This is the regulation U.S. officer’s belt plate of the Civil War, adopted for wear on sword belts in 1851, rectangular in shape, displaying the arms of the U.S., with an integral belt loop/slot on one side and tongue on the reverse to engage a hasp with similar slot for the belt on the other. These were worn with one end of the belt looping through the slot on the plate and back on itself on the inside, usually with a thin wire frame buckle at the end to adjust the length, and the hasp fixed in place by stitching on the other end of the belt. This probably better than 99 percent of extant examples for quality of the casting and finishing work, and in condition for preserving loads of its original gold wash that shows just some darkening along the edges of the wreath and on the wreath and stars, some from rubbing of highpoints, but mostly from tarnishing of the thin silver wash applied to set them off from the gilt, stippled ground.

The reverse has an applied wide tongue and the number “14” stamped near the edge, which was a “bench” or mating number to keep it with its hasp after both pieces had been finished and hand fitted, until they could be mounted on a belt. For a similar example see, for instance, Plate 648 in O’Donnell and Campbell, American Military Belt Plates. They describe it a mid-war plate, 1861 to 1864, perhaps in large part due to the width of the tongue, though as a commercially produced plate, privately purchased by an officer (required to supply their own uniforms, weapons, and gear,) it could date a bit earlier.

This is an exceptional example that would be difficult to improve upon in a collection or display of officers’ gear or Civil War belt plates in general. [sr] [ph:m]

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