This is an excellent excavated example of a classic and distinctively Confederate buckle. This measures 65 by 95mm, making it one of the large size versions of this buckle illustrated in Figures 393-424 in Confederate General Service Accoutrement Plates by Keim, who also shows a couple of examples on their original belts and several great images of armed Confederates wearing these.

These were widely produced during the war in several sizes and with minor variations in construction and, along with fixed tongue buckles, are perhaps the closest the Confederacy came to a counterpart to the oval U.S. as a general service belt buckle. This was excavated in Orange, VA, the location of numerous Confederate camps in the winter of 1863-64 and is in excellent condition with no bends, breaks or repairs to the frame or tongue, with nice surface and a pleasing patina of olive green mixed with some brown. The plate was made with to be strong and with some care. The face was finished and the interior corners of the frame well squared. The ends of the crossbar on the reverse were beveled and although less effort was taken in the finish of the reverse or the tongue, the interior edges of the forked tongues are nicely squared off.

This is great example of a widely used buckle that shows off very well and would look good in a plate collection or a CS infantry display.  [sr] [ph:L]

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