Beautiful New Hampshire State Militia cartridge box plate in excellent condition. Gorgeous patina, clean lead, sound iron wire loops on reverse. This plate has been noted on Civil War catridge boxes but its use in the field has never been confirmed by the recovery of excavated specimens from the field. Sydney Kerksis, in his landmark study "Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874" believed the plate was issued to home guard units. Whatever its application it was not issued in significant quantities as the plate is uncommon. The style of design, die work, and construction conforms to the most prevalent styles of the Civil War for both Federal and state issue accoutrement plates.

This is a rare and desirable non-excavated oval pre-war belt plate made for US militia. Conforming to the 1839 regulation pattern of construction the plate was made of stamped brass with three-hook attachment device embedded in lead filled reverse. It measures 59 x 89mm. Featuring the spread-winged American eagle with 13 stars encircling over E Pluribus Unum motto below the plate was made with an accompanying cartridge box plate of same design. A very few of these have been excavated from Civil War sites attesting to its limited distribution to militia forces.

Standard US enlistedman's issue waist belt plate of the early style with stud hooks. This plate was excavated a few years ago by a Virginia relic hunter in Orange County, Virginia. It exhibits some flaking around the rim but is otherwise sound.

This is a rare belt that doesn't surface very often--the regulation US Navy Officer's dress two-piece on the original belt! The gilded plate displays the early pattern with two stars beneath the anchor. This was made by Ames in the early 1850s as the disc was cast not stamped. Ames didn't stamp their tongue discs until some years later. The plate is in excellent condition showing modest wear with nearly all of its gilt intact. The belt is sound but worn and delicate. A little TLC would greatly improve it.

Here is an attractive Federal officer's model 1851 sword belt rig. The plate is solid cast brass with integral wreath and braised brass tongue. Bench number 217 is stamped on plate and keeper. The soft thin leather shows wear and some interior stitching is missing, but overall makes a nice presentation.

Rare non-excavated specimen of the M 1851 sword belt plate and keeper exhibiting a variant wreath and stars design. The plate was made of cast brass with integral eagle motif and tongue and stamped nickel-silver three-piece applied wreath. This example reveals a cruder casting than the common types of 1851 sword belt plates and is most likely an early war product produced by a private contractor. With both keepers the plate measures 53 x 94mm and is in perfect condition.