The fixed-tongue frame buckle was simple to make, widely produced, and saw service in every theatre of the war. See both Mullinax and Keim on this pattern and its variations. In this case the simple and robust design was improved further by casting the outer frame with a channel on the reverse (hence “gutter back,”) which saved on metal, lightened the frame, and added strength. The two fixed tongues and central bar are flat, cast in one piece with the frame, and lie on the same plane with it. The channel shows signs of sand casting. The edges, face and raised portions of the back were file-finished, the channel having pronounced edges. The finishing was obviously done in a hurry. The interior edges and corners are unevenly finished and the raised edges of the channel on the reverse show some chips and losses indicating the filer applied uneven pressure in trying to finish both inner and outer edges at once. The frame is missing the tip of one corner and the central bar shows a slight bend from the stress of the waist belt.

This was recovered in Orange, Va., and is a good example of a very typical Confederate belt buckle. We often think of them as infantry plates, and they show up in period photographs on Confederate infantrymen, but Keim also illustrates a nice example of one still on its sword belt on page 202.   [sr] [ph:L]

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