This is an original Civil War oval “SNY” waistbelt plate issued by the state of New York to its early war volunteer regiments that was recovered at Fredericksburg. The overall pattern was adopted by the state about 1840 in the small size adopted by the US Army in 1839, substituting the abbreviation for State of New York in place of the US. These larger oval SNY plates were first adopted in 1858 for the wider belts and in 1861 the state contracted for some 33,000 from three different contractors to equip its early-war volunteer regiments.

This is the standard construction, using a rolled-brass, die-struck face with a lead-solder fill securing two oval studs and belt hook in the backside, the oval studs giving rise to the nickname “puppy-paw” for the type among collectors.  In 1863 the design was changed slightly to use arrowhead shaped studs, but those plates were largely restricted to use by the state’s militia/national guard regiments.

This plate is similar to O’Donnell & Campbell Plates #542 and #545 with the block letters using thin and thick legs to the letters in imitation of down and up strokes in a pen inscription. It has an even, warm, reddish-brown color to the front, with a little gray on the edge of the rim, but sharp definition to the inner and outer borders and to the letters, with just a couple of rubs showing lighter on the S and the N.

The studs and belt hook are present and intact. The lead solder fill is all there, smooth, with no losses and shows as a silver gray under some thin brown and white. The plate shows a gentle wave when viewed from edge. This is not very noticeable from the front, with just a slight push back to the upper rim between the S and N. It seems pretty clear there was some sort of broad impact to that area that was enough to create a bend or wave, but not enough to crack the brass or pop out the fill. We see some small pencil point shallow holes in the solder fill, but these seem unrelated.

This is a classic Civil War belt plate worn in one of New York’s early war regiments before the Federal government entirely took over arming and equipping the volunteers.  [sr] [ph:L]

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