This is small size version of the 1839 pattern belt plate, used on the narrow waistbelts used through Mexican War and to the adoption of the wider belt about 1857. This is the standard configuration using a die-struck rolled brass face, filled with lead solder on the reverse to hold the belt hooks, which, in this case, are a single arrowhead retaining hook opposite the belt hook.

The face is very good, showing a distinct die strike and has some dark areas and some scratches from use, but no large dings to the fact or rim and a good, even fill of the back with the hooks in place. The face shows an “MS” stamp at bottom center indicating ownership by the state of Massachusetts. The plate could date as early as the Mexican War, but O’Donnell and Campbell note, per Plate 533, that although obsolete by U.S. standards by 1857, several states, including Massachusetts ordered them as late as 1862, and give it a broad date range of 1851 to 1862. In any case, it is a scarce variant of the standard U.S. oval belt plate in use from 1839 to 1872.  [sr] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.