CampSite Artifacts  ·

         NEW !

Here is a Super Neat U.S. M1855 Rifleman’s Belt Buckle ! All four pieces are present as well as a good portion of the ends of the belt on each side. The buckle shows some verdigris and ground action and the leather is stiff and shrunken, but the two halves still come apart and re-attach like they did originally. I don’t know for a fact, but just judging by the verdigris build up and the patina, this buckle may have been recovered in a trash pit. If you like Relics looking like they just came Out of The Ground, this M1855 Rifleman’s Buckle makes a Really Cool Display ! [ L.L. ]

         $400  Reduced  $350  plus shipping

         NEW !
Here is a Beautiful Excavated U.S. M1851 Eagle Sword Belt Plate ! It has a nice mostly green patina front and back, with Civil War Period correct tongue still intact. It is hard to see in my picture, but there is also a benchmark on the base of the tongue, of 944. German silver wreath is missing as is common on these, but you can see the solder where it was once applied. Just a Great Early Civil War Eagle Sword Belt Plate that Displays perfectly !

        $275 plus shipping

        NEW !
Here is an Excellent Dug Condition State of New York SNY Waist Belt Plate ! It is the early pattern with puppy paw studs that was worn by the first New York regiments sent to the field. The front shows a wonderful mostly smooth plumb/brown patina with no major damage, nice rim, minimal ground action and one vertical scratch at the bottom of the -Y. The reverse shows both belt studs present in good shape and intact tongue, though it is bent down on the solder. The lead solder fill is 98% intact in good shape, with a tiny bit of roughness at one edge. Recovery location is unknown. A Beautifully Displaying Early Pattern State of New York – SNY – Waist Belt Plate !

        $850 plus shipping

Here is a Fine Shipwreck Recovered State of New York, SNY Waist Belt Plate ! It is the earliest known pattern that would have had iron wire hooks, but both the iron hooks and the brass face have deteriorated in the salt water leaving just the lead solder fill. Although the provenance of this one has been lost, most of these early SNY water recovered plates came from a side wheel steamer that sank just off the coast of South Carolina. The letters and the rim are solid on this one, and the letters show quite well in hand. A Fine Water Recovered Early SNY Waist Belt Plate ! [ L.L. ]

        $350 plus shipping

Here is a Fine Dug Condition Early Shoulder Belt Plate ! It’s a clipped corner plate that originally had the single long pin on reverse for attachment. Two holes in center likely for a Company letter or other identifying device, that is long gone. Reverse shows points where attachment pin once was, and same brown patina, with copper highlights as the front. Plate still retains some if not all of its body curve. The line running diagonally across the front is not a crack or bend, but rather a surface blemish or flaw in the manufacturing process. These plates can date from the 1840s, thru the 1870s. Although recovery location of this one is unknown, it is from the same collection as the Chancellorsville area plates.  A Nice Displaying Shoulder Belt Plate !

Here is a Nice Dug U.S. Carbine Sling Buckle & Belt Tip ! Both pieces have a nice mostly plumb patina, with the buckle itself also having several areas of green verdigris. Both tongues are present on the buckle and move freely. All four of the brass pins are still present in the belt tip and two have the peened washers still on the reverse. Looking at the reverse side of the buckle, one end of the center bar appears to be partially melted, though still firmly connected to the frame, making you think the buckle may possibly have been recovered from a fire pit. Buckle measures about 84mm x 52mm. Just a Fine Displaying Carbine Sling Buckle & Batwing !

                       $95 plus shipping

Here is a Super Slick “Burnside” Eagle Breast Plate ! The little, just 2.25 inch diameter plates, as opposed to the standard breast plate of 2.5 inches, are believed to be associated with Maine Troops, and the VMM plates. Besides the smaller size, on all these plates the end of the laurel branch the eagle holds in his left talon, resembles a fish hook. This one has a very smooth, dark brown patina that really sets off the details. It almost looks greenish in my pictures, but it is actually quite dark and more brown. There are a few minor bumps here and there, but nothing major. It does appear that at one time, the soldier who wore it started to cut out the eagle. You can see several little indentations similar to knife marks, right against and around the eagles’ neck and head, and a very light line going down the top edge of his left wing. Whatever the soldier intended, he never finished and the cut marks do not even go thru the plate. The reverse shows iron loops rusted away as is often the case, but still retaining about 90% of the lead solder fill in good solid condition. Recovered Winchester, Virginia. A Super Slick & Nice Displaying “Burnside” Eagle Breast Plate !

        $225 plus shipping

Here is a Fine Maker Marked US Eagle Breast Plate ! The front has a really nice look with a mostly brown patina, highlighted by areas of green. There is one small rust area near the bottom of the eagle’s tail wings, but not rusted thru. The details of the eagle device show very well, and there is one area of minor rim damage at about 11 o’clock. The reverse shows the lead solder fill nicely intact and mostly smooth except for that one edge area. The iron loops have rusted away leaving only remnants. There is an old collection number, that appears to be written on white-out, and near dead center the maker’s mark of, “W. H. Smith Brooklyn.” The mark is dark but easy to see and unlike many, completely legible due to the smoothness of the lead fill. I included a close-up, and also a couple of images where I rubbed baby powder into the letters. This plate was recovered in the 12 mile stretch of road between Emmitsburg, Maryland, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and is most likely associated with the Gettysburg Campaign. The specific recovery location will be given to the buyer. A Fine Displaying Maker Marked U.S. Eagle Breast Plate with a Gettysburg Connection !

        $175 plus shipping

Here is a Small Group of Dug Plates and Parts of Plates ! Two are almost complete but have had the lead solder melted out of the back. There is a large size US box plate with the lead melted out, and the upper part of the S broken out. Next to that is a small 1839 pattern or Baby US box plate, also with the lead melted out and a few freeze cracks, but it still displays fairly well from the front. At the bottom left is the right side of a US plate still retaining its lead solder, and showing the S, and at the bottom right is the edge of an eagle breast plate also still retaining its lead fill. A Nice Displaying little Group of US Plates and Parts ! [ D.K. ]

                                  SOLD

Here is a Fine Excavated “US Allegheny Arsenal” Sword Belt Plate w/Intact Eagle ! Many times when these are dug, the applied eagle and German silver wreath are missing. The wreath is long gone on this one, but the eagle is still nicely intact and tight on the plate. The entire plate wears a nice slick brown/green patina and it still has a good bit of its original body curve to it. The “US Allegheny Arsenal” mark on the reverse is easily legible, as is the “1118” benchmark stamp on the end of the plate. Though these plates are sometimes excavated in Civil War Campsites, they are early and can easily date to the pre-war years of the 1850s. This one was recovered in Henrico County, Virginia. A Fine Displaying “US Allegheny Arsenal” Sword Belt Plate w/Intact Eagle !

                             SOLD