Blaze

Thanks Blaze for the vote up top. I like the dug photo the mods chose for the pic!

Excellent navy buckle. They are not dug at CW camps or skirmish sites often because they were naval and fought on water. Simple explanation. Terrific find!!

Hey thanks for looking. It's a strange thought to think how many may be lost in Davy Jones' Locker!

I really like your updated photo in the opening post. It really highlights the honest wear of the person who wore it and lost it. With the high points of the eagle being worn as they are, it was probably worn by the sailor long after his service. Once again, an awesome find!

Great observation. My favourite part of relic finds are the aspects that make them personal and unique

 

[Scrappy]

I have a running bet that he is at the exact spot where he found that...

Looking for the "other half".

I spent the afternoon with Locodigger and EastCoastdigger at one of his spots. I'll be back there next week with my commercial gas weed-wacker and a machete!!!

 

[ARC]

I spent the afternoon with Locodigger and EastCoastdigger at one of his spots. I'll be back there next week with my commercial gas weed-wacker and a machete!!!

SHHHH !!!

Damn... lost a dollar. :P

 

[against the wind]

Hey,, beautiful find.
Do you need someone with a rake.??
Congratulations I

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Huge congratulations on the banner man! Sorry I'm late to the party... it's been a busy weekend. That is a sick buckle . Awesome hunt man... your quick hunts are always better than my all day hunts.

 

[parsonwalker]

congrats on a killer find.

Man - it just doesn't GET much better than that. Wow!! And I can't BELIEVE the gilt left on that puppy. That would make my DECADE.

 

[Scrappy]

that is a beauty man! seriously, the NICEST example I have seen dug! BANNER all day long...killer man, simply killer!

Hey thanks Dan! I'm glad I could impress a member that consistently impresses me with finds much appreciated bud

 

[Scrappy]

Steve, here is a pic from my buckle book of the closest one to your buckle. Yours is definitely the 1852 pattern and with the two stars under the anchor, one of the early ones. This one is in the Smithsonian and belonged to Admiral David Farragut. Yours seems to be just a little different than any in the book when I compare the location of the stars in relation to the eagle's wing tips. Definitely a rare and desirable find.

Putting my vote in now

Haha I went to nominate for banner and the button wasn't on your post. I'm like WTF... and then I look at the banner, LOL. Congrats!

Wow, that's great info Steve. I don't have that book and was only going off of what people told me verbally and from recounts. Anyway, that's pretty cool it's an unlisted variety. Perhaps I can send a picture of it as an example to the Author. Anyway, thanks for the quasi vote - even if t went banner just before

Cheers bud

 

[sutphin]

YOU NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME , HEAR I GO DETECTING AND ALL I GOT WAS A LIP STICK CONTAINER . THAT IS A AWESOME FIND THERE MY FREIND, AND I WILL HAVE TO LOOK IT UP IN MY BOOK . CONGRATS SCRAP .